The Paul Hynes SR7

[Johnseye]

I'm ok with any discussion of cables specific to those used on any Paul Hynes product.  I'm also ok with discussions of Paul Hynes Design's products, especially the SR7.  Listening impressions of the SR7 in all it's forms including PHD SR7 and SR7-T are on topic and encouraged.

 

Off topic would be work progress and delivery updates as there's a separate thread for that specifically.  As long as this cable discussion remains specific to any Paul Hynes product, it's ok to continue.

[Exocer]

What are people using for vibration control? Was the upgrade worthwhile?

 

Have been eyeing some iso acoustics feet.

 

Thanks,

-Rob

[TheAttorney]

7 hours ago, Exocer said:

What are people using for vibration control? Was the upgrade worthwhile?

Have been eyeing some iso acoustics feet.

I have iso acoustics Orea's under my SR7 (in the old-style "shoe box" enclosure).

 

It's important to get the right Orea model to match the weight of the component. I got 3 x Orea Graphites.

 

To get broadly equal weight distribution, I had to carefully position the 3 footers so that the one closest to the transformer wasn't overloaded. These footers have a soft rubbery material top and bottom, which suction-pad stick to flat surfaces, which means that they're awkward (but not impossible) to move once under weight. Also, my SR7 base had lots of screw-heads on it's bottom plate, so these are to be avoided.

 

To overcome the above, I first placed the SR7 upside down and marked the best positions with a bit of masking tape on the sides of the SR7. Once in place, these footers are very stable - unlike some rivals that slide about or are generally more precarious.

 

The end result was worth it for the incremental boost in focus and dynamics (for a relatively sane cost).

 

I first tried the same footers under my DAVE and M-Scaler (both lighter than the SR7) and heard no benefit, so the weight matching is crucial (better to go for the top half of the footer's weight range rather than bottom half).

[bit01]

The SR7 and SJ 12VDC regulator (DIY-EPS) box are on an audio equipment rack meant for turntable support. I have not done any additional vibration isolation, perhaps in the near future.

Everything I have tweeked at the PS end seems to affect the sound. I am currently awaiting some Watttgate AC connectors, and some Mundorf Au/Ag which I would like to try out between the SR7T and the EPS box😀!

 

ATB

B.

[Cormorant]

11 hours ago, Exocer said:

What are people using for vibration control? Was the upgrade worthwhile?

 

Have been eyeing some iso acoustics feet.

 

Thanks,

-Rob

 

For a best-of-breed British power supply the obvious choice is best-of-breed British vibration control.  😉

 

I really like the Townsend Seismic Isolation Pods under my gear.  One of my Townsend pod sets is under a platform holding an SR4T and opticalRendu.  Another is under my DAC - which holds an SR4 on top of it, so it is getting the advantage of the  isolation too.

 

I've read a few comments from audiophiles who have compared them to the Iso Acoustics products, and they prefer the Townsend damped spring technology.

 

[austinpop]

My first solution was the cheap and cheerful Ikea Aptilig bamboo butcher block, with wood blocks as footers. This made a surprisingly nice improvement.

 

I've finally advanced to using a Taiko Daiza platform, with Panzerholz footers also provided by Taiko. Good as the Ikea solution was, this really does raise SQ substantially further. Especially surprising, given mine is a headphone setup, and does not have speakers supplying energy to the room.

 

These large SR-7s, with their massive transformers, do generate a significant amount of vibration, hence the benefit.

[highstream]

I would think the wood blocks as footers would counter the benefit of anything used above it, since the idea is isolation and a wood block is not disconnected from what might be causing a problem. On my desktop under Quad 12L actives, I use Heinke 4" thick wood blocks, but with Isoacoustics stands between them and the speakers. Under an SR4 on the carpet, I use Iso-Pucks. Under everything else, EVP's.

[internethandle]

3 hours ago, highstream said:

I would think the wood blocks as footers would counter the benefit of anything used above it, since the idea is isolation and a wood block is not disconnected from what might be causing a problem. On my desktop under Quad 12L actives, I use Heinke 4" thick wood blocks, but with Isoacoustics stands between them and the speakers. Under an SR4 on the carpet, I use Iso-Pucks. Under everything else, EVP's.

 

I'm fairly certain @austinpop means he used/is using wood blocks/Panzerholz footers between the SR7/components and the wood platform(s), and not under the platform itself. The usual thinking is that wood platforms such as the IKEA Aptitlig or the Taiko Daiza need to have the components they're supporting coupled to them (rather than de-coupled/isolated) to properly drain resonances/energy and do their job, while below the platform(s) decoupling/isolation footers usually are preferred. Unsure what, if anything, austinpop is using to support the Daiza, though, or if it is placed on a rack/similar. 

 

Which reminds me that after sort of bucking the above wisdom for a bit and using Herbie's Tenderfeet between some components and an IKEA Aptitlig (placed on a wooden desk at the moment), I'm going to reverse course and put the Tenderfeet under the Aptitlig, and some wood spike feet under the components.

[austinpop]

That's exactly right, @internethandle

 

The idea is to use couplers (not isolators) between the component and the platform, and let the platform dissipate the energy. This is what the wood blocks provide between component and the Aptilig, which I just had sitting on the shelf with no footers.

 

The Daiza platform actually comes with its own footers that Taiko has engineered for purpose. In addition, they supply on request (and I ordered) smaller footers that can be used between components and the platform. These small footers provide rigid coupling to the platform.

 

For more details, see here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-daiza-platforms.28666/

[internethandle]

Thanks for clarifying. 

