[Currawong]

@Pricklely Peete (if he is still alive... I haven't heard from him in years) did the same thing with his Reference 1 DAC, changing out all the caps with Nichicon ones. Interesting to see someone doing it again.

 

[Presence]

Holography Tweak for the R8HE

When I first got into the Synergistic Research Orange fuses, I installed an ACME cryo'ed large fuse holder next to the power switch on my R8HE to try an Orange fuse. Perhaps due to the regenerator or perhaps also, having two transformers in series, there was no appreciable audible improvement with the addition of the fuse. Everywhere else in my system, the Orange fuses made a very welcomed addition to holography and layering, in addition to the usual across-the-board SQ improvements making it sound.... the most right and pleasurable as I've heard it.

After speaking with SR about the dot on the side of the fuse being the "magic formula" influencing the current running through the fuse wire, I took a shot and bundled the two DC voltage leads for the digital section from the middle [digital] transformer - including on my first production run R8HE [which is different from Bleumoonljb's] , the USB/HDMI power feed from the far left end of the transformer board, and tie wrapped all three of them facing the blue dot on an Orange fuse [making sure to maintain correct fuse directionality]. After about 10-20 minutes I could hear the gradually changing affect of the instruments beginning to separate further in their spacing. Adding the external clock to the R8HE was a significant upgrade with the Mutec Ref10 SE120, but I am confident saying that after adding the Orange fuse to the digital power supply, the R8's internal clocking gave the external clock source a run for it's money in terms of its holography.
Qualifier: I had early on, replaced the wiring off the transformer board to solid silver and had sufficient slack to get all three Voltage wire feeds tie wrapped together to a single fuse....
Can't say for sure if this can easily be done on an existing R8HE/R7HE factory unit.
For clarification, there is no electrical connection to the fuse hence no current passing through it. It is purely the effect of the fuse dot affecting the current [with whatever it is that it does] passing through the wires tie wrapped against it.

This brings me to phase two...

I bundled the two analog [Ladder Switch] and the one digital voltage [CPLD] input wires to the DAC board [see image] and tie wrapped them against the blue dot of another large Orange fuse [on each channel] and got similar [in magnitude] results in terms of ease and holography.

I've got about 100 hours on them now and after reading the Purple Fuse user forum on Audiogon -
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/the-new-synergistic-research-purple-fuses
highlighting user experiences after upgrading from Orange to Purple, I ordered three large Purple fuses to replace the Orange on a 3-for-2 sale [$400]. They arrive Monday and I will follow up with results in another 100 hours or so.
I'm sure there are variations of how to get extraordinary results from this, and I'm wondering if on non-HE units, if one fuse could be used at the common AC input to the primary of all three transformers or by using separate [three] fuses on the secondary of each of the three transformers if an upstream DC point [closest to the transformer secondary] can't be accessed.

 

[FredA]

Holography Tweak for the R8HE

When I first got into the Synergistic Research Orange fuses, I installed an ACME cryo'ed large fuse holder next to the power switch on my R8HE to try an Orange fuse. Perhaps due to the regenerator or perhaps also, having two transformers in series, there was no appreciable audible improvement with the addition of the fuse. Everywhere else in my system, the Orange fuses made a very welcomed addition to holography and layering, in addition to the usual across-the-board SQ improvements making it sound.... the most right and pleasurable as I've heard it.

After speaking with SR about the dot on the side of the fuse being the "magic formula" influencing the current running through the fuse wire, I took a shot and bundled the two DC voltage leads for the digital section from the middle [digital] transformer - including on my first production run R8HE [which is different from Bleumoonljb's] , the USB/HDMI power feed from the far left end of the transformer board, and tie wrapped all three of them facing the blue dot on an Orange fuse [making sure to maintain correct fuse directionality]. After about 10-20 minutes I could hear the gradually changing affect of the instruments beginning to separate further in their spacing. Adding the external clock to the R8HE was a significant upgrade with the Mutec Ref10 SE120, but I am confident saying that after adding the Orange fuse to the digital power supply, the R8's internal clocking gave the external clock source a run for it's money in terms of its holography.
Qualifier: I had early on, replaced the wiring off the transformer board to solid silver and had sufficient slack to get all three Voltage wire feeds tie wrapped together to a single fuse....
Can't say for sure if this can easily be done on an existing R8HE/R7HE factory unit.
For clarification, there is no electrical connection to the fuse hence no current passing through it. It is purely the effect of the fuse dot affecting the current [with whatever it is that it does] passing through the wires tie wrapped against it.

This brings me to phase two...

I bundled the two analog [Ladder Switch] and the one digital voltage [CPLD] input wires to the DAC board [see image] and tie wrapped them against the blue dot of another large Orange fuse [on each channel] and got similar [in magnitude] results in terms of ease and holography.

