GutWire Ultimate Grounding Cable
Mine are 18 gauge I believe. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/synergistic-grounding-block-and-tweaking-it-3?highlight=sr%2B... Wig |
@ yoby, Created a pig-tale to connect to the ground on my UG RCA, then screwed the barrel down and soldered a silver ETI banana to the other end and it works perfectly; sounds much better than SR basic banana plug. DAC and Tube Pre are connected with RCAs, CD/Transport connected with XLR, Tube Amp and Power Conditioner connected to a screw on chassis with bare wire; each component added were audible improvements in clarity, soundstage depth/width, firmer bass and image localization. Wig |
Guy, For those of you who have only 1 Gutwire, recommend trying Synergistic Research Passive Grounding Block. I purchased one from a good friend with upgraded silver wire and it's a dramatic improvement! Using my UG to power the SR and it elevated the SR GB even further and you have the benefit of grounding all components. Wig |
I love the Gutwire Utimate attached to my preamp. In addition to the other improvements noted above, in my system the bass deepened and became better defined. Drum work also improved and is dramatically clearer. Every visitor noted these improvement. A friend started reeling off positive descriptions and exclamations after 10 seconds of listening. The same friend just bought two after I demoed mine in his system. To say it is a bargain is a vast understatement. |
I just installed two Gutwire Perfect Ground cables, one to my SACD player, and after hearing it, I went and installed the other on my integrated. Past practice dictates waiting for one to break in before trying another but heck, the results were so obvious, why wait With that noise floor lowered, there's so much more info in those pits and grooves that was previously obscured and revealing them makes for a much more enjoyable listening experience. I'm not getting a hotter top end that some have described (that eventually goes away) but one that has a bit more emphasis. What's really appreciated is the clearing up on the bottom end. That, and a richer, more expressive mid range. All the best, Nonoise |
Tommylion, I received the Gutwire ultimate ground today and put it in my system connecting it to my pre amp. The first thing I noticed was a lowering of the noise floor, blacker background. Sorry for the audiophile terms but that's how it was. I considered my system excellent sounding prior to the ultimate ground. I was surprised to say the least. The other things I noticed were basically as Tommylion described, increased transparancey, more musical details revealed., better resolution. There was a slight glare but that will be gone with a little break in as already mentioned by other members. I will be buying another one for my phono pre at some point. I am thrilled with the results of this cable. I am now of the view that most are living with noise in their systems they are not aware of, like me before the insertion of the Ultimate ground. |
Treating the Ultimate Ground with Total Contact contact enhancer makes for even more improvement: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/new-tweak-its-fantastic?lastpage=true&page=26#1525643 |
Sorry to have disappeared. Simply missed the follow ups until now. Lalit - interesting finding with your Nordost grounding gear. Any theories as to why? klh007 - I would agree that running multiple components through the same grounding cable to the same grounding point should reduce ground differential between those components, thus potentially reducing the noise floor. I recently added a SR Active Grounding Block and am amazed by the resulting improvement in sound quality. Blacker background, more relaxed and refined highs, and a wider and deeper soundstage with improved layering between instruments/performers. I have been experimenting with different DIY grounding cables (varying gauges of copper, silver, and silver-coated copper wire) from the Active GB to components and the differences can be clearly heard. Don’t understand why but it is so. So far, of what I have tried, I prefer 18 gauge 99.99% pure silver wire in a Teflon tube. Dave |
I've been trying to find reasons to return the UG. I kept saying to myself the difference is minimum and not worth the money. However, music becomes disengaged every time I disconnect the UG from my system. With the UG, it's more musical, 3D, let you get into music and forget about the sound. When I unplugged it, things still sound the same but it's flat and not fun to listen to anymore. Therefore, I am keeping the UG. Last but not least, thank you for your recommendation Tommylion! |
Treating the Ultimate Ground with Total Contact contact enhancer definitely brings even more improvement, right away, at least in my system. I'll have to wait a bit to see if gets even better over time, as reported by others. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/new-tweak-its-fantastic |
