Powercord to tame brightness and add musicality

It's entirely possible the so-called 'digital brightness' you are hearing is absolutely fine except that it's being clouded and blurred by a lot of digital noise and AC noise that has been left untreated.

It really doesn't make sense to attempt to use cables, ic's, etc. as tone controls. It's not much different than putting a band-aid over a band-aid.

Especially, if you ever upgrade.

I'd recommend the dedicated lines as others have and you might consider auditioning the Foundation Research passive, dedicated, and bi-directional filtering (digital noise is bi-directional) line conditioners.

The LC-1 and LC-2 line-conditioners are small boxes that come with their own built-in power cable and cost about as much as a good power cable, yet do far more. The old versions were considered the best by Marty DeWulf of Bound for Sound in Aug. 2003 issue. The new versions are about 2 or 3 times better than the old.

-IMO

Actually, I think Audience has some of the best cabling for the dollar and supposedly competes or beats some other higher priced cables such as the Nordost Valhallas. I used to own their au24 ics and I still use their au24 speaker cables.

I've never tried their power cables and I'd guess that they too are better than most. But it really doesn't matter, because no power cable can do what 'proper' line-conditioning can do.

At least that's what I interpreted Warren to say. :)

-IMO

Actually, I believe it's pretty much a guarantee that Nick has a problem with vibration contamination. Since everybody else does too. Vibration problems are kinda' like dirty AC and dirty underwear. Everybody's got 'em. :)

A system where vibration contamination has not been addressed or improperly addressed typically leaves a mushy and dulled residue that renders a performance somewhat lifeless where it becomes difficult to make the distinction between a strike at the high-hat cymbals or a rim shot. This effect is generally the opposite of what one would consider bright.

As far as I know, the only way perceived brightness will occur is when the vibrations have been properly addressed using the coupling methodology as opposed to the decoupling methodology.

Though the coupling vibration control methodology provides essentially the same sonic benefits across the frequency spectrum, there can be a perceived increase in 'brightness' due to the fact that most systems are at least somewhat bass deficient.

Therefore, since the presentation is already improperly weighted toward the highss, any further enhancements would simply give the illusion that the scales have been tipped even further toward the higher frequencies.

Properly addressing the bottom end thru proper amplification, speakers, and/or cabling would be the far better way to address this so-called 'brightness' if it were in fact deemed to be the result of vibrations.

-IMO (Disclaimer: For I too am a rack manufacturer.)