{"title":"The Dark Side","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"qsa-tuning-gemstones-pack-of-5","title":"QSA Tuning Gemstones — Pack of 5","description":"\u003ch1\u003eQSA Tuning Gemstones, Pack of 5\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey look like decorative stones, and the name sounds like marketing. We didn't take them seriously at first either. Then we spent more time with them, and they turned out to be a genuinely effective and underappreciated tweak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003eUnassuming stones, with more effect than they look.\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eQSA applies its treatment to the gemstone material itself. QSA keeps the process to itself, so we judge the stones the way Stereo Times' Clement Perry judges QSA's products: by listening. You place a treated stone on or near a component, cable, fuse, or power strip, essentially anywhere in the system. They come in packs of five, in four colors: red, clear, blue, and black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Experience\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe gemstones add to the effect of other QSA products, and we use them to fine-tune a system that already has QSA fuses, adapters, and receptacles. They're also a low-cost way for a listener who's curious about QSA to hear what the brand does. Placement takes experiment: near transformers, near power supplies, and near digital-to-analog conversion stages each produce their own character, and a pack of five gives you enough stones to try several positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere It Fits\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStart with your source or DAC, then work outward to power supplies and cables. Move one stone at a time and listen after each change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePress Recognition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe gemstones are one of QSA's newer formats, and reviews are on the way. We'll add them here as they're published.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions about placement, or how the gemstones work with your other QSA products? Give us a call. We've tried them in a number of positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuantity: Pack of 5\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColors: Red, clear, blue, black\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTreatment: QSA proprietary, applied to the gem material\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlacement: Any component, cable, fuse, or system surface\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Quantum Science Audio","offers":[{"title":"Red (Pack of 5)","offer_id":40794883948611,"sku":"Red (Pack of 5)","price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Clear (Pack of 5)","offer_id":40794883981379,"sku":"Clear (Pack of 5)","price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue (Pack of 5)","offer_id":40794884014147,"sku":"Blue (Pack of 5)","price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black (Pack of 5)","offer_id":40794884046915,"sku":"Black (Pack of 5)","price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0522\/7587\/products\/QSA-Tuning-Gemstones-Pack-of-5-Tweek-Geek-23898718240835.jpg?v=1779252631"},{"product_id":"maestro-lacquer","title":"SteinMusic Maestro Lacquer","description":"\u003ch1\u003eSteinMusic Maestro Lacquer\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery surface in your system vibrates and colors the sound a little, whether it's a speaker cone, a turntable, or a circuit board. The Maestro Lacquer lets you change how a surface resonates. SteinMusic says that used on loudspeakers, cables, and electronics, it makes the sound more natural, open, refined, and colorful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003eChange how a surface resonates, and the sound follows.\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMaestro Lacquer is a natural resin lacquer with resonance-controlling properties, optimized for coating loudspeaker diaphragms and electronic music playback devices. SteinMusic points out that mechanical resonances in any object reflect at its interfaces. Applying the lacquer changes the top layer, which lets it pass its own sonic character to the part it coats. It's the same lacquer SteinMusic uses to impregnate the Japanese paper in its Perfect Interface turntable mat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSteinMusic draws a clear line between this and damping. Damping can lower the amplitude of an unwanted resonance, but SteinMusic says it also changes the Q factor of the resonance peak and makes it broader, which it describes as an unpleasant acoustic effect. Maestro Lacquer changes the resonance behavior of the coated surface instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat You Hear\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSteinMusic says the effect is easiest to hear on mechanical systems such as loudspeakers, turntables, and microphones, because their mechanical resonances influence the music signal directly. Those resonances make up the component's own sound, and coating it with Maestro Lacquer lets you steer that sound in a positive direction. SteinMusic says the same applies to active and passive electronic components, whose tiny parts also transmit their own sound, produced by mechanical vibration, into the music signal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere It Fits\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUse it where you can reach a resonating surface: loudspeakers, cables, turntables, and electronics. Before you coat electronics or loudspeaker drivers, call us so we can go through what to treat and how. We can also point you to the Perfect Interface mat, which uses the lacquer on handmade paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePress Recognition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Maestro Lacquer is a SteinMusic technology that the company also uses in the Perfect Interface mat, which has drawn coverage from Analog Planet, Positive Feedback, and An Aussie Audiophile. Reviews of the lacquer on its own are on the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions about what to treat first, or how to apply it? Give us a call.