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Post by MartinT on Nov 19, 2023 11:26:57 GMT
Went outside to do things and got them done quickly as it's windy as hell out there.
So, a quick morning session instead. I love the consistency that the regenerators give me, no variation in performance from morning to evening, weekday or weekend. It's great to sink into music and hear it all sound good. I hinted at a new-found lack of harshness as well as huge amounts of detail, two things that are often mutually exclusive and a right bugger to achieve simultaneously. This is never more obvious than with classical music, amazingly difficult to get the balance right. Last night I played some Poulenc and some Saint-Saens, both gorgeous. Then I had a need for Bach, the most cleansing of music and it was the Goldberg Variations followed by A Music Offering Ricercar 6.
This morning it's Mindy Smith and some rather nice country rock.
The most satisfying thing about this year is that the main components have all remained the same, yet the sound has taken a big step up through just tweaking and some gentle mods. Even the EtherREGEN Gen 2 did not materialise this year, something to look forward to next year, but the point is I didn't need it to make the gains I have.
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Post by MartinT on Nov 19, 2023 18:14:50 GMT
Just for interest, this is a pink noise plot I've just taken of the system. Forget the bass hump as it's a real room response and doesn't sound like that (although bass is potent and does go very low). Looking at the midrange and treble integration, it's by far the best plot I've ever seen of any system I've owned and some vindication that my ears have taken me in the right direction without becoming measurement obsessed.  |
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Morph
Rank: Duo
Posts: 62
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Post by Morph on Nov 19, 2023 21:06:15 GMT
Hello folks
Martin, I hope you don't mind me jumping in on your thread rather than starting my own one.
Well well well what can I say.
I've run the Cascade Burn in on the R26 for around four hundred hours ( I think ).
Having taken note of Martin's mods on his DAC/DDC I decided to go all in and added two tungsten cubes and a Concentus clock cable to the R26/U18. I've had an Argentus i2s cable in place for a couple of years now and the Concentus clock cable compliments it exceptionally well it would appear. Those recent additions have been in place under the cascade noise for around two hundred hours.
I'm seriously impressed with what these changes have brought to the system. There's a depth and resonance that just wasn't there before now. Speakers are Monitor Audio Platinum MK1's which I've always had a meh/hate relationship with since their arrival perhaps eight years ago... not anymore. Finally I'm actually happy with how they are performing in the room. Bass is superb and that bloody ribbon tweeter no longer enrages me ( it took a lot of taming using grounding ). The soundstage is wider and definitely way more forward than before these additions. Everything just sounds correct.
So, should any of you decide to go for this option, I certainly would go for it. I very much doubt you'd be disappointed. In my case it's a bit like taking an old banger to the garage for an overhaul that gives you your car back and it isn't a banger anymore ( not that the system here was a banger btw ).
Anyway.... it's all good. Highly recommended.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Martin.
Cheers
Morph
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Post by MartinT on Nov 19, 2023 21:18:27 GMT
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Martin. You're very welcome. Always pleased when members perform inexpensive and successful mods, and another Tubulus fan, too! |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 24, 2023 20:49:04 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Nov 28, 2023 8:21:10 GMT
I'm fairly sure I can identify the additional uplift in sound quality by combining the Mini-Circuits BLP-10.7+ filter with the Tubulus Concentus 50 ohm cable. It subtly cleans up the detail and soundstage - but the emphasis is on 'subtle'. This is with my 2nd (better) AfterDark clock feeding the DDC/DAC. What would happen if I used another BLP-10.7+ filter with my 1st AfterDark clock feeding the EtherREGEN, which is less good (a King rather than an Emperor Triple Crown) than the 2nd clock? Going by the specs, it should produce the greater improvement as the clock is the more noisy one. Only one way to find out and the additional BLP-10.7+ filter should arrive in early December from Digi-Key.  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Nov 28, 2023 9:29:30 GMT
(Mike waiting for some dust to settle before following MartinT) |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 28, 2023 10:43:06 GMT
(Mike waiting for some dust to settle before following MartinT ) I'm not sure you can use an external clock, Mike? Can your TAD accept one? |
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Post by MikeMusic on Nov 28, 2023 10:48:48 GMT
(Mike waiting for some dust to settle before following MartinT ) I'm not sure you can use an external clock, Mike? Can your TAD accept one? Not a clue I live in blissful ignorance  |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 3, 2023 18:48:32 GMT
I have just inserted the 2nd Mini-Circuits BLP-10.7+ filter into my clock feed to the EtherREGEN, between Tubulus cable and the EtherREGEN. This is upstream from the router to the Rendu and uses my slightly lesser performing AfterDark King clock. The combination of it making more improvement to the King versus it being upstream meant that any improvement heard was going to be unpredictable.