I've got about 100 hours on them now and after reading the Purple Fuse user forum on Audiogon -
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/the-new-synergistic-research-purple-fuses
highlighting user experiences after upgrading from Orange to Purple, I ordered three large Purple fuses to replace the Orange on a 3-for-2 sale [$400]. They arrive Monday and I will follow up with results in another 100 hours or so.
I'm sure there are variations of how to get extraordinary results from this, and I'm wondering if on non-HE units, if one fuse could be used at the common AC input to the primary of all three transformers or by using separate [three] fuses on the secondary of each of the three transformers if an upstream DC point [closest to the transformer secondary] can't be accessed.

Any idea how this can make a difference? I am testing grounding tubes from ali right now. So I am open to left-field ideas....

 

[Presence]

Another mod - another veil removed...

I recently noticed that images of the newer HE DAC models did not have the orange 1.5ohm power resistors flanking the bipolar bridge rectifier mounted on the partition to the right of the main transformer. This is an image from the original version of the R8HE -

Some time ago I had replaced the generic KBPC5010 rectifier with an IXYS Fast-Recovery [FRED] rectifier but was puzzled why there wasn't any meaningful SQ difference.
I asked Kingwa about my older R8HE and whether the resistors were performing a snubber function to remove high frequency noise spikes at the expense of current limiting and his response was that they were there to make the sound smoother. After asking him again about this and telling him that I had put in a Fast Recovery rectifier he said it was OK to remove the resistors. After removing them this morning there was a significant veil removed. I see that, at least in the illustrations of newer products the same rectifier is used so I don't know the degree that the Fast recovery rectifier is improving the SQ. But I'm glad the resistors are gone and the improvement is clearly discernible.

 

[Presence]

Any idea how this can make a difference? I am testing grounding tubes from ali right now. So I am open to left-field ideas....

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your inquiry.

I have been experimenting with so-called "quantum" products from Bybee for a while now and they are quite controversial and work to varying degrees, from making things worse to "I didn't know a stereo could do that".
At the risk of setting myself up for being labeled "total nut job" I'll paraphrase what Jack Bybee told me on one occasion...
That his products work by getting the electrons to spin in the same direction minimizing resistance and quantum noise generated from opposite spinning electrons.
I've got my arms covering my head just now waiting for it as a dog who has been hit before with a rolled up newspaper sees someone raising their arm at them...

I found the Synergistic Research Orange fuses to be transformative in everything I've tried them in save for the R8HE in front of the Regen.
Before the Next-Gen Purple arrive tomorrow, I'm going to try a single Orange fuse passively coupled to the two outputs of the R8HE Regenerator to see if I can get the three fuses in place now down to one.

 

[FredA]

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your inquiry.

I have been experimenting with so-called "quantum" products from Bybee for a while now and they are quite controversial and work to varying degrees, from making things worse to "I didn't know a stereo could do that".
At the risk of setting myself up for being labeled "total nut job" I'll paraphrase what Jack Bybee told me on one occasion...
That his products work by getting the electrons to spin in the same direction minimizing resistance and quantum noise generated from opposite spinning electrons.
I've got my arms covering my head just now waiting for it as a dog who has been hit before with a rolled up newspaper sees someone raising their arm at them...

I found the Synergistic Research Orange fuses to be transformative in everything I've tried them in save for the R8HE in front of the Regen.
Before the Next-Gen Purple arrive tomorrow, I'm going to try a single Orange fuse passively coupled to the two outputs of the R8HE Regenerator to see if I can get the three fuses in place now down to one.

Well, electricity is not at all easy to comprehend in depth. The fuse influences the field the wires produce..

I am using two grounding tube and ordered another two. I trust the measuring devices on each side of my head…

I would be curious to find out if the guru followers on the “scientific” forum could pick up the best measuring device in a blind test. It would be like going to the movies, i’d eat popcorn and prepare to laugh my a.. off.

 

[DACLadder]

Do any of these quantum tweaks ever make sound worse? I usually see reports of miraculous improvement. Seems like the spin influence could go either way. Either help or make things worse depending on a lot of factors especially where and how they are installed. Also a third option of no preceived affect.

But have an open mind witn a bit of skepticism. And curious if someone can explain why it works in specific cases.

 

[FredA]

Do any of these quantum tweaks ever make sound worse? I usually see reports of miraculous improvement. Seems like the spin influence could go either way. Either help or make things worse depending on a lot of factors especially where and how they are installed. Also a third option of no preceived affect.

But have an open mind witn a bit of skepticism. And curious if someone can explain why it works in specific cases.

