I have been following a lot of threads on issues where science seems to fly in the face of experience. I have also posted a good bit about cable and power cord changes in my modest system. I am not any sort of a scientist and cannot tell the BS from the ambrosia when folk get into those areas. I am a pretty good listener of my own gear and the music I like and know.
I began a complete system change out about a year ago. My last serious system change was in the middle 1990's and once I settle into a sound I like, I tend to keep it for a long time. I had a Jolida integrated amp, An Adcom GDF 750 CD player, Maggie MG speakers, Transparent link 100 interconect and a Tara Labs set of speaker wires. Power was through a Monster 2500 box. I retired and moved across country (tax beneits) and into a new, smaller home. Sound in the new location was not as I recalled but still OK. Then my amp began to have problems. Istead of playing with the old Amp, I decided to build the next decades system. I bought a PrimaLuna Dialog II from Upscale Audio and was amazed again how much better it sounded in my system BUT, it did not play well with my speakers. I shifted the Maggies to my Video system and brokeout an ancient set of barely used Energy C2 Coniseaur and bought a set of stands. Again I was amazed how good my decade old CD and even older speakers sounded with the PrimaLuna.
I decided to invest a vast sum, about $30, in a tweak, one of the new HiFi fuses for the amp. While I didn't expect any change at all, I was surprised to hear sounds that had never been apparent on some old and well known CD's. Something had happened but I could not tell exactly what I was now hearing.
I read a lot of the comment on power cables here and decided to try a sale cable from PS audio. I frankly bought into the argument from many that there should be no change. The problem was, there was a change. Triangles and cymbles began to sound metalic and not ceramic. Those unidentified thumps I heard became the sound of fingers on wood as the musician stroked the guitar. I was so surprised I bought another power cable for the CD player (with lesser change).
Ok, now I was settled in and ready for a break in changes BUT, while playing on the internet, I found a Benchmark DAC1 on auction on Ebay. I bid and won the thing. It was old but still 5 years newer than my CD player. I set it up with a Phillips DVD player and the sound was worse than my old Adcom. I changed to a 15 year old Optimus portable CD player with digital out (part of an old Audio Alchemy rig) and that sounded at least as good as my old Adcom. I contacted Benchmark and found they could update my DAC1 to current standards. (great compay to deal with). Off it went and 2 weeks later it was back, in a new box and looking brand new. I set it up and found myself playing my old CD's again, some for the first time in years. As I was retiring the old Adcom, I took out my old Transparent interconnects. For fun, I traded these 10 year old cables for my new Kimber PBJ s and again was surprised.
I have a CD of quasi celtic music. Once cut has a series of women join into the song one by one. The Kimber cable played them beautifully but all sort of in the same foot or so of soundstage. The old Transparent cable plugged each singer in a specific location and spread that stage wider and deeper. In addition, my highs where more clear.
I really did not expect this and rememberd reading an advert from Transparent about a cable trade in/up program they were running. I E-mailed them and was offered a great deal and directed to a local dealer. off I went and yesterday my new Transparent cable arrived.
Folks, I simply cannot buy the argument that cables are all the same or do little. Right out of the box my MusicLink plus did some amazing things. First, I listen nearfield and am used to the sondstage being pretty much limited to between the speakers. Today it extends out about a foot beyond the speakers. Next the same singers n the same CD are planted in space. Last, the highs are very clear. Any residual edge or grain was simply gone.
Now I want a CD transport...anyone know anything about a Rotel 1070?
I have been following a lot of threads on issues where science seems to fly in the face of experience. I have also posted a good bit about cable and power cord changes in my modest system. I am not any sort of a scientist and cannot tell the BS from the ambrosia when folk get into those areas. I am a pretty good listener of my own gear and the music I like and know.
I began a complete system change out about a year ago. My last serious system change was in the middle 1990's and once I settle into a sound I like, I tend to keep it for a long time. I had a Jolida integrated amp, An Adcom GDF 750 CD player, Maggie MG speakers, Transparent link 100 interconect and a Tara Labs set of speaker wires. Power was through a Monster 2500 box. I retired and moved across country (tax beneits) and into a new, smaller home. Sound in the new location was not as I recalled but still OK. Then my amp began to have problems. Istead of playing with the old Amp, I decided to build the next decades system. I bought a PrimaLuna Dialog II from Upscale Audio and was amazed again how much better it sounded in my system BUT, it did not play well with my speakers. I shifted the Maggies to my Video system and brokeout an ancient set of barely used Energy C2 Coniseaur and bought a set of stands. Again I was amazed how good my decade old CD and even older speakers sounded with the PrimaLuna.
I decided to invest a vast sum, about $30, in a tweak, one of the new HiFi fuses for the amp. While I didn't expect any change at all, I was surprised to hear sounds that had never been apparent on some old and well known CD's. Something had happened but I could not tell exactly what I was now hearing.
I read a lot of the comment on power cables here and decided to try a sale cable from PS audio. I frankly bought into the argument from many that there should be no change. The problem was, there was a change. Triangles and cymbles began to sound metalic and not ceramic. Those unidentified thumps I heard became the sound of fingers on wood as the musician stroked the guitar. I was so surprised I bought another power cable for the CD player (with lesser change).
Ok, now I was settled in and ready for a break in changes BUT, while playing on the internet, I found a Benchmark DAC1 on auction on Ebay. I bid and won the thing. It was old but still 5 years newer than my CD player. I set it up with a Phillips DVD player and the sound was worse than my old Adcom. I changed to a 15 year old Optimus portable CD player with digital out (part of an old Audio Alchemy rig) and that sounded at least as good as my old Adcom. I contacted Benchmark and found they could update my DAC1 to current standards. (great compay to deal with). Off it went and 2 weeks later it was back, in a new box and looking brand new. I set it up and found myself playing my old CD's again, some for the first time in years. As I was retiring the old Adcom, I took out my old Transparent interconnects. For fun, I traded these 10 year old cables for my new Kimber PBJ s and again was surprised.
I have a CD of quasi celtic music. Once cut has a series of women join into the song one by one. The Kimber cable played them beautifully but all sort of in the same foot or so of soundstage. The old Transparent cable plugged each singer in a specific location and spread that stage wider and deeper. In addition, my highs where more clear.
I really did not expect this and rememberd reading an advert from Transparent about a cable trade in/up program they were running. I E-mailed them and was offered a great deal and directed to a local dealer. off I went and yesterday my new Transparent cable arrived.
Folks, I simply cannot buy the argument that cables are all the same or do little. Right out of the box my MusicLink plus did some amazing things. First, I listen nearfield and am used to the sondstage being pretty much limited to between the speakers. Today it extends out about a foot beyond the speakers. Next the same singers n the same CD are planted in space. Last, the highs are very clear. Any residual edge or grain was simply gone.
Now I want a CD transport...anyone know anything about a Rotel 1070?