Perfect Path Technologies: Omega E mat
Last night's session was fantastic. The TC pasted power conditioner and speaker crossovers are really coming into their own. Also, the E Cards on the power cords are paying off now too. I'm beginning to wonder just how close to real performers in space can these good red book CD's get? I'm in awe. Frank |
grannyring sez:
Good thinking, grannyring. I had the thought last night wondering if there would be some way to use Tim's technology on shorting plugs on the unused RCA inlets on the back of line stages. Maybe I'll get some shorting plugs and paste them with TC. You never know ... Frank |
More fun last night. The sound quality advanced even further. I have a small circuit breaker panel in the closet of my master bedroom that I had completely forgotten about. I put an E Mat in there yesterday. Zowie! More of everything we like. The picture on the TV improved again too. Frank PS: Tommylion ... thanks for the heads up on the plugs. :-) |
jafreeman sez:
Haven't heard the particular album you alluded to, but I'm experiencing percussion like never before. Some of my Arthur Lyman recordings are so dynamic with all of the bongos, congas, vibes, jungle sound effects are ... simply amazing. If you find a quiet copy of these, jump on them: https://www.ebay.com/itm/LP-TABOO-1957-The-Exotic-Sounds-of-ARTHUR-LYMAN-Rare-Vinyl-HiFi-Stereo-Disc... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Arthur-Lyman-Taboo-Volume-2-Stereo-LP-HiFi-Records-SR-822/273529644758?hash... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Arthur-Lyman-The-Legend-Of-Pele-1959-LP-HIFI-SR-813-space-age-VG/2329804233... Be sure to look for stereo copies. They also came in mono. The stereo versions are better. Frank |
^^^ Redbook CD's are a revelation. Early on in the TC thread, I talked about pasting the ten-dollar thrift store Kenwood CD player with excellent results. The naysayers jumped all over me for reporting what was true. Here are the facts: Using the combination of the Omega E Mats and the Total Contact will transform even less expensive equipment into something very musical and involving. Frank |
Geoff ... True ... Sweetmaria's charges for shipping, but my green beans cost an average of around $6.50 per pound. That would be for some excellent Guatemalan or Kenyan coffee. Granted, in order to use the green coffee, you'd have to invest in a roaster. The one I have retails for close to $400 now. It was $299 when I bought mine ... and I've had it for years. It's the Behmor roaster. It has a smoke filter and can be used indoors. Works like a champ: https://www.sweetmarias.com/behmor-1600-plus-roaster.html Frank |
mrs_ppt ... Try this site for coffee: www.sweetmarias.com They have roasted coffee as well as the green beans. Try one of their pre-roasted blends. Frank |
Haven’t had Internet service for a couple of days ... Hurray! My house didn’t burn down. So scary. Had to evacuate. Two homes on my street burned down to the ground. Mine was untouched. Poured a spiced rum on ice and listened to some soothing music when I returned after the evacuation was lifted. Still, a bit traumatized though. I have two big Hepa filters going full blast in an attempt to get the smoke smell out of the house. Frank |
^^^ Holy Smokes is right. Prior to the evacuation orders, I decided to stay and fight. As I was hosing down the shrubbery and my roof, the wind was blowing at 50mph and driving lit cinders past me and into me. It was literally raining lit cinders. The heat was intense. The humidity was between 3% to 6%. There’s an RV storage facility on the hill directly across from my place and it was fully ablaze. All of the cinders were coming from there. Finally, the wind was so strong, the stream coming from my hose just came back toward me and I got soaked. At that point, I panicked and said screw it ... and just bailed out of the place. When I finally returned and "fired up" the audio system, it sounded better than ever. I think the Total Contact that I pasted on the speaker crossovers a few weeks ago is the reason. I believe its curing nicely. Must be close to the four-week jump. By the way, guys, say some prayers for A’gon member Mribob. He lives up in Malibu Canyon ... not a good place to be during these fires. He’s out of town and I’ve been texting him with updates. Frank |
