Dark Field SS vs Dark Field DFE v2

I have used both and like you now use the DF-SS. I think their build (although simple) has some science behind them which Caelin has demonstrated here

I have 16 of the Dark Field DFE v2 and 24 of the Dark Field Mini's... I was ready to purchase 24 more Dark Field DFE v2 cable elevators when I found the price for the new model was out of my budget...

So I modded my Dark Field DFE v2 with two strips of NVX Butyl Rubber damping material... It made them dead quiet and lowered the noise floor with an all around sonic improvement...

You forgot the top rubber strap and the sand(?) filing.

tima said:

That microvibrations have a negative impact on audio quality can be shown when a signal is amplified. I read of an experiment where a microphone cable is attached to recording equipment but not to a microphone. The cable is dropped onto the floor; while the impact barely jostles the wire's electrons, it did so enough that the capacitance changes. When the recording of the dropped cable is amplified a signal is revealed. My (limited) understanding is that current itself can cause microvibrations that can alter a signal. I'd be curious if Shunyata has any feedback from studios using their cable holders on the recording end of things.

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As far as I know it is a known effect called triboelectricity, not a change of capacitance. People measuring small biopotentials or using electrometers know about it. From a Keithley manual :

Typical test cables can
generate as much as tens of nanoamps of current as a result of the triboelectric effect. This
occurs when the outer shield of a coaxial test cable rubs against the cable’s insulation when the
cable is flexed. As a result, electrons are stripped from the insulation, and added to the current
total. In some applications, such as nanotechnology and semiconductor research, the current
generated by this effect may exceed the level of current to be measured from the DUT.
The triboelectric effect can be minimized by using low-noise cable, with an inner insulator
of polyethylene coated with graphite underneath the outer shield. (...)
The test setup should be isolated from vibration to minimize
unwanted movement of the test cables, by positioning test cables on top of vibration-absorbing
material, such as foam rubber


The commonly known piezoelectric effect must also be considered in cable noise:

The piezoelectric effect is another source of measurement error in low-current
measurements, current generated by mechanical stress on susceptible materials. The effect
varies by material although some materials commonly used in electronic systems, such as
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dielectrics, can produce a relatively large amount of current
for a given amount of stress and vibration

We must also consider that mechanically induced distortions and noise are time delayed.

Too bad there's no Shunyata distributor where I live. I'd love to test the new ones... I guess I'll have to buy them without any prior test!

I have not had a power cord - or speaker cable - touch the floor at all since 1991, after Enid Lumley of TAS proclaimed that removing cables and cords off the floor amounted to a significant improvement in the musical experience. At that time, I used CD jewel boxes, or the edges of books.

