[Patrick82]

I waited a whole week before continuing my daily mods, my previous mod (1 conductor Valhalla interconnect) gave so big improvement...

I replaced fuses inside the amp and I found a way to mess up that simple job. Amp wouldn't start because there was a piece of solder making a short again. I removed it and no sound came out, I automatically assumed amp was the problem and then 5 hours of testing begins... Problem wasn't amp at all, my computer didn't output audio anymore, I never had that problem before. It worked again when I restored windows. At least I got some good exercise from all that.
After 7 hours of tweaking I moved on to my Cary transport and it took only 15 minutes to replace those two fuses without problems.

Instead of spending $30 for a frail fuse that breaks when feeding it too much voltage I'm using my Valkyrja speaker wiring (I use it for everything). It has no protection but I don't care because I tweak too extreme anyways.

First impressions hardwired homemade Valkyrja "fuse": More vocal information! With frail fuses I couldn't hear what vocalists where singing, now I can hear new words! Bass is more solid and faster. Everything sounds louder. There is some "solder sibilance" that needs to burn-in...


Edit: I have loaned out my camera and can't take pictures yet. So I made this drawing instead:

This made a bigger improvement than Valhalla digital, that's why I'm posting here. $0 VS $2000, bang for buck!

 

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 Instead of spending $30 for a frail fuse that breaks when feeding it too much voltage I'm using my Valkyrja speaker wiring (I use it for everything). It has no protection but I don't care because I tweak too extreme anyways.

Patrick, I think lots of your ideas are bad... but seriously, this is a REALLY bad idea.

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher Patrick, I think lots of your ideas are bad... but seriously, this is a REALLY bad idea.

Why? Getting better sound is bad idea? I'm more worried about my power cords than the equipment, because each power cord costs more than the component it is plugged into.

I have bypassed the rest of the fuses long ago, no problems. Only 1 fuse to protect the whole system is needed, the one in my Ultimate Outlet, it also has MOV's for extra protection.

Power, cables and vibration isolation, it's all that matters to me. Anything else is insignificant. After the problems are fixed, all equipment sound almost the same, at any price. That's why I choose the ones that take the least electricity and heat. DAC1 + ICEpower, bang for buck!

 

[setmenu]

I reckon the next step is to get yourself a Small generator and run your exotic
power cable directly from it to your hifi. [with suitable filtering/conditioning in
between of course!]

Ever looked into battery supplies?

But in all seriousness, be careful about removing safety devices,whilst they
may 'only' appear to protect the gear, they may also reduce the risk of fire!
No matter how hardcore your audiophile credentials,they ain't worth jack if
all you do is end up toast!

.

 

[Patrick82]

Uh, all this time I had been using wrong power cord conductor amount for Cary 303/300 transport, and I kept wondering where deep bass and dynamics went. I thought it was placebo of my Cary internal Valkyrja DC wiring that had worn off, but NO, it wasn't placebo, it was real!

A couple weeks ago after I had done my Cary Valkyrja mod (see pics) it gave too much bass so I modded the Valhalla power cord from 2 red + 2 black + 1 ground to 1+1+1, but it sounded too lifeless and boring, deep bass and dynamics were gone, I could also hear background noise. When I put it back I wired it wrong and it got 2+1+1, after lack of bass I figured out I wired it in reverse and switched it to 1+2+1 and I kept that for weeks. I thought I wired it correctly because there was little more bass.

Today I shortened my power cords from 160cm to 55cm (Cary) and from 105cm to 50cm (DAC1). I also wired the Cary correctly into 2+2+1 this time.

First impression: OH MY GOD the dynamics are back!

Background is BLACK again. There are blacker blacks and whiter whites, amazing. Deep bass vibrates again

. But detail is lacking badly, I think it's a side effect from more dynamics and heaviness. Even with less detail I like it better because it hides the background noise, hmm, maybe that noise was emphasizing detail.


Edit: I wonder if I can use 1+1+1 for Cary now when the power cord is 1/3rd in length, I will try it again after a few months of tweaks.

After re-arranging my setup I'm now finally able to try Valhalla for my cheap projector. But first I will try DualValhalla for the wall.

 

[Jeff Wong]

Patrick - Your solder joints don't look quite right judging from the pics... you might want to check them or redo them. A cold joint could be introducing noise.

 

[derekbmn]

Thank's for the new sig !!!

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Wong Patrick - Your solder joints don't look quite right judging from the pics... you might want to check them or redo them. A cold joint could be introducing noise.

Hmm maybe. I didn't solder the interconnect to the XLR pins properly. I went back to Valhalla interconnect now because it is easier to tweak my system, background is blacker, but that's mostly from the shielding.

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 But first I will try DualValhalla for the wall.

I was using 2 meter stock Valhalla for wall. I replaced it with 1 meter DualValhalla.
I tried 4 red + 4 black + 2 ground. (Separate Valhalla power cord for hot and neutral signals.)

First impression 4+4+2 for wall: Little deeper bass, same detail. Almost no difference.




Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 I wonder if I can use 1+1+1 for Cary now when the power cord is 1/3rd in length,

It works!

