Multiwave!
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I have unplugged my entire system and I tried taking out my Hydra 6 which isolates my digital and it doesn’t work. I had to put back the Hydra 6 and it is connected to my Keces IQRP 3600 with my transport and streamer connected to it. My dac is connected in line with the Hydra both being on the same circuit which is isolated My XP-32 preamp is on the Keces in its own isolated receptacle and my x250.8 amp and Silver Fox headphone amp are on the isolated 3000w zone. The sound is OK. I did unplug everything and try different configurations. Next week I’ll be installing a RAL Precept to my Keces from the wall and I will be putting a 12 awg Precept 2 with Furutech FI-50 NCF connectors on my amp, preamp and dac. I expect that the sound will be a little harsh for a while until the cables burn in. I will use my Neotech NEP-3200 on my Hydra 6, transport and streamer and headphone amp. I will be leaving my tuner out of the system for a while to see if it was the problem that I have had with my ac.
So are you running the DAC through two different line conditioners at the same time?
No. I am running the dac off my big Keces IQRP 3600 only. The streamer and transport are on my Hydra 6 which is connected to the Keces. I have isolated the digital to an isolated power zone on the Keces.
Maybe you should try running the DAC into the Hydra with the Hydra connected straight to the wall. It seems to me that since you are the only one who is having your particular problem that it is due to your power distribution scheme. Take some strain off of the Keces and see if that helps.
I have tried the dac to the Hydra and it sounds bad. I could try the Hydra to the wall I suppose.
Well you’ve tried upgrading and changing IC, SC and PC’s and known of those have resolved your perceived issue which leaves you with a conditioner issue. The common denominator after all of your changes is that you are plugging the two DS DACs into the Keces. It would appear to me that the DS DACs don’t like the Keces for whatever reason and I have run into that issue before with certain gear into a particular conditioner.
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Should I plug the dac directly to the wall? I have 2 free dedicated lines and I have a Hydra 2 I can use but I don’t think the Hydra 2 does much.
I have removed the tuner I was using from the system and the sound is much quieter
I would try all of the available options. Whether or not the numbers from the Keces specs say so you may be overloading it or just that the DACs don’t like it. So try the Hydra combinations and also straight into the wall. Not surprised that removing the tuner helped with noise as that was an issue you’ve mentioned in the past. If the Keces is a version of a balanced power transformer some gear just doesn’t like that power scheme. I owned one of the big Equi-Core’s which is a similar concept and found gear that just didn’t work well with it.
I tried the dac into the Hydra and it didn’t work. The system sounds nice with the dac directly on the Keces. The sound is nice for a couple of days and then gets harsh. Next week I’ll be getting new RAL cables for the Keces, amp. preamp and dac. Removing the Neotech NEP-3001 mk3 cables has seemed to help.
I’m getting some good sound. I removed 2 Hifi Tuning Noise Destroyers from the mix which improved the sound almost immediately. Not having the tuner in the mix has reduced a lot of noise. If the dac doesn’t require a reboot often then I’ve solved the problem. I suppose the Keces could be the culprit but I can’t afford another conditioner. I suppose I could try the dac alone straight to the wall. I will wait and see if the dac holds out.
What is working for me is the Dac directly to the wall which is an isolated dedicated line. I may try my Hydra 2 before the Dac. The Mk1 and the Mk2 don’t like the big Keces.
Try putting a Gryphon PowerZone in front of your gear. Your mind will melt. I guarantee it.
I have two of them now. I’m a believer.
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A Powerzone is beyond my means at the moment. I was able to trade a few cables and a Mk2 for a Mk1 which should be fun but I am nowhere near buying any new gear. I have an old Hydra 2 and a spare 20 amp Neotech 3001 Mk3 (Audio Art Cable Statement E2plus) which I can put before the RAL Precept 2 cable I am getting for my Mk2 dac. The Precept 2 cable might be nice. I am taking a gamble but I have had good luck with RAL cables though out my system. An obvious upgrade over the Audio Art Statement cables I was using and they were decent.
I thought you went full loom RAL.
I did or at least will be full loom when I receive the RAL Precept and 3 RAL Precept 2 power cables. I will have all RAL cables except for the Neotech 3200’s on my headphone amp, Hydra 6, transport, streamer and tuner. All my digital, XLR signal cables, XP-32 preamp umbilical cables and speaker cables are all RAL. They are nice cables but I expect my first 4 power cables tomorrow.
I stumbled upon this thread as I, too, have experience with both the DirectStream MK1 and MK2 DACs. I started with the stock MK1 many years ago. I had the MK1 upgraded with XS4400 transformers and an external power supply. It was a little better sounding; however, not much. Later on, I sent the MK1 DAC to APS Audio Transformers, where they did their first version mods: R1 transformers and the standard VOCM mod. This made a big improvement and satisfied me for a good long time until I decided to trade it in for the MK2. In stock form, it was not much better than my MK1, if at all. I sent it to APS to have them do their new mod with the R2 transformers, fix the flaws, and do the new copper and silver power inlet. It did sound a little better than the APS MK1. Later, I decided to try the new APS Limited Edition MK1 when they had it on special. WOW… This thing is magic. It has the sound I liked from my first MK1, only much, much better. I ended up selling the modded MK2 and could not be happier. With the MK2, I had to constantly reboot it whenever there was any kind of power glitch, and sometimes when it just sounded flat. With the APS Limited Edition, I have never had to reboot it, and it always sounds incredible. One of the best gear purchases I have made. One of my buddies has a dCS Bartók and told me there is no way my DirectStream DAC could keep up with it so I brought it over to him to compare. Well, was he ever surprised. He decided to purchase an APS Limited Edition and sell his Bartók.
My $.02.
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I never had an MK1, I jumped straight from a Panasonic 4k blu ray disc player to an MU2. It cost a lot of money, which led to spending even more money on additional upgrades. I still haven’t recovered.
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That is not a bad move at all, I wasted three streamers before upgrading to MU2. One of them is still unboxed at my daughter’s home. That was $4k wasted.
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