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Post by MartinT on Mar 5, 2019 8:00:33 GMT
I have found preamp to be most effective, then DAC. You could try your second cable on a preamp output? After a few days, compare with a spare input on your DAC.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 5, 2019 8:17:27 GMT
Thanks, Martin. My Chord Hugo DAC is one of those minimalist designs with minimal inputs and outputs it doesn't have a spare phono socket. Thinks .... it does have headphone jack sockets I don't use - I could use a jack/rca adaptor. Pretty sure I have one around somewhere ... nope, I'll order one.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 5, 2019 8:23:28 GMT
Yes, that should do it. Do both your green cables have phono ends? This is where one with a croc clip can help.
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Post by Firebottle on Mar 6, 2019 8:09:47 GMT
Glad you have become more 'grounded' Jerry.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 6, 2019 8:59:22 GMT
Yes, that should do it. Do both your green cables have phono ends? This is where one with a croc clip can help. Yes, both are phono. I'll connect the 2nd cable today, probably to a preamp output socket then move it to my DAC once the jack adapter arrives. Also recently arrived and long overdue is the cheapo Chinese groundbox. Haven't tried it and wish it had arrived before the SGS box! www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Cylindrical-Wooden-Chaissis-Audio-Grounding-Box-GND-With-Crocodile-Lip/263155369632It does have a croc clip so maybe the 1st thing to do is attach it to the DAC.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 6, 2019 9:26:37 GMT
Gosh, if that Chinese grounding box works do tell as that is mighty cheap!
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 6, 2019 11:11:21 GMT
How about a spare RCA you have around ?
I will try a long RCA from the TV to see and/or hear if it makes any difference
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Post by Slinger on Mar 6, 2019 14:23:23 GMT
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 6, 2019 14:44:58 GMT
Black and the price is nice What's not to like ?
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Post by MartinT on Mar 6, 2019 14:56:00 GMT
Douk seem to be everywhere for audio items now.
Some interesting details:
1.we not using the famouse Tourmaline stone GND box design ,but the effect is also very good 2.Super mini digital GND Box ,High density semiconductor materials let the effect beyond the conventional model 3.With Pure copper or Pure silver wire ,WTB Silver solder 4.You can use it beside the device 5.All epoxy resins are sealed, durable, both of the two sides are sealed, beautiful&dust-proof (conductor--The pure silver line is the best,then by copper line and then the alloy wire. Silver-plated lines are not suitable for audio applications, and silver plating wire will result in a disjointed, drip-thin sound.but pure silver line is the best GND line )
I don't want drip-thin sound!!
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 8, 2019 11:32:04 GMT
The adapter to allow the SGS grounding box to be attached to my DAC via its headphone socket has arrived. Plugged it in and instant severe distortion - tried again, same thing. OK - back into a preamp input socket and all is well again. Is that weird?
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Post by MartinT on Mar 8, 2019 12:33:36 GMT
What kind of adapter is it? Is it wired correctly? Something isn't right.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 8, 2019 14:12:38 GMT
It's one of these. Seems unlikely it's wired up wrong, but I guess it might be. Anyhoo, it has resulted in a happy ending. The 2nd cable from the SGS box had been plugged into the Right input socket where the 1st cable had gone into the same input's Left socket. Must admit that 2nd cable hadn't done much. But this time, after the failed DAC experiment, I plugged the 2nd cable into the Left input socket immediately adjacent to the 1st cable. So there is now a cable to the SGS box from 2 separate preamp input circuits. Whoosh - a MikeMusic-sized improvement (MMSI TM ) the music immediately took on noticeably more life and vibrancy. Or I might be imagining it - some sort of bias effect. I plan to remove the SGS box entirely sometime soon (before my right of return expires) and see if the presentation deteriorates as much as I expect it to.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 8, 2019 14:42:33 GMT
Sounds like a win, Jerry. It's all about experimentation and there is no way to predict which ground connections will work best. For me, it's one input and one output on the preamp that are the 'killer connections'. The DAC input is good but less effective.
