Well, I am not sure what people is telling me “burning-in” this and that. But using my lks-004 sound signature. The 004 is ways more transparent and neutral with much better treble extensions and details. Using Silver XLR interconnect into my Stax SR-009 system.
My SR009 treble is always beautiful with trebles presentations Using silver all around it. Then I tried using UPOCC Litz XLR interconnect, and the LKS-004
became bossy and boomy, similar to R2R7,
but the r2r7 has this effect further
Therefore, my attentions are focuses toward the internal chassis wirings. Yes, not only the R2r7 (the 7) is using OCC copper, but also very small Awg sizes in comparison to the holes that can fit it. So, I am in this Hobby for audio performances. Then I put my skills to work since a few days ago. So mind you that
I could not tolerate what r2r7 was out of the box for 24 hours (basshead level with warmth, boom and bang)
Step 1: XLR output wirings from the Analog boards:
Using Solid Silver of 18AWG size, which fit right into the holes, and
soldering top down was a piece of cake. No need to take out the board assembly and so on.
Improvements: If going from OS mode toward Old-NOS mode helped the sound to tighten the bass and control it, giving it more balanced signature was 30%. These 2 wires (hot-cold) going to the XLR output on each channel improvements is 70%.
The congested details and veiled resolutions are now improved, still really warm overall with bass slamming hard still. Increased speed in the low spectrum which helps the bass to be more defined and separated the sub-low-mid-upper bass more vividly
*however* the more I notice is that there are some “random faint hissing” in EDM genres, carefully listening to the LKS-004 revealed that these are very “fine treble plays” at great speed
Step 2: Output wirings from the
DAC boards into the analog boards
So, I took this step a little further, knowing how copper interconnect could greatly affect my LKS-004 performances into my stax SR-009. Also, my taste with Sr009 is that I love this neutrality, clarity, transparency. I listened to lks-004 with copper litz XLR wires for a while and comeback to the r2r7 with Silver XLR, so that I could tell if R2R7 has the potential and capable if I further invade it internal wirings. Yes!! It has the potentials
The improvements are similar to
step 1, but now is only 30% improvements. Bass is more controlled, more articulated,
sub bass, mid bass, upper bass is no longer glued back to back from one another. Now sub bass is slamming and linger on only when needed. Mid bass is energetic, punching strongly with defined speed and vivid resolution of it fidelity is further enhanced *Bingo* more balanced overall. Not to mention that these speed and airs give ways to better transparency and clarity accross the board, the faint hissing is now appeared to be trebles play, faintly, but is definitely there as a play (burn-in needed, sure). The R2R7 has now been transformed into a
true high-end DAC. I was about to leave the rest as is. But one thing come accross my mind, what if I use these Solid-Silver to further enhance the
signals conductivity into the processing board ? Yes,
usb cables pose real improvements of different (flavors) depends on materials.
Step 3: all wirings from Ladder DAC boards into the processing main board
So, there are about 7 more wires running from DAC boards into the main processing boards. Why waste the opportunity on an
excellent designed piece of beautiful equipment ?
I went ahead and replaced these guys. It was a bit more works as the original was designed so that these boards can easily be worked on. Solid silver means carefully flipping and switching otherwise damages could occur. I honestly didn’t expect the improvements to be further observed
Improvement: soundstage ! Depth has increased, width and spatial spaces are improved. The whole rendered spatial space with all the benefit of speed overall, the bass, the mid, the highs are now vividly presenting. That beautiful Soundstage,
up until this point I was comparing back to back with lks004 to tell as point of references. Now the soundstage on r2r7 is far ahead of the game. The depth which was thought to be deeper than lks004 out of the box is now even deeper, but the resolution, fidelity are vastly improved, the music is now
blissful.
All of these 3 steps were conducted because :
1/ the r2r7 is awesomely designed from my point of view
2/ I compared back to back to lks004 using UPOcC litz XLR interconect and was able to tell that r2r7 could improve
I could only think of 1 reason why it is like this. The lks004 is 1 single board of PCB, and so it was tuned that way originally to begin with, and produced that exact way. The R2r7 is designed somehow (not sure) to be a well performer. However, the device is then split into separated boards with the use of
easy to solder and work on occ internal wires for ease of production. When I reached the scale of this level of audio performances on SR009 and T2, I was able to easily tell the differences from what can change the sound performances. Together with the #2, and that I could no longer tolerate the signature this way. I went ahead and replaced these wires
**Now** I am very happy sitting here, enjoying the r2r7 and don’t mind however thousand hours it could take to further improve it performances. One thing for sure that I have known all along too well
in a very capable device and system, Silver always bring that sweet detailed beautiful treble, but it could be harshness for *incapable system. My system is a top of the top tier quality of headphones. So, R2R-7, burn-in !
I love your performance now, burn in and prove to me that at this moment you are worth 2X of the LkS004 (**please mind the diminishing return**), you will be further up ahead with those 10X performers!
To any people who can not work on soldering and limited electrical knowledge, I can only say that the r2r7 is warmer sounding than the lks004, and that the lks004 would pose a better buy, and it can hugely be effected by XLR interconnect Cables, usb Cables, and so on, but it potentials stop right there. R2R 7 has the potentials to go further, but it requires invasive process
*this r2r7* May be the best purchase for high performances equipment for my taste because I can work all this out. I do justify it to be the best purchase. How else could I afford a 4 R2R ladder boards of DAC in a beefy supply like this ? Rockna is about $10,000 and MSB is about $20,000. Dave ? Never mind
Also, I wouldn’t worry about losing all this slamming bass and warmth. After all, using XLR upocc litz Interconnect cables brought it back jackpot!
Picture lks-004 vs r2r7 for references: that is UPOcC litz large AWG interconnect XLR cables