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eType: Natural resin lacquer with resonance-controlling properties\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOptimized for: Loudspeaker diaphragms and electronic music playback devices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse on: Loudspeakers, cables, turntables, microphones, and electronics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c!-- SteinMusic's page gives no volume or application details. Add them once SteinMusic supplies them. --\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigner: Holger Stein, SteinMusic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaker: SteinMusic, Germany\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"SteinMusic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40794885226563,"sku":null,"price":98.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0522\/7587\/products\/SteinMusic-Maestro-Lacquer-Tweek-Geek-23898738884675.png?v=1779252631"},{"product_id":"nirvana-audio-chronos","title":"Nirvana Audio Chronos","description":"\u003ch1\u003eNirvana Audio Chronos\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe give out a Tweek Geek Tinfoil Hat Award every year to the product that strains credulity the most while actually delivering results. The Chronos won it for 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're going to be direct with you: this is not a product for everyone, and it's not a product for every system. If this kind of thing bothers you on principle, move on and we respect that. If you've been in this hobby long enough to know that some things work before you can explain why they work — keep reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat It Is\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chronos looks exactly like a USB thumb drive. That is physically what it is. But that is explicitly not how it is used. Nirvana states clearly: do not plug this into a USB data port on a computer or device that reads thumb drives. Doing so will destroy its capability and purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chronos works on electronic signals and acoustic wave vibrations simultaneously. It is not limited by equipment type, music type, or system configuration. Plug it into a USB power port — not a data port — or leave it unpowered. Either way, it integrates with the system in a direct way that Nirvana describes as affecting the signal production and the room acoustics together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you choose to power it: the recommended charger is the Anker GaN Prime. Nirvana recommends experimenting with both powered and unpowered operation — they don't claim one is universally better.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat We've Heard\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClearer. Purer. More powerful. Image and soundstage density improve in a way that is perceptible to any listener paying attention, not just someone expecting to hear something. The low-frequency quality improves. These are consistent reports from people who approached it skeptically, including ourselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs it worth $2,500? For a system that is already dialed in — room, power, cables, all addressed — and for a listener who has eliminated all the conventional variables, the Chronos addresses something that conventional approaches don't reach. That's a narrow qualifier. We mean it as one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePress Recognition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/positive-feedback.com\/reviews\/hardware-reviews\/down-the-rabbit-hole-with-the-nirvana-audio-chronos-optimizer\/\"\u003ePositive Feedback Online\u003c\/a\u003e - September 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"In the first five minutes of my Chronos experience, I figured out that it’s indispensable to my music playback.\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eTom Gibbs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eForm factor: USB thumb drive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApplication: USB power port only — never a data port\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOperation: With or without power\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecommended power source: Anker GaN Prime charger\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffect: Electronic signals and acoustic wave vibrations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer in-home auditions. Try it in your system. We want your honest reaction. Reach out to arrange one.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nirvana Audio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42917234147395,"sku":null,"price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0522\/7587\/files\/Nirvana-Audio-Chronos-Tweek-Geek-27006082777155.avif?v=1779251972"},{"product_id":"oyaide-nrf-005t-tape-15mm-x-4m","title":"Oyaide NRF 005T Tape 15mm x 4m","description":"\u003ch1\u003eOyaide NRF 005T Tape 15mm x 4m\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you remember Stillpoints ERS fabric, you know what this category of product does and what its limitations were. ERS was effective at reducing RF noise in digital gear, but it had a tendency to remove life from analog signals — the noise reduction came at a cost. The Oyaide NRF 005T is a near field RF absorber incorporating Oyaide's PULSHUT technology to solve the same problem without that tradeoff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe PULSHUT Material\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConventional noise