Another new sound system

[Outside_Lookin_in]

It's tangential, but

At least it is tangential - some recent posts have missed the circle altogether!

 

[bosshoss]

Latest experiments reveal unexpected results.

I finally received my pair of 2.5 metre Chord Shawline power cables. I've been waiting about 6 weeks for them, because the length is non-standard. It was worth the wait. I have to adjust (completely reverse) my statement that cheap power cords with STB wrapping might turn out to be as good as a well designed expensive power cable also with STB. Unfortunately that's absolutely not true, as I know now.

Straight out of the box, the Chord Shawline were noticeably better than the fully treated $5 cheap cables. As soon as I put just one thin slice of Nuclear STB on each Shawline, I heard the best sound quality I have ever heard. Before proceeding to cover the entire 2.5 metre length of each cable, I decided to wait and see if the STB leaves a glue residue when removed from the Shawline cable. After 2 hours, I pulled off the tape, easily. Not a trace of glue was left behind. They are perfect cables for use with STB wrap. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to spend about $500 to get super-excellent results with Cable+STB. Obviously they are expensive, but on the scale of expensive cables, they are not very high up the totem pole. But the results combined with STB Nuclear are right up there!

https://chord.co.uk/product-category/ranges/shawline/

The reason I chose Chord power cables, is because they are fitted with connectors that are small enough to plug into the limited space available on the back of the Kii speakers. I didn't have much choice, but I got lucky, because they are excellent regardless of size or price.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

Latest experiments reveal unexpected results.

I finally received my pair of 2.5 metre Chord Shawline power cables. I've been waiting about 6 weeks for them, because the length is non-standard. It was worth the wait. I have to adjust (completely reverse) my statement that cheap power cords with STB wrapping might turn out to be as good as a well designed expensive power cable also with STB. Unfortunaltely that's absolutely not true, as I know now.

Straight out of the box, the Chord Shawline were noticeably better than the fully treated $5 cheap cables. As soon as I put just one thin slice of Nuclear STB on each Shawline, I heard the best sound quality I have ever heard. Before proceeding to cover the entire 2.5 metre length of each cable, I decided to wait and see if the STB leaves a glue residue when removed from the Shawline cable. After 2 hours, I pulled off the tape, easily. Not a trace of glue was left behind. They are perfect cables for use with STB wrap. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to spend about $500 to get super-excellent results with Cable+STB. Obviously they are expensive, but on the scale of expensive cables, they are not very high up the totem pole. But the results combined with STB Nuclear are right up there!

https://chord.co.uk/product-category/ranges/shawline/

The reason I chose Chord power cables, is because they are fitted with connectors that are small enough to plug into the limited space available on the back of the Kii speakers. I didn't have much choice, but I got lucky, because they are excellent regardless of size or price.

That's disappointing in a way. It implies that upgrading your system is still the best way to go. How can you now be sure a Signature, Sarum T or ChordMusic power cord won't sound better than a treated Shawline? Perhaps the same for digital cables.

 

[bosshoss]

That's disappointing in a way. It implies that upgrading your system is still the best way to go. How can you now be sure a Signature, Sarum T or ChordMusic power cord won't sound better than a treated Shawline? Perhaps the same for digital cables.

Yes I was disappointed for that reason. But as you said yourself, would it be any fun if all stereo systems sounded perfect off the shelf? There always has to be something better than what you have, to keep it interesting.

It's still pretty impressive to take a $5 cable and make it sound almost as good as a really good $500 cable, with a few dollars worth of STB tape. Plus, I don't know what a $5 cable would sound like if it was multi-wrapped...two layers...or three..or four....

 

[mr. splendid]

Maybe the connector/plug is one of the reasons the expensive cable sounds better . I always liked your idea of hardwiring the cable to the equipment and the outlet , although I considered the risk to high for my set-up . I'm still intrigued by the Doepke DFS 4F Audio FI switch/breaker that the clean power article mentions . I think having a dedicted line for my audio from the mains box would be really helpful .

 

[bosshoss]

Maybe the connector/plug is one of the reasons the expensive cable sounds better..

That's almost certainly true because with the cheap power cords, I had to use converting adapters on the AC wall plugs to change from UK to Australian standard, because the 3 meter power cords supplied with the Kii speakers have UK connectors. With the Shawline cable, I don't need the adapters. That alone would be more than enough to account for the difference because the adapters were pretty cheap and nasty. But they did provide a nice ledge for placing Strange Matter bricks!

A dedicated line for the stereo would be a great idea - with the Doepke breaker switch if possible!

