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Post by MartinT on Jun 2, 2024 7:40:34 GMT
Thank you, John. It was good to see you and catch up.
Yes, the system is my sanctuary and retreat from some of the recent stresses in my life. I am getting much pleasure from music these days, and the system does sound better than ever before.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 5, 2024 6:46:20 GMT
I was listening to Rosie Vela's Zazu yesterday, to the rhythmic beat that is so very Steely Dan (no surprise, Katz was on production and Becker and Fagen both performed on it). I have never experienced such intensity in the vibrancy, beat and sheer energy of tracks like Magic Smile before.
This is what I always wanted and now I have it. How lucky am I?
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 5, 2024 6:49:09 GMT
The more you work on the system the luckier you get !  |
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Post by brettj on Jun 7, 2024 6:38:28 GMT
Tara Labs Cascade burn-In track has never sounded so good...
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Post by MartinT on Jun 7, 2024 8:43:14 GMT
Tara Labs Cascade burn-In track has never sounded so good... It's a great track, if a little repetitive. |
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Post by HD Music & Test on Jun 7, 2024 8:47:34 GMT
I have to say, I use that track at 90db+ to really speed up the break in process on speakers and large amps, those new Tad's have had close to 900 hours now with 700+ with the tata labs track, only this week have their started to show their real potential.
It is great for burining dac's and pre amps as well. Just leave one of the streamers with on repeat for about a week, does the job spot on!
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Post by MartinT on Jun 16, 2024 14:24:23 GMT
Well, the gnodal DAC cable arrived a day early, so I can go play. It looks well made, which is all I can say at the moment. More later.  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 16, 2024 15:49:35 GMT
So in went the gnodal 4m SFP+ 10G DAC cable, taking care to retain the same direction I use for all cables using the text on the cable (reading left-source to right-destination). I dressed the cable over other cables, away from the floor, reconnected the Quartz Acoustic grounding alligators to both SFP cases and carefully powered up, EtherREGEN first then Rendu.
At first, and to my surprise, there are only small differences but it's most evident in the treble, which seems to be better defined in the extreme high frequencies and with instruments like cymbals. Could it be cleaner overall? Are those dynamics hitting slightly harder?
Ok, let's try some music with more depth to check the soundstage. Check, everything seems to be as before.
Playing some more favourites, I'm either hearing little change or upside, but creeping into my consciousness is how clean everything sounds.
Knowing that a) this is a copper cable so will need some burning-in and b) sometimes you need to come back later and have another listen, I'll say no more for now but will be running Tara Labs overnight for a few nights and doing much more listening. Interesting experiment!
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atoz
Rank: Trio
Posts: 147
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Post by atoz on Jun 16, 2024 15:53:47 GMT
Promising Martin?
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Post by MartinT on Jun 16, 2024 16:21:49 GMT
I think so but I don't want to jump the gun after one listen. I'll keep reporting as I hear it. |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 16, 2024 17:49:10 GMT
Dynamics are up: Sheryl Crow's Now That You're Gone took me by surprise and then Grace Jones' My Jamaican Guy actually made my ears pop. At my normal listening volume.
Again, checking that soundstage is still there, The Acorn's Almanac has bags of depth and atmosphere.
Still listening and evaluating. It seems that the ER's galvanic isolation is sufficient as I don't seem to be suffering any loss through substituting a copper connection for optical.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 17, 2024 17:06:09 GMT
After 24 hours of Tara Labs, the DAC cable has improved, which is better than the usual burn-in blues. From listening this evening, I think that burn-in, such as it is, will be mild and not take long.
The sound, in comparison with the Cisco SFP-10G-AOC optical cable, is cleaner with less harshness in the mid to high treble range, and certainly resolves more finely in that range. Dynamics are up and frequently take me by surprise now, with no change to the volume setting. Bass is as before but possibly just a touch tighter still, an area of strength with both cables.
There is absolutely no downside that I can hear, every track I've played sounds better, even more vibrant, with incredible energy and potency, but with grain-free presentation and much finely resolved and natural detail in the mix.
The ER runs very much cooler than before, and so presumably does the Sig Rendu Deluxe.
The cable is a gnodal SFP+ 10GbE twinax Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cable. I have just received an FS of the same length (4m) which I shall evaluate next week.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 18, 2024 18:02:02 GMT
Another 24 hours and the 4m £39.99 gnodal DAC cable has settled into a superb level of performance.
