Tidal La Assoluta system

[Audiocrack]

I forgot to mention one thing Lloyd: according to Miguel one top notch grounding cable such as the Emperor statement cable has a (much) bigger impact casu quo is of much more importance than quite a few grounding grounding cables of lesser quality such as for example Tripoint’s entry grounding Silver signature cables. That is why I shipped back one of the latter grounding cables in order to maximize the performance of the second Emperor statement grounding cable.

 

[LL21]

I forgot to mention one thing Lloyd: according to Miguel one top notch grounding cable such as the Emperor statement cable has a (much) bigger impact casu quo is of much more importance than quite a few grounding grounding cables of lesser quality such as for example Tripoint’s entry grounding Silver signature cables. That is why I shipped back one of the latter grounding cables in order to maximize the performance of the second Emperor statement grounding cable.

Thanks Audiocrack...good to know. Will bear that in mind for the future.

 

[Audiocrack]

Thanks Audiocrack...good to know. Will bear that in mind for the future.

You are welcome Lloyd. I forgot one more thing as regards possible future changes in or updates of my LA system: I am currently employing two Akasa dc cables for connecting the two PSU’s of the Wadax reference dac to the main unit of this dac. Between the Wadax reference server and its dedicated PSU I am still employing a standard Wadax dc cable. I might replace the latter with an Akasa dc cable in order to reach the ‘Wadax level four level’.

However, as I mentioned before in this thread: by connecting the Wadax reference server with the Tripoint top of the line Emperor statement grounding cable to the Tripoint Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station I raised the level of my server reply to an audio level that is way beyond level four already. The sonic impact of - in my case - two Akasa dc cables is absolutely significant (see RH’s review of these dc cables (as well as the reference PSU for the Wadax reference server) in TAS: I fully concur with this conclusions as regards the musical importance of the Akasa dc cables in this review). But the sonic impact of this Tripoint top of line grounding cable in combination with the Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station in my LA system is even more profound. I realize that for many WBF members this might be hard to believe, but the musical impact of this top notch Tripoint ‘grounding’ is really huge!

 

[Audiocrack]

And now for something completely different:

I have always loved the music of the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla. I will insert a link of a recent recording of his piano concerto called ‘Noches en los jardines de Espana’. It is a full / pure dsd 256 recording by Eudora. Full / pure dsd in the sense that no editing was done in pcm.

I will attach a link of the glowing review of this recording in Positive-Feedback in the next post. Although the review is imho a little bit over the top this full / pure dsd 256 recording is very good indeed. However, please note that I am not sure if the 30% discount for readers of Positive Feedback is still applicable.

 

[Audiocrack]

Here it is: https://positive-feedback.com/revie...256-large-orchestra-recording-eudora-records/

In my view dsd recordings / downloads are in most instances sounding somewhat recessed in comparison to (most) dxd recordings/ downloads. In this instance the piano ‘tinkles’ beautifully and is recorded in a very articulated way.

 

[Audiocrack]

 

[Audiocrack]

Here is a picture of the new Aardvark Ultra Rev. 1 version. I am very enthusiastic about the performance of this small device. I played this new version of the Ulta isolator now for about 90 hours and it has completely settled. Its positive sonic attributes are profound. Digital pollution does (also) influence high quality digital replay such as with my Wadax reference gear quite severely/negatively. Try this Ultra Rev.1 version out: I would be very surprised if you will not be as impressed as I am.

 

[Audiocrack]

Unlike quite a few (or even many) WBF members I am of the opinion that top notch grounding is absolutely essential to achieve top notch sound at home. Because our audio components are creating an awful lot of noise or pollution of their own while this noise / pollution is interfering in a very substantial negative way. This / my opinion - a better word might be: this / my conclusion - is based on more than 10 years years of listening to and experience with various Tripoint Audio ‘grounding’ stations and all sorts of grounding cables in two high end systems with large and great sounding loudspeakers: the Tidal Audio La Assoluta and the Genesis 1.1 loudspeakers.

