As regards the sonic performance of the new Tripoint audio Emperor NG I will wait with my comments until it has arrived in the Netherlands and has been set up in my Tidal LA system. However, of course I listened to it (briefly) over the phone while is was playing in Miguel’s audio system. I can already say it is going to be very, very special indeed!
Tidal La Assoluta system
- Thread starter Audiocrack
- Start date
I suppose I tell (experienced audiophiles) nothing new when I mention that shipping companies - in my case FedEx - are a mixed blessing (to put it mildly). But at last Tripoint Audio’s Emperor NG and some additional hifi ‘goodies’ arrived yesterday at my place.
To get a crate of 325 pounds into my (old) house - with stairs in front of it - was a real challenge. And inserting the Emperor NG - weighing a whopping 100 kilo’s - into my LA system was a struggle. We had to break down the audio set up for a large part but the three of us managed in the end to get it all done.
I am now listening to the new LA set up for about three hours while the Emperor NG is settling down. The latter will take approximately 24 hours or so.
First listening experiences? In all honesty I am totally overwhelmed by its performance, in particular how this new ‘grounding’ unit makes it possible for my Tidal La Assoluta loudspeakers, especially its diamond midrange woofers and diamond tweeters, to shine as never before.
Will write later in more detail because I am pretty exhausted from all this heavy lifting.
To get a crate of 325 pounds into my (old) house - with stairs in front of it - was a real challenge. And inserting the Emperor NG - weighing a whopping 100 kilo’s - into my LA system was a struggle. We had to break down the audio set up for a large part but the three of us managed in the end to get it all done.
I am now listening to the new LA set up for about three hours while the Emperor NG is settling down. The latter will take approximately 24 hours or so.
First listening experiences? In all honesty I am totally overwhelmed by its performance, in particular how this new ‘grounding’ unit makes it possible for my Tidal La Assoluta loudspeakers, especially its diamond midrange woofers and diamond tweeters, to shine as never before.
Will write later in more detail because I am pretty exhausted from all this heavy lifting.
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Enjoy! Having carried the 108kg Mephisto with one other person (our local dealer)...down the street and into his car...I can confirm I know how heavy that can feel! A purely dead weight and absolutely precious electronics so no bumping or shaking whatsoever!
You boys wanna move a Stacore Advanced, 120kg+ in quite the nastiest sharpest edged least ergonomically designed wooden pallet...you either die of a back sprain or splinters/shredded fingers and palms...as you navigate 20' up a tight spiral staircase.
Solution? Pay your neighbours to share the load.
Solution? Pay your neighbours to share the load.
I suppose that is our fate as hard core audiophiles, Lloyd: this combination of (i) our ’audio urge’ to improve our audio systems more or less constantly and (ii) the fact that many high end component are quite heavy. But if everything turns out well, we are being ‘rewarded‘ with better sound.
I had arranged two persons to help me out but not my neighbours though: these two very nice ladies are both 80+
I have to say...your new Tripoint Emperor NG is very intriguing. What is happening now with your sound?I suppose that is our fate as hard core audiophiles, Lloyd: this combination of (i) our ’audio urge’ to improve our audio systems more or less constantly and (ii) the fact that many high end component are quite heavy. But if everything turns out well, we are being ‘rewarded‘ with better sound.
My ultimate goal has always been to create a sound at home that resembles (to a certain degree) the sound I am always experiencing (I have been a regular visitor there for many years) at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam: pure, fluid, transparent, dynamic, smooth and that all combined with gorgeous tonality.
Imho the former and the latter - purity and beautiful tonality - are the most difficult parameters to achieve with a home system. I have heard countless high end systems in my audio life that in one way or another sound impressive but an audio set up that combines all the aforementioned music parameters successfully are in my view very, very scarce indeed.
