New Synergistic Research Carbon Tuning Discs

[auricgoldfinger]

Speaking of contact enhancers, I got a sample of one from a friend yesterday. Can’t share any details right now, but…wow!

Here is one to check out: https://walkeraudio.com/product/quantum-silver-treatment-for-contacts/

 

[thyname]

I will respond to your last two posts about me. I didn’t ask for anything for free. I said if. That is not exactly a demand. I do write occasional reviews for Audiophile Style.com but am an audio nobody. This will be my last post at WBF. Life is too short.

I think you are overreacting. Sorry if I offended you somehow. I was just asking a question.

 

[thyname]

Here is one to check out: https://walkeraudio.com/product/quantum-silver-treatment-for-contacts/

With the big success of the NPS from High Fidelity Cables, I bet many manufacturers will come up with something similar, perhaps “reverse engineering “ the NPS.

I know not the same thing, but I had been using contact enhancers, mainly on power cords for many years, before it was a thing. Simple and cheap. Brasso and DeoxIT. Very effective and cheap. Although I admit my NPS Q45T is in a whole new level. And easier.

 

[auricgoldfinger]

With the big success of the NPS from High Fidelity Cables, I bet many manufacturers will come up with something similar, perhaps “reverse engineering “ the NPS.

I know not the same thing, but I had been using contact enhancers, mainly on power cords for many years, before it was a thing. Simple and cheap. Brasso and DeoxIT. Very effective and cheap. Although I admit my NPS Q45T is in a whole new level. And easier.

I don't know anything about the NPS, but the Walker product pre-dates it.

 

[MOON]

If Ted wants to send me a box, I will try them, otherwise, I will let all you guys have all the fun,

Actually, my Synergistic Dealer sends me stuff to demo before I buy. I did that with the Synergistic Tranquility pod. Those are so good I just placed an order for a 4th pod. These pods really elevate a system and the addition of each one is cumulative. I will be trying ghe tuning disc as well.

 

[highstream]

A few days ago, I suggested comparing use vs. non use of the discs, and that I had done so. Unlike most tweaks, this one makes for very easy comparisons. This is what I found:

I've already reported that I couldn't find a location where the Purples didn't degrade the sound in one substantial way or another: high end severely diminished; lower midrange/upper bass diminished; sound brought forward to first or second row "live" perspective, with the clarity and nuance/delicateness one hears further back lost.

I then tried the Gold version, where they performed best on the destination end of XLR's to ATC active floorstanders. However in comparison, the discs' effects were evident: the apparent volume was a bit louder and the perspective a bit forward, although not quite as much as with the Purple's. However, voices and instruments was noticeably thicker and more congested, with more upper midrange edge where it was present on the recording, compared to the same music without the Golds. In addition, the cable TV sound (still through the system) had more body (chest) in voices and a similar forward perspective, but there was a substantial accentuation of the unpleasant edge in many channels' broadcasts.

So I've decided to send them back on the 30-day return.

 

[kennyb123]

So I've decided to send them back on the 30-day return.

Thanks for the report. Interesting that your observations are different than mine. One key difference is your use of active speakers. I’m not sure if that explains it though. But having the amplification positioned a further distance from the rest of your components would result in a different noise profile. The discs that make the most improvement in my system are are placed at opposite ends of my amp essentially.

Does your Supratek Chardonnay preamp feed directly to your speakers? And is the cable between them from Wywires? And what is the length?

It looks like an awesome system, BTW.

 

[highstream]

Thanks. I tried both discs on both ends of the XLR ATC speaker run. I tried everywhere from the outlet connector going to a P15 regenerator, and from the latter to the dac and Oppo, as well as on the spdif cable going from Oppo to dac. Right now, the preamp is on its way for upgrade -- currently in Sydney AU customs -- and it's uncertain if it will be back in time for the 30 days (April 7). Plus the upgrade will need burn in. The Lampi dac has volume control and and faux XLR outputs, unlike the preamp, which means the current speaker run is actually unbalanced. But would that really make a difference? The XLR and power cable length to each speaker is 6', although that's more than the actual physical distance, way more for one speaker. The other cable lengths are in the 3-4' or 1m range. The only place where there was no effect was a Purple on the TV HDMI connector.

