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Post by stellabagpuss on Jan 28, 2023 18:48:04 GMT
Here's some inspiration, Martin. 🤣
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Post by MartinT on Jan 28, 2023 21:07:13 GMT
My test build: rudimentary shield for both QA boxes against the U18 / X26 Pro combo right next to them, with another shield between the two boxes. Tomorrow I will paint a third piece for the QA box beside the Signature Rendu streamer and tidy it all up a bit. I'm not going to say it's a big difference, but I can hear more finely resolved filigree detail deep in the soundstage. Not so good is a slight upturn in brightness. More listening required.
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Post by John on Jan 28, 2023 22:19:06 GMT
I have all my boxes painted all over
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Post by nicholas on Jan 28, 2023 22:46:31 GMT
I have all my boxes painted all over How would you characterize what you're hearing with the new paint job?
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Post by MartinT on Jan 29, 2023 5:35:21 GMT
Well I listened late into the night, experimenting with different configurations of RFI/EMI shielding for all three QA grounding boxes at the downstream end of the chain: streamer, DDC and DAC. As stated before, in each trial I heard what I thought was more detail, but also a brightening of the system balance, tilting up in the upper midrange / lower treble. I gave it my best shot but I continued to grit my teeth a little, comparable to the Finisar AOC optical cable I had tried with such disastrous results. It was not as bad with the shielding, but displayed the same tendencies in the same part of the frequency range. Finally, I removed all the shielding and listened again. I experienced an immediate sense of relief with the system balance returning to what I perceive as just right, with everything sounding at once detailed and dynamic, but with lush and extended soundstage and long note decay. John stated it earlier in his experiments with the RFI/EMI tape. 'Getting a bit hot' describes it perfectly: Well I been trying this over the last few days. I prefer on my power cables and grounding. On anything else the treble gets a bit hot for me. I have worked too hard to get my system balance right, which is why I approach such changes with extreme caution now. I am relieved that I did not paint my QA boxes. I cannot explain what I heard, but perhaps the QA boxes, with their internal copper material compartment, already has just the right amount of EMI/RFI shielding? Sorry, guys, this one is just not for me. Thank you for recommending it, though. It was a worthwhile non-destructive lesson for me.
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Post by John on Jan 29, 2023 6:03:39 GMT
Its good to hear your got your system balance right Martin Your boxes are already well shielded. I found best on the mains I do not use on the digital side of my system as it becomes to bright apart from some shielding tape on my ethernet cable to my optical converter where for some reason it became more relaxed. After that it has the opposite effect.
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Post by John on Jan 29, 2023 6:12:02 GMT
I have all my boxes painted all over How would you characterize what you're hearing with the new paint job? In my case more depth, impact etc. It is not subtle (in my case it is lowering the noise floor of my system). I have found places in my system where doing this adds edge. Like my DAC, optical converter and amplifier. Makes no difference on the speaker cable So the tape I just use on connectors like mains lead and analogue connectors and ethernet cable (which are already shielded) to the optical box. RFI paint on my mains grounding box and that is it. I tried everything with tape first before painting to see what worked and did not, Like Martin I am careful with my system balance and sensitive to digital glare
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Post by MartinT on Jan 29, 2023 7:06:14 GMT
RFI paint on my mains grounding box and that is it. . . Like Martin I am careful with my system balance and sensitive to digital glare Thanks, John. I'll try the shields on my mains grounding boxes. Easy to do. Agreed, digital glare is not what I want to return to.
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Post by ajski2fly on Jan 29, 2023 7:31:47 GMT
I've received the G-Shield EMI paint. Now thinking about implementation. I can't stand the idea of painting my lovely wood-finish QA grounding boxes black. Idea #2. If I position some carefully placed flat cardboard shields between the box and the system, and in one case between two boxes next to each other, I might achieve a large part of the necessary shielding. Cut holes for the terminals to protrude through. Worth a try. A longer term idea: I could dismantle my system rack and paint the underside of each shelf, offering vertical shielding between components, especially the components with big transformers like the power amp and two regenerators, from the sensitive source components. I think if you are going to this extreme then what you need to do is build a Faraday cage and put your whole hifi inside it, remote controllers will become redundant though, or I suppose you you could build one big enough to fill the whole room and sit inside that with the hifi.
