By Anthony Chiarella

“In the Spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of…Audio Gear!?!”

May Alfred, Lord Tennyson will forgive my blatant bastardization of his poetic masterpiece, but its true: as Winter turns to Spring, flowers begin to bloom, animals awaken from hibernation and guys start prepping their toys for the warm months. All across America, lawnmowers are gassed and lubed, boats are lowered into lakes and rivers, hot rods are tuned and detailed until they shine like mirrors; in other words, it’s time for Spring Cleaning and your Stereo System is the best place to start! Tweaking your system means being a “Do it yourselfer” and, like car guys, you should derive pleasure from maintaining, improving and hot-rodding your gear. There’s a special satisfaction that comes from Sweat Equity and this is particularly true in the case of system optimization.

Although many connoisseurs assume a Stereo System requires little or nothing in the way of maintenance, nothing could be further from the truth. Mechanical vibrations and electrical impulses loosen nuts and bolts, while dust, dirt and pollutants contaminate every connection in your system. Records, cartridges, laser pickups, etc are equally vulnerable. Since these changes occur gradually, you might not notice the degradation in performance on a day-to-day basis but trust us: once you’re given your system a serious “Spring Cleaning,” you’ll hear everything you’ve been missing. And remember: THIS IS FUN!!! Enjoy spending some “Quality Time” with your system….

Let’s start with the things that are most vulnerable to the ravages of time. First up, believe it or not, is your AC Wall Outlet. I’m still amazed at how many six-figure High End systems receive their power from an ancient AC socket that can barely grip the power plug! This is the single cheapest and most significant improvement you can accomplish. Since most of you aren’t electricians and we don’t want you to get injured, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LOCATE THE PROPER CIRCUIT BREAKER AND TURN OFF THE POWER TO YOUR SYSTEM BEFORE YOU PROCEED!!! Once that’s done, and you’re sure there’s no power flowing to the socket, remove the wall plate, remove the AC Socket and replace it with a Hospital Grade AC Socket. (I suggest buying an inexpensive Polarity Tester to ensure you have your positive, negative and Earth connected properly.) Reinstall the wall plate and prepare to be amazed! (I just purchased a dozen Hubbell 15-amp Hospital Grade Outlets for $5.37 apiece online: absolutely THE BEST improvement, dollar-for-dollar, I’ve ever wrought in my system!)

Now that we’ve improved our power, it’s “Time to Tighten.” Your speakers, if they’re on spikes, are probably wobbly. Drop a Spirit Level (please check my “Audiophile Tool Kit” blog from last month) atop each speaker, level it, and then tighten the spikes so that the speaker is rigidly coupled to the floor, making sure that all four spikes are in contact with the floor and the speaker (or stand, for monitors) doesn’t rock to and fro. The improvements in bass punch and image specificity can be startling! As a corollary, you can check to see if the bolts that hold each driver to its baffle are properly tightened. BE CAREFUL! You’re just ensuring that there are no loose bolts. Over-tightening can be catastrophic!

While we’re at it, it can’t hurt to clean and dust everything. If you’ve got some chutzpah, disconnect all of your components, remove from your rack and clean each with a soft, damp cloth. Clean the shelves upon which your components sit, as well. Will it make a difference in sound? Maybe not, but since when was dust and dirt A Good Thing? Since your rack is now empty, consider repositioning it. Do you have sufficient access to cables? Have you considered moving your rack to a more convenient location and changing cable lengths? Have you considered adding some sort of “Footers” beneath each component? Now’s the time!

Let’s make sure your system is “On The Level.” Even if you leveled everything when you first installed your system, that might no longer be the case. Start by leveling your system rack, making sure it doesn’t wobble or rock on the floor. Next, place your turntable and/or CD Player on its support and make sure they’re level, as well. Turntables require special attention. Check that cartridge screws and clips are tight, break out your stylus force gauge and check that tracing force hasn’t drifted, use a strobe to confirm speed accuracy. (This is especially important with Belt Drive ‘tables, as belts will stretch with use.) Load up your rack and verify level: an unladen rack won’t necessarily remain level once a couple of hundred pounds of equipment have been added! If there are nuts to lock your rack’s spikes in place, gently tighten to save your work.

