Tbg,
Shilling might be unseemly but is legal in these parts it seems. |
Mapman, I can tell you that I have a small room and do "near field " listening
The small room has 37 tube traps tuned within 1/8 of an inch or less. I use hundreds of pounds of damping material and at least 8 custom isolation tables. All my cables and power are High Fidelity UR or URR where possible.
I use over 40 iso feet consisting of Cerabase, Stillpoints and Star-points currently leaning toward Star Sound Technologies points and bases.
I use a hundred other tweaks. I'm retired so I can spend 5 to 10 hours a day working on my system. I have no tubes or turntable any more. I've been heavy into "no limits audio" since 1980 ( the lunatic fringe of audiophile-dom ). I only know a small handful of people engaged in that level of audio pursuit. It would help if I have tons of money but alas! I don't.
I could tell you that high level audio folks say very nice things when they hear my system and have had 4 current audio reviewers over to listen as well as Audio store owners, Recording studio folks and music artists who all have been impressed.
I can't really tell you how it sounds in a way that would come close to the experience. I do attempt to relate my experiences but I'm no reviewer or writer (obviously ).
I will continue on the best I can. ;-) D |
Mapman, does Audiogon pay you to be a shill policeman? If not, I guess you are self-appointed. |
Ok so tell us about all that and why you like it then. Or not. Its up to you really. Its just continuously talking about how good wires sound without providing the whole story has limited value IMHO. It makes you sound like a shill, even if in fact you are not one. |
Mapman, Sorry, I don't meant be cryptic but all my stuff is custom built or so severely modified that the names would not tell you anything about how it sounds. Each of us has our own tastes in sound, and as you've read, I travel to hear the best systems I can find. Last nights listening session was the best system sound I've ever experienced anywhere. By Far. It is a whole body sole emersion into each performance. |
Hello RLawry,
I found that going from Hovland MGII up to CT-1 between my tonearm and phono-pre was a huge improvement, and going from CT-1 to CT-1E was also a big jump, but not as big as going from Hovland to CT-1. I would imagine going from CT-1 to CT-1U would be a very noticeable improvement.
As posted earlier, when I went from CT-1E to CT-1U between Phono-pre and pre the improvement was much bigger than I thought possible. If I had the money, I would make the upgrade, but I'm awaiting my CT-1 speaker cables to finally make my whole system HF, so that's where my upgrade budget went (along with more LPs).
JA |
Lak, I did move up from a regular CT-1 to a CT-1U between my phono stage and preamp, which made a big difference, although not as big as from CT-1 to CT-1U speaker cables. I was thinking more on the lines of upgrading from a CT-1 to CT-1U on phono level signals, which in my case are 0.5mV. Thank you for the response. |
Rlawry;
I have not tried that but I have spoken to others that have upgraded from the CT-1 to the CT-1E between the phone preamp to preamp. I was told there was am improvement however it's up to the individual listerner to determine if its worth the extra funding. |
By teh wayy DD what is the rest of your system and what are teh new speakers?
Thanks. |
Calvin, The music is on here also and it's beautiful! I've got so many test to run and things to try that I'm trying to come to conclusion on before my Speakers get here next week that I'm working on, or playing with the system 8 hours a day at least. Most of the time is about placement of HF power stuff at this juncture. This High Fidelity stuff is so beyond, AND you can improve it further by applying tuning techniques. |
Has anyone tried upgrading HF Cables for phono signals, either with DIN or RCA connectors? I am using a CT-1 cable to send my 0.5mV cartridge output to my phono stage and wondering how much difference an E or U would make. Thank you. Roger |
@ddraudt listening is back up. Straight ear joy!!! |
Sammons, Great!! I would never want to part with my HF UR power conditioner. Dramatic improvement to every aspect of music playback.
Some immediate improvements were heard here plus much more over several weeks of operation.
Yes, it will be very nice to hear your experiences with this and the other HF power parts as you discover their accomplishments. Congrats!! D |
Sammons,
Congratulations!
Please be sure to let us know your thoughts when you receive them and begin to use them. |
We'll gents I took the plunge and ordered a ultimate reference power conditioner and now trying to sell some gear to be able to afford a urr power cable to go with it. Looking forward to getting it in the system to see if it matches up to your experiences that you have kindly shared with us. Will eventually need 4 possibly 5 urr so this and next years audio purchases have already been prioritised. The dac will have to wait!!! |
Tbg, Yes you're right The URR's do add so much more information that It's shocking and amazing. I hear such a deep, solid soundstage with intimate
knowledge of instruments and voice alike. I can easily sense the air around performers and the venue walls like I never dreamed possible. Such an alluring sense of real!. The bass is beyond solid and crisp, beyond all previous experiences of intimacy, character and inner life... I could go on but audio's descriptive words and explatives have all been overused on undeserving products before High Fidelity Magnetic Magic. There are other subjects like Love and God and the colors of the rainbow the could never be described well enough in words that the listener would ever understand an experience of it UNLESS EXPERIENCED PERSONALLY. Do I think High Fidelity IS like God or Love........maybe a little. ;-0 D
The URR's do take time to sound their best. weeks.
