ISO Regen performance Improvement Cheap!

[Cornan]

9 minutes ago, charlesphoto said:

 

It’s the ebay Vanguard I’m using for my +ve - .6mm solid silver. The Kemets I ordered were the ones you recommended previously 25v/560uf. Hope that’s correct. Yes, more 3045’s but that will most likely come in the form of the MP Audio’s you are using but later this year. Of course at that point would have to redo the cable as I can’t have one of those hanging  in the air! 

 

 

 

Yes, Kemet A750 25v/560uF is what you’ll want! ??

 

I’m quite sure that Vanguard is just as good (or perhaps slightly better/worse) than 1mm dito.

 

You’lll be thrilled with the MP Audio ps. I am 100% sure!  You will however be even more thrilled with LT3045 in series with MP Audio. 100% sure of that one too! ?

 

Not much re-work needed to fit MP Audio in IME! ??

[Cornan]

2 minutes ago, charlesphoto said:

 

Yep. And it may not even matter the quality of wire so much as the wiring layout. It’s fairly early days with low voltage audio devices, so I guess everybody just assumed that better cable but in the traditional analog sense is the best way to go. Personally I’m over the moon with single strand solid wire that’s separated by air solution. Pretty sure it can be finessed even more, but for now the sound is HUGE! 

 

I am actually very confident that you’re right! The awg of the wire does’nt matter if the i/o have capacitors. Anyway, I intend to put that specific claim to the test sooner than later! ?

[Cornan]

2 minutes ago, BigGuy said:

A bit ago I was on the page with starquad construction being the way to go for DC power cords. 

Coming up fast is a parallel construction with an air gap between v+ and v-.

Do we know how close the 4 wires need to be (how tight a twist) for the starquad to be effective for noise cancellation?

Alternatively how loose can the twist/braid be to perhaps marry the benefits?

 

I can only answer from my own perspective. IMO right now the wires should’nt be close at all. The capacitors at each end will ensure that the negative will stay negative and that the positive will

stay positive. Less capacitive coupling. Less plausible EMI/RFI interfearence due to stronger polarity (and stronger rejection to opposite polarity). The closer the opposite polarity wire gets the more capacitive coupling. The more shielding the more capasitive coupling. Air has no capasitive coupling.

[Cornan]

Sorry in advance for the lack of pictures due to dark hours! Anyway, I added another Kemet A750 at the other end of the cable between LS-HPULNs and Brooklyn DAC. This one was soldered to the center legs of the Kemet A750 with Cardas silver solder and isolated with electrical tape.

 

Another great SQ bump! This time with additional naturalness, separation, air, depth, dynamic warmth and physical

presence. F%€*#! nice! ?

Next up will be to solder the other A750 to the legs. This thing stays there forever! ✌??

[Cornan]

The low end bass, dynamic presence and 4D is just sensational with this dual Kemet A750 cable. No fancy wire. No shielding. Just cheap Kemet. It still speaks to my heart. To my brain. To my soul. Do not miss out. Try this! ???

[Cornan]

15 minutes ago, charlesphoto said:

My Kemets here next week. Ordered four of them. Should I use all four? I will solder straight to the Oyaide pins and then wire after. Or something like that depending. I think I'll look into more exotic wire for a final build once I get an MP audio power supply. An Uptone lps 1.2 probably wouldn't hurt either except for the $.

 

 

Remember to solder the wire to the middle of the Kemet legs and the low end legs of the Kemet legs to the Oyiade plugs. Otherwise you’ve missed the point. Of course use all four Kemet’s. They’ll improve SQ almost anywhere IME. LPS-1.2 is great, but LS-HPULN is even better in most spots IME.

[Cornan]

4 hours ago, BigGuy said:

Unless I am missing something, the Kemet would be in parallel regardless of where on the cap legs the wire and Oyaide tabs are attached.

Please repeat what Kemet "colors" go to v+ and v-.

 

Yes, in parallel with one leg to -Ve (leg on the same side as the blue corner on the top of the cap) and the other leg to +Ve.

The caps is charged and supplies its own isolated power. If the cables are attached into the plugs together with the legs there will most likely be a combination of power from both the wire and cap, so not 100% isolated unless the caps provide all the power in my view.

[Cornan]

4 hours ago, charlesphoto said:

 

That would be my thinking too. I just think soldering probably makes a better connection than cramming in the screw connectors. I'll try my best. 

