[Jake2]

I got the 3mm graphite foam from Aliexpress. Just placing the foam sheet or parts of it next to cabling and ground box(s) I got similar results as with the sheet. Boosts and slightly bloats bass and compresses presentation. Ideas from who has used these foam sheets with good effect?

Running from memory here as now away for the Christmas holidays, the places I used the graphite felt to best effect in my main system or headphone rig were:
- a small piece on my 50 ohm BNC clock cable about halfway down near where it passed the ifi SPDIF iSilencer2
- wrapped around my headphone cable close to the split under my neck coupled with a small bag of RS
- wrapped around/ or sitting over my speaker cables as the exited my amp
- wrapped around my RCA cables from my DAC as they entered the amp.

In each case it was a calming of the sound less glare with a touch more midrange body.

The latter two both were combined with small quantities of Rochelle salt.

I tried a piece of felt in a ziplock bag inside my R26 DAC in several locations... above the R2R ladder, above the analogue stage and just under the lid, but no joy... sounded worse than nothing there, thinned and slightly brightened the sound.. the opposite of what I was expecting/hoping.

Oh and btw a bonus Christmas gift to my folks was my old iFi SPDIF iPurifier (V1) + iFi Power and a bag of Rochelle salt on the iPurifier. Their Kef LSX's (another handme down/long term loaner) have never sounded so good, the pure tones and separation they are getting is so much more engaging. I'll need to label the RS as NOT EDIBLE DO NOT EAT or similar.. should I leave it there. RS, the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[kenincalgary]

I don't have the foam sheets yet, my experience with the fragile foil sheets might be relevant. Aside from the cables editing the breaker panel as earlier reported, I leaned a sheet against the modem, shielding rhe GB in the foreground and the LPS which you can see a corner of on the right.

It cleaned things up by converting jagged edges to information like they do at the panel. I have 1 undeployed sheet to experiment with but am currently into another power cable/GB build.

With all the salt tweaks, any improvements made are really impactful. This is the opposite of the "diminishing returns" trap one falls into when throwing money at components without taking care of the details discussed here.

Which makes the upcoming radar absorption technique even more interesting...

 

[cdacosta]

I don't have the foam sheets yet, my experience with the fragile foil sheets might be relevant. Aside from the cables editing the breaker panel as earlier reported, I leaned a sheet against the modem, shielding rhe GB in the foreground and the LPS which you can see a corner of on the right.

It cleaned things up by converting jagged edges to information like they do at the panel. I have 1 undeployed sheet to experiment with but am currently into another power cable/GB build.

With all the salt tweaks, any improvements made are really impactful. This is the opposite of the "diminishing returns" trap one falls into when throwing money at components without taking care of the details discussed here.

Which makes the upcoming radar absorption technique even more interesting...

Just tried placing1/4, 1/2 and full sheet of the graphite sheet and foam between router and GB. Same results, rolls off top end, loss of air and compression of presentation. One never knows may be a use of either material somewhere.

Ah microwave frequency absorption. Yep it’s a thing that affects a sound system. 30+ hours trying to figure best use(s) of the compound. More importantly is how to explain it all for practical usage. I am using so little of the compound, 0.15 to 0.3 grams on hot side of the AC home wiring tweak and it clearly effects what is heard at the other end of the home. One of the interesting effects is when I get the right amount at say a junction point it makes the sonic presentation very analog. And because so little is used, I want to know if the compound will get over saturated after a period of time. Still listening for settling-in time to understand it.

I kid you not, 0.15 grams draped over the face of two breakers (not associated with system) in the panel will warm the system presentation, but I lose a bit of ultra fine resolution. Maybe less than 0.15 will work better? Hmmmm, maybe if spaced away from the breaker to draw and not fully absorb. I will try that. I am trying to figure out all the different variables and their effects. And most importantly how to tune with it.

 

[cdacosta]

I may have had a breakthrough that is important to note. So remember to try this when I tell you all what this stuff is. Look at the pic carefully of that thin baggie of white powder (looks like baby powder). That is my DAC. That baggie contains 0.18 grams of this compound. Anywhere inside the front half of the DAC, even away from the electronics on say a side wall, the presentation will warm up and a bit of ultra fine resolution and harmonics are lost. I am listening and testing real time.