|
Ddraudt, My new URR pc is on my dac now. It is not quite what Frank's was here, but is getting there. You didn't mention the additional information that you always get with the HFC URR power cords. This is what always amazes me. It must be there but hidden with noise with other power cords. The bass control also is unique. |
Calvin, glad your enjoying the Music! Busy weekend for me but the music is on. I listen every day but some days it is casual listening. I've been warming up my new URR HF power cord in the system for several days. And hope to critically listen soon. I can already hear improvements in the force control and dynamics of the base and an undeniably strong image.
Cheers to all D |
@ddraudt. I was back listening today. Great sound this morning. |
...forgot the smiley face...:^) |
"How does one describe going from the greatest sound ever imagined to incredibly superior to that???"
I think you said how earlier: acid trip maybe???? |
Calvin, You Haven't been listening much!!! How do you stand it? I turn up the music right when I get out of bed and fall asleep listening at night.
It is going well, thanks for asking. I'm very excited about the High Fidelity URR Power Cord that is scheduled to arrive TODAY!!! I've optimized my system adding a few parts and taking other parts out. At this point it's the best I've heard! I auditioned a 3rd URR two weeks ago and it was a quantum shift in AMAZING! How does one describe going from the greatest sound ever imagined to incredibly superior to that??? people must hear this HF magnetic conduction to understand the new world in audio.
Hope you enjoy the weekend sessions! ;-) D |
Calvinj,
I'm always open for additional suggestions...Thanks.
Thus far the only suggestion that I did not really care for was Erik Truffaz, just not for me. |
@ddraudt@tbg@lak how is it going I have been so busy at work I haven't been listening as much. Im hoping to get a listen in this weekend. @lak I will get you some more cd suggestions soon. |
For example, I used DSP for my work office system. It started out sounding OK but not realistic, just like before HD wires in the shill cases here. Then I applied the DSP to try to get it to sound the way I know it can. DSP made things 300% better. Clearer, detailed and more dynamic. A night and day transformation. The DSP I used was inexpensive computer software, that already may come bundled into many peoples home computer so no cost there to at least try and see. |
TBg, you don't have to agree with me or vice versa.
I don't expect that any two people would do things exactly the same way. That's what makes the world go around. I'm just pointing out the alternatives for the benefit of anyone who might care.
Plus I may be helping to keep this thread's ratings up with some fresh ideas besides buy more HF because its a world of its own. You guys should thank me for that I think. :^)
When the market for these products matures, people might be all over this stuff. You never know. |
"Mapman, And I am of the opinion that I cannot achieve the results I'm getting with digital signal processing."
I have a pretty extensive professional background in DSP. I'm pretty sure it could be done. But you would have to know what to do. Just like anything else. |
The real world prices are coming down. I saw one here for $600 the other day. Just a little lower and it might start looking more like a reasonable deal for a wire that uses inexpensive common commodity materials like mu metal and magnets rather than a cash cow for the distributors.
But frankly I'd still rather have the DSP than overpriced magnets,mu metal or acid trips. :^)
Its true. Sorry.
Hopefully there is some room here to talk solutions and not just shilling for specific products by the chosen few. |
Mapman, And I am of the opinion that I cannot achieve the results I'm getting with digital signal processing. |
Finally got my system retuned after replacing a part and removing a dozen bybee filters in preparation for my next High Fidelity URR PC . Last night it sounded better then it ever did before!. Two friends listen last night one said,
"There is absolutely no extra noise anywhere!, It's perfect... Flawless! The other said, "It would be like trying to describe an acid trip, This system takes you mind somewhere else!" I say," what fun it is to astonish people every day!!" Best part is that I get to be awed, every day. ;-) HF Magnetic conduction changes the game so completely that old benchmarks become meaningless and previous audio education and experience fail to enlighten!
Hope you all have a chance to visit this new world and learn the language!
Cheers D |
Tbg, you just need to learn to think out of the box a little more. It might be a good investment. :^) |
Good one!
I'm doing the best I can given the material here. And I was dead serious about the benefits of Digital Signal Processing as opposed to expensive wires. |
Mapman, your posts are an example of GIGO. |
DD,
If I were you be considering putting a DSP unit in the mix, at least for your digital source material. Any wire that a signal is transmitted over can only transform what is fed into it. It cannot create something out of nothing. A Digital Signal processing device might be able to deliver an effect similar to the HF wires you like so much, but is more flexible/tunable/adjustable in many ways and for much lower cost.
