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Post by MartinT on Mar 14, 2024 17:08:48 GMT
Don't forget mass damping, the whole idea behind the tungsten cube. Large mass with good damping properties attached to highly sensitive and microphonic crystal.
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Post by mattspl on Mar 14, 2024 18:00:17 GMT
That additional crystal,looks like the similar sized to the ones you found FMC and network switches. I added a small 5mm square of Tungsten,wrapped it up in sandwich layer of flashing tape, copper tape. The Dury is still out on this, on if you can detect the effect, certainly not like the other 15mm mod. Atoz and myself,had great success on modding the FMC, but kinda need to do all of the mods, for it to become apparent. Anyway..Well done Matt, hope you're enjoying the improvement it brings. I might order a 5 or 10mm cube for that second clock. I put the 3M RFI absorption sheet onto the 15mm cube. |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 18, 2024 19:14:12 GMT
I’ve been doing lots of Tidal listening, comparing familiar tracks to cd, Spotify and YouTube.
The Amazon Cat8 cable is working nicely and I’ve put a few hours of Tara labs through it too.
I’ve been enjoying what I’m hearing so much, that I’m going to try another type of Ethernet cable, just to satisfy my curiosity.
More to come soon.
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Post by mattspl on Mar 22, 2024 18:07:03 GMT
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Post by stellabagpuss on Mar 22, 2024 21:27:01 GMT
Excellent Matt, so talk us through what connectors and cable your using. Your Journey will make a great reference point for us on TAS.
As good as the Headfi thread is,it's become a massive thread, that's goes off course. They now on the subject of Crystals in the fridge,and where l don't disagree with people's findings,and actually love that people are pushing the envelope, l have to thank you for keeping us in the loop on your Ground Box.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 22, 2024 21:36:55 GMT
Straight down to business with Furutech plugs - Matt isn't messing around here!  |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 22, 2024 21:48:50 GMT
Straight down to business with Furutech plugs - Matt isn't messing around here! They would be AliExpress finest 😃 They are Rhodium plated copper. I can confirm the RCA’s are copper as I had an incident with the first one which led to pipe grips being used. Remember, things don’t always come apart the way they look like they do at first glance. More patience would be good. |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 22, 2024 23:46:12 GMT
Excellent Matt, so talk us through what connectors and cable your using. Your Journey will make a great reference point for us on TAS. As good as the Headfi thread is,it's become a massive thread, that's goes off course. They now on the subject of Crystals in the fridge,and where l don't disagree with people's findings,and actually love that people are pushing the envelope, l have to thank you for keeping us in the loop on your Ground Box. Most of the materials are from AliExpress. The banana plugs are Xangsane solid copper, Rhodium plated. Binding posts are Xangsane solid copper, Rhodium plated. The RCA’s are AliExpress Furutech Rhodium plated copper. All of these were chosen as they are solder-less connectors as per cdacostas recommendation. The cable I used is OCC copper in 2.5mm sq from Audiophonics. It’s not the extra fancy 5 or 6N version, but I thought it would be good as it’s got 221 strands. This was actually a nightmare to work with, trying to separate the strands. I actually thought it was Neotech as it’s red like all the similar spec Neotech cables, but it’s actually this one. www.audiophonics.fr/en/mono-conductor/elecaudio-fc125tc-multistrand-wiring-cable-copper-occ-fep-25mm-red-p-6273.htmlEdit: I used 2 x lengths of the 2.5mm OCC cable to make a 5mm sq conductor in both the ground cable and inside the box itself. I have some of the 6N OCC copper cable from AliExpress on the way to try too as well as spades. I also got the pure Cotten cable sleeve from Audiophonics in 8mm I think it was. Heat shrink was a little organiser from Amazon with an assortment of sizes and colours. Heat shrink with glue inside was from AliExpress in 12mm. The pieces of copper used along side the cable in the box are 1 x 15 x 250mm. I drilled an 8mm hole in these to suit the binding post. |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 23, 2024 0:02:38 GMT
The box is finished, minus a few small quantities of minerals I ordered for it.  Untitled by Matt Hoyle, on Flickr  Untitled by Matt Hoyle, on Flickr I cleaned everything with Isopropyl alcohol and treated everything with the Mad Scientist Graphene. This is great value stuff, I've treated pretty much everything including my consumer unit in the past and I still have this much of the 10ml bottle left.  Untitled by Matt Hoyle, on Flickr |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 23, 2024 0:10:21 GMT
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Post by mattspl on Mar 23, 2024 0:13:35 GMT
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Post by mattspl on Mar 23, 2024 0:14:02 GMT
The finished box Weight is about 3.5kg total, so I used about half of my 5kg Magnetite to make this.  Untitled by Matt Hoyle, on Flickr |
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Post by stellabagpuss on Mar 23, 2024 7:42:15 GMT
Thanks Matt that's that looks superb, apart from Magnetite,have you added anything else to the mix.
And what does it sound like, and what do you plan to hook it up to first?
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Post by John on Mar 23, 2024 8:01:14 GMT
Looking forward to your findings
A nice build
It be great if you can share your mix.
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Post by mattspl on Mar 23, 2024 9:10:33 GMT
For the mix, I followed cdacosta’s guide which is a detailed pdf found on post 1 of the DIY Ground box thread on head-fi. I think dougms3 put the pdf together. cdn.head-fi.org/a/12304471.pdf?_gl=1*ezrcsd*_ga*MTIwMDY1MzYwOC4xNzA4MjA1MjU4*_ga_2V1TD71NX3*MTcxMTE4MzY4NS4yMDUuMS4xNzExMTgzNjkzLjAuMC4wI am still waiting on Shungite powder and Tourmaline powder, so this is what I added to my ground box: 35% fill the box with Natural Magnetite powder. Add 1 desert spoon of Shungite gravel. 1 desert spoon of Graphite. 1 desert spoon of Rochelle salt. 1 desert spoon of Himalayan pink salt. 1/2 desert spoon of Tungsten powder. 1 x pink Quartz crystal about 1 inch diameter. 1 x black Tourmaline crystal about 1 x 1/3 inch. Stir a little gently, then filled the rest of the box with Magnetite. |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 23, 2024 9:30:44 GMT
I had to suffer through several episodes of MAFS before I could test the box out late last night with some music.
I connected the box to the unused Digital rca input on my Dac, with the grounding cable only terminated to the outer shell ground of its rca connector.
I had previously used the Magnetite only test box with an xlr ground cable, only terminated to pin 1.
I will make another box and connect to the unused rca analogue outputs of my Dac next.
This completed box gives more of what I heard from the Magnetite test box. It’s quite surprising how much more reverb and ambiance you can hear in recordings and how much more 3D/Holographic the imaging has become. I can’t wait to make more ground boxes and try them elsewhere.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 23, 2024 9:50:47 GMT
Excellent work Matt, it all looks super neat and tidy now as well. Look forward to more thoughts on the sound as it all develops.
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Post by stellabagpuss on Mar 23, 2024 12:27:17 GMT
Fantastic Matt... And again thanks for taking the time to detail the items.
l'll have to pull my finger out now 🤣
My only slight issue, is to work out where l can find a spare EARTH Point on my R26, think l only the I2s and SPDIF RCA free.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 23, 2024 12:39:11 GMT
Nice construction and findings, Matt.
Holographic imaging is the key benefit but I've found that the bass goes more extended and incredibly controlled, too.
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Post by HD Music & Test on Mar 23, 2024 12:42:47 GMT
Personally I wouldn't use the Rhodium versions when you build the next one Matt
Sorry nice work Matt, but do cinsidering NOT use any Rhodium plating, your ears will thank me for it.
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