 

2 hours ago, internethandle said:

Which reminds me that after sort of bucking the above wisdom for a bit and using Herbie's Tenderfeet between some components and an IKEA Aptitlig (placed on a wooden desk at the moment), I'm going to reverse course and put the Tenderfeet under the Aptitlig, and some wood spike feet under the components.

 

Just did this between my SR4T and an Aptitlig (coupling wooden spike feed now sit below the SR4T, which is resting on the Aptitlig, and I moved the Herbie's Tenderfeet that were under the SR4T below the Aptitlig platform itself). Perhaps a bit early, but it indeed is an improvement -- things are much tighter/more coherent and less diffuse/bloated sounding. The SR4T is feeding a SOtM tx-USBultra Special Edition with 9V. 

[highstream]

Bob Katz (and Jim Austin) on speaker isolation in new Stereophile: https://www.stereophile.com/content/bob-katz-loudspeaker-isolation

[Exocer]

The SR7T has completely transformed my listening experience.

 

I have the Audio Art Power 1SE power cord connected. It uses Furutech FI-28R connectors on both ends. This a 2nd hand purchase at a price I could not pass up.

 

The pairing is very good. This is probably what I will stick with until I build my own cable.

 

Also, vibration control is definitely worth it here. My system may not be the last word in transparency but the inoro across-the-board is noticable. This could be due to the break-in process + vibration control. Hard to tell.

 

 

[Exocer]

3 hours ago, Exocer said:

The SR7T has completely transformed my listening experience.

 

I have the Audio Art Power 1SE power cord connected. It uses Furutech FI-28R connectors on both ends. This a 2nd hand purchase at a price I could not pass up.

 

The pairing is very good. This is probably what I will stick with until I build my own cable.

 

Also, vibration control is definitely worth it here. My system may not be the last word in transparency but the inoro across-the-board is noticable. This could be due to the break-in process + vibration control. Hard to tell.

 

 

I meant improvements* across the board 😁

[mitch751]

by the way, is the input of voltage 100-240v ? 

[paulhynes]

There is a selector switch on the back of the power supply for 115vac or 230vac.

[mitch751]

13 hours ago, paulhynes said:

There is a selector switch on the back of the power supply for 115vac or 230vac.

Thank you so much for the reply.

 

Is The SR4T Power Supply with the switch too ?

[internethandle]

6 hours ago, mitch751 said:

Thank you so much for the reply.

 

Is The SR4T Power Supply with the switch too ?

 

As far as I'm aware (and I just checked my SR4T), no, the SR4/SR4T does not have selectable input voltage. 

[mitch751]

33 minutes ago, internethandle said:

 

As far as I'm aware (and I just checked my SR4T), no, the SR4/SR4T does not have selectable input voltage. 

thank you

[paulhynes]

Hi Mitch,

 

Actually the mains input voltage on the SR4T can be reset internally by moving the transformer primary connector to one of two positions to change the input voltage from either 115vac to 230vac or visa versa. The earlier SR4 had an internal selector switch on the printed circuit board so these can also be changed to suit your mains voltage.

 

It was not possible to fit this option to the back panel as there is no room for additional switches.

 

If you need to change the voltage let me know and I will detail the procedure to access the internals.

 

Regards

Paul

[Middy]

Hi Paul being a Brit whats the reason for 230v. Here in Birmingham we can get well over 250v and as you know 240v is the standard.

Is it just an internal sales thing or due to transformer winding/design. Like you mentioned above reducing on the windings half to 115v.

Just a matter of curiosity from the electrically ignorant.

Thank you

 

Dave 😊

[mitch751]

7 hours ago, paulhynes said:

Hi Mitch,

 

Actually the mains input voltage on the SR4T can be reset internally by moving the transformer primary connector to one of two positions to change the input voltage from either 115vac to 230vac or visa versa. The earlier SR4 had an internal selector switch on the printed circuit board so these can also be changed to suit your mains voltage.

 

It was not possible to fit this option to the back panel as there is no room for additional switches.

 

If you need to change the voltage let me know and I will detail the procedure to access the internals.

 

Regards

Paul

Thank you so much Paul, for the reply.

 

I will contact you if I have a need for the voltage switching

 

Regards

Mitch

[paulhynes]

Hi Dave,

 

Historically, there has been a wide variation between EU countries mains voltage and the EU sought to harmonize voltages across the countries. When it was realised that some equipment rated for higher voltage input may malfunction with a lower input voltage and that equipment designed for lower voltage input may be damaged with a higher input voltage, the specification was relaxed to a compromise of 230vac with a higher tolerance than initially set, with equipment manufacturers expected to accommodate the tolerance in their product designs.

 

I often measure mains voltage around 240vac and occasionally just over 250vac where I live.

 

Having the primary split into two allows for operation in series for the nominal 230vac (which is a comfortable compromise in the EU) or in parallel for the nominal voltage of 115vac (which is a comfortable compromise for most American grid systems which can vary from around 110vac to 120vac).

 

There are several options for manufacturers using mains transformers in their equipment regarding compatibility with 115vac to 230 vac. Select a single primary winding for a specific area or use two primary windings with some method of switching between the two voltages. As audio enthusiasts often sell on equipment they no longer need to other enthusiasts around the world, it is more convenient for them to be able to set the mains voltage compatibility on the equipment and less costly than sending the equipment back to the manufacturer for a transformer change.

 

Regards

Paul

[Middy]

Its very kind of you to take the time Paul, 230v does make sense in the majority.  

Good luck up there and happy new year mate.

 

Dave😁

[Rsbrsvp]

I have a brand new dual rail SR-7T for sale.  Please see my classified...

[str-1]

Can anyone advise on the direction of current flow through my SR5T fuse holder?  I’m trying out a new SR Orange fuse and will try first the orientation shown in attached photo.  No longer any PHD Ltd to ask advice from.