Confessions of a musicoholic/audioholic

Hello, my name is Ron and I’ve been a musicoholic and audioholic as long as I can remember. In an effort to recover, even though I don’t want to (but Terry wants me to and she’s real cute), I must confess that I thought my system sounded just right and I was happy with my AQ power conditioner and further, I thought that regens were silly. But then I bought a P5 and then I plugged it in and I had an epiphany, a revelation, I was surprised even at the improvement in every way. The strike of a piano key, the new sweetness of orchestral brass, the snare and kick drum, vocals are all so much more real. So worth it.

You know you’re going to need a new DSD unit in a month :wink:

Have one. Maybe I need two though…

Thanks, Ron. It’s difficult with mere words to describe the benefits of active regeneration but perhaps you’ve done it as well or better than anyone yet. Thanks.

Which AQ power conditioner had you been using? Their Niagara series seems to be getting good comments.

It’s a 1000. It gave a significant improvement over just a wireworld power strip. But it’s from a different planet compared to the P5.

Did you beta the new P5 DSD? or do you have the older PCM-based unit?

Mine is older. Bought from TMR, new but older.

Step two of my music/audioholic therapy: Yes, I bought a BHK Preamp. I like it. A lot. I was conflicted for a long time because I thought my DSD Sr sounded just fine, but I did it anyway. After 200 hours, it’s real nice—just like all the glorious words you’ve heard or read so many times before on this site or in reviews. I’m trying not to sound like a reviewer or one of those guys who will tell you that a particular fuse will cure that cold sore before your Saturday night date. But I will tell you that I have switched back and forth, with it and without it just to confirm it’s not my imagination and without it sounds fabulous but with it is another thing all together.
So I’m listening to “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery” and the soundstage without it is clearly directional and quite deep.
But a charge card payment that made me swallow real hard and that soundstage is frankly stunning. Wes, Tommy Flanagan and the Heath brothers so distinctly occupy their own space on stage that it’s spooky. All these guys are really here!
I was glad to hear Bascom say that he doesn’t understand completely why it works so well, it just does. Does it ever.

3 Likes

Ron, you do know this place is like extolling the virtues of fine liquor at the top of the 100-floor hotel bar. No one here will help you with your condition, rather we’ll all conspire to make it ‘worse’.

P.S. I went with the P10 to feed my DS and BHK and M700s. I’ve been sick with the SoCal 2018 flu that has killed record numbers in San Diego. I’m 15 days in and believe there is life at the end of the tunnel. I’ve missed listening to music. Ear infections don’t mix well with much sound and household harmony, when you’re both sick.

2 Likes

Oreas… I need lots of Oreas…Feetee things. Please somebody stop me if I start buying things to lift my cables off the floor!

Ron

You can actually do the cable lifting for .48 each.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/4-33-in-x-4-33-in-x-2-83-in-Polypropylene-Rebar-Chairs/4070207

I use Ikea ramekins :slight_smile:

oh terrific. now i need to start worrying about my cable lying on the floor!?!

Yes, cable risers have been available and recommended by some for years. The thinking is that the floor becomes part of the cable’s dielectric, harming the signal. The offerings include ceramic, wood, metal, acrylic, etc.

Need to? Not really, but for some it’s an effective cheap tweak. It’s also an opportunity to be creative: A friend used some of the (about 6" high) glass insulators that used to be on electrical poles. I used to be able to hear the difference at my house, but not so much now. I suspect it’s me that changed more than the carpet :slight_smile:

Thanks folks. This sure is a fun hobby and if one is the curious type, there’s no end to things to be curious about; hence the “musicoholic/audioholicism”…

Right side up or inverted?

Like many other audiophiles, I have been aware of cable lifters for some time, but being a bit dubious of their effect I chose the DIY route. I had lots of oak scraps lying around the garage so I made my own for essentially nothing. The main point of cable lifters is supposed to be static electricity reduction, which can be an issue with a synthetic carpeted floor. I don’t have carpet, just floor tile with some wool rugs over large areas, but thought no harm done. In reading about bi-wiring, however, it is a good idea to keep the separate runs, well, separate. Not sure it makes a difference, but it is one less detail to worry about!

1 Like

Cable lifts do make a difference on synthetic carpet. Two audio friends and I did an initial test using small drinks glasses as cable lifts. We were all shocked at the veil lifted off the music.