^^^ I can vouch for everything Steve said above. I cannot believe how good that Pioneer Elite DV-05 sounds with Grover's mods. The ARC CD-7se is/was a very good tube CD player. It retailed for 10k. The Pioneer has better bass and more extended highs. Maybe ... and just maybe, the ARC had more of that nice tube midrange, but the Pioneer's upper midrange is even better ... just a little more solid-state like, but still very much three dimensional. If I were to do it again, I'd opt for Grover's Pioneer Elite, no questions asked. I've heard both of Steve's systems. His living room system has the Legacy Signature III's (94db), driven by the Grover modified Dyna 70. If you have efficient speakers and can use 35 watts per channel, it is a wonderful amp ... one of the best I've heard. Now then, combine all of this with Total Contact, Omega E Mats, Herbie's tube dampeners, SR Blue fuses, SR HFT's, Shatki Holographs, some really great IC's and PC's ... and you will have put together a system that rivals those costing hundreds of thousands. The sound may be on a smaller scale than the mega-buck systems perhaps, but mind-boggling, none the less. Just to put things into perspective, the last time my friend Robert was over, he said during the listening session ... "You don't need a pair of Harbeth 40.2's, you already have them. You don't need a pair of Maggie 20.7's, you already have them." I concurred. As an old planer fan, these Signature III's are every bit as transparent as the best planers I've ever owned, including Acustat III's, Acustat IV's, and Martin Logans, except the Legacy Signature III's, get better bass and better highs. The Signature III's are no longer made, but they are available on the used market for as low as $1500. I paid $2100 for mine years ago. They have the walnut finish and in mint condition. I think they retailed originally for $5500 with the finish I have. Honestly, if you or a friend are looking for floor standing speakers that are very easy to drive, with great sound, there is no reason to look further than the Legacy Signature III's. Frank |
This is my town over the past two weeks ... https://www.facebook.com/thousandoaksacorn/videos/283252148986311/UzpfSTEyNjMyNDk5OTU6MTAyMTc2NjMwMD... We could use some prayers. Frank |
^^^ Thanks, jafreeman ... I have two large Honeywell Hepa filters going 24/7 to purify the air in my place. Finally got the smoke smell out of the house. I'm not going anywhere and just staying inside except to get the daily mail. Even though you can't see smoke in the air around here anymore, when I go outside, the coughing begins. Fine grey ashes are everywhere too. I'm so lucky and grateful that my place wasn't touched. If I could describe the fire blowing over the road when we evacuated in simple terms ... it was like a giant roaring blowtorch. My friend Robert came over last night for a listening session. The Total Contact treatment to the speaker crossovers and an additional Omega E Mat in the second circuit breaker box has made a very significant improvement. Everything we played sounded really good. One spectacular LP we played was a Les Baxter album with all of the sound effects those records are known for. Wall to wall soundstage with front to back three-dimensional imaging in spades. Bongos, congas, bells, marimbas, vibes, jungle sounds, strings, flutes, English horns, bass .... glorious! Frank |
Krissy ... Thank you very much. Breathing is improving somewhat. Geoff ... Beyond belief, my friend. Where I live has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation according to FBI statistics. So, even here, we have a shooter slaughtering 12 innocent people because he didn’t get the psychological help he needed. And then ... the fires came two days later and tried to burn down the entire town. One thing I noticed is how much kinder people are treating each other around here since these two events happened. I talked with A’gon member mribob (Bob) via text. His house made it through intact. All of his yards are gone, his home is filled with smoke, but it survived. A real miracle considering that he lives right in the middle of Malibu Canyon .... one of the areas where the fire was the most fierce. It’s very sobering when you return to see your neighbor’s homes burned to the ground, and your’s is standing there untouched. Remembering the story of Job ... I’m keeping an eye out for the locust invasion. Frank |
Had a fellow audiophile over for a listening session tonight. He's heard the system before, but not since the addition of the TC and the Omega E Mats. He couldn't get over the low noise floor. And now I know Geoff is going to say ... "Well if he couldn't get over a low noise floor, how in the world would he ever get over a high noise floor?" Frank |
^^^ Geoff ... I believe that there exists a certain percentage of "audiophiles" who really don't care so much about the music, but more about equipment and bling. Have you ever met the type that has a system that may have cost upwards of 200k, and owns a total of maybe 50 recordings, all special "audiophile" editions? Then, there are those who were relaxed while listening to music all along, and still want that extra 7% in order to get closer to the music/performance. They may have average systems, but they usually have a vast collection of recordings, some rare dating back to the '30s and '40s. In a lot of cases, these folks try in some way to make their own music. They are the true music lovers. As H.L. Mencken once said ... "You can always tell a true music lover because they will always try to make their own music. They may be atrocious at it, but they do try." I wonder how many members here at A'gon play an instrument themselves. With me, its the harmonica and chromonica. Been playing the things since I was nine years old ... and yes, I'm atrocious at it. :-) Frank |
