[econparanoia]

Quote:

One of the topics that has not come up too much in this thread is the effect of balanced vs SE and upgrading the HD800 cable in general. I've been rocking the stock cable since getting the HD800. Is it worth re-terminating the stock HD800 cable to a balanced 4 pin, for example?

For my HD800, I have both the stock cable and a French Silk balanced (4 pin XLR) cable from Q Audio. I don't hear any noticeable difference between them on the Stratus. ( There could be subtle differences, but I have yet to carefully AB them.) With that being said, the Q cable is lighter, more manageable, and has better build quality.

 

[budx3385]

yes, just place an Isoblock under the rear corners, where the trannies are, and one under the front. Then slide a Point Pod under each one. Or vissy-versy. Then always remember to place one hand on the opposite end when inserting a cable or power cord connector.
 
Sorry, no photo today. My new Fi 421A arrived yesterday, 13 m after I placed the order, and I'm a bit pre-occupied.
 
I tried only the stock Shuguangs and their "Natural Sound" version. As posted way back somewhere, I enjoyed the latter almost as much as the Sophia. If you wish to know more, please try a search (Google works better than the tool here). They all seem cool to me, cuz they can get very much hotter, but Donald's design is conservative.
 
I believe santacore tried the Treasure version, so you might ask him if you are especially concerned.

 

[econparanoia]

Mine are as follows:
 
 
 

 
I think yours are the same. Since I am currently in China, I bought it from a local dealer. I thought these were the so called "black treasure" as they are black bottled. I probably got the name (in English) wrong...  

 

[santacore]

Those look like the Shuguang Natural Sound series, which are the current. The Black Treasures are different and were discontinued a few years ago.
 
I own the Black Treasures and tried them in my Stratus. Overall they were great sounding tubes, but the bass was just not tight and punchy as I would like. I'm currently running the EML mesh-plates and have been very pleased with their performance.
 

 

[Eee Pee]

Quote:

Sorry, no photo today. My new Fi 421A arrived yesterday, 13 m after I placed the order, and I'm a bit pre-occupied.

 

  Lucky!  You must be in audio heaven!
 
I'm a Don Garber fan, and have been since I can remember.  
 
The X and Y chassis are cool, and all his others are artwork.
 

 
So cool!  Congrats!

 

[third_eye]

Wow Bud, congrats!!! What a beauty!!!
Quote:

 

  Lucky!  You must be in audio heaven!
 
I'm a Don Garber fan, and have been since I can remember.  
 
The X and Y chassis are cool, and all his others are artwork.
 

 
So cool!  Congrats!

 

[preproman]

Quote:

One of the topics that has not come up too much in this thread is the effect of balanced vs SE and upgrading the HD800 cable in general. I've been rocking the stock cable since getting the HD800. Is it worth re-terminating the stock HD800 cable to a balanced 4 pin, for example?

 
 
The amp itself is not balanced.  So I don't see you gaining anything.  The design would still be SE..

 

[Donald North]

Quote:

 
 
The amp itself is not balanced.  So I don't see you gaining anything.  The design would still be SE..

 
Correct, the amplification is not differential but single ended. However, the balanced outputs are derived through the center tapped output transformers.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
Correct, the amplification is not differential but single ended. However, the balanced outputs are derived through the center tapped output transformers.

So what would that give us Donald?

 

[Donald North]

Quote:

So what would that give us Donald?

 
Balanced outputs provide an equal impedance to ground for both the + and - signals and reduces common mode noise.

 

[paradoxper]

I would only see that helping in CMR per relating to balanced, no?

 

[Donald North]

Correct
 

 

[Frank I]

For people who want these tubes the Voskod are outstanding and this seller is reliable and there are many russian dealers selling these new and the Voskod I bought new are excellent and less than 3.00 tube

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[budx3385]

Quote:

 

  Lucky!  You must be in audio heaven!
 
I'm a Don Garber fan, and have been since I can remember.  
 
The X and Y chassis are cool, and all his others are artwork.
 

 
So cool!  Congrats!

 
 
Thank you, Eee Pee and third_eye and Stratus head-fi friends. I am very happy. It produces incredibly beautiful music driving the HE-6 through the HE impedance adapter. Just 4wpc, only a couple more than my Stratus. Quite amazingly, it can also make the Minnie-Maggies sing, which are listed at 86dB, but with a flat 4 Ohm non-reactive impedance. 
 
Actually, I think the Stratus and the Fi 421A have much in common -- both are ingeniously designed and perfectly voiced, hand-built by the designer, and wonderfully pleasant on the eyes as well as the ears.
 
If you have any suggestions for the right speakers to use with it in my small room (11x12), please do pm.

 

[fejnomit]

Nice, Bud, congrats.
 
Back to the two questions:
 
1) My Stratus simply rests on top of the Triplepoints.  Do NOT use anything else to adhere them - it destroys the beneficial results.  The maple platform does have added benefits to my ears.  I also find that the Mapleshade Heavy Hats strategically placed on top of the amp help with resonance.  Again, I will post pics shortly.
 
2) In terms of cable, I could go on forever about the benefits of the right aftermarket cable for the HD800 with the Stratus but every time I do I nearly get chased off the forum by those who simply refuse to believe.  So my conclusion is that you can only know if an aftermarket cable is going to help you out by testing it for yourself.  That being said, 99% of aftermarket cables are built using nearly the same fundamental architecture as the stock cable, so it's no wonder to me that so many people don't hear a difference.  Yes, the conductor material matters - but I'm talking about much more than that.  I'm talking about finding a cable that doesn't use the detail-crushing dielectric materials and shields and connectors that nearly all cables use.  In other words, as long as you're taking any of the available versions of UPOCC copper or silver and encasing it in Teflon and metal shielding and using the same usual suspects of so-called audiophile connectors, then the sound will basically be the same as stock - and that sound is compromised.  The only way you will know it is compromised, however, is by overcoming our communal knee-jerk trust in all the fancy buzz-words and materials most after-market cable builders use.  So - I would say learn how to solder.  Then buy yourself different conductors and connectors and find the combination that works best for you.  Use the LEAST amount of material you can - bare wire, low metal-content connectors, no shielding, etc.  Start with the barest minimum.  Then add.  As things get compromised, take away again.  That's really the only way to prove it to yourself.  The other option is to take the stock cable and start stripping everything away - strip away the cotton outer layer, the Teflon tubing, the shielding.  Then strip the conductors bare, free them from being bundled and see what happens.   Each time you hear an improvement, keep going.  My suspicion is that the most bare-bones, stripped-down version of the cable will sound the best.  Finally, think about having the cable you end up with hard-wired to your HD800 drivers to cut-out the bottle-kneck of the Sennheiser connectors as well.  You will hear the music free itself from the grunge you may never have known was there.  Anyway, that's my recommendation if you really want to hear a real difference...