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Berning ZH270 - Wiring Upgrade

I've owned my Berning ZH270 about 6 weeks now, and have made some other notable changes to my system as well - adding new power cables (Electraglide), a new First Sound Presence Deluxe MK II and new Stereovox IC's and biwired spkr cables. These are still breaking in and are already sounding marvellous - silky smooth, highly resolving with very nice, believable imaging and soundstage (though I expect some further improvement in sounstage as thngs break in).

Anyway, I am going to do the "no-brainer" wiring upgrade through Allan Bhagan (quite a useful and friendly "purveyor" of audio knowledge and goods, btw), and I would like to hear from other Berning owners who have done it - what specific improvements they noted. Thanks - Art
artg
artg OP
362 posts
 
update: I need a preamp. No matter how good the AA is as a source, no matter how wonderful the upgraded Berning is, the system is lacks that extra "soul" a good tubed linestage delivers...... No real suprise though, right?
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 
Art,
I'm not surprised at all. To my ears, the Berning definitely sounds better with a good active tube preamp, and that goes for a modded or stock Berning.
Nonetheless, while you're shopping for one, the sound is probably still probably pretty darn good. Cheers,
Spencer
84audio
175 posts
 
Art, Do you want your First Sound back?
artg OP
362 posts
 
not yet. I might some day. for now, i'm going to try some other things, knowing I can always go back to FS (though if i did, i'd go paramount). How's you DK, Joe?
artg OP
362 posts
 
more info on the wiring/cap upgrade:

The amp is opening up more and more with more burn-in. The soundstage is quite a bit deeper than before. Individual images more clearly defined on that stage, with better timbre, and overall ease and delicacy is improved - this this thing will never compress or distort, it's immensely powerful as it always was (in my expereince as good in this regard as the better SS amps) - yet a it has an even more refined presentation, it's "like butta." Also, the bass is tight and tuneful, as before - maybe even deeper (this one is hard to say for sure).

Anyway, i still need a preamp to give a bit more body and emotional context to the music, but the fact that Im making these observations WITHOUT a preamp in the chain really does speak volumes on the Berning upgrade.

I dare say that you have not heard a Berning ZH270 until you hear it WITH the wiring and cap upgrade. Without a doubt, this is much more than a tweak. It bettered the Cryo'd tubes, ERS and after market PC (an Electraglide Epiphany in my case) - by far. Of course some of this is likely a cumulative effect of these things.....
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