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Thread: Small steps

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Aughton, Ormskirk

    Posts: 2,848
    I'm Jerry.

    Default Small steps

    In the last month or two, I have has the supercap upgrade to my Caimen SEG, replaced the battery supply with a 15v linear one and changed the valve in my Croft power amp to Harma ECC83. All small improvements but collectively adding up to a very pleasant overall improvement. Spent about £100.
    Anyone else had a similar experience with small changes to their system?
    Jerry
    Hifi: IPL transmission line floorstanding speakers, Squeezebox Touch, Denafrips Ares 11 DAC, DCB1 Pre-amplifier, Croft Series 7 power amp.
    Custom Hifi cables HA10SE headphone amplifier and Hifiman HE-400 headphones.
    AV system: LG 55B7, Denon AVR -x2300w receiver, Quad 12L (front) 11c Centre and 11L rear . Velodyne DD15 subwoofer.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Absolutely Jerry,

    Remember back in the day getting together with our old mucker DaveK on cap upgrades, case damping and other small stuff that in combination really lifted the performance of Stans earlier Dacs?

    Cheap as chips, good fun and really brought good upgrades to the sound.
    Absolutely witth doing, next up for me is fitting better binding posts to my speakers.
    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

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: Surrey

    Posts: 4,162
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    I often find twiddling about, say supports under kit, mains socket, can have a larger effect than a kit upgrade.

    'Course the system was already good. So maybe the twiddles built on that for you and me
    TAD CD / DAC / Pre, Technics 1210, MCRU PSU, Mike New Bearing & Platter, Stillpoints LP1 weight, Speedy Steve Ebony armboard, Fidelity Research FR64FX arm, Ortofon SPU. Aurorasound VIDA Phono Pre Amp, TAD Power Amp, TAD E1 speakers. Coherent RTZ 3 Grounding box, Coherent grounding cables, Creaktiv racks. Coherent Mains Cables. SR Blue Fuse. Interconnects : Coherent and Yannis 223.5 Connect Litz. Coherent speaker cable. Audio Magic Transcendence Conditioner. Coherent mains socket. Mains Filters : , PS Audio Harvesters, Russ Andrews Purifiers, Tacima, Vertex. Black Ravioli and RDC supports. Electric Beach S1NX platforms for TAD CD and Technics. Ferrite chokes everywhere except the above. Ears, brain

    Mike

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Aughton, Ormskirk

    Posts: 2,848
    I'm Jerry.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gazjam View Post
    Absolutely Jerry,

    Remember back in the day getting together with our old mucker DaveK on cap upgrades, case damping and other small stuff that in combination really lifted the performance of Stans earlier Dacs?

    Cheap as chips, good fun and really brought good upgrades to the sound.
    Absolutely witth doing, next up for me is fitting better binding posts to my speakers.
    Yea, miss ol' Dave. He always confessed he knew nothing about hi fi but he soaked up lots of info on this site and others. Still got my Touch that we got cheaply on a group buy.
    As you say, good fun.
    Jerry
    Hifi: IPL transmission line floorstanding speakers, Squeezebox Touch, Denafrips Ares 11 DAC, DCB1 Pre-amplifier, Croft Series 7 power amp.
    Custom Hifi cables HA10SE headphone amplifier and Hifiman HE-400 headphones.
    AV system: LG 55B7, Denon AVR -x2300w receiver, Quad 12L (front) 11c Centre and 11L rear . Velodyne DD15 subwoofer.

  5. #5
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Surrey

    Posts: 7,103
    I'm Rob.

    Default

    Yes, small steps are the order of the day as we get older! (I think you might have had another birthday recently?) I just love tinkering and making stuff with cheap boards off ebay. If they actually work - Great, if they sound any good - even better. You could spend more in Pizza Express on a meal for two with drinks and you have nothing to show for it....or listen to.
    Buy Bose...And get your parking validated!.

    https://youtu.be/ZCBe7-6rw4M

    No Highs...No Lows....It Must Be Bose!

  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Aughton, Ormskirk

    Posts: 2,848
    I'm Jerry.

    Default

    Hi Rob,
    Glad to see you are still messing around with the soldering iron. It doesn't have to be an expensive hobby if you are careful. Don't mention birthdays, getting close to retirement and the thought makes me nervous!
    Jerry
    Hifi: IPL transmission line floorstanding speakers, Squeezebox Touch, Denafrips Ares 11 DAC, DCB1 Pre-amplifier, Croft Series 7 power amp.
    Custom Hifi cables HA10SE headphone amplifier and Hifiman HE-400 headphones.
    AV system: LG 55B7, Denon AVR -x2300w receiver, Quad 12L (front) 11c Centre and 11L rear . Velodyne DD15 subwoofer.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

    Default

    I added an AQVOX USB power supply to my Halide Bridge USB to SPDIF converter, which cost me under £100. It interrupts my laptop's USB power and feeds my converter with a dedicated supply. This was a nice welcome upgrade, could have spent a lot more & got a lot less...
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

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