 

Soldering surely makes a better connection, but remember that this mod was far better than before even when the wires was loosely twisted around the upper legs of the Kemet. 

[Cornan]

16 minutes ago, mansr said:

Sorry, but I can't let that bit of misunderstanding go unaddressed. If the electrical connection is good, it makes no difference whatsoever where on the pins the wires are attached. Just imagine cutting the pins between the attachment point and the cap itself. If you did this, the pin ends would simply be extensions of the wires, and current would flow freely. Having the cap attached doesn't change this.

 

Interesting! Let´s assume that there is a positive charge present in the negative wire and a negative charge present in the positive wire of the cable. If I squeeze the wires into the plug together with the Kemet legs inside a screw terminal DC plug. Surely some of the wires will be in direct contact with the DC plug giving away a bit of negative charge on the positive wire av vice versa. The Kemet will still be charged ofcourse but cannot actually provide 100% of the power and therefore not ensure that both polarities are clean(er) from opposite charges. Charging the Kemets further up the legs will however ensure that much more clean power is provided (even if there is still some leakage from the actual caps) in my point of view.

 

I did notice that having just a quite loose connection of the upper legs of the Kemets was much better than a tight connection inside the screw terminal DC plugs together with the wires. Is there any other plausible reasons why this is a better option in your point of view?

[Cornan]

2 minutes ago, mansr said:

Unless you're dealing with extremely high frequencies, many GHz, the capacitor pins and wire ends, no matter how they are attached, can be regarded as a point connection with zero resistance. Moving the attachment a few millimetres simply makes no difference.

 

Well it does make a subjective SQ difference according to my own ears on my first cable version. However, I will continue to try different point connections to see if it is consitant in other spots as well. I have another 10 pcs Kemet A750´s coming in a few days.

[Cornan]

33 minutes ago, Bricki said:

@Cornan

 

Are these the same ones you are using? 

 

https://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/KEMET/A750MS567M1EAAE015?qs=M6jHmRuQorWa3alz81gcwg%3d%3d

 

It is the correct Kemet A750 you´ve got there. I buy mine from RS-Components https://se.rs-online.com/web/p/aluminium-capacitors/1248271/. Their freight charges are just slightly better than Mouser´s though, so I think the suggestion from @Boomboy is a good option if you order just the Kemet´s!  

[Cornan]

So, today I received these 10 pcs additional beauties! ?

 

 

I immediately started to solder two Vanguard silver plated OCC copper wires to the legs of the Kemet’s. One on each side plus additional electrical tape to prevent any disaster. Looking like this between LPS-1.2 and BluWave Spdif output.

 

 

Hardly surprisingly for me the SQ jumped yet again! This time with a very clear dynamic boost through out the whole frequency register. Even though I listened to Mike Dawe’s album Era I got a very real flashback from the Pink Floyd concert here in Gothenburg many years ago. The same dynamic feeling. The same 4D surround feeling. I feel more of the music inside my body so to speak. Much more than before. More details in the individual instruments. Fibers as I usually call them. Goosebumps ofcourse. Just brilliant! ?

[Cornan]

2 hours ago, BigGuy said:

Is there any value added to putting foamed FEP around a squadcore construction?

 

I did’nt know what FEP was before I looked it up. I still don’t know what a squadcore is? ?

[Cornan]

1 minute ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Very interesting! Would you make one more picture – without electrical tape? I want to be sure I understand your idea of adjusting leads to mid parts of Kemet legs.

 

I can ofcourse remove it again and take pictures, but the general idea is really very simple. I solder the wires in the dead center of Kemet’s legs after wrapping them around the solid wire legs and pinch them with a plier to make them stay in position and not moving around while soldering them into place. Then I just cover the soldering joints with electrical tape to ensure that the two poles will never touch each other. Finally I bend the the lower part of Kemets legs slightly and unsery them into the screw terminals and tighten the screws firmly. That’s all! Easy! ?

 

Let me know if anything is unclear! ??

 

[Cornan]

1 minute ago, austinpop said:

 

It's a vehicle the Cable Police ride, armed with their LT3045 regulators, when patrolling for illegal Kenets crossing the border.

 

?

 

*LOL* Yeah, they are probably patrolling this thread very closely for any stupid misstakes. I wonder why I am not already arrested? ?