This is definitely an advance over the Cisco fibre cable, without doubt. The best 40 quid I've spent in a long time.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 23, 2024 18:19:29 GMT
I wasn't sure about soundstage depth perception and note decay at first with the gnodal DAC cable. However, what has crept up on me the last couple of days is how very well developed it has become. Burn-in has been generally much less noticeable with this cable, but nevertheless something has opened up depth in a way that confirms the new-found lower noise floor is real. Today I really heard note decay in action in songs where I just hadn't noticed it before.
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Post by MartinT on Jul 5, 2024 17:45:26 GMT
So, this Amphenol SFP+ DAC cable. It must be starting to sound like we've lost our marbles, those of us extolling the virtues of this sliver of digital greatness.
Insertion of said cable into a system using any previous selection of optical or copper SFP cable between ultra-quiet switch and ultra-quiet streamer, with isolated power supplies, brings about a sound so magical that jaw dropping barely covers it. The SkewClear technology is aimed at preserving signal quality by ensuring equal arrival times between the cores of the cable. This is achieved by clever slitting of the foil shield around the cores and the use of a polyeloefin dielectric.
What does it do to the sound? For me, it's best described as a very obvious separation of the strands of the music which enables a quite startling clarity of detail, depth like you never knew your system could do, dynamics beyond anything previously achieved and bass potency and tightness that make you smile and smile.
Yes, in my case, this unassuming 3m cable has taken the system beyond where I thought it could go. This, right now the sound I am listening to, gives total and utter validation to digital replay as a high end format. It doesn't sound like digital in any way, it sounds like music from the master tape.
Yes, a 3m cable bought on eBay for £18.88 did this.
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Post by Clive on Jul 5, 2024 18:18:18 GMT
So, this Amphenol SFP+ DAC cable. It must be starting to sound like we've lost our marbles, those of us extolling the virtues of this sliver of digital greatness. Insertion of said cable into a system using any previous selection of optical or copper SFP cable between ultra-quiet switch and ultra-quiet streamer, with isolated power supplies, brings about a sound so magical that jaw dropping barely covers it. The SkewClear technology is aimed at preserving signal quality by ensuring equal arrival times between the cores of the cable. This is achieved by clever slitting of the foil shield around the cores and the use of a polyeloefin dielectric. What does it do to the sound? For me, it's best described as a very obvious separation of the strands of the music which enables a quite startling clarity of detail, depth like you never knew your system could do, dynamics beyond anything previously achieved and bass potency and tightness that make you smile and smile. Yes, in my case, this unassuming 3m cable has taken the system beyond where I thought it could go. This, right now the sound I am listening to, gives total and utter validation to digital replay as a high end format. It doesn't sound like digital in any way, it sounds like music from the master tape. Yes, a 3m cable bought on eBay for £18.88 did this. Bu@@er, mine was 40 quid. It is strange or is that amusing that digital cables can make such a fundamental difference. Having spent 45 years in IT I’d prefer that digital cables didn’t make such a difference…more than analogue cables. I do however trust my ears. |
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Post by MartinT on Jul 5, 2024 18:20:54 GMT
It was brand new and sealed, too.
However, my 4m order from Amphenol direct will cost me a lot more. They haven't yet confirmed manufacturing of my 4m length yet.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jul 5, 2024 19:34:38 GMT
Just plugged mine in. We must have bought from the same place at £18.88
Stupidly good even from cold
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Post by MartinT on Jul 20, 2024 9:48:32 GMT
Back home at last. It's not often I power up the system from stone cold, so I took the chance to first re-seat all the power connectors, then power up the regenerators, then feed power to the components. Made sure to restart the EtherREGEN once all was powered up, then the Rendu. Everything worked first time.
It's reassuring to hear the work I've done on the system and how decent it sounds from cold, before the clocks have even warmed up. The soundstage, detail and dynamics are evident immediately. Just a bit of clanky-ness to the sound, which will go after a few hours. Can't wait to put on some recent finds.
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Post by stellabagpuss on Jul 20, 2024 10:20:04 GMT
Good to have you back Martin, a few of us commented you had be quiet.
l bet you'll enjoy your system more than normal, absence certainly means more enjoyment away from your Hifi.
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