Thanks for the “like” Al. I credit you for getting me hooked on the RAL cable. Maybe it’s time to dip your toe back in the pedestrian digital waters with a new spinner and cable.
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I’m also giving you a “like” for telling like is is. My Dragon has really blossomed and along with my more recent upgrade of the SR Galileo power cord has made my DMP sound better than I ever heard in my digital system. I’m also already in the process of getting the PST and see if that can even be better. I also probably will order another Dragon to use on my Esoteric streamer. So many things to do.
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My experience is different with the Dragon, because I use it between the PST and Holo May KTE.
I tried the Dragon instead of the WW Platinum. If there was a difference, I didn’t hear it.
I experienced the same thing from the Matrix into the Holo: RAL, WW Platinum and Dragon were all outstanding, at the same level.
When I had the DS, the differences were big between hdmi cables.
Not with the Holo. Other Holo owners have confirmed the same conclusion on the Holo thread. Maybe an el cheapo hdmi would sound different. I prefer not to try, after spending a lot for the RAL and WW. I would rather not find out that a 25$ Amazon cable sounds just as good …
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One wonders if the DS MkII will have a similarly “robust” HDMI implementation as the Holo May KTE. @tedsmith?
Any differences will be smaller. Some differences in cables have nothing to do with, say, the source or perhaps the destination, but instead depend on the rest of the system. Anyway the Mk II will have the option for the I2S inputs to be galvanically isolated which will probably make the most differences in cables related sound quality variability, The 5V line on the HDMI cable will also be isolated from the internal 5V so that any current that might be provided by the cable won’t affect the Mk II either.
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My PST came today. Out of the box with the Dragon HDMI, it sounds really nice. Compared to the DMP, it has better textures and more natural sounding than the DMP. Sounds like even more music is coming out. We’ll see if it gets even better when it breaks in some, but it sounds very promising.
I also ordered a second Dragon 48 HDMI cable so I can also use the other one for my Esoteric transport. I just tried putting the RAL HDMI in with the PST and I lose some of the textures and dimensionality I gained. It’s unacceptable. The RAL is going to my brother, he takes all my second hand cables and stuffs to play with.
I want to add, the USB is not as functional on the PST as the DMP, so don’t plan on using the USB feature with the PST for serious listening.
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The PST will only improve with more time on it. I let it run non-stop via the USB thumb drive until it was broken-in.
I am doing that right now. Thank you for the suggestion.
The USB drive is really quirky. It can only read one file on a memory stick. there is no directory. It will not read another memory stick unless you turn off the power on the unit from the switch on the back. Then it will read only one file from the next stick you plug in and so on.
Is this true also with your unit?
The USB input has never worked right for me either. It skips every other song if I hit play, and if I select All for repeat, it will stop after the first track, so I have to select a single track to repeat, for the purposes of burning in gear.
On mine, the USB would play the whole album and then repeats, but will not play another album without rebooting the player. And the other odd thing is it sometimes reverse channels. Weird!!
Anyway, the player really opened up today. The gap now is even wider between the DMP and PST. Way better. Can hardly wait till it’s fully broken in.
Good thing the AQ HDMI plug is so sturdy since I pull it in and out so much for testing. Tomorrow my second AQ Dragon will arrive and I will not have to pull it out anymore. The RAL HDMI’s connector almost fell apart already, it’s so flimsy.
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Tonight I listen again to the PST and playing a single sided SACD of McCoy Tyner (Nights of Ballads & Blues), my jaws literally dropped!! I never heard this album with such fidelity before. Such fullness and dynamics!! Now I’m rediscovering my truckload of SACD’s again. Also Santana (special limited edition) MoFi is the best re-issue I’ve heard outside of the one step 45rpm.
I didn’t get my second Dragon HDMI today. Fed EX has another delay notice on it just like the delay notice they had on my PST last week.
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4 great choices there! The 2 SACDs, the PST and the cable.
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Aren’t you glad you followed Phil’s advice for the PST 
?
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I really didn’t expect the PST would be this good because the DMP sounded like it just couldn’t be beat. I’m glad I listened to you, but I think it’s even better than you said. Thanks Phil. 
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Very welcome, we learn by sharing.
Wait until you try it with the May. I had it with my DS and it was very good. But then I connected it to the May, and … well, @brett66 has described much better than me what happened, albeit with a different source.
I will get a chance to listen to the May pretty soon. My friend is runing a file on repeat with his Lumin U1 Mini day and night as I write. He will also let my brother try the May and compare to his stock DS. My brother hasn’t heard my PST yet. We’ll see what he thinks when he hears it and also the May in my system as well. He was really impressed with the Dragon HDMI the last time he was over. I’m sure he will really like the PST as well.
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It’s a cliche, but I am rediscovering my cds and sacds thanks to the PST May combo.
The cristalline clarity, huge soundstage, the sound of the instruments, it’s as close as I have experienced to live music.
And the recreation of the recording venue: 
.
It’s a completely different league, compared to the DMP DS combo. John Atkinson, Herb etc were not exaggerating, in their raving reviews of the May. Ditto for the PST.
Prepare to be VERY impressed.
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Would you have a link to the review(s)? Thanks.
Just curious, were you able to try the Audioquest Dragon HDMI cable with the DMP?
Sure thing, most of the reviews are here: