Likewise, I don’t work on LP12 turntables: not because they’re ‘bad’ products but because I’ve never been trained on them and there are other people with more experience who can do a better job with that product. I guess I could learn, but there’s no substitute for accumulated experience and, to be honest, I rarely see them.
RG. What do you expect from your client? Are there objective conditions that you require in order to be able to work: for example – the state of the AC supply?
ST. Going back to the original premise of my company, I’m there to work with what exists. I can’t expect particular arrangements from my clients because they don’t know what they don’t know. If the AC supply is compromised it limits how great a result I can achieve, but I’ll still get a result. Having said that, I’ll absolutely point out how that result can be improved and, in some cases, I’ll discuss with a client remedial work that can be carried out cost effectively before I arrive – work that will give me a more stable foundation to work from and will produce a better final result. It really depends on the individual client and situation. There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer, just as no one system fits all listeners. What I’m absolutely not in the business of, is telling a client, “You need to buy product X to make this system work.” If I’m asked, I’ll offer advice and an opinion, but it tends to be more along the lines of, “You really need this kind of amplifier for that kind of speaker.” That’s more a question of a fundamental incompatibility – which is not uncommon.
That’s really the function of the system profile: to highlight potential problems or areas within the system that might be improved before I get there, thus allowing me to do a better job and deliver greater value. Not so much swap out your amp but maybe have the electrician install a dedicated line, check the grounding in your house. Again, that’s all part of the infrastructure that underpins the system’s performance. It makes my job easier, but also faster.
RG. Although speaker placement is a big part of system performance, around half of what you do doesn’t actually touch the speakers.
ST. Normally, I allow two days for a set-up, sometimes three or more, if it involves a big, complex system or a turntable. But the first part of my process, normally the entire first day, involves dismantling the system completely, even down to taking racks apart and breaking down turntables. Then I go through and clean absolutely everything: not just plugs and sockets, but the AC receptacles in the wall, threads on spikes or fasteners, bolts that hold racks together: Going inside equipment to tighten sub-assemblies and the mountings for circuit boards, cleaning fuses and edge connectors. Literally everything I can sensibly get at. I’ve used Caig DeOxIt Pro Gold for many years, partly because it’s a certificated, industry standard product that delivers completely consistent results. Recently I’ve started using Andante Largo’s Super TMD cleaner and contact enhancer, which gives superior results and comes from a similar, highly regulated source – although as a two-stage process, that does take longer to apply. Just getting everything clean, all of the electrical and mechanical connections, has a massive impact on system performance.
