Your Next Upgrade? (Part 2)

I do pretty much the same thing with my NAS & Roon - its been a good system so far

2 Likes

That is interesting because you have grounding boxes from Xangsane, right? or just the little round things? If A. Sortz is handling the ground, do you still need any grounding boxes? The rectangular box is way more effective than the round tube I believe.

I rearranged my rack this morning so MU2 can sit on top of PST. I could not do it previously because AQ Dragon HC was too short. Now with the 1.5m SNA Takshaka I could do it. I found adding weight on top of PST improved the sound in the past. PST benefits from additional weight (to make it more stable could be the reason?). However, at first I found the SQ is a bit boring. After a few hours I found that I forgot to attach the grounding cables to two of the three components. With them attached the SQ improved. So, these Xangsane silver boxes are doing their job!

My streaming setup is now with SNA Takshaka serving MU2, AQ Dragon HC serving LHY SW-10 (again better than Dragon S. here), and AQ Dragon Source serving LHY SW-6. These Dragons are as good as any in lowering background noise, but they could take a bit of warmness and tidy magic out if too many are used (I have a number of high-quality PCs in and out of system for the past few years, and that is my conclusion for my system). But to use Dragons in switches and Takshaka for MU2 do not take away anything! SNA makes great power cords and Takshaka mixes with Dragon is magic. With PST/DS2 I use the other Dragon S.

Here are some discussions on internal SSD. I do not have NAS, but I have used external Samsung SSD (this is the brand you should use) with a Nordost purple Fry a/c USB cable. To me the files in internal SSD are a clear winner. Every file sounded better than using a cable from SSD T7. I now use the $800 usb cable for downloading files from computer only. :laughing:

1 Like

Donald, putting the MU2 up makes sense so that you can also turn the control wheel at the top. It just gives me a headache that your enthusiasm for the Dragon has waned. I thought I was done with power cords. I still have the Furutech DPS-4.1, which I could compare against the Dragon Source on the Marantz Link 10n. Do I now need another power cable for the Link 10n? Stealth, Takshaka… :thinking: Yes, I have Xangsane grounding boxes. The ones you have, the round tubes and ground boxes from Audio Support. I have the large Xangsane grounding boxes on the grounding post on the Link 10n and Farad Super 10 LPS. The audio support boxes on the switch housings. The round Xangsane with RCA connections on the mono power amplifiers. I ordered two more Ansuz Sortz RCA. As soon as I have them, I can try them out on the mono power amplifiers and also on the Link 10n on the analog and digital parts. My thinking is that having Sortz directly at the input of the component without connecting cables like a ground box has advantages. Perhaps the difference one notices with a ground wire is the antenna effect of the wire and additional RF interference added across the wire. The sortz increase the performance enormously and I haven’t yet tried whether the grounding boxes are no longer necessary.

1 Like

You are partially to blame :laughing: First I tried the ZenWave PSR-11 based on your request, and I loved it more than Dragon. Now I have another Takshaka that I like better too! :laughing:However, there is a difference between the two. I will explain:

If you do not have any Dragon in the system, ZenWave PSR 11 or 14 is more beneficial because it lowers the background noise as great as Dragon, but provides more magic (I gave up on giving detailed description because it is quite meaningless in another system). But if you have one or more Dragons in the system already, Takshaka is the one to go. It brings in that life-like magic and many attributes over the Dragon, but it could not remove the last degree of background noise like Dragon does. But combining them (one Takshaka plus two Dragons in my case) has brought my system to a level that I have never experienced before; to a point that I am simply enjoying music.

But to maintain that I need to keep away from this forum, and to read and post less. :no_good_man:

1 Like

You can get rid of the background noise with the sortz.

Wait, in a few days I’ll get two RCA Signature sortz, then I can swap them for the USB Basic. I can then also describe to Fred my impressions of which and where on the component, digital or analog, makes a difference.

1 Like

Just agreed to purchase a formerly loved Sprout 100 from a fellow forum member.

My desktop system has been limited to headphones only for a while since my cheapo iTube integrated amplifier quit working.

I think the Sprout will pair well with my Jolida Class FX Tube DAC_DSD DAC/head phone amp. Will see…

3 Likes

Giving some love to the HT/music set up. Replaced the P10 with a brand new P15. On deck is a new Massif Audio triple wide rack (rock maple shelves and African Bubinga legs). Should be ready in early March. Oh, and a couple of SR pink fuses for my Tempus switch with a further one coming for the BHK preamp.