My take is simple. Signal transmission occurs through EM waves. Same with energy transmission. Analyzing things considering a conductor as a waveguide is a good start. It is quite common knowledge that a shielded cable do not sound the same as the same exact cable minus the shield. The electrons are moved by the field so the nature of the field will make a difference. The size and shape of the enclosure can affect the sound too, i know from experience. So it is far from simple.

 

[FredA]

The brings me the idea of a cryogenic enclosure. Something to try. Why not? This IS science.

 

[FredA]

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your inquiry.

I have been experimenting with so-called "quantum" products from Bybee for a while now and they are quite controversial and work to varying degrees, from making things worse to "I didn't know a stereo could do that".
At the risk of setting myself up for being labeled "total nut job" I'll paraphrase what Jack Bybee told me on one occasion...
That his products work by getting the electrons to spin in the same direction minimizing resistance and quantum noise generated from opposite spinning electrons.
I've got my arms covering my head just now waiting for it as a dog who has been hit before with a rolled up newspaper sees someone raising their arm at them...

I found the Synergistic Research Orange fuses to be transformative in everything I've tried them in save for the R8HE in front of the Regen.
Before the Next-Gen Purple arrive tomorrow, I'm going to try a single Orange fuse passively coupled to the two outputs of the R8HE Regenerator to see if I can get the three fuses in place now down to one.

Which bybee products do you recommended?

 

[Presence]

In terms of relative bang for buck [they're still expensive] I'd stick to the Gold Purifiers. I've bought them for as low as $175 when bundled with other components.
They generally add a 10-15% improvement in soundstage expansion, silence to the system [blacker background], ease and improved transient response.

Before I had the external 10M clock I used three of them for the internal clocks in the R8HE - in line between each Vin and one common in line to Ground.
I also use them in the same capacity in the Phoenix USB Regen and the Mutec 10M clock although in these latter two I'd say the improvement is more like 7%.
So far they act complimentary to the SR fuses but the fuses provide a more expansive set of benefits and because they go in the fuse holder - generally one per component, the bang for buck is greatest. The beneficial advantage of the Gold Purifiers is that the purifiers go a lot deeper in terms of delivering system silence.
In terms of delivering more satisfying musicality though - holography and layering, opening of midrange/treble, I'd recommend trying a SR fuse in a critical component and proceed from there.

 

[Articnoise]

In terms of relative bang for buck [they're still expensive] I'd stick to the Gold Purifiers. I've bought them for as low as $175 when bundled with other components.
They generally add a 10-15% improvement in soundstage expansion, silence to the system [blacker background], ease and improved transient response.

Before I had the external 10M clock I used three of them for the internal clocks in the R8HE - in line between each Vin and one common in line to Ground.
I also use them in the same capacity in the Phoenix USB Regen and the Mutec 10M clock although in these latter two I'd say the improvement is more like 7%.
So far they act complimentary to the SR fuses but the fuses provide a more expansive set of benefits and because they go in the fuse holder - generally one per component, the bang for buck is greatest. The beneficial advantage of the Gold Purifiers is that the purifiers go a lot deeper in terms of delivering system silence.
In terms of delivering more satisfying musicality though - holography and layering, opening of midrange/treble, I'd recommend trying a SR fuse in a critical component and proceed from there.

I would start with geting a R7HE before investing in this kind of things .

 

[PhMZ4]

Guys… I’m thouroughly reading your posts and have to admit you go far behond my tuning ambitions on the HW side, as imo the baseline Kingwa is setting with its devices is quite well coherent (value/cost) and going to the next level is surely more rewarding in upgrading to the next better component, eg. from R8HE to R7HE MkII.

On my side I recently went on a different path after having optimized all possible I could (mains filtering (incl. DC blockers), cables, LPSs everywhere, etc…), I started to investigate the software based SoX over sampling, in setting the DAC in NOS mode and then playing with the different parameters SoX is offering…. I could achieve some major improvements compared to the built-in OS 8x code while preserving the nice signature Kingwa has originally designed. So far, I’m quite pleased going towards a ‘linear phase brick wall’ filter with 28bits ultra settings, providing a nice and subtle tonal balance, while keeping the nice slam we have on these gears…. I’ll continue to investigate and keep you informed on my findings.

 

[Presence]

A key distinction, I think, is the degree that the mind identifies audible changes and alters the way it pinpoints the differences during the listening session vs. the degree that the heart embraces the experience where the mind is no longer evaluating the situation and simply “abides in the experience with a depth of delight”…

 

[DACLadder]

A key distinction, I think, is the degree that the mind identifies audible changes and alters the way it pinpoints the differences during the listening session vs. the degree that the heart embraces the experience where the mind is no longer evaluating the situation and simply “abides in the experience with a depth of delight”…

Words well spoken. The audio illusion just has to fool our minds into accepting what is presented. Listening long enough then becomes normal. But I notice subtle changes in my system. Or think I do... so enhancements will continue forever.