jafreeman .... Yes, I couldn’t agree with you more. It is the gear THAT GETS US CLOSER TO THE MUSIC. And that’s the whole point of the hobby, or should be at least. As long as the goal is to get us as close as possible to the actual event, live music if you will, then that is the mark of the true audiophile music lover. That was H.L. Mencken’s point. This is what is so cool about the latest innovations in tweaks like the Omega E Mats, Total Contact, Herbie’s tube dampeners, SR HFT’s, after-market fuses, etc. They all work together to get us closer to the source of the music WITHOUT facing the expense of upgrading equipment. Could this be the reason some folks can’t or refuse to hear the differences these tweaks make? Are they really listening into the music and getting emotionally involved, or are they simply admiring the gold faceplates on their electronics? Not trying to diss anyone posting here. Just posing the question. Frank |
Twenty years ago I was listening to a pair of Acoustat Four’s, an ARC Classic 60, and ARC SP-14, A California Audio CD player and my current Well-Tempered turntable with a Clavis cartridge. The Acoustats were underpowered with the ARC in the system, but within its range, the sound was super transparent. On a good night, it seemed as though the back wall just fell down and the depth went on forever. I fed the system almost 100% vinyl in those days. I’d like to have the Acoustats back for a few days just to see what they would do in the system today. Frank |
crazyeddy ... No need to worry about "goo" on your gear. The TC goes on in a very thin coating. It's easily removed with a Q-tip and a little alcohol. Once applied, you won't want to remove it. You'll just be listening to music. It can be bought through Audiogon. The only "distributor" at this point is the producer, Tim Mrock. Use the Audiogon site to buy it. Tim has fast delivery. Frank |
^^^ Hooked is the correct word, hifiman5. I am, totally, as my previous posts will attest to. In spite of an already humongous record and CD collection, I'm finding myself searching out new music and artists that I'm not familiar with. Not thinking about upgrading equipment anymore and just looking for more and newer musical experiences is a testament to the fine quality of Tim Mrock's innovations. After experiencing the ultimate transparency and realism afforded by these tweaks ... the Omega E Mats and Total Contact, there's really no need to spend money on new equipment anymore as far as I'm concerned. Knowing what multiples of the Omega E Mats and judicious use of the TC can bring to a system, I can't imagine what "The Gate" will do. One A'goner made the comment a while ago (can't remember who) how much fun it is when you can tell when a female vocalist is smiling, was on point. A lot of us are there already. With the new "The Gate" installed, will she pour us a beer too? :-) Frank |
I was up late listening to some older stuff too. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Taboo-The-Exotic-Sounds-of-Arthur-Lyman-LP-EX-1958-HiFi-Records-R806-Exotic... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Exotic-Sounds-of-MARTIN-DENNY-PRIMITIVA-LP-sexy-cheesecake-cover/2330154159... With the Omega E Mats and TC all in place, the exotic sounds are incredible. Frank |
^^^ Like you, jafreeman, I'm finding previously hidden information in my recordings. I've been trying to cull my record collection a bit, in an attempt to get rid of duplicates, excessively noisy copies, and bad sounding ones. This means that I have to listen to a couple or a few cuts of each album. With the Omega E Mats, combined with the Total Contact throughout the system, its striking how much information has been contained and hidden in those grooves. It makes the culling job actually enjoyable. Frank |
How much better can it get? Orders of magnitude better. Great things are coming from the fertile mind of Tim Mrock. Combining the Perfect Path Technology products produces amazing results. Considering the results obtained, the "bundles" now being offered on the Perfect Path Technology site are bargains. https://www.perfectpathtechnologies.com/ To find the "bundles, scroll down and hit "order." Once you have the products installed and connections pasted, try this LP. Also available on CD: https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANDREAS-VOLLENWEIDER-WHITE-WINDS-VINTAGE-VINYL-LP-w-INSERT/123537635443?epi... Frank |