It’s time to check your connections. Over the course of a year, your speaker binding posts will have loosened and your contacts will have become contaminated. This is a good time to bring your cables back to a Nordost Dealer for a three day Vidar burn-in. Buy a can of Cramolin and carefully clean every cable plug and chassis socket to remove built-up contaminants. (Do NOT apply any cleaner or treatment to AC connections: the results can be disastrous!) Before you reconnect all your cables, give everything a good wipe-down with Nordost ECO 3X to eliminate both dust and static charge. Ensure that all cables are properly “Dressed” and that power and signal cables are separated to the extent possible. Verify all connections and power-up….

Chances are, you’re going to experience a host of changes, some of which might not seem positive. You’ll probably hear more prominent bass and perhaps a bit more “immediate” (read: “Forward”) sound. This is normal! It’s time to reposition your speakers. Try everything: closer together and no toe-in, farther apart with more toe-in, closer and farther from the back and side walls, asymmetrical placement, etc. Use your favorite music and perhaps a couple of setup discs (Nordost makes a great one!) to restore the balance to your system. Once you’ve found the “Magic Spot” for your speakers, re-level, ensure that the speakers/stands are free of play and wobble and tighten.

Finally, here’s the most important part of the process. Pour yourself a drink, spin (or stream) your favorite album, sit back and enjoy your handiwork. Happy Spring!

RELATED INFO

AN AUDIOPHILE’S TOOL KIT

SPEAKER SET-UP GUIDE

By Anthony Chiarella

It never ceases to amaze: enter the sound room of any passionate music lover and you’ll find a rack full of costly HiFi gear—a wealth of cherished recordings lining the walls—but search for a few basic tools to tune things up and you’re met with blank stares. Or worse, you find a broken-handled screwdriver that looks as if it had been used to chisel stone.

Fact is, audiophiles happily spend princely sums on hardware and software yet bristle at the prospect of shelling out $100 for a few basic tools. And that’s a shame, because fine stereo (and Home Theater) systems require a little TLC to perform at their best, and that means you’ll need some basic tools and simple techniques for using them. For less than the cost of a single out-of-print LP, you can acquire everything you need to keep your High End rig running right! Here’s everything you need to know:

Screwdrivers: At a minimum, you’ll need three Philips drivers (#0, #1 and #2) and an assortment of flat-blade drivers. A couple of fine-blade Jeweler’s screwdrivers are essential for turntable setup and maintenance. German-made Wiha are the best we’ve found but Snap-On and Klein—made right here in the USA—are also excellent. These are the items you’ll use the most, so don’t cheap-out! (Tip: always use the largest blade that will properly fit the fastener’s head, as this will minimize the risk of damage.)

Allen (Hex) and Torx Drivers: Simply put, you can’t adjust a tone arm or remove the top cover from most electronic components without a set of Allen wrenches, though Torx drivers have become commonplace in the past few years. Compared to traditional screwdrivers, Allen and Torx allow greater tightening force with less chance of stripping the fastener. Fortunately, even the best of these are dirt-cheap. Look for “Bondhus” brand.  (Tip: with Allen drivers, choose models with one “Ball-end,” as these work better in tight spaces. You’ll need both Metric and English sizes.)

Machinist’s Level: For leveling your equipment rack, Turntable, CD Player and speakers. Actually, you don’t need one: you need two, placed at right angles atop whatever surface you want leveled. (Tip: a longer level will always provide a more accurate measurement that a shorter level of equal quality, so use the longest level that will work on a given surface.)

Needle-Nose Pliers: essential for cartridge installation and useful for any sort of fine wire work, not to mention fishing small screws out of tight spaces. You’re best off with two: 1” and 2-3” jaw. Best brands are Snap-on, Channellock and Diamond.

Adjustable “Crescent” Wrench: An open-end wrench with adjustable jaws. In this case, smaller is better. A 4” or 6” wrench should master just about any task. (Snap-On and Channellock are top brands here.)

