Popular Post Iving Posted April 20, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted April 20, 2021 Browsing the AS Activity Stream of late, it’s been hard to avoid being bitten by the “Clock your EtherRegen” bug! Acknowledging all the helpful input from Uptone – and also intelligent bloggers such as the evidently estimable @MartinT, I’ve scratched the itch and bought a Triple Output Emperor Double Crown 75Ω Square Wave Clock with integrated R-Core Power Supply. Like Martin I intend to Clock the ER and a MUTEC MC-3+ USB. Mine is a strictly offline ethernet-based system PC > ER > RedNet D16 AES > DAC. Obviously the Clock is coming from @AfterDark. in Hong Kong. The MUTEC is coming from Coherent in the UK. I contacted them because somewhere in Martin’s comments I read that they mod the MUTEC for LPS. I’ll get that done later, assuming I ever do. (Ordering the MUTEC I ended up having an extremely pleasant, informative and very long! conversation with someone whom I discovered to be a Forum member here. What a thrill to speak in person with folks you know otherwise only as Forum identities.) The MUTEC will reclock AES between D16 and DAC. I make my own AES cables from Duelund silver ribbon/foil 1.0. I look forward to registering listening impressions in the appropriate Thread(s). My Clock Order followed a lengthy interrogation of Adrian which I hope he will forgive. As I read things, Martin didn’t get a Triple Output because these are integrated power only, and he already has a preferred power supply. I hope Martin gets his adapter problem resolved. (It seems our mutual friend at Coherent may be able to help.) All the AfterDark Triples are Square Wave. I had bought two Mini-Circuit filters before I’d decided on the Clock and cancelled the order. The Seller was very good about it. I’m assuming the Triple Emperor Double Crown will be a *good* Square Wave Clock and, as long as I impedance-match and use decent, short cables, I shan’t run into trouble. AfterDark. and soares 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 2, 2021 Adrian’s tracking ref. show that my Triple EDC is now in France having flown via the Philippines. Since I’m in the UK, it’s getting me pretty excited. Honestly – probably I’d wait until I’d installed the Clock and let it “burn” for a while before reporting any listening impression. But I thought I’d write a note or two regards the baseline for any SQ delta. You know how we (well I do anyway) improve our systems in fits and starts – for whatever reason. If no other – in my case – because there are other aspects to my life. That includes music appreciation – which I regard almost as a separate hobby: in the sense that its meaningfulness doesn’t depend on how Hi the Hi-Fi. I spend a lot of time tagging my flac Library because it helps me siphon music (using fb2k filters/algorithms) from my ripping PC to my listening PC which has a limited capacity Optane drive. It also helps me enjoy aspects of music such as evolution within a genre (Rockabilly!) and its biographic meaning to me (Desert Island Discs kind of thing). I say this, about fits and starts, because I rarely just make one change when I have a fit. That makes evaluation of a single component or alteration difficult/impossible. The problem is exacerbated for me because my system is highly engineered. The whole room is a loudspeaker and I sit inside it! (You could ask the neighbours who pass along the pavement/sidewalk a few yards from the window I face when listening – really I don’t bother them that much.) The furniture is bespoke and exact. Cables are fixed. Things are designed mostly for anchorage (coupling), less so for isolation (decoupling) - and to keep cable distances short. It’s difficult to even reach things “under the bonnet” to swap them about. Anyway – the point is - that this season of improvements is all but done bar the AD Clock and, so, it’s going to be relatively easy to report on its effect alone. I had become pretty happy with my system. I have never looked back since I abandoned USB for RedNet. The battle against digititis was effectively won. I could listen to music without distraction or annoyance. The system had mojo – and tbh that is all I care about. It’s about the music – the goose bumps – and the relish. Invoking Occam’s Razor (but see System if any interest) in PC > EtherRegen > RedNet D16 AES > DAC in the past few days I have: 1. Changed the ethernet cable feeding the ER A-Side from a (shielded up) AQ Cinnamon to a 2020 Sablon; 2. Changed the DAC-D16 AES WC cable from a Canare LV-61S to a Belden 4694R; 3. Added a Mutec MC-3+ USB as re-clocker between D16 AES and DAC; 4. As the result of 3., made up two new AES cables from Neotech NEMOI-1220 which, like the Duelund Silver Foil 1.0 it replaces, is flat silver ribbon. I chose this cable because, as far as I can tell, I have come close to making up Audio Sensibility AES cables. Coincidentally my CMOS battery died about this