[Cornan]

36 minutes ago, mansr said:

Obviously. The question is how bad the downstream regulators need to be before the addition of an external capacitor makes an audible difference. If a £0.15 capacitor provides such a whopping improvement, why didn't the manufacturer include it in the design?

 

Because it is a cable issue? I’m just saying! Remember that I use Brooklyn DAC. How bad can their voltage regs be (even if they can be imporoved). Also the LS-HPULNs in SERIES that I am using pre Brooklyn DAC has both a pair of Kemet A750s at their outputs. Still magic! ?

[Cornan]

Listening to Marcus Marr & Chat Faker’s album Work. Now this is an album that sounds great in my car. No doubt. However, yesturday it sounded great but today. Today it sound freaking awesome! Killing Jar track is pinch-your-arm-great! Nothing less! ?✌?

[Cornan]

10 minutes ago, Speedskater said:

FEP is Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (aka Teflon).

while squarecore might be starquad after Google translate gets thru with it.

 

I know I know! I was just joking. I understood the squarecore thing instantly but could’nt help myself! ?

[Cornan]

6 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Well, sounds pretty much clear...) Thank you!!

 

Cool! ? Just make sure to turn the Kemet’s in the right direction when you solder them. It can get a bit confusing when using them left and right. ?

[Cornan]

52 minutes ago, Abtr said:

It seems that a polymer aluminum capacitor (e.g., Kemet A750) across DC input may improve SQ by DC buffering/smoothing, shunting AC noise (decoupling and bypassing), and fast transient response to load change. I will try it with my active crossover boards and if that works one might ask why such a simple, cheap and obvious tweak isn't implemented as standard in all audio equipment?  

 

I will surely await your verdict with strawberries and champagne (I’m not a teenager so popcorn and Coke is not an option anymore)! ?

[Cornan]

10 minutes ago, Speedskater said:

But how many others did? I had to look up FEP and just guessing on the squarecore thing.

 

 

Hard to tell, but with a little patience @BigGuy would surely have explained himself. He is a really nice guy (and probably big)! ?

[Cornan]

5 hours ago, BigGuy said:

All seriousness aside, I thought this thread needed some comic relief...

You're welcome!

...but what about the foamed teflon?

 

You where right! ?

 

I like teflon on cables but hate to peel teflon off the wire on thin gauge wires. My next experimental cable will actually be a silver plated 28 awg wire with teflon tubing to see if less gauge makes a difference or not with the Kemet’s inline. I have used this cable for grounding purposes with great results just like the Vanguard 1mm wire (which also got teflon tubing BTW)

 

However, I am not sure what the difference is between normal teflon and foamed teflon? Air injection? If that is the case it seems like a good idea, especially since Supra DAC uses this teqnique (but not with teflon) and that cable is really refind in the treble area IMO. Do you have a link to where I can buy foamed teflon BTW?

[Cornan]

3 hours ago, marce said:

Most equipment is designed with decoupling capacitors on the board, it would have to be a bad design not to have any, the whole power delivery system is critical... 

 

I found this quite interesting! ?

 

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/267590/decoupling-capacitors-low-esr-electrolytic-vs-electrolytic-ceramic-vs-ceramic

 

 

Is there any capacitors that you would specificly recommend to try at the DC cable path @marce?

[Cornan]

1 minute ago, BigGuy said:

Source of the foamed Teflon that I found is <https://www.vhaudio.com/wire.html>

Scroll down to " .99999 UniCrystal™ OCC SILVER Wire and HyperFlex™ Tubing ".

ID is 3mm and OD is 6mm, IIRC.

With a dielectric constant of 1.3 it is very close to vacuum with 1.0

 

re the Kemet caps, was 560uf chosen for a particular reason particularly since they do come in various flavors?

 

Thanks, I will look into it! ?

 

The Kemet´s 25v/560uF was chosen only because it is the very same value used on the LS-HPULN. Stammheim have tried numerous caps before choosing this perticular one for the LS-HPULN. However, he also like the Panasonic OS-CONs as well. I have´nt tried those just yet.

[Cornan]

@marce & @mansr So what you really suggest as a good suggestion for this DC cable thread is to rebuild the intire power delivery system rather than adding a couple of cheap inline 560uF caps to the DC cables? Really? ?

 

If I get you right @marce you would consider Kemet´s polymer caps at one side and XR7 ceramic close to the powered device to be a viable option to try on DC cables if I do not want to rebuild my whole power delivery system? ?