First impression 1+1+1 for Cary: More open and revealing! Little less dynamics, bass is less emphasized. Better synergy.






I went back to stock 2 meter Valhalla for wall and it sounded almost the same, but with little more detail than before.
After what happened to Cary I did the same mod, I replaced 2 meter with 1 meter and disconnected a conductor to make it 2+2+1.

First impression 2+2+1 for wall: OMG more detail! Little less bass and more open. It sounds faster too! I will keep this. OMG it sounds acceptable!

Background noise is reduced now even with less conductors, shortening the power cords did this!! Longer power cord gives more RFI? I need to do the ERS toilet paper roll mod with power cords too...





Display of Power Plant says 0-40 watts, 13 watts average with MWAVE4 setting, but display isn't accurate.
When Cary 303/300 is in stand-by it shows 0-10. It's amazing how little DAC1 + ICEpower amp takes! My Krell power amp used to take 100+ watts and stock Valhalla was too thin for it.

Uh, I think my ICEpower amp has too fat conductors now. 18 AWG instead of 16 AWG should be better. I need to make special order from Nordost... Or maybe I can use 22 AWG Valkyrja with 3+3+1 conductors, but I don't have enough of it left, and it doesn't have dual threads

.
I want a 7 conductor 22 AWG speaker cable with Dual Micro Mono-Filaments instead of single (power cord and digital have Dual). Then I can use it for everything!!

Do you think Nordost would create this cable for me? Is $10k enough for 100 meters?

Edit: Or maybe I should buy tools and build it myself, then I can go out and re-wire the street (I will mod street at night with night vision goggles so nobody sees...).

 

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 Edit: Or maybe I should buy tools and build it myself, then I can go out and re-wire the street (I will mod street at night with night vision goggles so nobody sees...).

It is moments like this (and also ones that involve you removing fuses from devices) that make me so very happy that you live in Sweden

.

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 After re-arranging my setup I'm now finally able to try Valhalla for my cheap projector.

This is scary. As a joke I hardwired Valhalla into projector and wrapped the ends with ERS paper. I'm using a cheap Tupplur screen from Ikea and cheap 720p projector, this projector is way too soft so it is hard to read text.

Panasonic PT-AE900E -> 1 meter Valhalla -> JuiceBar -> 2 meter Valhalla -> Ultimate Outlet -> 1 meter Valhalla -> wall.


First impressions: OH MY GOD! It is super sharp all over the screen instead of only in the centre, what is going on?? Are my eyes different now? Colors look too bright that it's unreal, it doesn't look like real life. Colors are much cleaner than before. What has happened to picture? OMG how is this possible? I don't believe it. Do I need to buy another Valhalla power cord now?

Arghh, I need this one for my computer damnit!!


Uh, now I also need to buy Stewart Firehawk screen to take advantage of this, I don't have the cash!

 

[Curt Palme]

Speaking as a board level tech that has been soldering for over 30 years, I have to be really honest and say that Patrick's soldering is some of the worst that I've seen. While tweaking itself is fine and encouraged, I daresay that the resale value of a couple of his pieces have dropped to $0, at least for me.

Let's not forget the missing AC cord strain relief that now creates a potential fire hazard once the Valhalla gets scraped along the metal edge of the chassis.

Buyer and tweakers beware!

 

[Tachikoma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt Palme Speaking as a board level tech that has been soldering for over 30 years, I have to be really honest and say that Patrick's soldering is some of the worst that I've seen. While tweaking itself is fine and encouraged, I daresay that the resale value of a couple of his pieces have dropped to $0, at least for me. Let's not forget the missing AC cord strain relief that now creates a potential fire hazard once the Valhalla gets scraped along the metal edge of the chassis. Buyer and tweakers beware!

Enjoying his posts at AVS I see?

if I were him I'd be building DIY amps from scratch solely using valhalla cords. See, it could be worse

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt Palme Speaking as a board level tech that has been soldering for over 30 years, I have to be really honest and say that Patrick's soldering is some of the worst that I've seen. While tweaking itself is fine and encouraged, I daresay that the resale value of a couple of his pieces have dropped to $0, at least for me.

I have been soldering few months... At least it gets the job done and makes an improvement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt Palme Let's not forget the missing AC cord strain relief that now creates a potential fire hazard once the Valhalla gets scraped along the metal edge of the chassis. Buyer and tweakers beware!

I have some scratches on my old Valhalla power cords from squeezing them through the hole of my closet. The teflon is way too thick for scratches to pierce through it, and then each of the 7 conductors are surrounded with teflon too. It was hard to cut through the teflon when I tried it.
I have black tape at every place where the cables make contact to the chassis. But even if there was a fire hazard, would I care? If I get a few weeks of great sound and then it burns up it is worth it! Because memory lasts forever... unless I get memory loss disease, so I need to be quick anyway, why spend 30 years learning how to solder properly if you can get better sound today?

 

[setmenu]

Personally when I read the words 'fire hazard' , the first thing I think of is the
risk to other household members, myself and the property before I consider
the piece of hifi itself.

But that's just me.