Triton v2 - First impressions.

[BlueFox]

Listened to the complete grounded stereo for hours last night, and it's playing now. There is no negative effect in my system by having everything grounded to the Triton even though the Triton is on one circuit, and each amp is on its own circuit. While I have no measurements, I get the impression it plays a tad louder so I use a few db lower volume settings. There certainly seems to be a clearer, sharper, detailed sound now. Or more accurately, those existing traits are a bit more enhanced now. This is a pretty good tweak which only cost the price of spades, and cutting up some old 10 gauge speaker wire.

 

[BlueFox]

Just placed an order with the Cable Company to upgrade my HT/Surround system Triton v1 to a v2. Plus the v2 will be black, which is the perfect color for HT gear.

 

[cjf]

I'm curious if anyone has ever run the gear currently being plugged into either a Triton v1 or v2 has plugged the same gear straight into the wall without either conditioner in place?

I used to own a Hydra v2 and after several tests of going straight to the wall and then thru the Hydra I sold the Hydra. The Hydra had a very noticeable "muting" effect on the whole sound of the system. Going straight to the wall in my house added no noise or grunge but did indeed bring back all the dynamics and sound that was previously being muted.

I ask this because it sounds like maybe the new Triton v2 is closer in sound to going straight to the wall compared to before. I'm pretty lucky I guess in that the power at my house seems very clean and so I've not found the need for conditioners. I do miss the protection they might provide in a surge situation unless we're talking lightning strikes in which case all bets are off no matter what you use. I just unplug everything from the wall if I'm home to do so.

 

[BlueFox]

I have in regard to my amps. Each amp was plugged into its own Cyclop (2 port Triton), and the Cyclop was plugged into its own dedicated 20 amp line. When I sent the Cyclops back to be upgraded to the v2 version, I had to plug the amps directly into the wall. The now apparent grunge was almost unbearable, and I was really glad to get the Cyclops back, and start listening to a once again clean quiet system. There is no way plugging directly into the wall is better than plugging into a Triton. At the minimum you are missing the filtering of the noise the gear generates and sends back onto the electrical lines, which then pollutes the other gear.

 

[cjf]

There is no way plugging directly into the wall is better than plugging into a Triton. At the minimum you are missing the filtering of the noise the gear generates and sends back onto the electrical lines, which then pollutes the other gear.

Would this be assuming each component doesn't already have its own 20amp circuit feed from the breaker box? In other words, if each device is on its own island of power then pollution between gear should not be an issue.

In my setup I've only got X 4 pieces of equipment (excluding speakers of course) and each one has its own 20amp feed. The only noise I've ever heard was always from a component itself and not from the juice exiting the wall. Getting rid of the inherently noisy gear in combination with adding the previously mentioned dedicated lines indeed sounded better than with a conditioner/distribution box in the mix.

I'm wondering if in your setup each component is not on its own circuit already which could be why the conditioner sounds better for you?

 

[BlueFox]

I suspect you are still going to get noise even on separate circuits. The noise will travel back through the breaker and into the other circuits. The benefit of a dedicated line is it gives all the current to the sole device at the end of the circuit. For amps, this is great. For preamps, file players, DACs, etc this is not important since they require little current. So, I have a dedicated line for each amp, and a single dedicated line for source gear. Along with the power conditioners on each line, this works great for me. I also have clean power to start as the power pole is in my backyard, and I have a short drop from the transformer to my house.

I'm glad you don't need a power conditioner, but I have tried both, and much prefer my current setup.

 

[jfrech]

I suspect you are still going to get noise even on separate circuits. The noise will travel back through the breaker and into the other circuits. The benefit of a dedicated line is it gives all the current to the sole device at the end of the circuit. For amps, this is great. For preamps, file players, DACs, etc this is not important since they require little current. So, I have a dedicated line for each amp, and a single dedicated line for source gear. Along with the power conditioners on each line, this works great for me. I also have clean power to start as the power pole is in my backyard, and I have a short drop from the transformer to my house.

I'm glad you don't need a power conditioner, but I have tried both, and much prefer my current setup.

cjf and blue fox,

I tried my amps several times into a vray 2 and a Triton 1 and always preferred straight to the wall. Now I did have noticeably lower noise via the conditioners but at the expense of some dynamics. So it wasn't a one is better...more like 2 steps ahead and one back. I'm wondering in blue foxes experience with a cyclops gives 3 steps ahead...it could be the cyclops is providing the benefit...which I think is it's design goal

 

[Kingsrule]

Was this with the MXR's?
They have their own filtering built in...as I'm sure you know. Could have skewed your observation.

 

[Steve williams]

My experiments and experience are similar; I always went back to the wall directly. Today's best-of-both-worlds setup (imo) is amps directly into their own dedicated-circuit duplexes via SR Sigma HCs with Typhons for the other outlet in each amp's duplex.

That's what I did and many others here

 

[jfrech]

Was this with the MXR's?
They have their own filtering built in...as I'm sure you know. Could have skewed your observation.

It was, and you do have a reasonable point here. Absolutely could be the reason...

 

[marty]

That's what I did and many others here

Totally agree. IMHO, the Triton v2 works its magic best on the front end. I always preferred running power amps directly into the walls if your AC is relatively clean.

