Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams

I am interested in this product , is there a pictoral of the connections used with equipment ?

Al
 
Hello


Well hold on just a minute now. Conventional meters are designed to measure either in series or in parrallel. They are not designed to measure into an open circuit. I can attach any meter to any conventional LCR component and it will autorange all day long without the second connection. What you are doing is placing the two leads on isolated components. Of course it is going to autorange.

For you to have a chance at a measurement you would have to measure between the bonding point inside the NIC and the other side of the the absorbing material which in this case I would assume is the ground terminal which you did not test.


Rob:)

As I said, there is no direct or indirect connection to ground.

If you watch the analyzer carefully you can clearly see that it does nothing when not connected but does attempt to autorange when the probes are connected. This analyzer is very advanced and auto detects series and parallel reactance.

You are still thinking conventionally. The other side of the circuit as far as noise is concerned is the molecular structure of the ZrCa compound not an electrical connection. The principle at work in an NIC is not LCR. It is related to the following:

Dielectric absorption
Tensorial permittivity
Ferroelectricity
Piezioelectricity
Paraelectricity
 
Very good point! With the Typhon the catch is the not insignificant price and its massive weight. Performance wise, we don't know of a down side.

Calling MusicDirect on Monday. It feels like you are asserting that you are measuring a closed circuit in that video.
 
I am not sure about rules for links to manufacturer website so just go to our website and look at the [Applications] tab.

Caelin,

Since you were directly asked to provide certain information, I see no problem with you providing a link to your website where the information is presented. Thanks for your concern about our Terms of Service.

Lee
 
It's no secret by now that Shunyata Research has released their Alpha Line of Power Cables. These have been described at the recent CES/T.H.E. Show (http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2014-ces-and-the-show-high-value-cables-and-power-products/)

I now have two of these in my system, an Alpha Digital that connects from my Playback Designs to my Triton, and recently I received a pair of Alpha High Current PC's which I now have running from the wall to my amps and these have been burning in nicely for the past 8-9 days and I feel comfortable making the following comments. For the past many years I have been using all Valhalla PC's which included where I am now running Alpha Digital and Alpha HC. I must admit that I was completely happy with my Valhalla cables and felt I was done until Caelin and his genius drew me back in with my recent additions of Shunyata PC's,Triton, 3 Typhons that having heard the sound and the profound changes it has made in my system that I honestly can't go back. Darn you Caelin :)

Initially I had a final listen to my Valhalla PC's before I switched to the Alpha HC PC's in order to give me some frame of reference. My initial thought was "OMG, what have I done?"

The sound was dull, lifeless 2 dimensional and was absent of any meaningful bass and with a shabby top end.It was as if a blanket was over my speakers. Well, I knew that I shouldn't have listened initially as I was aware that a minimum of 100 hours is necessary for anything meaningful. I have been running mine now virtually nonstop except to give the tubes a breather. I ran signal during the day and left power on during the nights so I now have about 200 hours on these cables.

I had a meaningful first listening session today and all I can say now is "wow!"

The blanket is gone and there is more life to the system to the point that I have turned down the volume on preamp to adjust for what I am used to.The bass was better than what I had before and the top end (where I didn't feel there was an issue with the Valhalla) seemed better. What I sensed was that there was a brightness or glare that I had with the Valhalla but no now. The soundstage (like any of my recent Shunyata additions) was more articulate, better defined with a sense of air around the singers and instruments. The sound seemed more life llke and for lack of a better word, cleaner. Is this a result of the filter used in this cable

What I have learned about the Alpha series of PC's is that they are based on Cobra technology which uses 10AWG Coincident Concentric Conductor (which concerned me because I have an Anaconda PC as well as 3 Anaconda umbilicals and wanted that 7 AWG that they had. Well Caelin in his genius uses 2 x 10 Coincident Concentric Conductors thus effectively making it 7 AWG. I gather this was done so that the conductors could fit in the Cobra sheath which has a diameter of 1.05 inches (26.67 mm) as compared to the Python and Anacondas which have a sheath which is 1.32 inches (33.53 mm) in diameter.