suppression materials use magnetic properties to absorb EMI, converting electromagnetic noise into heat. That magnetic behavior affects the original signal waveform — the same mechanism that makes ferrite cores sound the way they do when applied incorrectly. PULSHUT is a non-magnetic, non-conductive non-woven fabric that achieves its noise suppression through a special surface treatment rather than through magnetic loss. Noise is suppressed without the impedance effects in the audio band that magnetic materials introduce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result: effective from MHz through GHz frequency ranges, without affecting the original signal waveform. The S\/N ratio improves. The noise floor drops. The center of gravity stabilizes. What doesn't happen is any softening, darkening, or loss of high-frequency energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Use It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCut with scissors to any shape. Apply to input and output terminals of audio equipment, around noise-prone areas, on cables and plugs. It adheres to both insulating and conductive surfaces — the cut edges maintain insulation properties, so direct contact with conductors won't cause problems. Acrylic adhesive is repositionable during initial application and bonds more firmly over time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePress Recognition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Oyaide NRF 005T has been discussed on AudiophileStyle and What's Best Forum by users who had experience with ERS fabric and found the PULSHUT material more musically transparent. We've used it internally on several components with consistently positive results.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterial: PULSHUT non-woven fabric, non-magnetic, non-conductive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 15mm wide, 4m roll\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThickness: 0.05mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffective frequency range: MHz to GHz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdhesive: Acrylic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurface compatibility: Insulating and conductive surfaces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrigin: Made in Japan by Oyaide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions about where to apply it for maximum effect in your system? Reach out — we've experimented with it in a number of positions and can share what we've found.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tweek Geek","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43028296466499,"sku":null,"price":115.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0522\/7587\/files\/Oyaide-NRF-005T-Tape-15mm-x-4m-Tweek-Geek-27146800103491.webp?v=1779251926"},{"product_id":"oyaide-nrf-005l-noise-suppression-sheet","title":"Oyaide NRF 005L Noise Suppression Sheet","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Oyaide NRF 005L is a near field RF absorber incorporating Oyaide's PULSHUT technology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tweekgeek.com\/collections\/oyaide\/products\/oyaide-nrf-005t-tape-15mm-x-4m\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNRF-005T\u003c\/a\u003e is suitable for wrapping electric wires and attaching ICs and electronic components, NRF-005L is suitable for attaching to large areas such as inside and outside of chassis and around the base of audio equipment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce again, our emphasis is on avoiding \"no fish in a clear water\". Audio accessories that claim to absorb noise must be carefully designed, or they may filter out the nuances and realism that should be present in music and video, and cause the music or video to lose its life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe NRF series solves the dilemma of noise reduction and original sound fidelity, and offers a revolutionary and innovative product for all audiophiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen placed underneath or inside a digital component, one gets the usual \"lifted veil\" effect and a smoothing out of any digital harshness or glare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003ePULSHUT\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e® : 5 Important Features\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003col rel=\"font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial,\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh performance non-woven fabrics that do not contain any magnetic material.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffective against noise in a wide frequency range from MHz to GHz bands.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSubstrate is as thin as 0.05 mm and extremely lightweight.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcellent flexibility and can be attached to uneven surfaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoth the sheet surface and the cut surface have high insulation properties, so it can be attached to conductive surfaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the (now unobtainable) Stillpoints ERS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou get a much \"wetter\" less overdamped sound. ERS could work miracles, but on occasion it would remove some signal along with the noise. Making the sound dry, sterile and over damped. With the NRF 005L implemented on a digital source or cable, more of the finer details are heard and the noise\/glare is totally gone.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oyaide","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43539220365379,"sku":null,"price":115.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0522\/7587\/files\/Oyaide-NRF-005L-Noise-Suppression-Sheet-Tweek-Geek-27972454776899.jpg?v=1784694127"}],"url":"https:\/\/tweekgeek.com\/collections\/the-dark-side.oembed","provider":"Tweek Geek","version":"1.0","type":"link"}