Utility knife:  (Box-cutters) These are among the most useful and versatile items you can own. Need proof? How did you open your equipment boxes, anyway? (Tip: a dull blade is much more dangerous than a sharp one. Blades are cheap, so change them often!)

Tape Measure: HiFi setup is all about geometry…try that without a Tape Measure! (Tip: choose a tape at least 20’ long, with a locking feature, that is highly legible.)

High quality flashlight and Magnifying glass: Over 40? These are self-explanatory. An LED Flashlight with multiple brightness settings is worth a king’s ransom.  These will come in handy when looking behind your system, adjusting phono cartridge alignment, and in infinite other instances.  

Protractor and Stylus Force Gauge: For Analog Lovers Only! Brinkmann makes a gorgeous and easy-to use Protractor based upon the old Dennesen Soundtractor. As for Stylus Force Gauges, high precision digital units are available on ebay for $10.

Toolbox: Cheap insurance and guaranteed organization! (Tip: a plastic box with internal compartments offers the best protection and keeps everything at the ready.)

Parting shot: When it comes to tightening screws, bolts and other fasteners, audiophiles seem to think that “If a little is good, more is better!” Avoid the temptation and DON’T Overtighten!!!

Our product specialists receive questions on a daily basis about Nordost products, their application, and hifi in general.  We thought that we would take a minute to share some of our most recent and frequently asked questions here so that everyone can get the answers they are looking for!

Q: I saw a picture of the Nordost room at one of the trade shows that you were exhibiting at last year and noticed something on the bottom of the loudspeakers you were using. Are those similar to the Kones that you produce? Do they work under all loudspeakers?

A: The devices that you saw in our demonstration system attached to the bottom of the loudspeakers are our Sort Füt. The Sort Füt, like our Sort Kone, is a resonance control device and it is based on the same principles. The Sort Füt and Sort Kone address both internal and external vibrations. They allow the vibrations generated within audio components (and in the Sort Füt’s case, loudspeakers and audio racks) to be drained out through ceramic ball-bearings which act like mechanical diodes, without letting external vibrations in. What distinguishes the Sort Füt from the Sort Kone is that the Sort Füt is constructed with three ceramic balls to deal with the extra weight of, and vibration created by loudspeakers. The Sort Füt also includes a threaded rod to attach itself to the loudspeaker. While components simply rest on the point of the Sort Kone, it is important that loudspeakers and audio racks be attached to the Sort Füt for added stability. Nordost provides three standard thread sizes which accommodate a majority of loudspeakers and audio racks on the market. However, there is a complete list of additional threads which can be ordered if needed.  

Q: I have run out of room on my QB8 unit. I would like to purchase another one, but I want to know if there is a way that I can connect those two units?

A: Yes, we often “daisy chain” our QB8 units at trade shows so that we can take advantage of our QK1 and QV2 units. The best way to connect multiple QB8 units is to plug the first one into the wall, using the best possible power cord. Then you connect the second unit directly to the outlet labeled “Primary Earth”.

Q: I am very pleased with the result of my new Nordost purchase, but I want to make sure that they stay in the best condition possible. What techniques should I use to maintain my Nordost cables?

A: You will be happy to know that the longer you have your cables, the better they will perform. If you follow our blog, you will already be familiar with the importance of cable burn in. Burning in your brand new cables on the Nordost Vidar machine will allow you to get the best results from your purchase. By using extremely wide bandwidth signal as well as a range of both ultra-low and high frequency sweeps, the Vidar stresses the conductors, neutralizes charges, improves the way that signals pass through metal and  ultrasonically conditions the surface of the conductors. It is these changes in both the conductor and insulation material that refine performance in audio cables. The same goes with periodical burn in maintenance. Even though you may use your cables every day, electrical equipment can experience current leakage, which gives a charge to your cables. By having your cables treated with the Vidar, you are conditioning them and allowing the charges to neutralize once again.

The second maintenance that I would recommend for your cables is using Anti-Static Treatment. Products like Nordost’s Eco 3X stop the slow build-up of static charge (which happens at an even faster rate in the winter months) that can negatively affect the performance of your audio equipment. Just use Eco 3X on your cable jacket and you will find a noticeable difference in the liveliness and clarity of your system’s performance.