lemonhaze ... Thank you for your comments and the music recommendation. I'll check it out. As it's been said, if we all agree 100% of the time, then there's a whole bunch of us who are not necessary. :-) Like fleschler, I have been collecting recordings over my lifetime, starting when I was a teenager. The first record I ever bought was a 78 rpm recording of Joe Houston on tenor sax. I think the record was titled "Go, Joe, Go." The second record was also a 78 record of "Earth Angel." Boy, does that take us back in time? That was 1953 and I was in the ninth grade. The records were 50-cents. Expensive, because I was earning 75-cents per hour as a busboy at Clifton's cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles as an after-school and weekend job. fleschler ... Please allow some time to come over for a listening session. Things have improved dramatically since you were here last. You won't believe that you're listening to Signature III's. New goodies to share too. :-) To everyone ... Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and much success in the coming new year. Frank |
thecarpathian ... I think some of the skepticism that you and other's experienced may have been from the excitement I exhibited from trying these tweaks, especially the TC and the Omega E Mats. What may have seemed "over the top" was actually just plain joy on my part in sharing the good news with other audiophiles. What many are finding, and reporting to me via PM is that it wasn't over the top at all. Honestly, these ideas that Tim Mrock is coming up with are revolutionary. sgordon1 ... I do have a can of anti-static spray. I'll give it a shot tomorrow and report the results here. Thanks for the heads up. :-) Hope all had a joyous Christmas with family and friends. It's a special time of year for friendship, sharing, and generosity. Frank |
^^^ dseltz ... Thanks for your post ... The magnets used in the Omega E Mats are nothing more than the same material used in refrigerator advertisement magnets. Having a pacemaker installed earlier in the year, and prompted by member "almarg," I took one to my cardiologist and showed it to him. He said about the same thing you did. The Omega E Mat doesn't have enough magnetic power to trip the pacemaker. He also said that the pacemaker manufacturers overblow the cautions in their instruction/manual ... to avoid being sued. So far, with multiple Omega E Mats in the system, each one being handled by me, no problems what so ever. Thanks again ... Frank |
^^^ Its amazing how much noise we were putting up with prior to the PPT products coming on board. The interesting thing is, there’s a lot more noise left that will be removed by the use of more mats, with more judicious use of TC, and future products coming down the pike from PPT (according to Tim). Personally, I can hardly wait for the new products. As it is, I’m getting realism in sound and vocals from the system now that is allowing me to actually suspend disbelief, and I have yet to paste my circuit breaker switches with TC. Have any of you pasted the glass on your small signal tubes yet? How about the inside of your power conditioners? Speaker crossovers? Wall sockets? Wall switches? If not, highly recommended. :-) Frank |
^^^ Nice! Thanks for the affirmation, Bradmorris1. If you can, do the crossovers and the power conditioner. I can just about guarantee you that as good as the results are that you’re enjoying due to the tube pasting, these two items will blow those results away. Another spot to paste with good results is the outside of your wall sockets. Remove the covers and paste the screws, wires and the sockets themselves. Be sure to turn the main breaker off before you begin. :-) I have no way of measuring it, but Tim says that pasting the signal tubes allows the tubes to run cooler and will lenthen their life span. Frank |
lemonhaze ... Congratulations on your purchase. You're going to love the effect and improvement in SQ. I know your question was about placing the E Mats into your circuit breaker but have you tried pasting your connections with the TC yet? On the circuit breaker ... I haven't moved the two mats that were placed in the circuit breaker a few months ago, so I can't speak for that exact location. However, I've moved mats around from component to component over time, even loaning them to friends for listening sessions at their homes, and haven't noticed a substantial degradation in sound. I don't think a few hours would make much difference. At any rate, even if you left them off for days, and had to start from scratch, the improvement is almost immediate ... with a significant improvement over a day or so, even a half a day. Take care ... Frank |
Hey Elizabeth ... did someone kick your cat? :-) You love the hobby and great sound, right? Why not try the products (money back guarantee) and then come back and report your results. By the way, I agree with you on the Shatki Holograms ... Cheap construction and overpriced. But ... they work like crazy. I have four in my room. Easy to a/b the results, and I've done that for friends. Take them out of the system and the sound-field collapses. I wouldn't enjoy my system nearly as much without the Shatki Holograms in the system. Frank |
tlong1958 sez:
Glad you caught the humor, tlong. Evidently the Mods didn't see it that way. They deleted the post. *lol* Frank |