As you might remember I am no longer using any audio racks / platforms of famous audio brands anymore: I am only employing (40) high purity copper slabs underneath my audio components (as well as for mass loading the latter). In the back of these copper pieces wholes were drilled and grounding binding posts of pure copper were inserted. So far I have only used Tripoint Audio’s entry silver signature grounding cables for grounding these copper platforms.

Yesterday I was finally able to connect one of my - pure silver - Tripoint Thor se grounding cables to the copper platform on which my Wadax reference dac is standing. And guess what: I was totally floored by the sonic results because I had not anticipated such dramatic sonic differences for the better. So much more refinement, openness, expansion, command and better dynamics.

As mentioned earlier Miguel is currently working on my second Emperor statement grounding cable (hopefully this cable will be ready at the end of next week). Although far from completed Miguel connected this cable to a copper platform which he is using for his phonostage. Please keep in mind that the Emperor statement cable is Tripoint’s state of the art grounding cable and clearly superior to the Thor se silver grounding cable I used for my experiment. He experienced the same musical benefits as I did with my Thor se, albeit that the magnitude of improvement in his set up was much larger and therefore much more impressive.

I guess these two experiments demonstrate that grounding our platforms / audio racks is (much) more important than I ever imagined.

 

[LL21]

Fascinating. Which do you find more important: grounding the copper platform or grounding the unit on top of the platform?

 

[Audiocrack]

Hello Lloyd, I suppose ‘audio logic’ dictates that grounding audio components should be more effective / important than grounding the copper platforms on which these units are placed. However, after my recent grounding experiences I am not sure anymore. These copper platforms are acting like a sink / drain and are as such apparently so important that grounding the copper slabs with high quality grounding cables - my Tripoint Thor silver se cable may actually not be completely up to the task - creates such a dramatic effect for the better. Only an a/b comparison somewhere in the future can provide a definitive answer to your interesting question.

 

[LL21]

Hello Lloyd, I suppose ‘audio logic’ dictates that grounding audio components should be more effective / important than grounding the copper platforms on which these units are placed. However, after my recent grounding experiences I am not sure anymore. These copper platforms are acting like a sink / drain and are as such apparently so important that grounding the copper slabs with high quality grounding cables - my Tripoint Thor silver se cable may actually not be completely up to the task - creates such a dramatic effect for the better. Only an a/b comparison somewhere in the future can provide a definitive answer to your interesting question.

Thank you...and yes, that was why I was asking. If there any kind of field effect, then it would be theoretically possible the shelf has as much positive effect as grounding the unit.

 

[Audiocrack]

Thank you...and yes, that was why I was asking. If there any kind of field effect, then it would be theoretically possible the shelf has as much positive effect as grounding the unit.

I think so too and my ears are definitely not fooling me. In all honesty I had never imagined that grounding these copper platforms would have such a big impact for the better. Miguel - more or less - knew but he also was surprised by the magnitude when he employed a (not yet finished) Emperor statement grounding cable. On the one hand I am happy about this result because it means that grounding the various copper platforms will elevate the performance of my LA system quite significantly. On the other hand the costs involved are frightening ….

 

[LL21]

I think so too and my ears are definitely not fooling me. In all honesty I had never imagined that grounding these copper platforms would have such a big impact for the better. Miguel - more or less - knew but he also was surprised by the magnitude when he employed a (not yet finished) Emperor statement grounding cable. On the one hand I am happy about this result because it means that grounding the copper platforms will elevate the performance of my LA system quite significantly. On the other hand the costs involved are frightening ….

...ah, the price of greatness, Audiocrack...

 

[Audiocrack]

...ah, the price of greatness, Audiocrack...

Yes indeed ….. I have already invested enormous amounts of money in my LA system and was hoping that I was more or less ready ….. However, these new findings clearly demonstrate I am not because these new sonic results are really addictive … Miguel always told me that top notch grounding is endless ..… but this ‘audio madness’ must stop somewhere, right ? …..Feeling like an ‘audio junkie’ …..

 

[LL21]

Yes indeed ….. I have already invested enormous amounts of money in my LA system and was hoping that I was more or less ready ….. However, these new findings clearly demonstrate I am not because these new sonic results are really addictive … Miguel always told me that top notch grounding is endless ..… but this ‘audio madness’ must stop somewhere, right ? …..Feeling like an ‘audio junkie’ …..

