On our last local DIY Audio gathering, we were provided with a free complimentary set of a new tweaking stuff. It was called Musicsnap.

On my imagination, this kind of tweaking stuff is similar with VTS Marigo Dot or something. Not so sure though, until we can have a further check.

According to the person distributes this free complimentary sample, the Musicsnap is based on the MDI (Micro Discharge Interface) distortion theory by Pierre Johannet. Although this theory receives many debates and controversies (due to most people current limited knowledge to prove it scientifically), many audio manufacturer actually already implement similar approach with MDI. Perhaps they don’t speak MDI directly, because most of the time, people would call you retarded if you are talking about something which you can’t scientifically prove (or only based on common audiophile geeks amazing word, “Oh, I hear the different!”).

But what they have done (and maybe after serious long listening test), proves that this kind of MDI approaches does make some different and significant improvement to the audio system. We leave the question “why and how” to the people who is interested (you can easily find those article – mostly in French – with “MDI” and “Pierre Johannet” keywords).

The manufacturer says that this Musicsnap best used on non-soldering join, like RCA connection, front face of speaker driver, volume control, etc. But it’s time for me (and most of the visitor of the gathering who received the sample) to check if there is really a significant improvement elsewhere.

Musicsnap has two sides: black side and the white side which has sticky tape on it.

I put it on my DACT Stepped Attenuator. When I put only 1 pc of Musicsnap, the improvement for me is not really significant. The manufacturer suggests to put some more due to the a lot of contact surface of the DACT (we have at least 24 contacts for mono and double for stereo), and also so many SMD resistor.

Then I come out with below layout. Total, I use 5 pcs of Musicsnap. One on the back, two on the left side, and another two on the right side. Now I could hear what I could say improvement. The high produces more relaxing sound, more transparent, and more coherent. If before you see a jaggy picture, now it seemed more balanced and well blended. The mid vocal also got some improvement, especially on the woman’s voice. The low frequency, either due to limited bandwidth of my bookshelf speaker or not, I don’t see any significant improvement.

I also test the Musicsnap on my Vifa XT25 tweeter flange. This test actually was done on the gathering with a lot of audiences. The improvement was so significant and it didn’t take long time to say that this Musicsnap did make the different.

On the contrary, I also put the Musicsnap on my Duelund CAST Ag Silver Capacitor and it doesn’t give any significant improvement. Even after I put even more Musicsnap (around 5 pcs on each capacitor), the result is even worst. I got shallow and compressed staging. I’m not quite sure why, but I think this because the Duelund already incorporates some “construction technology” which not affected by this MDI approaches. Putting the Musicsnap even more, then it makes even worst sound.

Other position which I also don’t hear any significant is on the power transformer.

Quite interesting about this Musicsnap and MDI approaches. We shall investigate more later.

Feel free to call me “retarded” if you don’t believe, but this is YMMV kind of article. Take it, or leave it 🙂