time and I had to attend to BIOS settings repeatedly. Generally (as in Windows) I Disable everything I Can. My first impressions after only 24-48 hrs of burn in were of cleanliness across the frequency range, “tightness” and enhanced 3-dimensionality. I don’t doubt that much of this has to do with the Mutec (well – I know because the first thing I did was fix it with a couple of make-do Mogamis just to learn its settings). These impressions were gained with only partial BIOS re-establishment. During this time I found the bass actually a bit variable. And I noticed that the 3-dimensionality collapsed somewhat when I got my BIOS settings fully restored. I have no doubt that this is because noise/HF can create an artificial sense of detail/Hi-Fi etc which, in the end, is nuisance not benefit. Last night the system was sounding pretty good. I felt that if I just left it alone I wouldn’t want to fiddle anymore and I could just await the Clock. When I came down this morning – I was nothing short of gob-smacked. It’s like I’ve had my power amps replaced with a set 75% meatier. Aside from a very slight upper graininess or something (could be detail I'm not used to) the whole frequency range is excellent - open with nothing to fault. Amazing rendition of human voices. All the 3-dimensionality I could want. Slam and inoffensive detail everywhere. I love my Snell Type A III - and they were as delighted as me. (I know this because I am in a relationship with them.) In-your-face, pleasing-as-pie somatic music. Just superb. There will be increments of burn effect to come. So there we are. The AD Clock should arrive soon. Going by the limited number of AD Clock reports I have read, all point to enhancement. I’ll be hooking mine up to the ER and the Mutec. I’ll also see whether I can make the Mutec Master WC instead of the DAC. In anticipation, already I have a nice batch of variable-length Belden 4694Rs. Great hobby. Great Forum. I have learned so much reading here. Lots of nice people. Thanks and hats off (with an additional nod to johnjen at Head-Fi for a conducive conversation). Edit: I haven't forgotten the ER's B-Side. I'm going to try out Adrian's custom 4-wire 100mb Cable hoping to avoid resorting to another Sablon. AfterDark., Superdad and dylanesque 1 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 8, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 8, 2021 The baseline for my report on assimilating (i) an AfterDark clock (Triple Emperor Double Crown) and (ii) EtherRegen B-Side cable ("Constellation Network Cable Special Edition for UpTone EtherREGEN") into my system was presented just recently in this Thread. A parsimonious snapshot of my ethernet (RedNet)-based (but strictly internet-offline) system is this: PC > ER > RedNet D16 AES > Mutec MC3+ USB > DAC. Details can be accessed through the Signature line below. Pre-purchase, I saw value in the AfterDark Triple since it would allow me to: - Clock the ER externally as has been discussed at length on Audiophile Style recently; - Simultaneously clock the Mutec MC3+ USB externally – which I hoped would improve its performance as an AES Re-Clocker; - Make the Mutec MC3+ USB WC Master instead of my DAC. [My Convert-2 is a great DAC. I love it. It’s better as Master WC than my RedNet box. afaik the Mutec MC3+ USB will not Re-Clock (its primary purpose in my system) and WC at the same time without detecting 10 MHz input.] To me, the AfterDark Triple Emperor Double Crown is not exactly inexpensive. It sits between the “cheapo” 10 MHz clocks commonly available for around only 100 GBP/USD (where the properties of the clock itself are variable - something of a lottery - DAPUs being as easily found as hen’s teeth now) and the Mutec REF10 which, to be explicitly fair, is twice the price of the AfterDark Triple Emperor Double Crown. Clearly the phase noise and other specs of the graded AfterDark clocks are another consideration. Whether marginal phase noise increments really make a great deal of difference to the listening experience is ultimately an empirical question (i.e. one answered only through comparative listening tests). We have seen credible theoretical arguments about this from technicians far more knowledgeable than I. The Emperor Double Crown a priori criterion is -141 dBc/Hz and -117 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz and 1 Hz respectively. My AfterDark certificate boasts -143 (Emperor Giesemann equivalent) and -118 (Emperor Triple Crown equivalent). So thank you Adrian for sending me an over-spec. instance! [I know I’m not the only beneficiary of Adrian’s largesse in this respect.] My EtherRegen is the standard 75 Ω issue. May I just slip in the fact that I was one of the first purchasers – waiting online at launch hoping to be a lucky buyer. I recall the burn-in being audible (for Audiophile Style blogging purposes) through 1-2 weeks. But I could hear its Hi-Fi potential instantly – notwithstanding the