The Tidal La Assoluta loudspeakers are in my view utterly transparent transducers. Likely some (or even many) will even conclude that the LA’s are ‘ruthless’ loudspeakers. Jorn, the designer of the LA’s, wanted them to be like “a glass of water”, so he told me many times. So I can fully understand that audiophiles who have listened - in uncontrolled circumstances (such as under show conditions) - to Tidal loudspeakers in general and the Tidal LA’s or Tidal Akira’s in particular, were not impressed. Due to their extreme transparency these Tidal loudspeakers will let you hear everything what is going on in the audio chain, including all that is far from ‘perfect’.
And this brings me finally to all my grounding efforts.
I was ‘lucky’ as regards purity because the combination of the Tidal LA’s (in particular their diamond tweeter and diamond midrange woofers) and my Kondo amplification (in particular their hand wound silver transformers and copper chassis) was from the first moment on able to achieve a high level of purity. However, in the beginning I was in particular missing beautiful tonality (as well as density btw). Furthermore I had the idea that the other parameters - the dynamics, fluidity, transparency and smoothness - could be bettered.
And so I started my ‘journey’ with Tripoint Audio because Miguel’s devices helped me greatly to achieve my ultimate music goals. And I sort of ‘evolved’ with the development of Tripoint Audio because through my LA system I could clearly hear the following: there was no doubt whatsoever that Miguel’s products - not only his ‘grounding’ units but also his grounding cables - became better and better over the years.
And this brings me at last to the Emperor NG, Tripoint Audio’s latest and flagship ‘grounding’ station. Miguel considers the Emperor NG - and with a very wide margin - as his finest work. And I am beginning to understand why.
And so I started my ‘journey’ with Tripoint Audio because Miguel’s devices helped me greatly to achieve my ultimate music goals. And I sort of ‘evolved’ with the development of Tripoint Audio because through my LA system I could clearly hear the following: there was no doubt whatsoever that Miguel’s products - not only his ‘grounding’ units but also his grounding cables - became better and better over the years.
And this brings me at last to the Emperor NG, Tripoint Audio’s latest and flagship ‘grounding’ station. Miguel considers the Emperor NG - and with a very wide margin - as his finest work. And I am beginning to understand why.
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Yesterday I already mentioned that I was overwhelmed with the performance of the Emperor NG. I still am. That said please keep the following in mind: only the Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station was shipped to me, that is I have not yet received Tripoint Audio’s latest top of the line grounding cables. I will receive three of these cables later on and they are going to be connected to the Wadax reference server, the Wadax reference dac as well as to my Kondo G1000 linestage.
So I know for a fact - because I have heard two of these new top of line grounding cables in Miguel’s system over the phone and they are really amazing! - that I have not yet experienced casu quo realized the full potential of the Emperor NG in my set up. In addition I am far from sure whether the Emperor NG has fully settled in (although 24 hours have passed by now after I inserted it in the LA set up). Because I could hear today without any doubt that the system performed better than yesterday in some key areas.
So please give me some extra listening time, Lloyd. Then I will surely be able to inform you completely and correctly. What I already can conclude to is the following: my LA system has never sounded so natural and so beautiful.
So I know for a fact - because I have heard two of these new top of line grounding cables in Miguel’s system over the phone and they are really amazing! - that I have not yet experienced casu quo realized the full potential of the Emperor NG in my set up. In addition I am far from sure whether the Emperor NG has fully settled in (although 24 hours have passed by now after I inserted it in the LA set up). Because I could hear today without any doubt that the system performed better than yesterday in some key areas.
So please give me some extra listening time, Lloyd. Then I will surely be able to inform you completely and correctly. What I already can conclude to is the following: my LA system has never sounded so natural and so beautiful.
Just get them a couple of gym memberships.I had arranged two persons to help me out but not my neighbours though: these two very nice ladies are both 80+
I have been an audiophile for about 45 years and in this period I listened to at least a couple of thousand audio components at all kind of places: audio shows, audio retailers, home set ups of friends, etc. In all those years I was only three times so utterly impressed with an audio component that I actually felt overwhelmed. The first time was in New York when I encountered for the first time in my life the Genesis 1.1 loudspeakers at Lyric hifi. The second time was when I first listened to the La Assoluta loudspeakers at the Tidal headquarters in Cologne. Actually they were the first pair of LA’s that Tidal / Jorn had produced. The third and last time was at my place listening to the LA system after I had installed Tripoint Audio’s Emperor NG ‘grounding’ station.
As mentioned before I sort of ‘evolved’ together with Tripoint Audio: I started way back with a wooden Troy, got a second (and better sounding) Troy, then upgraded to the Emperor mk I ‘grounding’ unit. When Miguel visited me about three years ago he upgraded the Emperor mk I to the mk II status. All these additional steps were quite significant and musically rewarding.
Next I added first one and after a while a second Elite NG mk I ‘grounding’ station to the LA system. I upgraded both Elite NG’s to the mk II status in the first half of this year. The Elite NG mk II is so damn impressive that I expected it to be a sort of ‘end product’ of Tripoint Audio. So I was quite surprised - and to be honest: at the same time somewhat skeptical - when Miguel informed me some time ago that he would introduce a new top of the line ‘grounding’ station in the near future: the Emperor NG.
According to Miguel the Emperor NG is ‘uncharted territory’ as regards ‘grounding’ audio set ups. Because I am so overwhelmed with the performance of the Emperor NG in my LA system I want to use this week to discover what this device is actually bringing to the table. I hope to report next weekend in more detail.
As mentioned before I sort of ‘evolved’ together with Tripoint Audio: I started way back with a wooden Troy, got a second (and better sounding) Troy, then upgraded to the Emperor mk I ‘grounding’ unit. When Miguel visited me about three years ago he upgraded the Emperor mk I to the mk II status. All these additional steps were quite significant and musically rewarding.
Next I added first one and after a while a second Elite NG mk I ‘grounding’ station to the LA system. I upgraded both Elite NG’s to the mk II status in the first half of this year. The Elite NG mk II is so damn impressive that I expected it to be a sort of ‘end product’ of Tripoint Audio. So I was quite surprised - and to be honest: at the same time somewhat skeptical - when Miguel informed me some time ago that he would introduce a new top of the line ‘grounding’ station in the near future: the Emperor NG.
According to Miguel the Emperor NG is ‘uncharted territory’ as regards ‘grounding’ audio set ups. Because I am so overwhelmed with the performance of the Emperor NG in my LA system I want to use this week to discover what this device is actually bringing to the table. I hope to report next weekend in more detail.
Before getting back to you all next weekend as regards the performance of Tripoint Audio’s Emperor NG I want to be sure that the components in my audio set up are known to everone interested. So here we go:
- Loudspeakers: Tidal La Assoluta. Both LA’s are being grounded; grounding - in particular the chambers in which the LA’s x-overs are placed - is an integral part of the Tidal LA concept.
- Preamp/linestage: Kondo G-1000. The two-chassis of the g-1000 are going to be grounded; Miguel added dedicated grounding binding posts to the PSU of the G-1000 as well as to its main unit. Currently (due to a lack of grounding cables) I am only grounding the PSU of the Kondo G-1000.
- Poweramps: Kondo Gakuoh mk i (push pull version) and Kondo Kagura‘s (single ended amps). At the moment I am playing with the Gakuohs. All amps are being grounded (Miguel added to both Kagura’s dedicated grounding binding posts).
- Server: Wadax Reference. Wadax acknowledges the importance of grounding; the Wadax reference server has its own dedicated grounding post.
- Dac: Wadax Reference with two PSU’s. Each of the PSU’s of the Wadax Reference dac has its own dedicated grounding binding post and I am grounding them both (separately).
- ‘Grounding’ stations:
a. Tripoint Audio Emperor mk ii - this unit is going to be used to ground all the copper platforms on which the various audio components are standing.
b. Two Tripoint Audio Elite NG mk ii units for grounding the various audio components.
c. Tripoint Audio Emperor NG.
- Loudspeaker cables and ic’s: Taralabs grandmaster.
- Pc’s: Tidal Audio silver powercords.
- Ethernet cables: Tidal audio and Aardvark.
Apart from one exception - the Tripoint Audio Emperor mk ii ‘grounding’ station - all audio components, including the Tripoint Audio Emperor NG, the two Tripoint Audio Elite NG mk ii units as well as my powerstrip, are placed on two slabs of 2,5 cm oxygen free and (untreated) pure copper. So each of these copper platforms is (in total) 5 cm thick and my plan is to ground all these platforms in the future (wholes were drilled in the copper pieces and special pure copper binding posts - made by Miguel - will be added to them). Once I have received three of Tripoint Audio‘s new top of the line grounding cables - btw, the name of this new reference cable is Emperor statement NG (each of these three new cables will be 14 inch long) while Miguel is working on them as we ‘speak‘ - I am able to ‘free’ three Tripoint Audio silver signature grounding cables. These silver signature cables will be used to connect three copper platforms to the Emperor mk ii ‘grounding’ station.
Lastly I am mass loading the following components: the Wadax Reference server, the Wadax Reference dac, the two Tripoint Audio Elite NG‘s mk ii and finally the Tripoint Audio Emperor NG ‘grounding’ units. For mass loading each component I am employing again two pieces of 2,5 cm thick oxygen free, untreated pure copper, stacked on eachother. Just to give you an idea: the smallest copper piece I am using for mass loading weighs 25 kg, so the minimum weight for mass loading is therefore 50 kg (however, the two copper pieces on top of the Wadax Reference dac are clearly larger and heavier than the smallest copper pieces).
Before I inserted the Emperor NG last Saturday I was already mass loading both the Wadax Reference dac and the Wadax reference server. After two days of listening to the Emperor NG I started mass loading the two Tripoint Audio Elite NG mk ii units on last Monday. And after listening intensively for another day to my audio system I finally mass loaded the Tripoint Audio Emperor NG yesterday. I am not going to change this set up for the time being and will do more critical listening the next couple of days.
- Loudspeakers: Tidal La Assoluta. Both LA’s are being grounded; grounding - in particular the chambers in which the LA’s x-overs are placed - is an integral part of the Tidal LA concept.
- Preamp/linestage: Kondo G-1000. The two-chassis of the g-1000 are going to be grounded; Miguel added dedicated grounding binding posts to the PSU of the G-1000 as well as to its main unit. Currently (due to a lack of grounding cables) I am only grounding the PSU of the Kondo G-1000.
- Poweramps: Kondo Gakuoh mk i (push pull version) and Kondo Kagura‘s (single ended amps). At the moment I am playing with the Gakuohs. All amps are being grounded (Miguel added to both Kagura’s dedicated grounding binding posts).
- Server: Wadax Reference. Wadax acknowledges the importance of grounding; the Wadax reference server has its own dedicated grounding post.
- Dac: Wadax Reference with two PSU’s. Each of the PSU’s of the Wadax Reference dac has its own dedicated grounding binding post and I am grounding them both (separately).
- ‘Grounding’ stations:
a. Tripoint Audio Emperor mk ii - this unit is going to be used to ground all the copper platforms on which the various audio components are standing.
b. Two Tripoint Audio Elite NG mk ii units for grounding the various audio components.
c. Tripoint Audio Emperor NG.
- Loudspeaker cables and ic’s: Taralabs grandmaster.
- Pc’s: Tidal Audio silver powercords.
- Ethernet cables: Tidal audio and Aardvark.
Apart from one exception - the Tripoint Audio Emperor mk ii ‘grounding’ station - all audio components, including the Tripoint Audio Emperor NG, the two Tripoint Audio Elite NG mk ii units as well as my powerstrip, are placed on two slabs of 2,5 cm oxygen free and (untreated) pure copper. So each of these copper platforms is (in total) 5 cm thick and my plan is to ground all these platforms in the future (wholes were drilled in the copper pieces and special pure copper binding posts - made by Miguel - will be added to them). Once I have received three of Tripoint Audio‘s new top of the line grounding cables - btw, the name of this new reference cable is Emperor statement NG (each of these three new cables will be 14 inch long) while Miguel is working on them as we ‘speak‘ - I am able to ‘free’ three Tripoint Audio silver signature grounding cables. These silver signature cables will be used to connect three copper platforms to the Emperor mk ii ‘grounding’ station.
Lastly I am mass loading the following components: the Wadax Reference server, the Wadax Reference dac, the two Tripoint Audio Elite NG‘s mk ii and finally the Tripoint Audio Emperor NG ‘grounding’ units. For mass loading each component I am employing again two pieces of 2,5 cm thick oxygen free, untreated pure copper, stacked on eachother. Just to give you an idea: the smallest copper piece I am using for mass loading weighs 25 kg, so the minimum weight for mass loading is therefore 50 kg (however, the two copper pieces on top of the Wadax Reference dac are clearly larger and heavier than the smallest copper pieces).
Before I inserted the Emperor NG last Saturday I was already mass loading both the Wadax Reference dac and the Wadax reference server. After two days of listening to the Emperor NG I started mass loading the two Tripoint Audio Elite NG mk ii units on last Monday. And after listening intensively for another day to my audio system I finally mass loaded the Tripoint Audio Emperor NG yesterday. I am not going to change this set up for the time being and will do more critical listening the next couple of days.
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And just to be sure as regards the mass loading: in order to prevent a ‘closed in sound’ I am not placing the copper pieces directly on the various audio components. With respect to for example the copper platforms on top of the Wadax reference server and the Wadax reference dac: the four copper pieces are supported by three RevOpods.
Miguel expected that the Emperor NG would need approximately 24 hours to fully settle. Because he had it’s filters connected to a cooker for around three days. However, to my dismay it turns out that this new state of the art ‘grounding’ station needs (much?) more (playing) time in order to completely stabilize. The shifts I have experienced during the last week - the Emperor NG was inserted last Saturday, so exactly one week ago - were quite dramatic. The sound varied from sterile and rather ‘cold’ to euphonic casu quo ‘over the top’. In between I experienced those - very special - magical moments in which the LA system performed as never before: during these periods the music was presented in a ‘majestic’ way.
As soon as this nasty breaking in period has ended, I will report in more detail.
As soon as this nasty breaking in period has ended, I will report in more detail.
Yesterday it was exactly 14 days ago that I inserted the Emperor NG in the LA system. Important (or should I say: the most critical?) audio components - both Tidal La Assoluta loudspeakers, the Wadax reference dac and the Wadax reference server - are connected to it. While say the first one and a half day or so of playing was overwhelming (in a good way) the ‘misery’ started thereafter: harsh, thin and emotional not involving sound for the most time. However, after 14 days at last I am experiencing - albeit now and then - some beauty again. Although the sound is still not ‘full’ or ‘saturated’ and ‘pure’ enough to my taste, other aspects - such as for example openness, dynamics, transparency as well as a majestic presentation - are getting more and more impressive. But it is going very slowly indeed and I have no idea how much more time is needed. A cooker might be needed not only to speed up things but maybe also to let the Emperor NG fully mature. However, I have no cooker available so maybe I should get one?
Although I have not yet made any final decision I am thinking about one of the cookers on the following website:
I have the 20th Anniversary Edition Premium and can certainly recommend it as an effective tool.
And big congrats for your new Tripoint goodies!
One question: I remember you were talking about grounding rods buried deep in your garden in the past. Are they in any way connected with your current Tripoint system?
Hello Marcus,
May I ask you if you are using your 20th Anniversary Edition Premium effectively for ‘cooking’ cables only or maybe also for burning in other audio components, such as (pre)amps, etc? Which benefits are you experiencing after ‘cooking’?
Thanks for your congrats. Miguel has created something extraordinary with his new top of the line Emperor NG (albeit that I so far only experienced glimpses of this but these ‘rare’ glimpses promise an awful lot).
And yes, you are completely right: an earthpin / ground rod was hammered deep - if I remember correctly it was about 30 meters deep - into the soil next to my house and is connected through a copper wire to my power distribution station. From this station a high quality Oyaide power cable runs directly under the floor to my dedicated (audio) power strip. All my audio components, including the four Tripoint ‘grounding’ boxes, are connected to this powerstrip and therefore benefit from this earthpin / ground rod.
