[FredA]

One finished cable done last night:

 

[517269]

One finished cable done last night:

Really nice fit'n-nfinish.

I have been struggling with smearing in my all-Krell system for years.
It's a problem on instrumentally/vocally more complex music -
I've been making incremental progress with mods over time.
I just converted my Krell CAST interconnects to the mini-XLR for R8HE compatibility.
Cable URL - https://www.partsconnexion.com/DHLABS-57225.html
mini XLR URL - https://douglasconnection.com/product/furutech-ft-608mf-high-performance-mini-xlr-connector-3-pin/
Been experimenting a lot with shielding and grounding and noise absorption on the cables.
I'd like to build an ACSS/CAST cable using TPFE tubing equating to this [image below] with a shield grounded at source end only trying it with an in-line Bybee purifier to absorb RF picked up by the shield.

I haven't used the CAST in years but found much better clarity recently trying the lower ACSS current output of the R8HE directly to the Krell amps.
In an apples to oranges cable comparison, the ACSS is much clearer than my modified Silver Analysis Plus balanced interconnects.
I converted my entire system to balanced power experiencing very minor improvements going 240V to EI-core with balanced 120V secondaries.
This is a worthwhile read for Transformers 101 - https://jandkaudiodesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Isolation Transformer
I used J&K Audio Ultra ISO Tran wound with OCC or OFC wire separating each component and even replaced the torroids in my preamps and theater processor with the EI cores.
Lots of transformers produced lots of mechanical hum when DC was high.
I built my own high current DC blockers with Mundorf electrolytics but ultimately decided to take them out of the circuits.
For whatever reason, the mechanical hum seems much lower in level than when I first implemented the ISO Trans.
I was told that when one phase of the grid on your side of the transformer supplies disproportionate current than the other phase, this is the cause of the DC. I haven't substantiated this claim.
I was concerned that the ISO Trans might be contributng to transient blur due to current limiting so I bought a PS Audio Power Plant to replace them but heard no difference so I sold it to maintain all balanced system inputs and outputs.
I have a 750W 240V to 120V balanced dedicated EI - core transformer to my projector in the event that a ground loop could occur from HDMI from the video source to the projector.
In my system, I don't find a big correleation with using the EI Cores and isolation with sound quality.
I do find big improvements using the Bybee Gold purifiers in line with the rectified power supply feeds to the circuitry.
The R8HE is layed out really nice for this - the circuit board for the three transformers has the rectified circuit power feeds labeled at the top of the board where the clear insulated wires feed the circuits on the other side of the partition,
The Bybees can be inserted in line here and the wires can be put back and restored to factory finish if needed with minimal surgical skills. Expensive at $250ea. retail, using two for the clock power supply feed was equivalent to a significant clock upgrade and comes highly recommended.

 

[FredA]

@AudioBang

Thanks, not too bad.

From experience, the litz wire, some specific instances, is the best cable material available. I don't use shielding, i much prefered going without it,.and am not much concerned with noise considering the balanced connection.

 

[PLGA]

@AudioBang

Thanks, not too bad.

From experience, the litz wire, some specific instances, is the best cable material available. I don't use shielding, i much prefered going without it,.and am not much concerned with noise considering the balanced connection.

Hello Fred
Can you post the link for the litz wire?

Is it only for DIY or can you buy completely finished?

If it's not too expensive, I could think about trying it as ACSS between my R8 and my M1 preamp or as XLR between my M1 and my Nord power amp.

I already have Magna HiFi MWay ACSS cable and a chinese copy of the Nordost Odin XLR cables and Im pretty happy with their sound, but there it comes that upgrade itch again!

Thank you

 

[DACLadder]

Any news or reviews about the R7 2020 models with ext. 10M clocking? Curious how it sounds compared to the internal Accusiicons XOs.

 

[FredA]

Hello Fred
Can you post the link for the litz wire?

Is it only for DIY or can you buy completely finished?

If it's not too expensive, I could think about trying it as ACSS between my R8 and my M1 preamp or as XLR between my M1 and my Nord power amp.

I already have Magna HiFi MWay ACSS cable and a chinese copy of the Nordost Odin XLR cables and Im pretty happy with their sound, but there it comes that upgrade itch again!

Thank you

Look for "ms-audio silver litz rca interconnect" on ebay, contact the seller for a specific length without connectors. You need 1m to make two. 5m mini xlr interconnects, or you can buy the xlr as a finished product for about 165usd shipped for 1m. Custom lengths can be ordered.

The thing is for mini xlrs, the wires need to be extracted from the cable. There are 6 of them, two minuses, two pluses, and two grounds, but the grounds are of different sizes. So the deal is one of the cable pair you will make will have a smaller ground wire than the other. It does not affect the sound. The wires are big and i had to to cut the end of the plastic cover off the mini xlrs i used so the 3 wires could pass through, and even drill it. The wire is very big for a mini xlr, it is about 20awg. You need to sand the enamel off and tin it before soldering. It is not an easy project.