subsequent firmware switch that followed. [I was reluctant about the firmware update initially given my conviction about the immediate ER advantage.] The Mutec is also a 75 Ω device – and, so, naturally I ordered the 75 Ω (not the 50 Ω) AfterDark Triple. I bought the Triple riding on the crest of an AS wave extolling the virtue of the Mini-Circuits low pass filter (for removal of Sine harmonics) as a hedge for those in doubt about the Square credentials of their clocks. All AfterDark Triples are Square wave. I was more than happy about this. I’d rather have hoped that the AfterDark Triple was a good Square wave clock than spent this sort of money adding a fudge or a fix (even if others attest to it being a fitting and/or advantageous one). Whether a good call I shall never be able to say since – once again – I would only ever know through comparative listening and I just don’t have (or want) the alternative equipment. Having not long bought a short Sablon 2020 ethernet cable for the EtherRegen’s A-Side, I was perched ready to try the AfterDark Constellation cable. I do not feel pernicious, nor do I mean to be troublesome, when I say that cutting through the AfterDark promo material about this cable was tough – but I realise that most of this is to do with the language barrier. imho Adrian would do well to recruit a technically competent translator to make sure his technical arguments are easily digested by the English-speaking buyer. [After all – AS is an English-speaking web site.] In increasing order of commercial pull on me, the AfterDark product description talks of insulation credentials, grounding arrangement and use of 4 wires (2 pairs) only since the ER B-Side is 100mbps vs. 1G. My clock-landing experience is similar to others I have read here on Audiophile Style. The FedEx shipment was pretty quick and uncomplicated. The clock and cable arrived in a “Baxter” box (an alternative brand – whether recycled I don’t know - I hope Adrian can fettle a custom AfterDark box by and by since I’m sure it would add to his reputation). Several bolts etc were loose in and around the case – in fact one had fallen away completely from the bottom of the clock and I found it only later - hiding within Baxter. The build quality is not impressive to me. My system comprises mainly Streacom cases, Pro Audio gear and British Linn/Quad elements. The case of the Clock was definitely flimsy by comparison and the loose bolts etc only reinforced mild disappointment. I don’t want to overstate what I am saying – I realise that the AfterDark Clock is half the price of a REF10. [I realise also that others may be of the opinion that the AfterDark carbon fibre case is fetching and that its physical integrity more than suffices.] Moving on – like others I notice there is no indication that the clock is on or working except the responsivity of receiving devices. I’m not complaining about this. This seems an appropriate juncture to show the Clock in situ in my system. Mine is a built system – and it is not easy to change things once fully assembled. Having rendered my system to “bench test” mode to fix boxes and cables in position, check everything was working and learn Mutec MC3+ USB settings – I needed to know in short order which way to orientate the Constellation cable on the B-Side of the EtherRegen - a very narrow “critical path” element in re-establishing my system permanently. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out with confidence enough to re-assemble my system starting under the bonnet/hood. Eventually I got an answer from Adrian which enabled me to make a decision, but I couldn’t - and still do not - understand the rationale for it. The most obvious thing about the cable suggesting it is directional is that the ground wire emerges from one end. Having re-read the product description, I understood that the ground wire was likely tied to the plug. I understood that the shield braid had been terminated at least one end (maybe both?) with 3M tape. If only one end, I didn’t know which. I couldn’t be sure whether the ground wire was routed beyond the plug and if so how – considering also the fact that Cat 7 twisted pairs have their own shield. I just couldn’t translate Adrian’s’ grounding argument into my own understanding. There were no direction indicators on the cable. I am used to the convention that any lettering on the cable reads in the same direction as signal travel. One end of this cable has AFTERDARK visible – reading such (according to this convention) that the plug with the ground wire would be inserted efferent wrt the EtherRegen. But the shrink at the same end had print running in the reverse direction. The answer I eventually got from Adrian - that the wired plug mates the ER B-Side and that AFTERDARK reads counter-directional to signal travel at the other end of the cable - confused me additionally because it referred to a “ground pole” on the ER – which to the extent