Now here is what is interesting .......the Anaconda and Python use VTX geometry and Shunyata ?tron with Anaconda at 7 AWG and Python at 9 AWG. The Cobra is 10 AWG and also has Shunyata ?tron , whereas the Alpha HC PC has Shunyata ?tron but has Noise Reduction Technology with a Hybrid Dual ?tron High Current Filter but no VTX geometry. IOW the Anaconda is 7AWG with VTX geometry and no filters whereas the Alpha HC is effectively 7 AWG but without VTX geometry but does have a high current filter.

Now even more interesting is what this cable is priced at.... A standard 6 foot length is $1K

From what I understand the intent of the Alpha Series was to build the absolute best power cables in the world at any price. And then to price them so that any audiophile could afford them. They really have accomplished that big time

Having listened now to this cable in my system I can honestly say that this Alpha HC is no slouch. It is a truly remarkable cable and at the price I would suggest everyone audition the new Alpha Series if you are searching for new power cords. It is my plan to use a pair of Alpha Analog for my preamp so stay tuned.

One thing that is evident with both the AHC and the Alpha Digital is the need for very long burn in. Anything short of at least 100 hours you won't be hearing the magic. IMHO these cables are seriously under priced as they can compete with PC's which cost many magnitudes more.

I bet the cost of burn in for these cables was as much or more than the cost of the cable :)
 
Nice to read about the Alpha's performance in your system. It there an Alpha tail to be used between the Triton and the Typhon?
 
It's no secret by now that Shunyata Research has released their Alpha Line of Power Cables. These have been described at the recent CES/T.H.E. Show (http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2014-ces-and-the-show-high-value-cables-and-power-products/)

I now have two of these in my system, an Alpha Digital that connects from my Playback Designs to my Triton, and recently I received a pair of Alpha High Current PC's which I now have running from the wall to my amps and these have been burning in nicely for the past 8-9 days and I feel comfortable making the following comments. For the past many years I have been using all Valhalla PC's which included where I am now running Alpha Digital and Alpha HC. I must admit that I was completely happy with my Valhalla cables and felt I was done until Caelin and his genius drew me back in with my recent additions of Shunyata PC's,Triton, 3 Typhons that having heard the sound and the profound changes it has made in my system that I honestly can't go back. Darn you Caelin :)

Initially I had a final listen to my Valhalla PC's before I switched to the Alpha HC PC's in order to give me some frame of reference. My initial thought was "OMG, what have I done?"

The sound was dull, lifeless 2 dimensional and was absent of any meaningful bass and with a shabby top end.It was as if a blanket was over my speakers. Well, I knew that I shouldn't have listened initially as I was aware that a minimum of 100 hours is necessary for anything meaningful. I have been running mine now virtually nonstop except to give the tubes a breather. I ran signal during the day and left power on during the nights so I now have about 200 hours on these cables.

I had a meaningful first listening session today and all I can say now is "wow!"

The blanket is gone and there is more life to the system to the point that I have turned down the volume on preamp to adjust for what I am used to.The bass was better than what I had before and the top end (where I didn't feel there was an issue with the Valhalla) seemed better. What I sensed was that there was a brightness or glare that I had with the Valhalla but no now. The soundstage (like any of my recent Shunyata additions) was more articulate, better defined with a sense of air around the singers and instruments. The sound seemed more life llke and for lack of a better word, cleaner. Is this a result of the filter used in this cable

What I have learned about the Alpha series of PC's is that they are based on Cobra technology which uses 10AWG Coincident Concentric Conductor (which concerned me because I have an Anaconda PC as well as 3 Anaconda umbilicals and wanted that 7 AWG that they had. Well Caelin in his genius uses 2 x 10 Coincident Concentric Conductors thus effectively making it 7 AWG. I gather this was done so that the conductors could fit in the Cobra sheath which has a diameter of 1.05 inches (26.67 mm) as compared to the Python and Anacondas which have a sheath which is 1.32 inches (33.53 mm) in diameter.

Now here is what is interesting .......the Anaconda and Python use VTX geometry and Shunyata ?tron with Anaconda at 7 AWG and Python at 9 AWG. The Cobra is 10 AWG and also has Shunyata ?tron , whereas the Alpha HC PC has Shunyata ?tron but has Noise Reduction Technology with a Hybrid Dual ?tron High Current Filter but no VTX geometry. IOW the Anaconda is 7AWG with VTX geometry and no filters whereas the Alpha HC is effectively 7 AWG but without VTX geometry but does have a high current filter.

