What you’re hearing (my somewhat educated guess) is caused by the result of reflections in the clock interface. You’re hearing the result of an improper interface and you happen to prefer it. Not saying you shouldn’t or should, but this is one example of many in how stuff that is technically wrong sometimes gets picked as better in audiophilia. It’s okay for folks to make whatever choices they like.
Very interesting! I noticed there are many more 75-ohm audiophile BNC cables out there than 50-ohm cables. Monosaudio silver BNC cable also has a arrow pointing the direction of cable, so I guess direction does matter in clock cables too.
SW-10 takes both 50 and 75 ohm cables, so I will keep the Monosaudio BNC in since it sounds quite a bit better than LHY BNC.
I am almost done with all the Qobuz Christmas playlist. Tomorrow SW-6 will have around 100 hours, and I will listen more closely on the difference with and without it in the streaming chain.
A more even handed test, if you’re using the 50 Ohm clock interface and a clock with a proper 50 Ohm output, would be to get two properly terminated 50 Ohm cables - one copper, one silver. If the the source and load are matched properly, I suspect you’ll find very little difference.
A quick search online found some expensive clock cables, and they are all 75 ohm. 50 ohm cable is mostly used for video I think, and I didn’t find any with silver conductor. I’ll ask Beatechnik to see if 75 ohm cable should be used.
If the ‘6 and ‘10 are built with 50 Ohm interfaces, using a 75 Ohm cable would be electrically non-ideal, putting it mildly. If someone with the potential to sell you something says otherwise… I’ll withhold any comment.
I am just going to listen to some music and let you guys work this out.
Weng Fai from Beatechnik returned my email, and he said I should stick with a 50-ohm BNC cable. He said although the audiophile BNC cable will make a difference, a good 50-ohm BNC cable designed for audio will do.
I will put back the LHY 50-ohm BNC cable tomorrow, and hopefully I will hear less a difference.
Al, it worked out already, and 50-ohm wins.
It’s nice to hear that Beatechnik demonstrated engineering integrity.
BNC cables are not that hard to make, really. If you should ever find 50 Ohm coaxial cable with a solid silver center conductor, you could make one yourself. Use Amphenol connectors, preferably crimp style. Buy the crimping tool and you’re good to go.
Let us know if you think adding an additional SW-6 made a significant difference. Are you using fiber optic connection between the SW-10 AND SW-6? I was a bit surprised when you said the soundstage collapsed when you removed the BNC cable. Even with SW-6 alone in my system, the soundstage and imaging are so deep and focussed, so it’s hard to imagine what the collapsed SS would sound like. Looking forward to hearing your report after the proper burn-in.
“Collapsed” is just a dramatic term (and wrong one) to see if anyone is paying attention.
Of course, the soundstage was still great, there was just something missing and I was not sure how to describe it correctly.
I formed an opinion on SW-6 late last night, but I want to listen to some more and may post this afternoon. I will try not to use too many exciting words to create an uproar.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I used to have fiber optic link between Lumin U2 and SW-10. With SW-6 in the chain I have moved the FO link to between the two switches, and I moved the Omega ethernet from the satellite side to just before U2. This gave me the better sound quality.
For the past few days, I have been playing nothing but Christmas playlists from Qobuz. Even though I didn’t pay attention to the sound quality, there has been improvement over time even with casual listening. Today is the first time I can listen to my system in the sweet spot, and the streaming sound has never sounded better after LHY SW-6 is added (100+ hr. break in currently). I use AQ Dragon Source PC for Lumin U2, and two modified AliExpress Odin PC with Furutech 50NCF plugs for the two switches (they beat all my power cords in $1k range by the way). I use Clear Crystal Magnum Opus II PC for PST (I like it better than AQ Dragon S here).
