Sometimes it’s the little things that really count. When it comes to upgrading your system, I know it’s sexier to talk about new speakers or a new streamer. But, if you don’t have quality speaker stands or good isolation for your turntable, then you may not be hearing your current components at their best.
Check out our list of 5 Sensational Audio Accessories that will take your Hi-Fi System to the next level!
1. Record Doctor Record Clamp ($29)
yLooking to get the best sound out of your records? Well, to do that, you need to get rid of unwanted resonance and LP slippage.
This is especially true if you have even slightly warped records, as they will produce even more resonance and slippage. While this may sound daunting, the good thing is, these problems are quite easy and inexpensive to mitigate.
All you need is the $29 Record Doctor Record Clamp, which has just enough weight to couple your record to the platter, but not to damage the turntable bearings. Its low-profile design will also fit under most turntable dust covers, and it may also prolong the life of your stylus and records.
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2. Iso Acoustics Orea Graphite Pucks ($44)
Just like vibrations from LP slippage, surface vibrations can also cause issues with sound clarity and focus.
Not just with Turntables, but with CD Players and Speakers as well!
That’s why you should have a good set of isolation pucks to soak up any surface vibrations. The $44 (ea.) Iso Acoustics Orea Graphite Pucks are excellent at this. The top and bottom of the Orea isolators have a suction cup effect that keeps your gear from moving around, and the middle core absorbs unwanted energy.
The Orea Graphite handles 4 lbs per puck (you need 4), and for heavier gear, you can pick up either the Bronze, Indigo, or Bordeaux versions.
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3. Iso Acoustics Aperta Stands ($199)
If you have a pair of speakers on the desktop, and you’re hearing more desk than you hear speakers, you need to get your speakers up off the desk asap.
That also applies to speakers on a console. If you have a pair of bookshelf speakers sitting directly on a stand, then you do not hear the full clarity and soundstage they are capable of!
If this sounds like your problem, then I have a quick fix. Please pick up a pair of Iso Acoustics Aperta Stands ($199), and put them under your speakers. I promise you will be amazed at the difference in sound quality.
Like the Orea pucks mentioned above, the Aperta stands have a suction cup surface on the top and bottom, keeping both the stand and speaker in place. Then they have the same absorptive material in the center to soak up vibration from the speakers.
Add to that a precision tilt adjustment, and you have the perfect way to sharpen the focus of your speaker’s sound. If they’re good enough for top studio engineers, they should be good enough for you!
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4. Audioquest Rocket 11 Speaker Cables ($283)
I know a lot of people don’t put much thought into speaker cables. However, if you have a system that you love and looking for a way to tweak it, you should think about investing in some good cables.
Speaker cables that are too thin or poorly manufactured can introduce noise into your system’s presentation. This noise usually comes across as dullness or fuzziness, which degrades the sound quality.
If you want to hear your system at its best, try a pair of Audioquest’s well-constructed Rocket 11 Speaker Cable ($283) with twisted-pair long-grain copper conductors (less oxide and fewer impurities), along with silver-plated spades or banana plug conductors for better connectivity. They’re also super flexible, which allows you to tuck them out of the way cleanly.
Try a pair, and let me know if it doesn’t make your system sound crisper and more focused.
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5. iFi Power Station Active Power Conditioner Power Strip ($499)
This one may not be for everybody, but if you have noisy power in your listening room, you know it can be really aggravating.
In my old house, my outlet put all kinds of noise into my system, and it drove me crazy because once you hear it, you just can’t “un-hear” it.
I have the $499 iFi Power Station in my system, and I love it! It’s a solid block of Aluminum built like a tank, and its active noise canceling stops noise from both RFI (Radio-frequency interference) or EMI (Electromagnetic Interference). If you have issues with this kind of noise, this Power Strip is worth every penny.
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I’m an audio writer who started as a young audio salesman/consumer electronics professional back in the late 90s. That’s where I discovered the magic of 2-Channel sound. My hunger for great sound has led me on a delightful music quest that continues today.
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