I remember reading that US and Russian scientists used this compound to absorb 100% microwave frequencies to avoid detection of electronics from radar. To accomplish this they used this compound on top of a "black" background. When this same 0.18 grams of compound was just placed as you see it, with the black background or that metal power supply shield, bam! The sonic presentation went from warmer and that loss of a bit of ultra fine resolution and harmonics to ---> increased dynamics, increased harmonic texture, increased attack speed, increased decay harmonic texture, edges of notes more prominent and like a more increase of presence and immediacy of whatever is going on/being heard. This is without the tonal balance changing that I can detect. Obviously hard to explain. But the point is sounded like the DAC was upgraded... very cool. Moving the same bag forward away from the black metal background gives what it did before, "will warm up and a bit of ultra fine resolution and harmonics are lost". The two effect changes were immediate, reproducible and very obvious.

Now I have a lot of what ifs going on in my head, so to more experimenting...

 

[cdacosta]

LOL as soon as I removed the bag so I can tape to the sides of the bag to affix it to the black background the magic went away. The difference is quite substantial.

Installed the 0.18 gram bag and all is good again. Then I decided to just place a 0.30 gram bag on the same side then tried opposite side of the shield. The results were the same, the closer the bag got to the circuit board the more the bass frequencies was boosted. Literally was like having a bass boost knob that could be adjusted. But does not have this bass boost effect if the bag did not have that black background. Crazy stuff. Hope you guys understand now when I say I am trying to wrap my head around what this stuff does.

 

[kenincalgary]

So you literally mean a black background? Purple doesn't cut it? Tripping all over this one.

I've just installed another PC/GB combo and will now disappear to enjoy this crazy level-up.

 

[cdacosta]

So you literally mean a black background? Purple doesn't cut it? Tripping all over this one.

I've just installed another PC/GB combo and will now disappear to enjoy this crazy level-up.

Have not tried purple. The side walls of the DAC chassis is a dark gray and did not give the same results like the black background.

But is that any crazier than 1 gram of Rochelle salt at a junction point which is 1000 feet of wire away from your audio system, on a different circuit affecting the audio system?
Just did the same with 0.30 grams on the side of the amp by the transformer and fuse. Not as potent but did pretty much the same. But only if the background is black, that is the reason for the electrical tape.

 

[jimbop54]

Why the proprietary nonsense?
Just tell people what it is and let them experiment on their own.

 

[Boodle]

I don't have the foam sheets yet, my experience with the fragile foil sheets might be relevant. Aside from the cables editing the breaker panel as earlier reported, I leaned a sheet against the modem, shielding rhe GB in the foreground and the LPS which you can see a corner of on the right.

It cleaned things up by converting jagged edges to information like they do at the panel. I have 1 undeployed sheet to experiment with but am currently into another power cable/GB build.

With all the salt tweaks, any improvements made are really impactful. This is the opposite of the "diminishing returns" trap one falls into when throwing money at components without taking care of the details discussed here.

Which makes the upcoming radar absorption technique even more interesting...

I tried the 1 mm graphite sheet from Ali Exp. On top of my Naim uniticore it killed the sound, bloated upper bass, top end recessed and all air gone. So not a success. Next, on top of the PS Audio P3 regenerator, soundstage recessed and bass boost , absolutely terrible. So end conclusion, does not work in my set up but may have its use in a very bright upfront system.
interestingly i found a sheet of Stillpoints ERS rfi/emf suppression fabric ( bought many many years ago) and tried it on top of my Plixir power supply for the Chord Qutest Dac. Absolute magic. Every aspect of the sound improved dramatically. Like I had added ground boxes everywhere. Most importantly, it didn’t change the sound balance (similar to what a ground box did for me but on steroids). Maybe it is magnifying the effect of nano liquid that I had applied on the Uniticore power cable and plug fuse a few days ago When I changed the Uniticore power cable to a Kimber 8TC with a Furutech FI 28r iec and Furutech UK power plug with Synergistic purple fuse. Btw if anyone has a Naim Uniticore, it is definitely worth upgrading the power cable and fuse despite what people say on Naim forums.
waiting for CDA‘s Christmas present on which he has been working very hard so we can benefit from his research and testing (Thanks).