 

[bosshoss]

That's disappointing in a way. It implies that upgrading your system is still the best way to go. How can you now be sure a Signature, Sarum T or ChordMusic power cord won't sound better than a treated Shawline? Perhaps the same for digital cables.

Another point to make regarding the relative performance of the Shawline compared to cheap+STB cables :
The Shawline started out at a high level, but every slice of STB that I'm adding makes them so much better. I'm wrapping the STB slices on two at a time per cable, then listening.

This photo shows the back of one of the Kii speakers, with the Shawline power cable on the right. Each slice of STB is about 6 inches long when wrapped, then there is a piece of duct tape holding the ends of the slices in place. The other two cables are data cables wrapped with STB. In my estimation, wrapping 2 slices (12 inches) of the Shawline gives the same degree of improvement as initially installing the Shawline.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

Will you be buying a ChordPower for comparison? It would be a tax-deductible expense, of course.

 

[bosshoss]

After spending most of the afternoon making 3 giant sheets of prime 5-layer Nuclear STB, Daniel and I had a most enjoyable evening listening to streamed music vs. Daniel's hi-res soundfiles played directly from the Mac hard drive. Before we started we installed 6 new Nuclear STB bricks in the distribution board (on top of several which were already installed). I'm now for the first time convinced that Spotify's current standard is not adequate, even for systems with a full STB treatment. Or maybe especially with systems with a full STB treatment.

The high resolution of the newly massive Nuclear installation really revealed the shortcomings of Spotify's current low standard, compared to hi-res files. I could hear it before, but I didn't think it was a big deal until last night. I knew the extreme highs were being rolled off, but I had not heard the complete dynamic range (including bass) being compromised, like we heard last night. Thanks to Nuclear STB (and Daniel's hi-res file collection) for laying it bare.

I think Spotify is set to offer a hi-res format sometime before the end of the year. I tried Apple's hi-res system, but their itunes/music software is so bad I could not bear to use it.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

After a very pleasant afternoon and evening manufacturing and trialling STB Nuclear (see above post), I stole away in the dead of night with a fistful of Nuclear STB. I applied nearly all of it this morning to the amplifier power cord, and some minor amounts here and there. I'm now hearing the kind of tonal quality, clarity and airiness, I've only heretofore heard on Mark's (10x costlier) Kii Three speakers.

 

[bosshoss]

Today I cut up the other two giant 5 layer Nuclear STB sheets that Daniel and I made yesterday. I converted them into 10 more Nuclear bricks, and took them down to the distribution board. I placed them inside the main board at the bottom, near to where where I hoped and assumed the mains wiring might be passing (you can't see any wiring because it's covered by a metal faceplate).

The immediate result was a major improvement in focus and overall fidelity. But as the night wore on, this intensified to a ridiculous degree. There is no doubt in my mind that the Nuclear STB requires many hours to activate the mains cleaning process. But when it does, it's stunning.

The path to truly stunning sound is Nuclear STB on all cables (analog and digital), plus massive Nuclear STB in the main distribution board. That's the way to go.

The good news is - the 10 bricks i placed in the distribution board are the ones I will be sending out in the Nuclear packs. They are now tested, and confirmed to be incredible.

 

[mr. splendid]

The high resolution of the newly massive Nuclear installation really revealed the shortcomings of Spotify's current low standard, compared to hi-res files. I could hear it before, but I didn't think it was a big deal until last night. I knew the extreme highs were being rolled off, but I had not heard the complete dynamic range (including bass) being compromised, like we heard last night. Thanks to Nuclear STB (and Daniel's hi-res file collection) for laying it bare.

I think you still have a better high resolution source sitting in the bunker... ;-)
I put a bit more of my STB tape to use two days ago and the P5M tape I stuck underneath the RCA jacks of my pre-amp made a noticeable difference ! I'm really looking forward to the Nuclear .

 

[bosshoss]

My latest tests and hunches indicate that Nuclear STB is diferent to non-Nuclear in the following way :

Non-Nuclear STB (Black, Gold, Platinum, PlatinumGold and Diamond) all contain many more ingredients than Nuclear. Some of these ingredients have the effect of increasing volume. Nuclear does not increase volume. I also think non-Nuclear versions may increase brightness (very slightly). Nuclear does not.

Therefore it may be possible to develop non-Nuclear brick slices which are made for specific purposes, for example to brighten the sound if it is lacking in top end. I will try to find out which specific non-Nuclear ingredients were having the volume and brightness incresaing effects. It might be interesting to have the option.

For example you could take a nuclear brick and add a single slice of Barium titanate, or a slice of crystal, or silicon carbide, or aluminium oxide, or titanium dioxide. This would be possible with the new way I developed to make the bricks without gluing the slices together. Single slices could be added or removed according to taste.

