[Groundzero]

Quote:

In a couple of weeks, if you're not in receipt I'll do one of two things: clone the adapter or loan mine out to you for a bit.

 
I wouldn't feel right depriving you of your adapter. I'm content to wait for a clone or similar, but thanks!

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

 
I wouldn't feel right depriving you of your adapter. I'm content to wait for a clone or similar, but thanks!

 
 

 Deprive? The audio community is full of it - electricity and spirit. 

 Let's see what happens...

 

[Silent One]

Just learned Donna Summer passed away. My listening session tonight will be Donna Dominated. May my sista rest in peace.

 

[rosgr63]

That's a big shame, I still have some of her vinyl LP's and 12inch singles.
 
I will play some of her music too.

 

[Silent One]

In times past, I heard a good number of high-end gear with some of her tracks used to demo, Tube and Solid state alike. If I weren't booked until 23:00 tonight, I'd get right on it! 
 
Surprisingly, I have yet to sit down and hear Donna at length with my somewhat new OTL amp, so that makes tonight's session and its mention in this thread, relevant. 

 

[Silent One]

Finally received my Maple platform for the DAC today. Look forward to re-evaluating the spikes and stock footers this week. My initial out-of-the-box impressions are mixed. The mid-range has been slightly emphasized a bit more than with the 2" Maple block. But now my presentation is less dynamic. 
 
The system hits the hardest with stock footers underneath the DAC, but sounds the least open in the middle. With spikes on the 2" Maple block, the presentation seems to land in between - dynamic and wide open. Spikes on the 4" Maple block emphasizes the middle a little bit more, but less dynamic. 
 
Both the amp and Mac mini music server responded to the spikes on 4" Maple blocks favorably. The DAC seems to be protesting. 

 But, we gonna work it out!
 

 

[Silent One]

Keeping the OTL amp busy, while I research...
 
 

 

[hodgjy]

What are you researching today?
Quote:

Keeping the OTL amp busy, while I research...
 
 
 

 

[Silent One]

Greetings hodgjy! Just swapped in a new rack before sunrise and it needs further tweaking. So, I'm examining resonances, vibrations, materials ect. The old desk stood about 32" high. The new coffee table is 16" in height. To compensate, I stacked it on a makeshift shelf about 16" in height, but stability is a problem.
 
Haven't gone to bed yet. But after i wake up to some good grub, many things will appear a whole lot clearer. 

 It's been fun overnight, by the way.

 

[hodgjy]

I certainly admire your golden ears.  I wish I had the ability to hear the different effects of blocks and racks.  I can hear differences between amps and cans quite easily, but moving between DACs is sometimes challenging for me.  Perhaps it's good I can't tell as much as you can because I'd obsess over it over and over again while I found the optimal conditions until I had an Edgar Allen Poe moment and my head exploded.
 

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

I certainly admire your golden ears.  I wish I had the ability to hear the different effects of blocks and racks.  I can hear differences between amps and cans quite easily, but moving between DACs is sometimes challenging for me.  Perhaps it's good I can't tell as much as you can because I'd obsess over it over and over again while I found the optimal conditions until I had an Edgar Allen Poe moment and my head exploded.
 

 
 
Golden ears? 

 I can't even hear a Goldfish think! (swim, perhaps?) I agree, it is easy in this hobby to obsess...even without realizing it until it's late in the night. Some of these changes are hardly noticeable when listening in the moment. But left for a few weeks while I get on with daily life and something once hidden; obscured, may hit me upside my BIG head. 
 
It is my understanding that the brain seeks efficiency. And will always attempt to do three basic things in its various states, from resting to energized: Record, recognize and compensate. To me, A/B exercises can prove fruitless. Time will bring no guaranty but can bring new opportunity to experience something. Maybe one's brain is already aware but on a conscious level, one may fail to recognize what it already knows. Game shows anyone? 

 
I love exploration in music and audio. And despite all the naysayers recently responding to my adventures in this area, I'm having fun and learning to boot. Isn't everyone having fun in this hobby?

 

[hodgjy]

Naysayers gonna say nay and haters gonna hate. Enjoy this hobby anyway you like. I am sure there are differences in sound based on different blocks because vibrations certainly have an effect on any electrical field. I hope you didn't interpret my comments as naysaying; it was actually of admiration.

On the flip side of naysaying, I tweaked my settings in iTunes to my liking. In the process, the signal to my DAC is no longer bit perfect. I don't care. Haters gonna hate. I'm gonna listen.

 

[hodgjy]

In other real world applications of blocks and vibrations, in our research labs we have to put our analytical balances (really sensitive scales) on huge granite blocks. Otherwise, the vibrations in the building and the earth will prevent the balance from locking on to the proper reading. This is reason number one why I believe blocks and feet certainly do have an effect on sound. It's just my ears aren't good enough to hear most of the differences.

 

[grokit]

Speaking of, these came in today:

 

[john57]

How well those carbon fiber isolation pads will work?