Then I Got a Pulse, Now I'm a Believer

@soix 

You're absolutely right. I spent a good part of today listening and comparing. What I noticed is that the USB has a much bigger and deeper soundstage that initially sounded strange. Today I toed in my speakers about a half inch more and that refocused the soundstage back into the room a bit. Yesterday it sounded like the left and right were disconnected. Now it feels integrated again with USB. 

I do tend to be impatient even though I know better. I'll stick with USB for now but I can see a better cable in my future. 

OP,

Is this stuff all broken in? Make sure you have at least 100 hours... preferably 200 hours on each device before drawing conclusions. 

I am listening to a new component and if I had drawn a conclusion on the first few days it would have been so far off you would not believe it. Trebly and harsh... which utterly disappeared in a few days to be rich and warm and powerful. I am reminded nearly every time I put something new... or even just transported, how important break in it. 

@ghdprentice 

Only the USB cable is new. And it has improved a lot after only 72 hours. 

I want to thank you for the insights you offer. Your focus on musicality over pure sonics has greatly influenced my listening. As I've moved up in resolution, hearing new things, it's too easy to get lost in "sound quality" and forget why I was listening in the first place. But your reminders about that have helped me focus back on the music even as the sound changes. 

Neal Diamond of course was the author of the song

@mashif

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate them.

When I look back over the last fifty years of my system development. All of it was good... I really enjoyed the journey,  but several times I went down blind alleys. It was as if I was stumbling around blind for a long time. Occasionally thinking, OK... now that wasn’t right... and changing course... to be drawn to another shiny light.

The lightbulb didn’t fully go on, until I had the very best system of my life about ten years ago and it was fantastic, clean, transparent, detailed and lifeless. I would get bored listening after 45 minutes. Anyway, I have documented the lightbulb going off in my head elsewhere.

If I can help some folks, just casually ask themselves about where they are going and not step down some of the blind alleys... that makes me happy. 

Last weekend I was listing to an incredible system... many $100K. It was incredible, the holographic images thrown out from floor to ceiling and onto the side walls. Simply stunning. It was great... but not what I want to sit down to at home. It did not draw me in and emotionally envelop me like my system does. It was like watching fireworks... if you watched fireworks for half an hour a night, I’m thinking after a week you would get bored with them. 

I recognize also, my way is not everyone’s way. Some folks lust for etherial holographic systems... corvettes... and other things I do not. But for those that do... it is great if I can help. 

You put your finger on it.. it is to move forward in musicality first and then add more detail and slam an all the others.