 

[BlueFox]

So the Triton v2 for the Home Theater arrived yesterday, and I installed it around 1 PM. Last night I watched my video reference Blue Ray, Avatar, and the picture was fantastic. I could not believe the bolder color, and the better detail in the scenes. Granted, all I am using is my memory of how this movie looked the previous two dozen times I have watched it before, but it sure seems better. Tonight I will evaluate the audio, and the video again.

At this time the HT only has one dedicated 20 amp line, so all eight Triton ports are in use. Later, after I have a good feel for the picture and sound I will ground everything.

HT gear:

Oppo 103
Onkyo SC5509 preamp
Cambridge Audio 840W (2) left/right front channel amps
Sunfire TGA 5400 amp, center, left/right rear
Xbox One
Bryston BDP-1 file player
Auralic Vega DAC

Aerial Acoustics 7T speakers, front
PSB Synchrony One speakers, rear
PSB Synchrony One Center speaker
Mapleshade 4"/2" speaker plinths

Shunyata Venom speaker cables
MIT Shotgun S1.3 XLR interconnects
Shunyata Anaconda Digital AES cable
Shunyata Zitron Anaconda, Python, Cobra, and Alpha Digital power cables.
20 amp circuit

Mapleshade Samson v2 (2) five shelf, and two shelf, solid maple racks

Hitachi 57" RPTV monitor, calibrated
Shunyata Cobra power cable added via a home installed IEC connector
Shunyata Hydra AV (TV and sub) on shared 15 amp circuit.

 

[Steve williams]

That's terrific Bud

I am very interested in the changes you will see using the V2 in your HT

 

[jfrech]

Bud,

This does not surprise me and I get similar results. I've had the same experience when my Triton v2/Typhon powering my direct tv/apple tv to a 50ft hdmi (Transparent) cable to my projector. The projector i've tried a King Cobra CX, Anaconda CX & Anaconda Zitron. Colors pop and blacks get darker along with better sharpness with the better power cords. You can easily see the differences on the power cords. One day soon I'll try a Sigma on the projector...I haven't tried a conditioner as of yet...

 

[IanG-UK]

I'm an owner of the Triton v1 and Typhon and could consider changing to the Triton v2 not least on the basis that the designer would only create a new unit if he genuinely thought it was an improvement.

However I am wary of comparative owner reviews of the Mk 1 v Mk 2 type, as we have here, which create the impression that the new unit puts the old to shame. A good test is to rewrite the review so that it comments on the inadequacies of the old unit rather than the adequacies of the new - I pick an example at random:

"The V2 was stone cold and zero hours. We replaced it with a V1 which had been in the system 2-3 years and so was well warmed up and completely broken in.

We were gobsmacked. The sound with the V1 closed off completely and was compressed. It sounded broken by comparison. The sound was deader, less dynamic, noisier and less revealing."

So this is what users of the V1 have had for the past few years???

 

[Steve williams]

If you never owned a V2 you would be eternally happy with a V1. Alas however many of us who upgraded had opportunity to hear the comparison between the two

 

[jfrech]

I'm an owner of the Triton v1 and Typhon and could consider changing to the Triton v2 not least on the basis that the designer would only create a new unit if he genuinely thought it was an improvement.

However I am wary of comparative owner reviews of the Mk 1 v Mk 2 type, as we have here, which create the impression that the new unit puts the old to shame. A good test is to rewrite the review so that it comments on the inadequacies of the old unit rather than the adequacies of the new - I pick an example at random:

"The V2 was stone cold and zero hours. We replaced it with a V1 which had been in the system 2-3 years and so was well warmed up and completely broken in.

We were gobsmacked. The sound with the V1 closed off completely and was compressed. It sounded broken by comparison. The sound was deader, less dynamic, noisier and less revealing."

So this is what users of the V1 have had for the past few years???

So I've gone from a v1 to v2. Using the same Typhon that I've had now for a few years. Hyperbole in the quote above can be debated. The v1 is a excellent conditioner. It's just when you insert the v2 you won't go back to the v1 - this part isn't debatable. The v2 is a great upgrade on a already great conditioner...

 

[BlueFox]

So I've gone from a v1 to v2. Using the same Typhon that I've had now for a few years. Hyperbole in the quote above can be debated. The v1 is a excellent conditioner. It's just when you insert the v2 you won't go back to the v1 - this part isn't debatable. The v2 is a great upgrade on a already great conditioner...

Exactly. I have gone from v1 to v2 twice, in the stereo and HT, and was immediately struck by the improvement. Of course, adding a v1 over nothing will also make a big improvement, and the v2 adds to that improvement.

 

[Sunnyboy1956]

So I've gone from a v1 to v2. Using the same Typhon that I've had now for a few years. Hyperbole in the quote above can be debated. The v1 is a excellent conditioner. It's just when you insert the v2 you won't go back to the v1 - this part isn't debatable. The v2 is a great upgrade on a already great conditioner...

+1000
Pradeep

 

[number95]

Finally my V2 arrived to its home. Having read all comments on that thread about V2, it didn't disappoint from first minute compared to my well burned in V1. One can only understand shortcomings of a good gear like V1 after hearing what V2 is capable even right of the box. It improved everything so there is no need to write. Most dramatic impact for me musical energy which makes timbres more realistic.