I'll be interested in your thoughts once you have put some listening hours in Mark.
I'll be interested in your thoughts once you have put some listening hours in Mark.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.
I've bought the smaller 2kW BMU from Airlink, and it seems to be doing pretty much what Mark has reported. Imagine your system on a really 'good day' - that's what it does here. Initially it made the system sound 'sluggish' but after a few hours that seems to have given way to a lovely, organic and realistic sound. For £270 + VAT it's a bargain, being not only relatively cheap, but beautifully built and finished (the photos on Airlink's website don't do the finish justice).
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Mine is very neatly built but pretty industrial - I knew what I was getting though.
I’ve had a bit more of a listen and the effect on some recordings is really profound. I’ve just listened to the recent rerelease of Dead Can Dance’s live album ‘Toward The Within’ and the sense of focus, tonal density and texture is quite stunning! an amazing sense of focus.
Last edited by YNWaN; 04-10-2017 at 20:02.
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That's pretty much what I'm experiencing. Extra bass depth is the most immediate impression, but as you say tones and textures are also so much better reproduced, along with acoustic cues from the recording venue. The BMU brings a beauty to the sound of my system that otherwise only exists at certain optimum times of the day or night. I'm struggling to find any negatives - that initial perception of 'sluggishness' is not borne out by extended listening.
That 3 o'clock in the morning sound every hour of the day.
An essential part of my systems 'infrastructure' and the best thing I've done with it in years.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
I wonder what/if there's any difference between the standard and conditioning units.Have to agree with previous post's ref SQ improvements.
Analogue. Basis signature 2200,Basis Vector 4.Koetsu Red,Koetsu SUT,NVO SPA 11.
Digital. Denon 2900,Jolida FX 11
Amp. Pathos Logos,Minidsp dirac 22A.
Speakers. Amphion Xenon.
Airlink CBS 2000 bps
I’ve always found that inline mains ‘filtering’ such as in the conditioning units always imposes a penalty in terms of dynamics and musical flow. So, I’d hazard that the difference between conditioning and standard Airlink BMUs is firstly unnecessarily increased cost, and secondly relatively anodyne (but maybe superficially ‘sweeter’) sound presentation. Just my experience and opinion, of course.
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As above, I too have yet to hear any kind of mains filtering/ conditioning that doesn’t reduce the dynamic ‘swing’ of the music.
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Inside picture of mine,can't tell if anything has been added.
Analogue. Basis signature 2200,Basis Vector 4.Koetsu Red,Koetsu SUT,NVO SPA 11.
Digital. Denon 2900,Jolida FX 11
Amp. Pathos Logos,Minidsp dirac 22A.
Speakers. Amphion Xenon.
Airlink CBS 2000 bps