(Cheap) Mains Conditioner

[DSJR]

Cable talk used 42 reasonable strands per conductor (can't remember the gauge) in their dumbell wires (same as Linn K20 and Naim A4). The difference between 3.1 and 4.1 is the insulation material, the cream coloured 4.1/E4 insulation supposedly not reactive chemically with the copper as some insulations can be apparently. Using popular priced speakers such as yours, the QED SA made louder bits quieter and quiet bits louder, as well as limiting bass definition for some reason. being a thin cable is what sold this stuff and the godawful QED Micro, which many Sevenoaks branches sold as their standard speaker cable for all applications, despite it harking back to the bell-wire days I thought gone forever.

I'd try to stay with decent gauge "decent" copper wire. the thicker the high-quality cables, the less "splatter" one seems to hear - a reason no-doubt why marco uses VDH "The Wind" cables (I'd love to know the donor wires for this latter cable - I bet it's really inexpensive...).

[Alex_UK]

It is Talk 4 (not 4.1, so must be quite old) - but remembered why I didn't use them now - too short for the current arrangement. And they are doing fine in the 2nd/3rd system between the Audiolab and Kefs anyway, so will just get some new I think. Presume the current wisdom still to keep each side the same length, even if you don't need it on one side? Thanks for your help Dave.

[DSJR]

Keeping the same length is important if the amp has a poor damping factor or mild instability where the cable is used as part of the ususl output inductor, as the total resistance as seen by the amp could be an issue. In practice, I found that lengths such as 3m and 5m, or 5m and 8m of low resistance cable made no audible difference at all and far superior to having tons of excess coiled or tied up behind the closest speaker...

[Alex_UK]

Maybe I ought to start a new thread, but as I can't upset the originator (that was me!) I'll stick with it here. Well, I duly ordered the Mark Grant speaker cable - extremely reasonable at only £2.50 p.m. Belden-5000UP-White - and despite ordering late yesterday afternoon, it was here at 9.30 this morning - what service!

Great to work with, the insulation is soft and pliable and easy to strip. Knocked up a couple of pairs of jumper cables first, then swapped over the bananas from the old cables. Installed them, but that's really where the fun stops, as I've got a house full this weekend - managed to grab a bit of a listen, and the system has been on in the backround, and all sounds good so far, but I need to sit down and have a proper listen.

I presume speaker cables need a burn in? I'll stick the TV through them tonight to help speed up the process, then a proper chance to report on the changes (hopefully, improvements, but of course that's not a given, is it?...) as soon as I can.

[DSJR]

I doubt the Belden stuff will need a burn-in, but your senses will need to aclimatise to the different appearance of the cables...

[Alex_UK]

Well, the cables have been doing their "duty" for the past couple of days, with a bit of background music mainly, but tonight I've had my first chance to listen "properly" - volume limitations with an 11 month old upstairs obviously being a consideration. And the first thing I can report with the Mark Grant speaker cable is an increase in overall volume - normal late night listening has been fine at 15 on the Creek amp, but 13 seems about right now - would this really be down to the cables? Must be - it's the only thing that has changed...

So, tomorrow, maybe a little louder, but so far, trying some female vocals (Regina Spektor, A Fine Frenzy (Alison Sudol), Tori Amos) the main thing I have noticed is an improvement in sibilance - particularly on the vocal - but the most obvious change is piano (on these recordings) - I can't describe it as anything other than "more life-like" - It's been a long while since I played a real piano (badly) myself, but I can still tell that what I am hearing sounds more like a real one - though they are probably synthesized of course! Too early (and conversley too late, too) to make a real conclusion, but even to a cloth ears like me on a late night audition I think I need to say thanks to DSJR Dave for the tip.

So, next question is, would you recommend a change in any other cables, sticking with CD for the moment as that is 90% of my listening - one of Mike Homar's digi coax jobbies is in flight, to connect the CD player to the Caiman. The Caiman to amp is taken care of with a pair of Silver High Breed ICs (These) which were cheapish, yet appear to get the job done - any other suggestions to replace them, or are they ok?

[aBe]

Well, I had the Tacima in place for my system too.
I do agree with Jason, the Tacima might have helped in reducing the noise floor (and 'darkened' the background in the process). Overall it makes everything sounds better compared to el-cheapo multi gang extension unit.

But, the most drastic improvement came through recently when I plugged in the Tacima onto an AVR <600VA>, and drawn the power for all the SMPS sources; including Standac via the Tacima.

The result was just breathtaking!
The background had turned to 'black' rather than just 'dark'.
The soundstage expanded. The musical timing relaxed its pace.
Everything was just easier to follow..

However do note that my Creek amp did not go well with the new setup, (too tardy sounding and recessed top end) it sounds better with the juice extracted directly from the mains wall outlet though.

[Alex_UK]

Hi aBe - what model amp do you have - I have a Creek too, but not tried it unfiltered yet... Now doing it!

[Shanedudddy2]

Ordered the Tacima one just then...will post how it goes here and at work..where I HOPE it fixes the shitty sound which i believe is caused from bad power source at the office in the city.

[Alex_UK]

As Neil suggested in the other thread (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2400) and born out by aBe above, I moved the amp from the Tacima conditioner last night (it had always been plugged into it since purchase) into unfiltered (but still surge protected) mains - difficult to be sure (because for the first time in ages I have the house to myself, and the volume has therefore gone up...) but it is sounding much more open, particularly the treble which also sounds less metallic, I think. Will try swapping back and a/b the same album to see for sure, but at the moment would concurr that the amp is best left unfiltered.