 

[cdacosta]

I tried the 1 mm graphite sheet from Ali Exp. On top of my Naim uniticore it killed the sound, bloated upper bass, top end recessed and all air gone. So not a success. Next, on top of the PS Audio P3 regenerator, soundstage recessed and bass boost , absolutely terrible. So end conclusion, does not work in my set up but may have its use in a very bright upfront system.
interestingly i found a sheet of Stillpoints ERS rfi/emf suppression fabric ( bought many many years ago) and tried it on top of my Plixir power supply for the Chord Qutest Dac. Absolute magic. Every aspect of the sound improved dramatically. Like I had added ground boxes everywhere. Most importantly, it didn’t change the sound balance (similar to what a ground box did for me but on steroids). Maybe it is magnifying the effect of nano liquid that I had applied on the Uniticore power cable and plug fuse a few days ago When I changed the Uniticore power cable to a Kimber 8TC with a Furutech FI 28r iec and Furutech UK power plug with Synergistic purple fuse. Btw if anyone has a Naim Uniticore, it is definitely worth upgrading the power cable and fuse despite what people say on Naim forums.
waiting for CDA‘s Christmas present on which he has been working very hard so we can benefit from his research and testing (Thanks).

I have used ERS and still have some. ERS has always sucked the life or musicality from my systems. Gave sheets of it away in the past because I could not find enough use for it. Can work well inside PLC by transformers though.

Will give you guys the low down on the compound. Also where I got mine within a few days. Would like others experimenting with it. Still trying to figure out how or best use for audio system. Feels like it has a lot of potential but using it is not as straight forward as say Rochelle salt.

 

[Stellabagpuss]

Looks like it will be a placement tweek on some black card, and possibly until tested, a bit unpredictable, l guess similar to RC but less amounts being used. Looking forward to the unveiling of the magic dust.

 

[cdacosta]

Ok, the magic dust is Hexagonal Boron Nitride (AKA HBN). But I need more testing time. Never used for audio that I am aware of. Kind of what you think usage is except the effect is different than Rochelle salt. I am testing for audible changes during settling, how it ends up and how long it takes. Placing a solid material with black background behind the HBN changes the audible effect of the compound. It offers effects that are very interesting, but until I can hear the system fully settled I will not know for sure dosage or amount to use.

 

[kenincalgary]

It's on order, by the time it arrives you'll be further along your research. Sounds very interesting, can't wait to play with it.

A ground box experiment week surprised me, I put a 2nd GB on the DAC/pre via rca into a Line input. There's already one attached to a pre output channel that is very effective. What surprised me is the 2nd box seemed to take the life and impact out of the music. The itself is good, it's sounding great paired to the intended ac cable.

 

[cdacosta]

It's on order, by the time it arrives you'll be further along your research. Sounds very interesting, can't wait to play with it.

A ground box experiment week surprised me, I put a 2nd GB on the DAC/pre via rca into a Line input. There's already one attached to a pre output channel that is very effective. What surprised me is the 2nd box seemed to take the life and impact out of the music. The itself is good, it's sounding great paired to the intended ac cable.

This is what and where I ordered the HBN, but it took 3 weeks to get it which I was not thrilled about. For US shipping is free. Have to place in cart to see shipping cost:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124111024079

Placing a 2nd ground box on your DAC and have it sound worse than without sounds wrong. Did you try a different input or output? Digital vs analog may also give you a different result.

 

[jean-michel6]

It's on order, by the time it arrives you'll be further along your research. Sounds very interesting, can't wait to play with it.

A ground box experiment week surprised me, I put a 2nd GB on the DAC/pre via rca into a Line input. There's already one attached to a pre output channel that is very effective. What surprised me is the 2nd box seemed to take the life and impact out of the music. The itself is good, it's sounding great paired to the intended ac cable.

On a passive preamp where input and output grounds are the same . I did try GB on output rca and then on input rca . The effect was much better on input rca .
I think every system is different and you have to experiment where it is most effective.