I think for me, the main "move" would be a straight swap of the Tripoint Signature SE with the Elite NG. I know the big cables make a difference. I suppose the opposite could be a straight swap of big master ref grounding cables (up to same price of Elite NG) and then KEEP the Tripoints Signature SE. What would you 'guess' would be the better way to go?

I do not know the price of Elite NG vs big master ref grounding cable...would it 3 or 4 grounding cables equals 1 Elite NG?

 

[Audiocrack]

The current Tripoint Audio ‘grounding’ stations are way, way better than the older ones. So if you want to raise the ‘grounding level’ of your audio system significantly you better start with the Elite NG. That is a mighty ‘grounding’ device, only bettered by the (much more expensive) Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station. The current Elite NG will furthermore be delivered with newly designed silver signature cables. These new Tripoint grounding cables are profiting from the new geometry applied in the top of the line Emperor statement cables. According to Miguel these new Silver signature grounding cables are much better than the (older) silver signature cables I am currently using for grounding my two Kondo Gakuoh amps.

I do not know the current prices of the various Tripoint grounding cables, Lloyd, but Miguel can inform you of course.

 

[LL21]

The current Tripoint Audio ‘grounding’ stations are way, way better than the older ones. So if you want to raise the ‘grounding level’ of your audio system significantly you better start with the Elite NG. That is a mighty ‘grounding’ device, only bettered by the (much more expensive) Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station. The current Elite NG will furthermore be delivered with newly designed silver signature cables. These new Tripoint grounding cables are profiting from the new geometry applied in the top of the line Emperor statement cables. According to Miguel these new Silver signature grounding cables are much better than the (older) silver signature cables I am currently using for grounding my two Kondo Gakuoh amps.

I do not know the current prices of the various Tripoint grounding cables, Lloyd, but Miguel can inform you of course.

Thank you. Put another way, if you had Tripoint Troy Signature SE and stock original grounding cables, would you rather:

Option 1. Keep the Troy Sig SE and go with 3 big master ref grounding cables
Option 2. Keep the original grounding cables and go Elite NG

 

[Audiocrack]

I would definitely go for option 2, Lloyd. And ideally get with the Elite NG the new Tripoint silver signature grounding cables as well (these cables are normally supplied with the Elite NG). I promise you that you will be amazed how much better your great system is going to sound after this step: the sonic differences for the better are going to be huge!

 

[LL21]

I would definitely go for option 2, Lloyd. And ideally get with the Elite NG the new Tripoint silver signature grounding cables as well (these cables are normally supplied with the Elite NG). I promise you that you will be amazed how much better your great system is going to sound after this step: the sonic differences for the better are going to be huge!

Thank you! Will definitely keep that in mind.

 

[Audiocrack]

The second Tripoint Audio Emperor statement grounding cable is on it’s way to me. This second - top of the line - grounding cable is even more special than the first one (which is btw connected to my Wadax reference server). Although I am not ‘allowed’ to share any technical information regarding this very ‘special version’ of the Emperor statement grounding cable I will post a few pictures in this thread once it has arrived in the Netherlands.

I experienced - albeit ‘only’ over the phone - what this special Emperor statement cable in combination with the Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station was doing in Miguel’s audio system. I was dumbfounded. So I am excited and really looking forward to insert it in my LA set up.

The plan is to connect this second Emperor statement grounding cable to the Wadax reference server and to connect my current Emperor statement grounding cable to (i) one of the PSU’s of the Wadax reference dac or (ii) to my Kondo g-1000 linestage. Ideally I opt for option (i). Why? Because in my experience removing noise - through grounding - from the components at which the music originates (in my LA set up: the server and dac) turns out to be the most effective way to reach ‘audio nirvana’. Apparently the basic audio principle ‘garbage in, garbage out’ still applies. However, - and I have mentioned this previously - step (i) might create an imbalance because a. the effect of this top notch grounding is huge, b. I have currently only one Emperor statement cable available for two Wadax reference dac PSU’s and c. the third Emperor statement grounding cable will not be ready within the next two months.

The arrival of this second Emperor statement grounding cable is expected to be the first half of next week.