I don't see much there that is a foundation to world class. World class takes good power and good setup in a good room. Everything else is tweaking to tune and may take away or give. It depends on what the speaker, amp and source are doing ot need.
Tweaks, Cables, and Filtration: Essential for World-Class Stereo Performance?
- Thread starter Ted Denney III
- Start date
Putting "improvement" to one side, did you hear any differences?
In the three careful power cord comparisons I have done at home I have been surprised how easily I heard differences. (And I'm always surprised when I hear differences on comparisons because it's uncommon for me to be in a sufficiently patient and sufficiently relaxed state of mind to do a careful comparison.)
I kind of figured that if I can hear power cord differences, then almost everybody can hear power cord differences.
That's puzzling. The differences are clearly audible and repeatable across multiple users.
not only PCs make a difference, but also power outlets PC is plugged in. Even the same model of outlet with different plating is
clearly audible. Same goes for same model PC connectors. Just try gold plated plug vs. Rhodium plated- if you don't hear a difference, then the problem is elsewhere in the system.
To add to that, even different gauge of the same wire in any cable, be it PC, SC or IC is clearly audible.
Caution needs to be had when you digest what these 2 said. The biggest take away is what is a "better" cord. The more epensive one, or the correct one for the sysystem. Manufacturer and dealers will always tell you the expensive cord is the best.
I would 100% agree with anyone saying most all cords add color. That then means, the color needs to work with your equipment, in your room. And the color better not be so intense is veils important inflections the speaker is capable of reproducing.
And you have to consider what the listener likes. A friend of mine very uncomfortabley tries to get me to say his stereo is world class. I admit, his bass is very well integrated. But I'm not impressed with other attributes that don't sit well with me. But actually work with the type music he and his wife play. In short, he tuned his system to a sound. And brags he's world class to everyone. But I would not be happy with it in my room.
Yes, I can hear differences, just not improvement. Hearing a difference, unless that difference is an improvement, doesn't justify the expense in my book.
Exactly. I believe a lot of people have expectations bias that tilts to more expensive equals better. Or, they hear more bass or treble and think that means better. I think most people have no idea how to listen to a change and understand if its better or worse.
Have to agree, in part. In setting up my dedicated power for my set up I found the gold-plated copper Furutech plugs/sockets sound better to me than Rhodium-plated. Same spades on ground wires.
minor difference. Since I am going to buy/use a Furutech power outlet I choose the one that sounds slightly better to me. Had I not had gold plated copper spades to swap for the rhodium plated spades on a ground wire that came with my Phasemation T-2000 SUTs, I wouldn't have had a preference. I sent you mail.
Let me ask you, ever herd system with trinnov and what it can do?
You’re talking about voicing, something that can be achieved playing with your target curve and other parameters.
Yes, I have, and no, it’s not remotely the same thing that we do. There is no subtractive effect in what we do. The transparency and lack of noise—well, if you haven’t heard us at a trade show, I invite you to visit. I will show you tremendous respect and even allow you to pick the playlist. I’ll hand the iPad to you.
Ted Denney
Lead designer CEO Synergistic Research Inc.
With the overall requirement of "synergy" between components a given. How can you claim that what you do is always positive and not subtractive? There is no "same as" or "not as good" always better? Amazing!
Rob
Synergistic Research’s Precision Voicing Process: Customizing Audio Systems at Trade Shows.With the overall requirement of "synergy" between components a given. How can you claim that what you do is always positive and not subtractive? There is no "same as" or "not as good" always better? Amazing!
Rob
You are correct, it’s not universal. At trade shows, when grounding cable shields and components to the Synergistic Research Active Ground Block, we’ve compiled spreadsheets over the years. We know which cable shields and components will have a 100% probability of sounding best when grounded, and then we know which components have a probability of going either way. We listen to the “either way” options in the context of the trade show system, selecting what sounds best grounded and not grounded. We also do this blind in that the person making the changes does not tell us whether they are grounding or ungrounding a particular component or cable.
The same thing is true when placing MiG SX footers underneath components. There are three options:
1. Pinpoint: This has a more focused sound, with two round points down and one round point up toward the component.
2. Ambient: Two round points up toward the component and one round point down towards the rack. This has a more liquid and airy sound, but with less specific focus favoring liquidity and musicality.
3. No footers whatsoever.
The best sounding option is dependent on electronics, where predominantly either pinpoint or ambient will be preferred, with exceptions for the opposite configuration sounding best. There are also components that tend to sound best on their stock footers.
This is a voicing process. We do it at every trade show, and I think we should make videos while we’re voicing our system at AXPONA and other shows, so that people can understand what we’re doing and replicate this themselves in their home systems.
Voicing of cables, with gold or silver, or red and blue UEF tuning circuits, or no tuning circuit, is performed on a cable-by-cable basis in the loom. All of this is done blind at every trade show, and when we’re done, we create a bespoke cable loom specifically for that system. It’s like having a tailored suit made just for you. Again, this would make a great video.
Ted Denney
Lead designer CEO, Synergistic Research Inc.
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The real question is who gets to decide what is a world class audio system?
At 11.59 minutes I see a big difference in the images from his Anthem scope. Big. The author claims he sees no difference. Red flag for me. Plus he says he hears nothing between cords. Again, I have definitely heard differences. That does not mean the more expensive cord is better. It means there is a difference.
When I first stared in audio, I bought a pile of "Audiophile power cords". And my system had issues. A pro came to my house with a pile of inexpensive Chingcheng type cables. $29 each. One by one he changed out a cord. I heard every move and started to complain it was sounding different and I was not sure I liked it. He said it was going in the right direction, and I should hang on. He kept changing out my Audiophile cords. It's always the last cord, right. Anyhow, he changes out the last cord and it clicked. Both our jaws dropped and we stared at each other dumbfounded. It was so so so much better. As in "Better".
The whole point is, cords are very audible. No one is going to convince me they are all the same. They are not.
I have heard a few systems with BACCH which is a better system than Trinnov. It does improve certain aspects. The sound is very balanced in frequency and impulse top to bottom. But I have not heard a system I would call world class that was digitally processed. I think a digitally processed system is a no brainer for someone who wants very good sound with minimal effort on room treatments and setup.