Trying out the superb opening of Santana's Abraxas in 24/176 flowing into Black Magic Woman, I first heard perhaps a touch more bass thump following by piano creak followed by the wonderful wind chimes. Then it dawned on me that the whole thing is more relaxed with the cymbal later in BMW ringing out clearly with all its metallic harmonics intact. Carlos' guitar still has huge bite, so nothing lost there either. I shall give it the required burn-in time but initial impressions are that a small uplift in SQ is present.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 7, 2023 17:44:10 GMT
I have two Zero Zone 01-A supercap power supplies feeding my two clocks. They seem to be decent units with a supercap array and do the job pretty well. I have wondered, though, whether they are my weakest links. Lately, I've been doing a lot of research into power supplies, specifically the absolute best kind for powering a clock. I've looked at tightly regulated, loosely regulated, supercap, array caps, chip, discrete and other esoteric designs. I have landed on choke regulated for this application as low noise is the number one priority over tight regulation. Not just any kind of low noise, but the kind that should not affect the clock's output quality. The beauty of a choke regulated LPSU is that the ripple is a fairly innocuous sinewave rather than the spiky charge/discharge waveform of a classic capacitor smoothed power supply. Furthermore, the large choke should more effectively block any incoming noise injection from the mains power. A lesser criterion is the ability to adjust voltage, making the LPSU more flexible when deployed to different devices. My choice after reading many reviews and circuit descriptions is the Uptone JS-2, designed by John Swenson.   SpecificationsDual-output, choke-filtered linear power supply with four user-selectable DC output voltages. Two independently adjustable, separately regulated outputs; Voltage choices are user set from the back panel: 5V, 7V, 9V, or 12V. Guaranteed continuous current capability: 4.7 Amps at 5V 5.5 Amps at 7V 7.0 Amps at 9V 7.4 Amps at 12V Instantaneous capability of up to 10A. I have ordered one as a Xmas present to myself. |
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Post by stellabagpuss on Dec 7, 2023 20:27:10 GMT
Really look forward to your views MartinT. PSUs can be a strange affair, l have few zero zone 01, and ifi Elite and ifi power x. l find them pretty good, but the Zero Zone diffently has a darker,more analogue tint, and ifi have a slightly crisper edge to transients, looking forward to see how you get on.
Damien
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Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2023 17:48:42 GMT
They tried to deliver the JS-2 today. I should have it in my hands by tomorrow. Thanks again to Audiostore for their lightning-quick despatch and to Alex of Uptone for pointing me to where there's UK stock.
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Post by stellabagpuss on Dec 9, 2023 10:12:37 GMT
They tried to deliver the JS-2 today. I should have it in my hands by tomorrow. Thanks again to Audiostore for their lightning-quick despatch and to Alex of Uptone for pointing me to where there's UK stock. Great news, looking forward to the write up. |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 9, 2023 11:27:37 GMT
I collected the Uptone JS-2 this morning. It's incredibly well packaged and, when I first took a look at it, very well finished, quite large and pretty heavy. It makes the Zero Zone look diminutive by comparison. I put the SR Orange fuse from the ZZ into the fuse block after treating all the contacts with Mad Scientist graphene, as well as the accompanying Uptone Sapphire DC cable. This LPSU is choke filtered and regulated, selected for its low and innocuous noise. I am powering my AfterDark Emperor Triple Crown clock from it, so I set the rear panel switch to 12V. From stone cold, I could hear the difference in terms of lower noise floor and even finer detail. After a few minutes, it was clearly superior so I've left it running to thoroughly warm up and start the burn-in.  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 9, 2023 12:10:33 GMT
Looking forward to hearing more if that good from cold
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Post by MartinT on Dec 9, 2023 13:03:49 GMT
I meant to add, it's just on its stock feet at the moment. I'll measure up but I think it's going to need Black Ravioli Big Pads as the feet may be too tall for standard Pads.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 9, 2023 19:47:13 GMT
It's very early days yet but I just had to add one more comment on the JS-2 power supply. This thing is already showing a very clean pair of heels to the Zero Zone after just 9 hours of running. It's not even close any more (quite right, too, at nearly 10x the price).
How to describe what I'm hearing? It's not that I'm hearing more, it's that I'm hearing so much clarity and texture within the same music. Perhaps the best way of describing it is the difference between my system in a grumpy mood and it suddenly becoming deliriously happy!
I have never but never heard Shpongle's Museum of Consciousness or Jean Michel Jarre's Equinox sound so absolutely vibrant and impactful, and it's not as if I thought it was bad before.
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 10, 2023 6:49:46 GMT
How many more JS-2s will work that well in your system ?
Deep pockets required ?
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Post by stellabagpuss on Dec 10, 2023 8:24:06 GMT
I am really pleased for you Martin, I'm not sure I could run to the cost of the JS-2 PSU,but sounds like it's one to keep a look out for. Keep us updated...
Damien
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