PDA

View Full Version : Struck by jumpers!



CentraL
14-12-2011, 11:39
My system is described in the signature, so I’ll go straight to the “issue” at hand.

The time came to replace the metal jumpers joining the speaker posts, and I picked some handsome cable jumpers made out of VDH D352 speaker cable (http://www.vandenhul.com/p_C08.aspx) and installed them carefully.

The end result gave me some good and some bad news. Let us start with the good:

It is very clear that the metal jumpers were horrid to say the least. They obscured almost everything and added a “clingy” taste to the end sound. Now that they’re gone this could not be any clearer.

Bad news:

The tonality of the sound (I won’t say of the speakers – it may not be fair) shifted tremendously to the brighter – thinner end. While I really admire all that detail I have been missing for so long, I feel these are new speakers altogether.
Highs are more pronounced they tend to dominate the sound. Mids are still present but “colder” maybe more “real” and less colored now. The low end has recessed. I now realize there was a boominess before but the bass feels less now.

Overall the volume has increased. I tend to listen a lot in the evening when kids fall asleep. At that level I used to set the preamp the volume is now louder and I have to drop it.

I really can’t say whether this has been for the better or not. It looks like it’s towards the right direction in a wrong way if that makes any sense.

My understanding was that the jumper may not affect severely the overall system sound. Or can they?

Comments and proposals are very welcome…

icehockeyboy
15-12-2011, 16:14
I can only relay to you my findings that I have experienced in such a case, and that is that the only difference I have noticed is a better, sweeter top end, not hearing any difference to other frequencies, well I don't believe I did!

If you are one of the believers of "cable burn in", maybe if your jumpers were brand new, then giving them some time with music playing might change the sound.

On the other hand, you may just get used to them.......... :)

brian2957
15-12-2011, 16:30
I tend to agree with Craig . I would give these new cables 50 to 100 hours of use before making a decision . In my own experience this has proved to be the case so many times .

CentraL
16-12-2011, 09:18
I guess you're both absolutely right!

I think I' m already starting to accept them... or they are getting better... which is the same really.

The overall sound is much more revealing with the jumpers in place.

But I guess that what really happens is that as soon as the brain perceives the change it focuses on it trying to comprehend the new situation. The more time passes, the more it tends to process the whole picture again. So, slowly the mids and the low end return, until the new situation is wholly accepted and perceived as one entity.

At that point I guess it's quite safe to draw conclusions.

icehockeyboy
16-12-2011, 11:26
I guess you're both absolutely right!

I think I' m already starting to accept them... or they are getting better... which is the same really.

The overall sound is much more revealing with the jumpers in place.

But I guess that what really happens is that as soon as the brain perceives the change it focuses on it trying to comprehend the new situation. The more time passes, the more it tends to process the whole picture again. So, slowly the mids and the low end return, until the new situation is wholly accepted and perceived as one entity.

At that point I guess it's quite safe to draw conclusions.

I have an open mind as to whether burn in exists, but, I believe your thoughts on the whole process makes an awful lot of sense! :)

Alex_UK
16-12-2011, 13:18
As ever, I don't think it is that cut and dried with audio - it is probably a little bit of both! ;)

keiths
16-12-2011, 13:46
As ever, I don't think it is that cut and dried with audio - it is probably a little bit of both! ;)

I used to be a burn-in sceptic, but after I did the passive mod to my Caiman using ClarityCaps, I found that the highs were a bit harsher than before, so I fed it music 24 hours a day for about 10 days and didn't listen to it at all in that time (no hardship as I'd just finished my Lenco project). When I came to listen again to the Caiman, all traces of the treble harshness had gone - which couldn't be due to me getting used to it as I'd not listened to it at all during the burn-in period.

Alex_UK
16-12-2011, 14:34
I used to be a burn-in sceptic, but after I did the passive mod to my Caiman using ClarityCaps, I found that the highs were a bit harsher than before, so I fed it music 24 hours a day for about 10 days and didn't listen to it at all in that time (no hardship as I'd just finished my Lenco project). When I came to listen again to the Caiman, all traces of the treble harshness had gone - which couldn't be due to me getting used to it as I'd not listened to it at all during the burn-in period.

I think caps and component burn-in are definitely audible, Keith - I was referring really to the tiny bits of cable under discussion - but IMHO/E - I'm not convinced cables "burn in" to the same extent as components - but probably best if we don't start another circular argument on that one! ;)

Marco
16-12-2011, 15:48
I rather liked these...


http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6646/homeoffermainchristmasj.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/190/homeoffermainchristmasj.png/)


Wot - wrong thread? :confused:

Marco.

brian2957
16-12-2011, 16:34
I guess you're both absolutely right!

I think I' m already starting to accept them... or they are getting better... which is the same really.

The overall sound is much more revealing with the jumpers in place.

But I guess that what really happens is that as soon as the brain perceives the change it focuses on it trying to comprehend the new situation. The more time passes, the more it tends to process the whole picture again. So, slowly the mids and the low end return, until the new situation is wholly accepted and perceived as one entity.

At that point I guess it's quite safe to draw conclusions.

I've learned over the years that to judge any audio cable over a very short period of time can lead to some very expensive mistakes.

CentraL
19-12-2011, 09:22
I've learned over the years that to judge any audio cable over a very short period of time can lead to some very expensive mistakes.

I could not agree more!!!

Nowdays, I tend to jump into conclusions after the change has been in place for a month or even more...

In this case the change was so very striking though!

What I did was to listen to the thing several hours more over the last few days. There is no real change noticed, at least I can't notice any.

I get the feeling however that the new situation is more "correct".

I listened to several recordings old and new.

Bad recordings sound... bad. They used to sound acceptable before.

Nice recordings glow! 50 words for snow by Kate Bush is astonishing. I get shivers with those sensual baritone vocals on the first track. The piano is oh-so alive. Every nuance is experienced and the "space" - simulated mostly - is huge.

One further thing I did was to read extensive reviews of the d352 hybrid cable. Every word I've read is depicted in the sound I'm getting myself. Most of these pieces refer to the cable's ability to reveal detail to portray space in recordings, to bring vocals forward. I have to admit I agree with every word. Impressive!

brian2957
19-12-2011, 09:33
Hi Lefteris , I have recently installed a Musical Fidelity V-Link and am

experiencing the same situation . Some of my previously listenable

recordings are now difficult to listen to . Shame , as some of them contain

some very good tracks . I will persevere with the V-Link though as it has

only been installed for a few days. Glad you're getting some positive results.

Have a merry Christmas.

Brian.

CentraL
19-12-2011, 09:54
Hi Lefteris , I have recently installed a Musical Fidelity V-Link and am

experiencing the same situation . Some of my previously listenable

recordings are now difficult to listen to . Shame , as some of them contain

some very good tracks . I will persevere with the V-Link though as it has

only been installed for a few days. Glad you're getting some positive results.

Have a merry Christmas.

Brian.

Merry Christmas to you too Brian!!!

I guess it comes down to "win some lose some".

I like detail and feel prepared to let go of poor recordings if that means enjoying the better ones more...

But that's just me!

brian2957
19-12-2011, 10:31
Me too buddy.

wee tee cee
19-12-2011, 15:13
Hi Lefteris , I have recently installed a Musical Fidelity V-Link and am

experiencing the same situation . Some of my previously listenable

recordings are now difficult to listen to . Shame , as some of them contain

some very good tracks . I will persevere with the V-Link though as it has

only been installed for a few days. Glad you're getting some positive results.

Have a merry Christmas.

Brian.Brian,
I run a v link and found it smoothed out my sound. What interconnect are you using to the dac.....optical or spdif. A good interconnect can make quite a difference.
Tony.

brian2957
19-12-2011, 15:40
Hi Tony , I'm using a Mark Grant g1000hd coaxial cable . It was one of a set of

interconnects which I had spare . Any recommendations gratefully accepted.

Thanks

Brian.

wee tee cee
20-12-2011, 09:23
Brian,
A few of us on here use the mark grant trico/wtb combo. Its expensive but worth it. Let me know if you fancy hearing it in your set up.
Tony.

brian2957
20-12-2011, 11:39
I thought that's where you might be going Tony . Yes I would like to hear this

cable in my system , I know that cables can make a big difference :)

Brian.