[kenincalgary]

I heard the difference immediately but it was subtle and I didn't believe it. So I went back and forth many times and had to accept that it made a difference. Then a couple days later I repeated the process because I thought I was delusional. Same result so the quartz is staying there.

I didn't invent this, there's an old reference to it in the Tweaker part of Audio Asylum from 2008, do a search on refrigerator quartz, they were talking about some quartz disc from Japan I think.

Depending on your results you may or may not want to hear about tuning forks

 

[cdacosta]

I heard the difference immediately but it was subtle and I didn't believe it. So I went back and forth many times and had to accept that it made a difference. Then a couple days later I repeated the process because I thought I was delusional. Same result so the quartz is staying there.

I didn't invent this, there's an old reference to it in the Tweaker part of Audio Asylum from 2008, do a search on refrigerator quartz, they were talking about some quartz disc from Japan I think.

Depending on your results you may or may not want to hear about tuning forks

I was a part of or tried most tweaks on Audio (Tweaker) Asylum from 2007 on until 2017 I think. I remember tuning forks. I remember experimenting with all different kinds of crystals, ever since Acoustic Revive started to introduce products using minerals and crystals. Also Shakti products.

Where inside the fridge did you place the crystal?

 

[cdacosta]

I heard the difference immediately but it was subtle and I didn't believe it. So I went back and forth many times and had to accept that it made a difference. Then a couple days later I repeated the process because I thought I was delusional. Same result so the quartz is staying there.

I didn't invent this, there's an old reference to it in the Tweaker part of Audio Asylum from 2008, do a search on refrigerator quartz, they were talking about some quartz disc from Japan I think.

Depending on your results you may or may not want to hear about tuning forks

Waiting for install location inside fridge..,

 

[kenincalgary]

Just on a shelf bear the front right.

 

[kenincalgary]

...near the front right.

 

[cdacosta]

...near the front right.

LMAO
There is an audible difference! Although is slight. But I do not like it. Thins the upper frequencies and accentuates it. But possibly a different location and amount used could change results. Amazing it did anything.

 

[Ghoostknight]

Wait, you guys freeze a quartz and then put it back into the listening room?

hmm i have to try this, tho the answer could be quite simple ... quartz is piezoelectric and changing the temperature might change the frequency the stone is tuned to (largly based on size/geometry, and maybe temperature?)

tho i have removed all lose crystals from my listening room a few weeks ago... i just got sick of it, it kinda felt like in hindsight that the moodchange the crystals are doing is great as some alternative but if its constantly than you might get tired of it... maybe i just havent found the crystal for me yet

 

[kenincalgary]

I imagine size, type shape etc of the crystal, location, model of fridge etc will change the effect. It's subtle as you noted so I haven't spent any more time on it. Crazy though, right?

 

[kenincalgary]

Wait, you guys freeze a quartz and then put it back into the listening room?

hmm i have to try this, tho the answer could be quite simple ... quartz is piezoelectric and changing the temperature might change the frequency the stone is tuned to (largly based on size/geometry, and maybe temperature?)

tho i have removed all lose crystals from my listening room a few weeks ago... i just got sick of it, it kinda felt like in hindsight that the moodchange the crystals are doing is great as some alternative but if its constantly than you might get tired of it... maybe i just havent found the crystal for me yet

Not freezing it, just leaving it in the fridge on a shelf.

 

[cdacosta]

I imagine size, type shape etc of the crystal, location, model of fridge etc will change the effect. It's subtle as you noted so I haven't spent any more time on it. Crazy though, right?

Crazy is a way to put it. LOL

The other places I mentioned previously has a much stronger audible effect. Will definitely experiment more. May hit a jackpot, one never knows unless it is tried.

 

[kenincalgary]

It's fun and cheap to play with, I'm not holding my breath for any jackpots with it.

A jackpot would be figuring out how to replicate the effect of the muon ethernet filter with powders and potions:
https://www.networkacoustics.com/shop/muon-pro-ethernet-filter/

A friend got one and likes it, I haven't heard it yet but at $2k CAD it's a nope for me.

 

[zanash]

For CDcosta.
I need your kind help and guidance on 2 issues:
1. Modding the AE Odin Gold xlr to attach a ground box cable - I modded this xlr cable with Eizz Female xlr plugs but couldn’t fit the 14 gauge 6n AE cable together with the 3 earth cores on the Odin so I used a 18 gauge Neotech OCC cable. Result, a bit disappointing. Top end sparkle and clarity has disappeared. So maybe the Neotech cable is not suitable or maybe needs burn in? Alternatively, is there a way to attach the AE 6n cable. Stripping the Odin Gold sheath and individual strands is a pain.
2. I made a second Ground Box - smaller than my first one. This one is from Amazon US the same size used by you and others. This could take only 2 kg of mix. I used a mix natural magnetite 500gm and synthetic magnetite1.3 kg, plus graphite 50gm, tourmaline powder about 100gm, rochelle salt 50 gm, himalayan rock salt about 100gm, shunghite chips 30 gm, tourmaline chips 50 gm, - sound with the modded xlr after 12 hours continuous play, not good at all. Reduced highs, lower midrange prominence, imaging not great. So where have I gone wrong. My suspicion is the synthetic magnetite maybe not good for ground boxes. I went back to my first ground box 3.5 kg ( natural magnetite) and it is much better with the modded Odin xlr, but still not great.
Your thoughts would be most helpful.
Thanks

ok ...having read this ...you have hinted at the answer! imo this is more to do with the cable modifications rather than the mineral mix in your second box.

a drawing or photo of the way you have tried to mod the cable would help

 

[cdacosta]

ok ...having read this ...you have hinted at the answer! imo this is more to do with the cable modifications rather than the mineral mix in your second box.

a drawing or photo of the way you have tried to mod the cable would help

@zanash, have you performed the mod or listened to a modded balanced cable attached to a ground box? If yes how did the mod effect the performance of the cable/system?

 

[Jake2]

It's fun and cheap to play with, I'm not holding my breath for any jackpots with it.

A jackpot would be figuring out how to replicate the effect of the muon ethernet filter with powders and potions:
https://www.networkacoustics.com/shop/muon-pro-ethernet-filter/

A friend got one and likes it, I haven't heard it yet but at $2k CAD it's a nope for me.

Such a great discussion - I can see a spinoff thread now - "The Crystal in the Fridge".

Re DIY replicating the Muon, even better yet their highly rated new Tempus switch. I've certainly gone to town damping my LHY SW-8 switch (flipped upside down) with a stack of tungsten cubes, fo Q and graphite foils directly on its OCXO, also chassis grounding a DIY copper sheet 'lid' with some RS in top as well. Need to get more quartz crystals to try on this as they worked very well on my OCK-2 which shares a lot in common design wise with the SW-8.. same chassis, toroidal PS, DC filtering etc

So much potential to tap from noise reduction through vibration damping, better power and/or other RFI/EMI dissipation across the board but network devices seem super sensitive for some reason.

 

[zanash]

@zanash, have you performed the mod or listened to a modded balanced cable attached to a ground box? If yes how did the mod effect the performance of the cable/system?

no ...I was commenting on a previous post, and making an assumption from the comments.
My grounding box uses an rca connection, as it was what I had available in my spares box!