Component-level mutual induction

In a previous column, Stan Curtis has discussed his observation that between implementations in breadboards, ‘air circuits’ and formal PCB layouts, identical circuits sometimes are audibly different. In this installment he presents a possible explanation, and finally found the motivation to try to test it. His explanation focusses on the mutual induction between parts, as the parts in various implementations are oriented to each other differently and thus influence each other differently. In informal tests his solution is said to improve sound reproduction of equipment, but Stan really does ask Linear Audio readers to come up with a theory why his solution would work – or otherwise. A set of the parts involved in the solution is available for someone who wants to do a controlled test.