These cables need 350 hours of burn in but as acss, the burn in is not so obvious. Just love the sound of my mini xlr one already.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/MS-Audio-Pu...515544?hash=item3b3ba19498:g:XVYAAOSw145ajQvw

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/MS-Audio-Pu...208522?hash=item469425afca:g:vC8AAOSwoylcIUbg

 

[PLGA]

Look for "ms-audio silver litz rca interconnect" on ebay, contact the seller for a specific length without connectors. You need 1m to make two. 5m mini xlr interconnects, or you can buy the xlr as a finished product for about 165usd shipped for 1m. Custom lengths can be ordered.

The thing is for mini xlrs, the wires need to be extracted from the cable. There are 6 of them, two minuses, two pluses, and two grounds, but the grounds are of different sizes. So the deal is one of the cable pair you will make will have a smaller ground wire than the other. It does not affect the sound. The wires are big and i had to to cut the end of the plastic cover off the mini xlrs i used so the 3 wires could pass through, and even drill it. The wire is very big for a mini xlr, it is about 20awg. You need to sand the enamel off and tin it before soldering. It is not an easy project.

These cables need 350 hours of burn in but as acss, the burn in is not so obvious. Just love the sound of my mini xlr one already.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/MS-Audio-Pu...515544?hash=item3b3ba19498:g:XVYAAOSw145ajQvw

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/MS-Audio-Pu...208522?hash=item469425afca:g:vC8AAOSwoylcIUbg

Thank you Fred
I will look at it to think about it.

 

[Chopin75]

Any news or reviews about the R7 2020 models with ext. 10M clocking? Curious how it sounds compared to the internal Accusiicons XOs.

That depends on what external clock use, that would be great enough to beat the internal clock. It has to overcome the external potential jitter that can be introduced. According to Magna this is hard and expensive to achieve. I am interested in how external clock can clock multiple DACs or have the DI clock the other DACs that it is not connected to, or if the DI’s clock can be connected to the sameDAC using the external clock input

 

[DACLadder]

That depends on what external clock use, that would be great enough to beat the internal clock. It has to overcome the external potential jitter that can be introduced. According to Magna this is hard and expensive to achieve. I am interested in how external clock can clock multiple DACs or have the DI clock the other DACs that it is not connected to, or if the DI’s clock can be connected to the sameDAC using the external clock input

The next question is how good of 10M oscillator does it take to beat the Accusilicons in the R7? The $50 10M OCXO I have has about 35dB better phase noise (-125 dBc/Hz @ 10Hz) versus the Accusilicon 318Bs (-90dBc/Hz @ 10Hz). That would be starting point for me.

 

[Mr G]

Hi,
Has anyone tried any of these acss cables. I would greatly appreciate your comments.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/303245782072

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.it/ulk/itm/153458075629

 

[Chopin75]

The next question is how good of 10M oscillator does it take to beat the Accusilicons in the R7? The $50 10M OCXO I have has about 35dB better phase noise (-125 dBc/Hz @ 10Hz) versus the Accusilicon 318Bs (-90dBc/Hz @ 10Hz). That would be starting point for me.

According to Magna the short distance of the internal clock to the processors has great advantage, so the external clock has to be way better, and also not introduce new jitter. You would likely need an external LPS that is at least as good as the R7's internal one but also bear in mind that there would be possible jitter of the BNC connection (like you would need high grade short BNC cable etc..) I am wondering what it would be like a direct source (e.g PC or server) being clocked together with DAC's external input. One can do that with the SOTM ultra USB devices, and their clocks (Expensive!) Not sure if the muteck clock is good enough. I guess you can do your DIY external clock too. Not using internal clock may have advantage of reducing stress on running the clock from the same LPS of the R7 (though it has 3, more than enough!)

 

[Jackula]

The next question is how good of 10M oscillator does it take to beat the Accusilicons in the R7? The $50 10M OCXO I have has about 35dB better phase noise (-125 dBc/Hz @ 10Hz) versus the Accusilicon 318Bs (-90dBc/Hz @ 10Hz). That would be starting point for me.

Let's not forget external clocks are not meant for improving jitter performance, they are for improving timing. Without an external clock, your DAC won't know the rate at which signals are coming in, since it is in isochronous mode. The best analogy I can think of is G-Sync, where it locks your monitor (i.e. DAC) to your GPU (i.e. DDC), in G-Sync running at 60fps will look better than 100fps without.

 

[Chopin75]

Let's not forget external clocks are not meant for improving jitter performance, they are for improving timing. Without an external clock, your DAC won't know the rate at which signals are coming in, since it is in isochronous mode. The best analogy I can think of is G-Sync, where it locks your monitor (i.e. DAC) to your GPU (i.e. DDC), in G-Sync running at 60fps will look better than 100fps without.

So does it mean that an external clock that clocks/links both DDC and DAC together can work better even if the external clock may be be inferior to the DAC's internal clock ?

 

[SAEMPERSUN123]

Any opinions of this little 10Mhz guy?

 

[anroj]

Any opinions of this little 10Mhz guy?

I own one and it is fantastic with my R8.