An amp that actually did this was an EMI 1515, was a bit of a budget thing.
Location: Middlesex, UK
Posts: 4,481
I'm Alex.
An amp that actually did this was an EMI 1515, was a bit of a budget thing.
Spendorman
Ben Duncan mains conditioner
2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
Atacama SE24 stands
If you mean nothing of quality can be added, then I would agree with you. But a speaker cable can under some, admittedly extreme circumstances, add demodulated RF interference to the musical signal. This is an error of commission, as distinct from an error of omission.
Barry
All equipment can do is bring out what’s on the recording and mastering, to a greater or lesser degree.
“If it ain’t on the page it ain’t on the stage”
I think a lot of it comes down to noise introduced by kit taking you further from what’s in the recording?
If good soundstage or any other Hifi metric is there in the first place, the lower the noise and more transparent the equipment is, the closer you get.
Reduce the noise and added mush, and the good stuff will come out easier.
Of course it’s complicated by the fact it’s all subjective; some people may prefer a particular sound, which may not be close to what is in the recording, but no matter the kit all you can do is get closer to the original sound, but never replicate it.
So why worry, just enjoy what you enjoy and what you have.
Want better, go for it, but don’t expect perfection cos it ain’t there.
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
What noise? I don’t have any noise on any of my preamps or amps.
Okay, one of my most transparent preamplifiers with valves has some audible hiss. But it has a great soundstage.
Just don’t believe everything you read.
And my best tuner also has some residual hiss by the way.
If it's broke fix it.
Interesting point you make about noise Gary. I dont notice it as a problem, in fact my system is very quiet but I do use powerline adapters. I know these are shunned by the hifi fraternity but its the only solution for me. Perhaps I should experiment with equipment that reduces mush even though I cant hear any.
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.
The noise you DONT hear,
but stops your kit performing better.
Think of electronic design engineers with a bit of kit hooked up to a ‘Scope.
My take is that it’s all about reducing the factors that take away from that original recorded signal.
Every piece of Hifi equipment does it, the “better” (not necessarily more expensive) does it less.
@Jaques,
I wasn’t implying your amps are noisy.
Mines aren’t either.
What is it your suggesting I’ve read by the way?
Subsonic (can only be measured with a scope) kinds of noise....
the ear doesn’t pick it up as a “thing”, but if it’s there it makes “less good” Hifi equipment not do what the better stuff does to make you enjoy your favourite music.
Any reduction in the mush that gets in the way of what’s encoded on the CD is a step toward better enjoyment of your favourite music.
Last edited by Gazjam; 19-09-2020 at 11:18.
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
Any intermodulation distortion (IMD) creates a low level mush that interferes with the transparency of the ultimate sound.
You don't hear the IMD but it covers up micro detail that gives the open feel to the soundstage.
We aren't talking much to make the best performing systems worse.
I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Yep, IMD kills everything because unlike THD it's not correlated to the signal. It's just random crap. But if you have THD you will have IMD.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.
Most householders are too tight to pay for someone to properly install ethernet cables, and cry when told how much it's going to cost.
As with telephone extensions, they're happier to run some shit in themselves, and balls up the connections.
Which is why I don't do domestics
The powerline things work by modulating RFI over the mains, and it's well above human hearing.
Your average valve can see it, as can your average transistor.
If you want to suppress RFI try sticking ferrite clamps everywhere except on your powerline adapters.
What I said about domestics isn't isn't quite true - I occasionally do domestics, and have some very satisfied customers.
They got a first class job, and were happy to pay for it.
They are the exception, rather than the norm.
Chris
Common sense isn't anymore!