Q: I am considering a cable upgrade for my system, but I don’t want to commit to replacing everything at once. Which cables should I start with?

A: I would recommend starting your cable upgrade with the most important cable in your system, which would be the power cord that feeds your entire system (from your wall to your distribution block).

Our product specialists receive questions on a daily basis about Nordost products, their application, and hifi in general.  We thought that we would take a minute to share some of our most recent and frequently asked questions here so that everyone can get the answers they are looking for!

Q: Is it okay to have multiple Nordost ranges in one line, or is it important to pick one range and stick with it throughout your system? For example, can I have Blue Heaven interconnects with Red Dawn Speaker Cable?

A: You can easily switch between several lines within one system.  Our products are designed to be linear and use the same basic cable philosophy, so that you can go up and down the ranges, and even the cable families. So of course you can have Blue Heaven Interconnects with Red Dawn Speaker Cables (which are both in the same Leif family), or even Frey 2 Speaker Cables (which are in the Norse 2 family) with no issues (although, we would recommend upgrading you interconnects before your speaker cables).

Q: Is there a significant difference between your Heimdall 1 and Heimdall 2 XLR interconnects?

A: Yes, there is a huge difference between Heimdall series 1 and Heimdall series 2.   While both models are constructed with 4 conductors, the gauge on the conductors went from 26 to 24, giving Heimdall 2 more body and resolution. We also enhanced the performance of the Heimdall 2 by using Dual Mono-Filament, where Heimdall 1 used Micro Mono-Filament. Lastly, we implemented asymmetrical ground in Heimdall 2 with new connectors in order to lower the noise floor. This gives series 2 more body and resolution.

Q: Please tell me how the cables change the signal from the amplifier to the speakers in order to improve the sound quality.

A: The typical properties of a cable are resistance, inductance, and capacitance. A cable will never add anything to a system, but it can take away from the end result since it has a tendency to act like a filter.  Bad cables can take what your amplifier is sending to the speakers and distort it. Better cables send the signal faster and have less influence on the signal, resulting in better qualities.  They allow more of the unaltered signal to pass. Take impedance for example: the lower the impedance of a cable, the less frequency roll off it causes.

Q: Do I need to connect the external ground to my QBASE?

A: No, it is not necessary to connect the external ground to have the QBASE work effectively in your system. However, if it is possible to run a ground wire, like Nordost’s QLINE, to an external ground rod, you will experience a noticeably lower noise floor as a result. You should consult a local electrician to ensure that the improvements you make on your sound system remain to code.

At Nordost, we believe that one of the most important aspects of a hifi system is a solid foundation. Without essential elements such as proper grounding, vibration control, and a clean AC current, it is utterly impossible to reap all the benefits your components are capable of.  However, this principle is not unique to hifi. Regardless of application, all electronics must first receive a proper base in order to perform to their full potential.

A top-of-the-line home theater system is only as good as its weakest link—and that includes your media streamers. Streamers, such as Apple TV, show drastic improvements when they are fed by seamless power, free from electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference. In media streamers that have a removable power cord, an upgrade as simple as replacing the stock AC supply with a high quality one is truly transformative. Nordost’s entry level Purple Flare Figure 8 Power Cord is the perfect solution for your Apple TV. This 2 conductor, 16 AWG cable uses Nordost’s proprietary Micro Mono-Filament technology and revolutionary FEP extrusion to construct a high-speed, low-loss power cord that will allow your streamer to produce a picture worthy of your system. 

To take the performance quality another leap forward, complete the connection using Nordost’s Blue Heaven HDMI cable!

Just like most hifi enthusiasts, we are always looking for that unattainable, perfect sound. Once we think we have made that purchase that will finally result in “the ultimate system”… suddenly we find a hum, or a slightly muffled base, or an imaging problem. The list, unfortunately, is never ending. So what do you do? Make another upgrade? Try to prescribe the perfect remedy to aide whatever is ailing your system? But before you make that next purchase, have you really done everything to maximize what you already have? There are countless tweaks that you can do to your system that will take the equipment you own to the next level.