Instead of using the same terms that I have used for my last ten upgrades and tweaks, I will cut down to the bottom line. I will compare the streaming chain to PST; both feed into DS MK2 (with APS upgrade). PST uses AQ Dragon48 connecting to I2S 2 input, and Lumin U2 uses Shunyata Omega USB to MK2 USB input (I had an earlier post listed my setup in more detail). I used hi-resolution Qobuz music in comparison to the same music that I downloaded and burned into DVD discs, so the sources are the same.
The two comments below are how I feel with the improvements with SW-6 in the chain. The first is where streaming is superior to PST, and the 2nd is where PST is still ahead (barely). But I want to stress that I have to listen to the two back and forth a few times to reach the conclusion below. They are that close:
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The flow of the music is more liquid, more relaxed, and more defined. The background is also blacker than that of PST. There is not a hint of digital glare anymore. As a result, I can listen to streaming louder than from PST. When I turned the volume up on PST at the same level as streaming, the music became too edgy and harsh (I know, it is a relative term).
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I always felt that PST playing SACD/CDs has a tactile quality that makes it sound weightier than streaming. When I added a LHY SW-10, the solidity of streaming has improved, but it still felt like there was a 5% gap in music density. The addition of SW6 has narrowed the gap even further. If I had not noticed this shortfall before, I may not even notice there is any difference. I will call it within 1% different.
These two LHY SW switches work in symphony. If you have one of them, you know how much it contributes to the streaming quality. With the two together, they enhanced each other marvelously! On a grand scale of things, the streamer is still the most important piece in the puzzle. Once that is done there are many ways to advance the chain to a higher level. Everything matters in digital chain, but noise isolation on every linage is especially beneficial. That seems to be the golden rule based on experiences from many. From my own journey I totally agreed. The LHY line of switches are quite reasonably priced compared to others, and I tend to believe that they are terrific value considering how much they contributed to my system.
You mention you’re using some Odin power cords from AliExpress. I’m curious as to whether they’re the Odin Gold or the Odin 2 Silver. I have both and prefer the Silver. To my ears they’re not as warm as the Gold with a little more sparkle on top.
They’re equipped with the stock connectors. I do, however have them plugged into a PSA Juice Bar. The Juice Bar is plugged into an Oyaide R-1 wall socket and on the other end they go into a ridiculously inexpensive clone of the Furutech Flux-50 NCF filter. Using the Flux-50 clone (see below) does make a small improvement. We’re not talking in my case in an epiphany or anything but I do prefer it to the Odin 2 Silver alone plugged into the Juice Bar. The sound seems to have a bit more punch and presence with the Flux-50.
I use Odin2 silver too, and I have not tried their Gold. But my old Purist PC has gold element in it, and I have tried some plugs with gold plating. I agree the gold makes the sound towards warmer side.
The Furutech FI50 and I48 NCF connectors (real one, not clone) have made these cords a contender to compete with cords exceeding $1k range in my assessment (for example, they sound better than AQ Thunder cord that I used to own).
I replaced the Oyadei (do not remember which model but it is towards the topline) with Furutech NCF plate/socket, and if you like silver sound then I suggest to add it to your next improvement. To me Furutech socket sounds more neutral/nature/clear than Oyaide.
Thank you for the details. I will check them out.
Wow, I’m glad I dodged this bullet. With my Rose RS130 being fed by a chip-damped Cisco 2960 with a linear power supply, any differences between my PST and steaming are irrelevant. I’ll be able to put that money to use buying music.
My review was nitpicking. my daughter upstairs said she did not even know I switched between streaming and PST several times. The music sounds the same to her.
Rose RS130 looks like a nice piece too, but I am sure by this time next year there will be new stars that sound better in this price range.
Maybe, but I won’t care.
What kind of a mood have you been in lately? It’s no fun.
Looks like SW10 is on the to buy list for me, I want to experiment with LHY’s fiber converter two, so far a TD link converter already shown promise to my SONY HT-A9/AppleMusic setup.
after I figure out how to squeez my budget into my upcoming trips next year…
I’m just disappointed with my coffee grinder, I guess. Wait - is that this thread?