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 8, 2019 16:19:44 GMT
Shuffle around if you have spare sockets
The first ever one I heard was ok, nothing to write home about, Isis CDP Digital in I think. All the ones after that were much more and a surprise - each time
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 20, 2019 8:22:03 GMT
I've been increasingly into headphones for the last 2 or 3 years and have been investigating the various technologies and makes. It's the wife's fault - she's a late riser and I'm an early one. And being unwilling to wait to start the music until 11-ish when she gets up headphones are the logical way to go. Here's the 4 I seem to have settled with for now ... I guess the leader of the pack are Grado PS1000. Very clean and open and detailed and dynamic. They also cost the most, which is a bit of a disappointment! They do suffer a little from the distinctive Grado Treble, which is a little on the enthusiastic side for my tastes, but some careful fettling (cable choice is important here) and they are just fine and dandy. Stax SR3 electrostatics live in the conservatory along, usually, with the Fostex TH600. The Stax are awesome for transparency, but can't really be regarded as all-rounders as they do lack heft in the bass and rather water down big dynamic swings when they can get a bit strident. Still great fun to listen to on a lot of material, though. The Fostex TH600 are marvellous for when closed-back is necessary (the Grados and Stax leak an amazing amount of sound). I got them after owning and liking Fostex T50RPmk3, similar sound but even better. And finally Even H1. These have settled in the bedroom, fed by a portable CD player! They have a little in-line widget which provides a hearing test and corrective DSP. You press the button and a series of 8 music tones are played at increasing volume. You press the button again when you can hear each one. This is done for left and right. Works well, but they do like to add a bit of extra bass. A pleasant listen. They may become increasingly useful as the years go by. I've tried various planar magnetic from Audeze and Hifiman. But have come to the conclusion that they are not for me - I almost always hear a layer of "smooth" that comes between me and the music. Some people love them, but I miss the final layer of dynamic resolution. In the main system, usually with the Grado PS1000 I use a Lehmann Black Cube Linear headphone amp which I am very pleased with. <iframe width="42.600000000000136" height="32.200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 42.6px; height: 32.2px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 5px; top: 119px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_32771383" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="42.600000000000136" height="32.200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 42.6px; height: 32.2px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 2041px; top: 119px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_28194993" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="42.600000000000136" height="32.200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 42.6px; height: 32.2px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 5px; top: 1647px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_56333858" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="42.600000000000136" height="32.200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 42.6px; height: 32.2px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 2041px; top: 1647px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_52471448" scrolling="no"></iframe> The Stax (which require a pukka power amp) are fed from a Topping VX1 (25wpc).
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 20, 2019 10:52:58 GMT
Did you get round to trying the cheapo Chinese grounding box Jerry??
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 20, 2019 10:55:28 GMT
Did you get round to trying the cheapo Chinese grounding box Jerry?? No. It arrived but by then the SGS Siggie box was here. Shall I send it on to you to have a play with?
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 20, 2019 11:03:36 GMT
Most kind J - I've actually got all the bits for my grounding box now so must put it all together, I'll give this a punt first if I may ...
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 22, 2019 7:42:46 GMT
Martin's ex-cables have arrived. The wife says I am not allowed to sell them on again as she likes the box so much. Actually it's become part of the decor of my listening room. They seemed to take an hour or so to settle in. Or maybe I was just getting used to and tuning in to what they do. Remarkably transparent and fast and impactful. After the afore-mentioned hour or so, they seemed to settle and the soundstage, which had been a bit 2D, suddenly started growing and focussing. Very good indeed, pleased with them so far. And intrigued to hear if they have any more settling in to do. Thanks, Martin! I have pre and power amps, so two pairs of interconnects are needed. Would another pair of Neo Morpheus be just too full-on for me? Hmm. Could be too much of a good thing. I have 2 other pairs of "main interconnects" - Morrow Audio MA2 and Black Rhodium Opera DCT++ - I will play with them as partners to the Black Cats over the next day or so and see which I prefer. The BRs are a tad laid back but hugely sumptuous and sophisticated, proppa high end! The Morrows are a bit more explicit and less obviously classy. Will see how the synergy works out.
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