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Post by MartinT on Jan 29, 2023 7:50:52 GMT
I think if you are going to this extreme then what you need to do is build a Faraday cage and put your whole hifi inside it Taking that seriously for a moment, it wouldn't fix the issue of components generating their own RFI/EMI inside the cage, especially digital components with high frequency clocks.
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Post by stellabagpuss on Jan 29, 2023 11:13:31 GMT
l think your correct MartinT, you run the risk of just locking the noise inside the cage. Actually l believe John stumble across thus issue, when he taped his R26, he said it was a backwards step. Personally you be better opening up your components, and just sheilding the accessible leads,as in many cases its the component your using that is causing the noise inside the case,and not always an external component
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Post by ajski2fly on Jan 29, 2023 11:30:50 GMT
I think if you are going to this extreme then what you need to do is build a Faraday cage and put your whole hifi inside it Taking that seriously for a moment, it wouldn't fix the issue of components generating their own RFI/EMI inside the cage, especially digital components with high frequency clocks. I am always pleased to be of assistance and make you think outside the box.
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Post by MartinT on Jan 29, 2023 16:52:34 GMT
I'll try the shields on my mains grounding boxes. I've tried shielding three of my different mains grounding boxes but I cannot hear any difference. Perhaps because I have a total of 6 distributed mains grounding boxes. I'm going to stop with the RFI/EMI shielding now as it's distracting me. Two more QA grounding boxes are arriving from Jordan end of February. They will replace the two upstream ones on the router and EtherREGEN. Those two will then add to the mains grounding boxes making 8 in total.
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Post by John on Jan 29, 2023 18:26:11 GMT
Well you tried and did not work for you enjoy your new boxes
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Post by MartinT on Jan 29, 2023 20:22:09 GMT
Well you tried and did not work for you enjoy your new boxes These things are always worth trying, but rarely work for everyone.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 14, 2023 17:44:24 GMT
I now have the Harmonic Technology Digital Copper III 50 ohm 1m clock cable. It's an attractive looking cable with a slightly translucent dark red sheath. It's now plumbed in (to the downstream AD - Gustard U18 position) for the long burn-in. I had a very quick listen and it already slightly surpasses the LMR-400 in sound quality, which is a good sign. Typically a cable will burn-in, getting worse before overtaking its sound from new to settle at a higher level of performance. There will be some pain in the next few days but I'm patient with burn-in, knowing what to expect.
Once it has settled, I shall cut it in two and terminate the ends for the 0.5m lengths I need for both clocks.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 15, 2023 20:26:10 GMT
24 hours in and the HT cable must have gone through its dip (or didn't have one) as it's sounding very promising indeed. I've been playing some all-time emotional greats, finishing with London Grammar. It's doing what I had hoped it would do - a smoother LMR-400 with more subtlety and more finely resolved detail while still retaining my carefully sought after system balance.
Onwards and upwards.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 16, 2023 19:49:39 GMT
Another 24 hours and tomorrow I will perform surgery, cut and reterminate the HT to make my two 0.5m lengths. Then they can settle into their respective roles with the two clocks. It's going to be interesting hearing them both running the new cable.
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atoz
Rank: Trio
Posts: 147
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Post by atoz on Feb 16, 2023 20:29:30 GMT
Should be doubly good Martin
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Post by MartinT on Feb 17, 2023 18:33:46 GMT
The Quartz Acoustic boxes arrived and I wasted no time in putting them into action. They replaced an SGS-1 on the router and an Aucharm on the EtherREGEN. This makes an all-QA digital chain from router to DAC. I had played a good test track immediately before the swap and then played it again.
Blow me, the QA boxes are seriously good. Bear in mind, these two are placed before the optical link, which is supposed to filter out all the noise (not all, of course, but a lot). Nevertheless, the effect is immediate and startling. The decay is simply astounding on London Grammar's Hell to the Liars. The Acoustic is huge, opening up the width and depth of the room beyond the walls.
In this particular instant, the QAs absolutely mashed the SGS and Aucharm into dust(!)
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