Taste, not flavour...

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

My latest tests and hunches indicate that Nuclear STB is diferent to non-Nuclear in the following way :

Non-Nuclear STB (Black, Gold, Platinum, PlatinumGold and Diamond) all contain many more ingredients than Nuclear. Some of these ingredients have the effect of increasing volume. Nuclear does not increase volume. I also think non-Nuclear versions may increase brightness (very slightly). Nuclear does not.

Therefore it may be possible to develop non-Nuclear brick slices which are made for specific purposes, for example to brighten the sound if it is lacking in top end. I will try to find out which specific non-Nuclear ingredients were having the volume and brightness incresaing effects. It might be interesting to have the option.

For example you could take a nuclear brick and add a single slice of Barium titanate, or a slice of crystal, or silicon carbide, or aluminium oxide, or titanium dioxide. This would be possible with the new way I developed to make the bricks without gluing the slices together. Single slices could be added or removed according to taste.

Taste, not flavour...

Taylor Made to Measure Sound Tailoring?

 

[bosshoss]

Taylor Made to Measure Sound Tailoring?

Possible slogan :
Taylor Made To Measure Sound Tailoring - The perfect fit for those with exceedingly deep pockets.

 

[Frantic]

Possible slogan :
Taylor Made To Measure Sound Tailoring - The perfect fit for those with exceedingly deep pockets.

and what shall we call the shallow pockets version?

 

[bosshoss]

and what shall we call the shallow pockets version?

The Taylor Made To Measure "Bum's Rush" range of choice offcuts and rejects.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

The high resolution of the newly massive Nuclear installation really revealed the shortcomings of Spotify's current low standard, compared to hi-res files. I could hear it before, but I didn't think it was a big deal until last night. I knew the extreme highs were being rolled off, but I had not heard the complete dynamic range (including bass) being compromised, like we heard last night. Thanks to Nuclear STB (and Daniel's hi-res file collection) for laying it bare.

To be fair, you are streaming Spotify, whereas the sound files you are comparing them to are being played through a cable connecting your laptop to the Kii Three. The streamed music will be converted from an electrical (or optical) signal to a wi-fi signal, and then back again by your laptop before being sent down that same cable to the Kii Three. The two extra conversions will undoubtedly account for a percentage of the degradation you're hearing. What that percentage is, is impossible to say, as Spotify is probably compressing its sound files to allow for relatively slow connections speeds as well as for cost saving.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

My latest tests and hunches indicate that Nuclear STB is diferent to non-Nuclear in the following way :

Non-Nuclear STB (Black, Gold, Platinum, PlatinumGold and Diamond) all contain many more ingredients than Nuclear. Some of these ingredients have the effect of increasing volume. Nuclear does not increase volume. I also think non-Nuclear versions may increase brightness (very slightly). Nuclear does not.

Therefore it may be possible to develop non-Nuclear brick slices which are made for specific purposes, for example to brighten the sound if it is lacking in top end. I will try to find out which specific non-Nuclear ingredients were having the volume and brightness incresaing effects. It might be interesting to have the option.

For example you could take a nuclear brick and add a single slice of Barium titanate, or a slice of crystal, or silicon carbide, or aluminium oxide, or titanium dioxide. This would be possible with the new way I developed to make the bricks without gluing the slices together. Single slices could be added or removed according to taste.

Taste, not flavour...

I remember when we were testing different mixes of Tutti Frutti - or it may even have been Pre-tutti Frutti - one night in the bunker, we were noting the differences the various mixtures were having on the sound, and they were varied and complex. There was definitely a mixture which tamed the highs - or a debrightening effect if you will - but all the different mixtures had a slew of effects chosen from a list including lowering of noise floor, increase in dynamics, increase in volume (which I'm sure was always accompanied by an increase in dynamism and perhaps one or two other characteristics), increase in definition, extension in bass, extension of highs, balancing of the sound, improved imaging, larger sound stage, etc.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I find it hard to believe the difference between mineral rich STB and ingredient B rich STB is that simple.

 

[bosshoss]

I have about 20 Nuclear bricks in the distribution box now. It sounds incredible. But when I added 10 more Diamond bricks, I felt the sound quality became noticeably harsh in the upper midrange. It wasn't really bad, but it was obvious. There seemed to be no benefit gained by adding the Diamond bricks when the Nuclear bricks were in place, unfortunately. I removed them, and the incredible sound returned.

However, the Diamond bricks by themselves were excellent. I don't quite understand.