Now even more interesting is what this cable is priced at.... A standard 6 foot length is $1K

From what I understand the intent of the Alpha Series was to build the absolute best power cables in the world at any price. And then to price them so that any audiophile could afford them. They really have accomplished that big time

Having listened now to this cable in my system I can honestly say that this Alpha HC is no slouch. It is a truly remarkable cable and at the price I would suggest everyone audition the new Alpha Series if you are searching for new power cords. It is my plan to use a pair of Alpha Analog for my preamp so stay tuned.

One thing that is evident with both the AHC and the Alpha Digital is the need for very long burn in. Anything short of at least 100 hours you won't be hearing the magic. IMHO these cables are seriously under priced as they can compete with PC's which cost many magnitudes more.

I bet the cost of burn in for these cables was as much or more than the cost of the cable :)

Great stuff. But one burning question remains unanswered. How does the Alpha HC compare with an Anaconda in your HC application?
 
Great stuff. But one burning question remains unanswered. How does the Alpha HC compare with an Anaconda in your HC application?

That's the $64 question that I am unable to answer even though I am anxious to find out in my system. My inability to carry out such a comparison is that I only have one (not two) Anaconda PC's which goes from wall to Triton. Hopefully in the future
 
That's the $64 question that I am unable to answer even though I am anxious to find out in my system. My inability to carry out such a comparison is that I only have one (not two) Anaconda PC's which goes from wall to Triton. Hopefully in the future

But no shootout is imminent? That is unfortunate. I may have to buy 2 of the cheaper cables - and try for myself. If the Anaconda wins, I can may be use the HC cords on my class - D powered woofer cabinets (alpha digital did not work on them - currently using the fine mojo XPC-7 cables).... I'll think about it.
 
Last edited:
Hi gents

Rich and Coopersark. Just a polite heads' up as this is a thread on my room. You both might want to start your own thread on th topic but not a good idea here ;)

BTW Rich you might say the same about my room but I can assure you if you reread my blog from start to finish you will understand what went into the production of my room to accommodate my large Wilson X2's

Oh and BTW Art Noxon did my last room.
 
Hi gents

Rich and Coopersark. Just a polite heads' up as this is a thread on my room. You both might want to start your own thread on th topic but not a good idea here ;)

BTW Rich you might say the same about my room but I can assure you if you reread my blog from start to finish you will understand what went into the production of my room to accommodate my large Wilson X2's

Oh and BTW Art Noxon did my last room.

Home invasion :)
 
Sorry Steve! I will post no more here!

Heck I enjoy reading it as do I bet others. I bet if you start your own thread you will get some good responses otherwise it is buried inside my blog
 
Coopersark,

An excellent post for starting a great thread. Can we ask Steve or you to do so?


That was my suggestion above. I enjoyed reading it as well. To leave it buried here might go unnoticed by many
 
X-2's due to their propagation delay adjustability can perform well in a room smaller than any other speaker in it's size/performance class.

I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I don't have time to read the entire post, that would take a rather long amount of my time to digest everything. I simply saw most of the photos and based on the photos, it appears to me that the room might be what I would have done for those speakers for my personal taste and judging from the amount of treatment on either side of the speaker and behind, it just looks like it might be a little too dead for my taste.

I've read many sites discussing room acoustics and have talked with acoustic engineers and have been in a variety of rooms ranging from recording studios large and small, etc. and it just appeared to go against everything I've been taught as far as room size to speaker size.

Maybe your room sounds great and obviously a lot of expense and time has gone into it, and I understand your point but I was just commenting on that it just looks like a small room for those speakers that it might sound a little confining.

I'm not sure which room to which he refers but if it is mine I feel that I hit a home run with these speakers in this room. Not only did use an acoustician but my room was acoustically mapped
 
I'm not sure which room to which he refers but if it is mine I feel that I hit a home run with these speakers in this room. Not only did use an acoustician but my room was acoustically mapped

I'm always amazed when people render opinions on the sound of a room by looking at a picture.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu