I was using the same set up. Matrix/RAL which is a great setup! I could of lived happy with the RAL but the dragon ruined that! Can’t wait to read what you think!
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Didn’t you make a comment earlier that the quality of the HDMI cable seemed less relevant with the May DAC compared to the DSD?
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I believe you’re referring to @Phil. In Phil’s system the May sounds about the same with the WW Platinum S7 or RAL or the Dragon HDMI cables. It’s probably due to how the May optimize their USB drive.
Just a short Episode: I was listening to Raga Malkauns two days ago. A recording from 1968 with Zia Fariduddin (Vocal) and Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (Rudra Veena). We had dinner and I was not sitting in the sweet spot. Suddenly I noticed a controverse conversation. I thought it was outside, on the street. But I was not sure and listened more intensively to the recording. The result was, that there must have been a dispute outside the recording room, which was part of the recording. I never noticed that before. With Dragon 48 it was not accentuated but to be heared in the setting. Well, I never heard that before on that well known record. Unbelievable …
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You’re correct, got the two Phil’s confused.
When your system has the resolution, this Dragon 48 will show it! I am actually rediscovering my music collection right now with this fabulous cable!
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My third day with the Dragon48. It was quite amazing how revealing this cable is, and yet the sound is relaxing and easing.
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The Dragon 48 makes me want to rediscover music I’ve heard hundreds of times! There is more detail in the music and greater separation between instruments.
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I sure hope the AQ Firebird 48 HDMI will do the same for me.
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In a couple of weeks, I am going to put Firebird48 back into the system and do another comparison. No question Firebird48 is a great cable, but Dragon48 is starting to show its power three days in.
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I have the AQ Firebird 48 HDMI on my Jay’s Audio MkIII and love it. It will be interesting to see the comparison between the Firebird and Dragon but I won’t be upgrading.
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I have the Thunderbird 48, and I won’t be upgrading any time soon. I’m thoroughly enjoying my system as is. But no doubt I’ll own the Dragon 48 one day, when they start appearing on the used market, because everyone is chasing the next best thing.
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That might be further away then you think. Tho like me and two others you might benefit from someone who needed longer Dragon 48’s and sold the shorter ones!
Just behind the hdmi-plug of the Dragon 48 (on the side for plug-in into the PST for instance), there is this 72V DBS box mounted with two strips on the top of the cable, connected with the hdmi-plug by a thin cable. I really, really recommend to separate the box from the (main) cable. For instance lay it down on the rack or somewhere else. The sound is getting much more ease and is losing any limitedness or thinness…
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Very interesting. I will have to give that a try. Tho with time the harshness on mine is gone and all I have is sonic bliss! I know if I try a different I2S I’ll be completely ruined and feel like something major was lost in MY system now.
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As I mentioned, I started listening last Wednesday by separating the box before starting the listening sessions with Dragon 48 with very, very good results. On Thursday then I researched at AQ-Website and “everywhere” else, what to do with that box. In every Picture I found, it was always part of the main cable, just joined by these 2 strips. I installed the strips again, so box and main-cable hang there joined together behind my PST. And I was getting more and more disappointed by the sound. Finally I compared it again with my Nordost Valhalla 2 HDMI on Sunday, yesterday. Dragon’s Sound was comparatively thin, a little harsh and narrowed. Disappointing; hmm. I removed the box from the main cable (but not disconnecting the special cable between box and HDMI-Plug[!]) this morning by laying down the box on a shelf of my rack. And it was there again: Super fluently in sound with great separation of instruments. Great Colour of tone. Very good to follow. Just tasty and mellow but with this kind of perfection and ease in full resolution with much air. Great …
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I listened to a Pod Cast yesterday with Garth Powell. He said he added RFI dissipating circuits to Bill Lowes DBS designs so it is more than just an insulation dielectric tool. Perhaps you are hearing that?
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Honestly, I’m not sure. But with the box on back of the cable, Dragon is not realising the sound quality, it is able to reproduce …
@paul172 I would be interested in your opinion after checking the different setup. Thanks in advance, Frank
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