that is true I know to be on the A-Side. Now I don’t doubt for a minute that Adrian is far more technically adept than I am. I’m sure he knows what he is doing. It is quite possibly that others may not have struggled as I did. Anyway – once again - the language barrier may account for most of if not all misunderstandings. With my system in test bench mode, I determined that everything worked as it should. The ER was happy re-booting with the external clock. Same with the Mutec. Mutec settings were pretty much a doddle. Re-Clocking much the same in terms of Mutec front panel indicators - and I had “lots” of nice blue lights (lock to external Clock on the one hand and 176.4 kHz signal on the other). Given the 10 MHz input, the Mutec was happily Master WC. All set! This has been a particularly challenging burn-in experience for me. I’ve read sceptics on burn-in (you know – it doesn’t exist). I have zero doubt in my own mind about the subjective reality of burn-in. If there is any kind of “usual” – it is (such as with the ER) that the system sounds “disappointing” at first. There are subtractions. There may be a loss of clarity. Or bass. One has to be patient for fruit. But you can hear the *promise* of the change you have made more or less straightaway. Other parts of my system only recently introduced (see Baseline report supra) were still no doubt “cooking” but their Hi-Fi advantage was readily apparent - and they weren’t getting in the way. In the first hour or two following system reassembly, with the AfterDark products now integral, my system sounded dreadful. Muddy. At this time, I could hear some kind of “tightness” (that I presumed a clock advantage). But bass was gone. There was no vigour. Worst of all there was a Lo-Fi “veil”. It was as if my system had reverted to something resembling the old pre-ER days! The veil was the most unsettling aspect. I have never heard a veil like this except in relation to inferior equipment. It was reminiscent to me of the difference between a really good phono stage and a lesser one. It was this aspect that I feared burn-in might not shake off at all. And anyway – why was it there. After all, external clocks are not directly in the signal path. Yes - the Constellation cable was new – but a virgin component never made me feel this uncomfortable. After a few hours, maybe things had gotten better and maybe they hadn’t. Perhaps voices were improved. Perhaps there was a “quietness” or contrast now present. Perhaps there was more detail. But that darned veil. I knew I could never live with my system if that veil remained. Day 2 - I came down in the morning and took another listen. Things were better. I thought now that I could begin to say that the mid-range was becoming a lot more resolved. But not OK. Like through a curtain. I could still hear that veil. The bass was still light. Could it be that the bass had just tightened up? No – I didn’t believe that. Usually my system is transparent - and moving air/bass is its forte. I was loathe to try out analytics because they would involve disturbing and re-building the system – again ☹. Part of me knew I should just wait and let the system settle. Part of me was itching to see whether a particular feature was responsible for the veil. If I could discover which it was, I could resolve the issue and let burn-in take its course. Was it that pesky “directional” cable. Was it that I had made the Mutec Master WC – or even that WC cables to RedNet box and DAC weren’t the same length! Would the Triple be better serving only one of ER and Mutec etc. So early morning Day 2 here’s what I did: - Removed the AfterDark cable from the ER B-Side and re-established the custom-shielded AQ Cinnamon. To my surprise the effect was a clear deterioration. The AQ sounded pallid. After only 24 hours’ break-in the AfterDark cable was better. It’s only a guesstimate/pov but the Constellation is probably better than a Vodka - and then some. - Leaving the AfterDark Triple EDC as MC to both ER and Mutec, I reverted to DAC as Master WC by removing the WC cables from the Mutec and re-hooking DAC and RedNet D16 AES. No dice! I thought I heard maybe some clarity back (cf. veil) – but the sound was a lot thinner. And the bass had not returned. The differential [externally-clocked Mutec as WC Master better than DAC] was surprisingly large. - Switching the Mutec from “Ext. + Re-Clock” to “Int. + Re-Clock” can be done more or less on the fly. In other words it’s possible to evaluate the effect of the 10 MHz clock readily. There was no doubt that Ext. was better. There was more space in the soundstage. There was more fullness to the overall sound. My head was spinning trying to understand. It still seemed as if the system was waiting for bad weather to clear – and it felt like it might never. [Please remember I live in the UK.] - Switching the ER from Ext. to Int. and back had a similar effect. Not the same – but externally clocked there was a similar admixture of fullness and resolution – especially mid-range – combined with this awful sense of veil. Particularly distressing was that none of my reversion manipulations restored the comfortable, thundering familiarity of my system as I once knew and loved it! What medieval spells had been loosened into my ears? Maybe I just needed a check-up from the neck-up. Meantime Day 2 I had a Zoom call booked with my Head-Fi chum johnjen. 