Months so well broken in. I'll play with it again in different positions and components. More interesting is RCA shorting pins. Had them in for months and sound opened up as each pair is removed. I use RCA caps without shorting pins that reduces HF harshness/noise that some claim useless but works for me. I trust my ear and can easily hear the improvements. FWIW, I use audiophile fuses and hear direction on some components so have open mind. |
joecasey, How long did you leave the cable(s) in your system? In my experience, cables (of any type) can sound like what you’re describing during the initial break-in period. I find that when you first put them in, they give you a little taste of what they will sound like after they are broken in. Then, things get strange, and the sound can vary all over the place, until they finally settle in. |
Tommylion, Do you find the SPDIF out is better than the other RCA out in your system? Also, how much better when your UG is fully break in vs. when is brand new? 10%? 20%? I believe I have mine for about 25 hours now, I like what I hear but I expected more after reading the reviews here. Hope it will improve more after 50 hrs. Thx! |
Got the second UG for my CD Transport today, and ran it from the unused SPDIF output to the wall. I noticed increased transparency, palpability, and a greater sense of ease, right off the bat. There is just a slight bit of haze (not unpleasant), that I suspect will disappear as it breaks in. One of my favorite songs, “Bad” off of my Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc II CD of U2's The Unforgettable Fire, sounds amazing. |
I am sure the Gutwire Ground cables are very good, but after reading this thread, I became very intrigued by the "concept". I ended up building a couple of my own cables, using decent AC plugs, NOS WE 10ga wire, connected from the ground pins to the pin 1s of a couple of Neutrik XLR connectors. I put one on my DAC (battery powered), and one on my preamp. I already thought my system was very quiet, but this tweak, while cheap, has a very positive affect on my system. Biggest improvements for me were in bass articulation and definition, and midrange clarity. I also saw some improvements in soundstage size and airiness. Yup, my DIY grounding cables will be staying in the system! |
Not much on the Groundhog online. They seem to market it as an audible hiss/noise killer, a slightly different tact than Gutwire. At the CA iFi-sponsored area a couple people report the end-to-end measured resistance is 12-15 ohms and infer this might be a problem, but there is no response from iFi. I use the Gutwire and wonder how this is. In any case it sounds good. |
If anyone wants to try something like the Ultimate or Perfect Ground, on the cheap ($50), I found the iFi Groundhog. https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-groundhog/ It has an RCA on one end, and a female IEC connector on the other, with only the grounds connected. That way, you can use whatever spare IEC power cable you have lying around to connect to the wall. |
When I first got the UG, I briefly tried plugging it into the unused SPDIF output of my CEC TL-5 CD Transport, to see if it would make any difference there. I believe I heard an improvement. With the excellent results on my preamp, I decided to order another one for the CEC. Looking forward to hearing what it does. |
I’m loving what I’m hearing with the UG in my system. The bass is tighter, cleaner, has more texture, and is more impactful. The tone of instruments and voices are more realistic. There is more air around them, and the space they are performing in is easily heard. PRAT and dynamics are also nicely improved. There is a greater sense of ease, which allows me to relax into, and enjoy, the music more. I am now convinced that dealing with noise in the signal ground is essential, if you want to hear your system at its best. The UG is one excellent and cost effective way of doing so. |
Apparently it needed a little more break in. The sound opened up further today, and I am one happy camper 😁 The Ultimate has taken my system, which I was already very happy with, to the next level. If you haven't already implemented a grounding solution, you might want to see if it does the same for yours. |
With about 30 hours on the Ultimate Ground it has loss that slight brightness and my system is sounding better than ever. Lower/eliminating noise does wonders by allowing the music to come forth with better tone, more air and allowing the most subtle details to emerge. The Ultimate Ground along with proper component isolation/coupling has brought about the lowest noise floor in my system yet. |
Yes, they are also called terminators, or termination plugs. I use one on the SPDIF out of my CD transport and the BNC input of DAC. They made a difference (at least in my system). The nice thing is they are fairly cheap. As far as the RCAs, make sure they are actual shorting plugs, with a resistor, not just caps, like these: https://www.hificollective.co.uk/accessories/rca-shorting-plugs.html |
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