 

[andynotadam]

It has been a few weeks since I progressively deployed three boxes of the SR Carbon Tuning Discs into my rather complex streaming system, I have learned that they are quite potent and, when gotten wrong, they can really mess up the sound as some have reported here. I have also found that when you get it right, the improvements are quite significant for the cash outlay they entail.

For me, and in my system, the biggest improvements have been in the areas of soundstage depth, ambient ques, bass quality and a significantly lowered noise floor.

I suspect that the reason I have gotten such positive results is due to the fact that my cable loom consists entirely of current or current-ish Synergistic Atmosphere series cables. I obviously have no way of proving that, but my impression is that some of the folks here who have reported less than stellar results with the CTDs have a preponderance of non-SR cables in their systems. Perhaps I am partially swayed to that conclusion is because SR has stated that the technology was originally developed to be incorporated into SR's highest-end cables.

Were I to be offered double my money back to remove them from my system, I would not accept that offer...

 

[tommylion]

andynotadam,

I am not currently using any SR cables in my system, and I got good results with the discs. Your post does bring up an interesting question. From what I read on the SR site, the current Atmosphere SX series cables already have the discs, or something very similar, built in. Would these cables benefit From additional discs, or would it be overkill?

 

[auricgoldfinger]

andynotadam,

I am not currently using any SR cables in my system, and I got good results with the discs. Your post does bring up an interesting question. From what I read on the SR site, the current Atmosphere SX series cables already have the discs, or something very similar, built in. Would these cables benefit From additional discs, or would it be overkill?

I asked that question of Ted Denney earlier in this thread, and his answer was that it is system dependent even with Galileo cables and power cords (my paraphrasing).

 

[andynotadam]

andynotadam,

I am not currently using any SR cables in my system, and I got good results with the discs. Your post does bring up an interesting question. From what I read on the SR site, the current Atmosphere SX series cables already have the discs, or something very similar, built in. Would these cables benefit From additional discs, or would it be overkill?

A good question, but not one I can answer. Probably best asked of someone at SR or perhaps The Cable Company or Alfred at highend-electronics...

 

[jerrybj]

Any idea how these carbon tuning discs interact with Akiko Audio, Mad Scientist, Bybee, PPT products?

 

[MOON]

I finally tried the tuning disc . My dealer loaned me a set to try out. I put the the gold ones on my speaker cables and the purple ones on my pre amp. These disc make a massive difference to put it mildly. I found the same things as the other posters, deeper soundstage, definition, ambient cues, bass, increased clarity due to lowering of the noise floor.

I liked them so much I bought the loaner set and ordered another set. My friend tried them and ordered two sets as well. I was there when my friend tried them. He asked me what he could expect. I told him nothing and that he would have to come to his own conclusions.

We played one song without the disc , then the same song , same volume with the disc on. When the music started he looked at me with shock and couldn't believe it. I can't explain why they work, but boy do they ever. These have been one of the best tweets I have tried. For the little cost its a no brainer.

None of my cables are Synergistic Research although I believe they make great cables. I have 4 Synergistic Research Tranquility pods, an Orange outlet, purple fuses and the record weight.

 

[ozzzy]

moon,
I am using the purple at the speaker end and the gold on the interconnect source. Have you tried it that way?

ozzy

 

[Mossback]

Ozzy makes a good point. Changing gold to purple will yield different results. I was moving them with my son being the listener he plays several instruments and has a good ear.
Just got me thinking I haven't tried one on my REL sub yet.

 

[MOON]

Hi Ozzy,
I had such good results it never crossed my mind to switch them. I will try the purple on the speaker cable and gold on the interconnect.

 

[ozzzy]

Another place that I thought they worked great was on the power cord IEC near the power conditioner. I use a gold there.

ozzy