Article: Reality Quest: Power and Digital Audio with the Sean Jacobs DC4 and Sound Application PGI TT-7 (Part 2 of 2)

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The journey is Zeno'xian Bob!

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3 hours ago, ASRMichael said:

Question, when you say back to your electrical panel? Are you coming off that? Or are you taking a supply before It hits your home mains panel? 

 

My home has a single electrical panel that is fed from the electric company (public power -> electric meter -> electrical panel -> electrical outlet for audio).  My dedicated lines go to 2 dedicated 30A circuit breakers in that panel.  

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1 hour ago, AudioBang said:

It's amazing to me how much 70s rock plays back with a 180 degree sound field. The expanded soundstage breathes new life into Who's Next and Close To The Edge by Yes. That you are now hearing a 360 degree sound field is really inspiring to me! 

 

I have been REALLY enjoying rediscovering old favorites in the catalog.  It is a gift to have so many albums back in circulation, and be able to appreciate them at this level with the perspective of time.

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5 hours ago, bobflood said:

Is this the end of the Odyssey? Hope not!

 

Bob, I do have nascent 4th Law and 5th Law brewing in the lab, but no promises on timing

 

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Thank you for the kind words Ted.  I have had the good fortune to learn a great deal from many here and elsewhere, and I'm hopeful that distilling and organizing and sharing some of the learnings may be useful to others.  

 

I have retired my Topaz isolation transformers (all three of them!).  They made a huge impact in my system and I was delighted to have them here, but Sound Application PLC is just next level.  If anyone in San Diego has need or interest in these beast of isolation transformers, drop a note, I know a guy that has several available ;)

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Nenon said:

 

Jim Weil has a custom outlet that can take 6 AWG wire. He used to sell it for around $100 but I am not sure if the price is still the same. I use a couple of them and some Furutech NCFs.

 

This is the outlet I'm going to use when I do my 6AWG upgrade (post vaccine)

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https://www.amazon.com/Shahen-Shah-Real-World-Nusrat-Fateh/dp/B06XYPMJ7D/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Nusrat+Fateh+Ali+Khan+shah&qid=1611262536&s=dmusic&sr=1-1

 

This is the album I own (also streaming I believe).  

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1 hour ago, Exocer said:

have you tried any reasonable lower cost units in your journey? 😁

 

What are others using in the $1000 - $1500 range?

 

I spent ~$600 to have a couple dedicated lines run to my audio system.  I would start there.  Huge lift for me.

 

The Topaz Isolation transformers dropped the background level a huge amount.  These can be had used for several hundred $$.  Dynamics slowed (esp. as I upgraded to the Extreme), but it was a huge win as I was working up the ladder.

What can you do to get switching supplies out of your audio chain?  That will also be a step up (at least for 98% of the switching supplies out there)

 

If the rest of your chain is already optimized for speed (big clean power supplies, fast CPU, etc), then I think a passive PLC starts to make more sense than the isolation transformer (the IT will start holding back your components more than it is helping them).

 

 

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That's good info to calibrate.  My suggestion is plug things into the wall.  If dynamics and speed go up, but you get harshness, it's time for a PLC.  There are lots of ways to clean power, but usually come at a cost with dynamic current. You'll hear one as noise floor or fatigue, and the other as dynamics and soundstage.  Better home wiring and power cords and going direct to wall will give you max dynamics.  Going through filters and transformers will give you max clean.  By hopping back and forth, you can calibrate where the right balance is for you (and whether slogging up that hill is worth it to you)

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Alas no Frank.  These single drivers are very directional. so it is hard for me to apply that test (if I go too much to the left or right levels get way out of balance).  

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It is certainly worth trying (and shouldn't cause any issues).  The IT does a great job of filtering noise, but it stunts current dynamics.  With your modem, not really an issue, and it isn't impacting the Extreme (where it is an issue)

 

 

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Just received my 2nd Sablon Audio King power cord and updated review with the following:

UPDATE (2/26/21): I have received my second Sablon Audio King power cord (20A IEC, from the wall to my TT-7). (Un)Surprisingly, adding the Sablon 20A King on TT7 PGI 240V is another first 3 seconds “I'm done here, no more listening tests needed” experience, even before burn in. There is a magic synergy going the wall to Sablon King to TT7 to Sablon King to Taiko Audio SGM Extreme. If you're investing in a Sound Application TT7, do yourself a favor and track down a Sablon King power cord to audition with it.

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That's a question for @Fourlegs I think.  He's done great work experimenting with quality rails to Qutest.  Nick did you experiment with TT2 as well?

 

I have not (yet) cracked a Hugo2 or TT2 to bypass the batteries/supercaps and power the DAC directly from an external supply.  I think you would get the maximum benefit with those extra batteries and caps out of the path (batteries and caps can have a great impact before the supply voltage regulator, but I prefer them out of the path after the voltage regulator)