I demonstrated this, quite unintentionally, at a dinner at the former publisher of Fi's house, back in 1994, when we were listening to his system, and I heard an edginess on Elvis' voice on several cuts and looked at the floor. I noticed a power cord was lying across a speaker cable and I asked if I could use a book to move the power cord off the speaker cable (this was before we even recognized power cables' power (no pun intended). ( I know they must have thought I was daft, but I didn't care. It's not as though I wouldn't learn something by doing it) so, I lifted the stock cord off the speaker cable, stood the book on its end and placed the (generic) stock power cord on top of the book so it was elevated by around 10" (it was a BIG book!) and that, obviously, kept it from touching the speaker cable and we replayed an Elvis cut on the Grand Slamms and Rockport turntable/Jadis JA-80 preamp, and there was a collective gasp from the group,which included Tom Miiler, Richard Brown, Larry Kay, Sallie Reynolds and a few other illuminati. Sallie asked what i'd done and I just regurgitated Enid Lumley's proclamation and said I'd always kept everything off the floor. It was quite noticeable.
I'll use Music Direct's 60-day try out policy to see how the new footers compare to the 36 DFE 2s I already have. I'm sure it'll be enlightening. It usually is. But given that its a vibration issue, why wouldn't filling the DFE2s with sand have a similar effect on vibration, although not to the degree of sophistication of Caelin's device, since he has an elastometer across the bridge of the device and that would provide minimum contact with the interconnect/speaker cable/power cord. I think I'll try it in the morning.
For now, I always have my power cords sitting on DFE 2s. And then I have a Shakti online wafer on top of the cable (and i have it on the Nordost interconnects, too, and I can always tell when it's fallen off. I have them on the speaker cable as well, and its fascinating how moving them an inch in one direction or the other affects the sonics. But then, I've played with the placement of the DFE 2s, and their is unquestionably a difference in sonics when you moved them underneath the speaker cable (Shunyata's speaker cable, of course). Surprised the hell out of me, so suddenly, after reading that number95 found 5 better than 3, I would opine that 6 works better on an 2 meter length of speaker cable. I didn't think it was 'just me', but I hadn't seen anyone, before this post, mention that more elevators improved the sound, although that certainly was my experience. I don't think ANY of the cords like to slump, so I keep the cables completely straight without allowing any dips in between elevators. It's rather an easy effect to hear, even given I'm using Hegel, NAD and Parasound integrateds. I'd have thought this would be a given that cords shouldn't be bent or twisted. Another of Enid Lumley's proclamations, along with not having the cable rest on the shelf, either. I usually suspend mine with twine and a nail in the wall so nothing touches anything. The walls look strange, but then they're ASC wall damped, so I don't give a fig. I spent that much money on damping the room, I'm not gonna worry about a nail in the drywall and some string tied around the interconnects. 'Sides, I have a dedicated music room and you wouldn't believe the experiments I've subjected it to. Was just thinking tonight, "I'll have to get some spackle and fill up all those nail holes where I put other manufacturer's damping materials (I like to experiment). Even the ceiling wasn't spared! But in all seriousness, putting elevators every two feet and keeping the speaker cable level does affect the sound, positively speaking.

johndoe21ro said:

Too bad there's no Shunyata distributor where I live. I'd love to test the new ones... I guess I'll have to buy them without any prior test!

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Music Direct had a 30-day return policy on most items (excluding cartridges). They also do not charge a restocking fee. Many's the time I've returned items to them - much to their dismay - because I simply wasn't getting the level of performance commensurate with the price. Nonetheless, I just looked at their site and it's now 60 days. If it doesn't work, send it back. You're only out shipping costs!

To be honest, when I installed my DF elevators several years ago, the result was pretty much on par with most tweaks: not bad, but I'd probably not be too disturbed if they were removed in the middle of the night. ;-) The DF-SS v2 was another matter. My healthy skepticism was in full force when I installed by first set on speaker cables alone, so the resulting improvement in detail, blacker background and more natural transients were stunning. As I added the DF-SS v2s to my power cords and then a few more to the speaker cables, I got the proverbial "what'd you do" from my music-loving wife. I was a skeptic on this aspect of vibration control, but the DF-SS v2 is the real deal and now you'd have to pry them from my cold hard-wood floors. Best tweak in years.

Vhiner said:

To be honest, when I installed my DF elevators several years ago, the result was pretty much on par with most tweaks: not bad, but I'd probably not be too disturbed if they were removed in the middle of the night. ;-) The DF-SS v2 was another matter. My healthy skepticism was in full force when I installed by first set on speaker cables alone, so the resulting improvement in detail, blacker background and more natural transients were stunning. As I added the DF-SS v2s to my power cords and then a few more to the speaker cables, I got the proverbial "what'd you do" from my music-loving wife. I was a skeptic on this aspect of vibration control, but the DF-SS v2 is the real deal and now you'd have to pry them from my cold hard-wood floors. Best tweak in years.

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Completely agree. I have had the 1st gen Shunyata DFS for over 6 years primarily for the speaker cables. Earlier today I inserted the new DFS on the right channel speaker cable doing a A/B comparison between the L/R channels using the balance feature on the remote of the CJ GAT. The difference is not subtle it's pretty dramatic. Higher gain, clarity and definition. This is a no brainer. Next stop a few DFSS v2s under the power cables. Highly recommended

Are there any other users? More comments?

Wondering if putting rubber bands across the gap of the DFS would do anything like the band on the new models?