Here we will concentrate on just your speakers. Try these simple, affordable and basic tricks that will elevate the performance of your speakers, and in fact your entire system, so that you get your upgrade without actually purchasing new ones.

1) Speaker Placement

The importance of the placement, toe-in and leveling of your loudspeakers cannot be stressed enough. You can’t just plop your speakers in any arbitrary place in your listening room and expect great results. Finding the correct speaker placement is a precise and sometimes tedious task, but it has a HUGE pay-off. For a guide through this process please see our previous blog: Speaker Placement in 5 Easy Steps or our Speaker Placement download. Another helpful tool for perfect placement is a set-up CD. The Nordost System Set-Up & Tuning Disc contains tracks that will help with everything from speaker placement and sub-woofer integration, to performance checks and assessment, problem location and system conditioning.

2) Keep Them Tight

Over hours, months, years of intense listening sessions, constant vibrations in the speaker cabinet, and even a climate that induces wood to dry out, will cause a screw or two to become loose. Make sure to check all of the connections, especially those that attach the driver units to the front baffle, and tighten any screws that need it. Just be careful not to overtighten as this could lead to a stripped thread.

3) Maintain Clean Connections

Sometimes all you need is a little maintenance to ensure optimal performance. Take a few minutes once a month to clean the contacts on your loudspeaker terminals as well as the connectors on your speaker cables with a high quality contact cleaner. This simple step will not only improve the conductivity of the connection and reduce RMI and intermittent connections, but it also protects your contacts against oxidation and corrosion. We recommend the DeoxIT® Gold GxL Series 

4) Anti-Static Treatment

Anti-static treatment is a must. Used on both audio and AV gear, this spray helps to fight the deceptively dangerous, slow build-up of static charges. Static charge can do everything from flatten perspectives to inhibit the dynamics of a sound system. Simply spray a small amount of Eco 3X onto a cloth and wipe the area around speaker drivers. You will begin to reveal a more relaxed and natural soundstage. We especially recommend using Eco 3X in the winter months when static build up is more prevalent.

5)  Grill on or off?

There seems to be an ongoing debate about whether or not to keep grills on speakers. Some of you may have already decided to take the grill off your loudspeakers or may have ordered a grill to put on your speakers for purely aesthetic reasons. The fact of the matter is anytime you put a piece of material in front of a sound wave there will be an effect on the music produced—Grills do make a difference. The real question is if this difference is positive or negative. What was intended for your specific speakers? Were the loudspeakers voiced with the grill on, or was the grill added as an afterthought accessory? Call your speaker manufacturer or dealer to find out what is optimal for the loudspeakers you own and make the change accordingly .

6) Reduce Surface Contact of Speaker Cables

As a cable company, we have some tricks of our own for this problem. The capacity of a speaker cable is negatively impacted by the electric static stored in floors. This is one of the reasons Why You Should Be Using Flat Speaker Cables. The ability of flat cables to stand up vertically minimizes the contact area between the surface and the cable itself. Alternatively, invest in cable raisers, which accomplish a similar effect to what Nordost speaker cables take care of by design alone.

7) Resonance Control

Vibrations are a byproduct of any component that uses energy to power itself. Unfortunately these vibrations have adverse effects on audio systems, including confusion of imagery, timing errors and musical distortions. Loudspeakers are the biggest culprits of generating this harmful distortion. By introducing resonance control devices like the Sort Füt to your speakers, you are providing a direct ground path, allowing extraneous energy to escape from the cabinet. Once you have eliminated these harmful vibrations you will be able to hear a reduction in intermodulation distortion, an expanded soundstage and an increase in tonal and textural details from your loudspeakers. The great thing about the Sort Füt is that since there are a large variety of threaded rods available, this is an upgrade that can be transferred onto almost any speaker model if you finally do one day decide to purchase a new set.

Learn more in our “Tiny Tweaks, Big Pay-Offs – Simple adjustments that make a difference” download!