3am Seattle time – 11am UK. The timing of this appointment wasn’t on my insistence – he is obviously a night owl! We’d booked it to discuss clocks generally – and treating the Mutec MC3+ USB as Re-Clocker with WC vs. MC input in particular. Our call lasted best part of 2 hours. We talked more about burn-in than clocking. Couldn’t help reminiscing about the ”magic” of the 70s. What a guy. Really, really great dude. Strong background in electronics and DIY champion. Way ahead of me on the technical curve. But I do cheekily say I reckon I won the Mutec WC/MC argument. Later Day 2, the system is sounding better. The veil is lifting. I am not completely easy about it. But I can listen to music with enjoyment. Bass better than earlier. I am beginning to feel optimistic. I tried a “blind” (but still pretty unscientific) test with the wife. I got her to toggle the Constellation cable’s wire on and off a little ground post on my analogue side. I can hear a difference, and I prefer the ground wire attached. There is slightly more body. I don’t know whether good or bad in audiophile terms because my system still sounds so rough. To my ears the effect is similar to grounding the ER’s A-Side (which I do with a wire on an empty UK plug’s earth pin on the digital side) – and that is a good effect I have made permanent. I am writing this on Day 3. It’s still early wrt break-in etc I know. But now the veil has all but lifted. Bass has returned. The trajectory is very much in my favour – and I don’t need to be concerned that everything will turn to worms. I am going to make a bold statement which is true for me and sums up most the benefit of the AfterDark clock. My system has become resolving and energetic in the mid-range like never before – and the improvement is substantial. This morning I can hear Jackson Browne’s voice as if I were having a conversation with him (in the 70s!) rather than listening to him on the radio. OK I’m taking journalistic licence now but I want to give credit where it’s due. There is space in the soundstage. I can hear instruments and guitars I haven’t noticed salient before when listening to e.g. Lucinda Williams. I can listen to Keith Richards’ outing on Ronnie Spector’s “All I Want” with a great deal more appreciation of his exquisite guitar work. I have a much better appreciation of all JD McPherson’s band members when they rock out “Dimes And Nickels” or “Your Love (All I’m Missing)”. No longer do I feel that the bass has gone walking and may never return. I use what I think is a re-mastered version of Jackie Lee Cochran’s “Hip Shakin’ Mama” off of a CD called “Rockabilly” for a snapshot evaluation of bass. [It’s an outrageous, audacious, recording or remastering where bass entertainment prevails.] The Strawbs’ track “Lay Down” captures the spirit/zeitgeist of that curiously peak year 1973 – in fact the whole decade – like no other (including DSOM and anything by Bowie or whomsoever you choose) – but it’s a muddy, crude mix – and now I can enjoy it a great deal more. Finally - I was anyway past the desperate digititis threshold in my system – and this new arrangement with AfterDark products takes me down quite a few pegs towards safety on the other side of that cardinal watershed. OK – so I’m sorry if this treatise has turned into a burn-in blog as much as a review of an AfterDark clock. But I make no apology really. It was Adrian who said, “Let the burn-in party begin!” – or something like that. And I reckon I’d have had a better emotional ride if I’d read a report like this before evaluating my own system. I’ve done my best not to mis-represent or judge unfairly. I’d hate that. I’m really not that sort of person. I can tell you I’m very happy indeed to recommend both of these AfterDark products. (The cable could be a surprising winner for sure.) I fear Adrian is hiding his light behind a language-barrier bushel. I have no doubt that better days are to come with my system’s new configuration. The settling-in process has only just passed that threshold where confidence in having made a good purchase has arrived. If you don’t hear from me to the contrary, please assume I am a highly satisfied AfterDark customer – and that my ears and heart are full of even more energetic rock ‘n’ roll for at least a few hours of every day. As well as wanting to thank everyone for honestly and generously blogging their experiences here on AS - especially those technically more proficient in electronics and IT - I wish Adrian and AfterDark every possible success. nichino, AfterDark., DarqueKnight and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment
Iving Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 24 minutes ago, MartinT said: I wasn't burning in a clock cable as my Belden 4694R had already been run for a while and so had my Coherent QP-1 PSU. It's true that 3/4 if not 4/4 of my clock cables were virgins too. I should have mentioned that. Yes - the AfterDark Triple has an integrated power supply. Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 9, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 9, 2021 At Day 4 just a few remarks: Given that @MartinT experienced little or no burn-in with his AfterDark clock - where he slipped it into a system with an already broken-in power supply and clock cable - I'm tempted to conclude that my uncomfortable burn-in experience has had much to do with breaking in the Triple's integrated power supply and/or multiple virgin clock cables. I don't think the Constellation cable was responsible because of my analytics (supra). Whilst it's clear from my report already, I agree that the Mutec MC3+ USB loves my AfterDark clock. The most interesting aspect to me was *how much more a stellar WC the Mutec became with external clocking* (not just its improvement as a Re-Clocker). The thing I most appreciate about my AfterDark Triple Emperor Double Crown is that it has taken me several more steps away from loathsome digititis - the harshness that spoils non-analogue music. When I first opened myself to digital music, I never realised that the Hi-Fi journey would become one primarily about shrinking from this horrible plague. I might never have bothered if I'd known. So AfterDark has afforded me great relief - and that is the most satisfying thing for me. Second - there is now a kind of deep reverb through the music. But "reverb" suggests distortion - which this is not. More accurately - it's what a (let's say electric) guitarist would understand as "sustain". Not just mid-range detail - but the more salient flow of the weight of voices and instruments through a piece of music. So my system sounds extra-fantastic. More rock 'n' roll heaven. These two advantages make the AfterDark purchases more than proportionate value for money given the ratios of Hi-Fi bang per buck I would ordinarily expect. Notwithstanding my difficulty comprehending the product description page on AS combined with PM and e-mail Q&A germane (my reflection on language and communication has actually been more than disciplined, I promise) I suspect that the Constellation cable is a lurking hit waiting to happen. Get an AfterDark B-Side cable for your EtherRegen! I upgraded to a 2020 Sablon on the A-Side - and was waiting to hear the Constellation cable before deciding whether to get another Sablon for the B-Side. There's absolutely no need. That should tell you something about how highly I rate the Constellation cable. Finally - my wife and I, listening together, reckon that these latest changes have done as much or more to improve the system than anything else that we recall easily. That speaks volumes too. Oh a P.S. then - leaving Square and Sine matters aside - my understanding is that @MartinT will have two AfterDark clocks either side of his ER moat. What was that about how many mains outlets you had available Martin and, talking of burn-in, do you have another warmed up power supply for the second AfterDark clock. What I really want to ask though, is whether you think you might have the motivation to try "all things equal" comparison of the two *differentially graded* AfterDark clocks on the Mutec before finally re-configuring your system. If so, I'd be most interested to read your findings. Johnnydev, ambre, nichino and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment
Iving Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 4 minutes ago, MartinT said: Thus the pain began. I feel it. I truly feel it. 5 minutes ago, MartinT said: On the subject of the incoming Emperor Triple Crown, I will indeed listen to it in the same setup as the current King to hear what differences I can perceive. Can't wait. Thanks Johnnydev 1 Link to comment
Iving Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 12 minutes ago, MartinT said: Very first impressions in an unfair comparison between the thoroughly warmed up and reasonably burned in King and the barely warmed after one hour of being plugged in Emperor Triple Crown, which needed to be unplugged and reconnected into the system. No downside. I had an immediate impression of more realism in cymbal strikes, greater note decay and a darker background. Percussive detail is pervasive in everything and the midrange is smoother and less gritty. I'll continue with the listening but my impression, again, is that a better clock (all other things being equal) makes itself known pretty quickly. If burn-in is a non-issue, then differential should remain stable in the coming days. But differential there is. If you get to be able to quantify it better (in qualitative terms of course!) please do post. We'll take it that that phase noise matters! A mantra for our times! Thank you for posting so promptly. Enjoy it! Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 10, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2021 Day 5 Any lingering doubts about mist on the window to the music have pretty much evaporated. Depth of soundstage developing noticeably over 24 hours. Fantastic detail. Amazing energy. The music is emphatically more relaxed - I see what AfterDark means by "smooth". I think this was pushing thru since Day 1 but seemed like something else. Female voices replete and vibrant. Digititis waving the white flag. Hooray AfterDark., nichino, MartinT and 1 other 4 Link to comment
Iving Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 9 minutes ago, MartinT said: like an Underground train emerging from the tunnel, shaking you in the gut exactly my experience! Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 12, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 12, 2021 Day 7 Got Detail Got THUNDER Got Mellow Very pleased tyvm Johnnydev and MartinT 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 14, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 14, 2021 Prompted by recent changes, I’ve altered a RedNet/Dante setting or two - and even re-positioned my speakers. I dare say there’s an aggregate of misc. developments in train. But let’s accept that, in all probability, they are orchestrated/conducted by the AfterDark Triple Emperor Double Crown, ably assisted by the Mutec MC3+ USB. Definitely an interplay of components, maturation over time - and the response of the listener (li’l ol’ me). Today my system sounds better than yesterday. It’s opened up - as if released from reins. It’s less fussy now - i.e. it's less true that some tracks are more susceptible to causing audible offence. Music is depicted in a concretised landscape before my ears - I have an abundance of detail anchored in firm space. I’ve never heard my favourite tracks sound so “natural” (I’m not going to say “like the original recording”!) I have thud – and I love it. Johnnydev, GryphonGuy and AfterDark. 1 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Iving Posted May 28, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2021 I didn't expect to post another update - thinking things had more or less settled down. I have been hearing gradual improvements day by day - but nothing that provoked my writing hand. The aggregate of recent changes - including the AfterDark Clock (Triple Emperor Double Crown) generating 10 MHz for the ER and the Mutec MC3+ USB - prompted me to reposition my speakers. I settled on final co-ordinates a few days ago. I made some blocks to fix to the floor so that the position could be recalled in the future. This morning I turned off the power amps, moved the speakers out, fixed the blocks, re-positioned the speakers - and switched back on. My system sounded as though another "magic" component had been added. The blocks can't account for it! The sea-change is remarkable. At first, mostly positive. Clean. Resolved. Tamed. Really, really different. On the down side I thought I could hear a bit of hiss - and the bass seemed light. The sound is doing so much right, there can't be anything wrong. My left ear is a bit fussy at the moment - and I think that is the hiss. I played Jon Secada's "Just Another Day" - a track I don't usually use for evaluation of bass - and my goodness the power. The ripples of that bass line. If it were any more forceful I'd have a problem. A similar reverberant bass line features in Caroline Lavelle's "A Case Of You". So I think the whole thing has just been tightened up hugely. This is now Day 23. I am imagining that this sudden trajectory of SQ has to do with the Clock. That is where I am placing the credit anyway. I am astonished at what can happen in just 24-48 hours at this stage. I guess this is further burn-in commentary. Adrian suggests baking-in of AfterDark Clocks can be discerned up to a month or so. I haven't seen many reports about this here at AS. In fact, most reports refer only to immediate improvements. One doesn't contra-indicate the other - naturally. I would say burn-in extends into Week 4 - with major shifts noticeable. The system refuses to be ruffled - or to present harshness. It responds to the volume control differently - stays balanced up the range. I'm adjusting - missing one or two "attack" attributes. But there is much more music. In its stride music. And my brain is not so age-afflicted that I can't get used to this new sound horizon! imo both the AfterDark products I have – the Clock and the Constellation cable – knock the SQ/spend ratio out of the park. Cazzesman, DarqueKnight, ambre and 2 others 1 1 3 Link to comment
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