For an analog source, I suppose only analog devices make sense, like a particular wire, makes sense, but for digital the world is your oyster with DSP, assuming a decent source to start with. Garbage in/garbage out they say. |
Calvinj, WE did have fun and learned new things at Tbg's. For me the most memorable experience was when Norm put a 5th High Fidelity URR in his system. On the DAC for his Digitally stored components. As the first notes started playing all six of us laughed out loud in awe!! You could actually here it when the mics opened even before the music started that the venue was THERE in the room. Totally totally awesome forcing Norm to morn needing to order his 5th URR. Which he ordered that day.
Same darn thing happened to me during the visit to my house. We tried a 3rd URR and it was so awesome this I simply HAD to order my 3rd URR
for my system. Dangerously Superior!! ~!~
Sounds like you are having fun with your system!!
I have been doing so many audio related tasks it seems like a full time job.
I replace the Inlet on my amp yesterday which required me to remove and replace more than half my system. Pain in the >>>! Still retuning.
I bought a cheap card reader from china that I am playing with (Hifi 360 PLA- under $190 with shipping) very limited but considering modding.
Nice to put in one SD card and play 40 albums.
Looking into getting some Star Sound Technologies amp stands.
should be getting new speakers, HF power cord and HF amp this month.
Guess who is Enjoying the Music?! D |
Theaudiotweak wrote,
"Damped if you do and damped if you don't. Damped is your key word and definition by all examples."
Hey, Tom, what in Tarnation are you going on about? Are we still talking about isolation? Help! |
Damped if you do and damped if you don't. Damped is your key word and definition by all examples. |
Glory, try the Cable Company. |
@ddraudt@tbg. I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I committed to my God son right before you invited me. I wish I could have been there. I did a little experimenting today by hooking up my gear to the Sonus faber toy bookshelves and once again the high fidelity ultimate interconnects and power cord provided me with small scale listening enjoyment. I could imagine what yall were hearing yesterday. Now I'm even more curious to hear both of your systems. |
Theaudiotweak wrote,
"What if the term isolation was never used or was scientifically recognized as an impossibility at the outset? That factual reality may have sparked new studies and innovations for managing detrimental properties caused from vibration."
Unfortunately for your argument vibration isolation is scientifically recognized as possible and not only possible but necessary. Saying it's not possible seems a little, uh, over the top. Necessary in order to take high resolution photographs using an electron microscope. Necessary in order to observe gravity waves. And, more to the point, necessary to prevent low frequency structural vibration from getting up into sensitive electronic and mechanical parts of audio systems. Case in point: the tonearm that has a resonant frequency of about 10-12 Hz is excited by structural vibration of that frequency. To prevent or at a minimum reduce this vibration of 10-12 Hz in the tonearm vibration isolation techniques must be employed. Forget about airborne vibration. It's irrelevant. The speakers don't go low enough to excite the tonearm, cartridge, platter, laser assembly, etc. It can excite some things, but not those. |
What if the term isolation was never used or was scientifically recognized as an impossibility at the outset? That factual reality may have sparked new studies and innovations for managing detrimental properties caused from vibration.
HFC has shown and applied in new ways that magnets are not the bane to electronic circuitry or cable systems as once was factually stated in textbooks. Neither magnetic fields or vibration can be isolated but they both can be beneficially focused to a geometric area or point.Tom |
Dave, you are guys also helped me. It is too bad that others could not make it.
I only wish that I could go back to my system in the early 1970s when I thought it was outstanding and close to realism. I suspect that I would be delighted to return to what I have now. |
Tbg, Thank you for hosting this weeks Texas Audio Tour. You system is wonderful and a good time was had by all. I loved seeing all the cool gadgets and gear you have. The sound was fantastic!!!
WE both learned the same lesson about our systems, adding another HF URR power cord made an unignorable and shockingly superior improvement
that will cost us both the price of another power cord. ;-) mine is on order.
You really know how to Enjoy the Music!!!
Thanks again! next tour stop, Houston!
D |
Interested in trying the CT-1 E speaker cables to AB with my SilverSmith Palladium cables. |
Theaudiotweak, Of course it's only fair to point out that magnetic field has nothing at all to do with mechanical isolation, so I suppose one could say that was a Strawman argument. Good one! |
Of course I knew that Gee Off-Gee Off. My post was a subtle point that isolation is not possible and the example was the Earth's magnetic field. Your response is almost a positive comment about HFC cables which means you have suddenly explored their website. Congrats. |
The audiotweak wrote,
"How do you isolate these cables from the Earth's magnetic field."
Why worry about that since the Earth's magnetic field is very very low compared to say the magnetic field produced by say transformers and even conventional cables. Not to mention that the high permeability mu metal conductor in HFC is an absorber of magnetic field. Hel-loo! |
..and yes, don't we all try to keep them off the floor? C'mon now... |
"mine hang "
Mine too!
...that's too easy.... |
I'm listening right now best sound I've had on the earth of my listening area. I hate I'm missing the listening session fellas this weekend. It's always good to hear the real music through an actual system. Don't talk just listen. Lol. |