4 Likes

Repeat offenders out of conviction. :joy:

Today I got two more Ansuz Sortz Signatures. I have now plugged these into the open RCA inputs of my mono power amplifiers. There is also more peace there compared to the Xangsane grounding boxes or unoccupied entrances, which leads to an increased sense of music. Clarity, control and transients are easier to perceive. I think that the digital part of the system benefits the most from the effect of Sortz. Now every component in my signal path has a Sortz, from the modem, switch, streamer/preamp to the power amplifiers. The cumulative effect is impressive. But a sortz for the Dac digital part is already fun and will already provide a benefit.

Greetings Andreas


How does it sound with the sortz in the entire system? The sound is organic, smooth and at the same time has high resolution with an absolutely quiet background.

2 Likes

The cheapest Sortz Signature I found is a bit over $1.4k in the US, and one is not enough either. Hmm, it better be making some component level improvement for that asking price. Maybe it does, but I would not pay retail for that little tube soon.

Here is the best upgrade that did not cost me extra. Remember a few days ago I posted that I have never heard such enjoyable music in my system after re-do my rack arrangement? It must be more than cable break-in because the improvement was instant, not gradual. Here is my theory:

I moved MU2 on top of PST, The PST itself is like a isolation platform, and it sits on additional footers and platform:

MU2 is on three AUVA EQ, and PST is on four metal footers, and both sit on a think MDF platform on top of carbon footers. So, I have layers of isolation using different types of material to breakdown different frequency of vibration below MU2. My MU2 serves as the streamer, DAC, and Pre. so, it is crucial to eliminate vibration on this single component.

Or it could be the water molecule device is finally working on the rainy day. :laughing:

11 Likes

Donald, I think the Grimm MU2 benefits from the lineup, as you say yourself. A Sortz in the digital input on my Marantz Link 10n showed the biggest advantage. All the other Sortz are nice, but don’t offer that obvious difference like the first one. A sortz for Grimm MU2 or PST should be enough. After the first sortz, the horses went through with me and I wanted to equip every component with them. I was lucky that a dealer went out of business and I was able to get the Sortz for half the price. A Sortz Basic already offers better details, peace and separation. The Signature does the same thing, it has just a minimal silky shimmer and removes some harshness in the tone. Voices sound a little softer, as if the voice was oiled or the singer had previously a Throat lozenge for cough befor. Don’t get me wrong, we’re talking about fine details here; the Sortz Basic gives the tone more naturalness. The bass range of the Basic seems a little tighter. Not a bad thing.
I think the sortz are a minimalist alternative to a ground box for the component’s signal ground.

3 Likes


I likey, and they look cool…

9 Likes

Such a sexy piece of kit…

Enjoy.

2 Likes

My ZROCK3 arrived and though it only has about three hours on it now it does sound distinctly different from the ZROCK2 (which is about four years seasoned) and it should as it has different caps, a different transformer and even different wire and a changed circuit.

I like what I hear. Worth waiting for.

6 Likes

The Innuos Zen Mk3 is now in the house. Looking forward to this new chapter in my musical journey. Hope begin exploring Qobuz and expanding my palette.

Once again, I’d like to thank you all for your participation in these forums. I feel I’ve made good and wise choices based on all the topics and ideas you have put forth. I appreciate all of you and look forward to learning even more.

Thanks,
Jeff


13 Likes

Congrats, I like so much Sense App, give it a try.

If I may say so… in your shoes I wouldn’t place the Zen on top of a device as sensitive as the Stellar Phono

1 Like

Thanks Luca. Fear not, it is atop a PP3.

2 Likes

Hi Andreas,
Is the signal pin of the Sortz RCA floating (not connected)?
Is still don’t understand how this could work?

The signal pin is not connected. The sortz can be used in inputs as well as outputs.
As I understand it, the sortz removes voltage spikes and the resulting noise from the signal ground.
The Sortz seem to have the strongest impact in the digital sector.

1 Like

Interesting. I ask why ElectroHarmonix 6922? I thought the cj sourced tubes were the bees knees in your preamp.

1 Like

Time to update your Innuos Sense app if you did not initially.

1 Like