[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by darrylnz Yes, I am familiar with those SonicDesign rubber feets as I have a them placed under my dvd player, headphone amp (still experimenting to determine if the SD feets sounded subjectively "better" under my headphone amp or the AQ Sobothane pucks) , and my floorstanding spkrs.

darrylnz,

I'm curious about your use of rubber feet under your speakers. Wouldn't something more rigid be better for something for use under speakers (like spikes)? I'm no expert, so I'm not saying that spikes are better, but I always assumed putting anything flexible -- anything with "give" -- underneath speakers would result in the speaker actually moving around more when music/sound is being played through them. I have a carpeted floor where my speakers are, so spikes are a must for me. I bought stands that have huge spikes on the feet that easily go through the carpet, and they also have much smaller spikes on the top platforms that go into the bottom of my speakers. On carpet at least, the difference between having spikes and no spikes is dramatic. The rigid coupling afforded by the spikes clearly strengthened and tightened up the bass. Have you tried spikes for the speakers?

 

[blr]

I have a quick question for raymondlin

Have you noticed any increased noise levels with van den Hul the First and X-Can V2 compared to metal cables. Some people have complained of increased hum. Van den Hull states that this due to the higher resistence of the carbon conductor shielding.
Thanx in advance.

 

[raymondlin]

My CD player doesn't actually go striaght to my X-CANv2, it's goes like this

marantz CD -> VDH The First -> marantz amp -> DIY shark i/c -> X-canv2

I do this because I got my speakers connect from the marantz amp. and using the tape loop out to the X-canv2. The marantz basically act as a Pre-amp, the signal doesn't go to any of the marantz amp's circuit as I can still use it with the marantz amp OFF. It's seems that the input selector is independent to the restof the circuit, I only need to tuen on my CD player and the X-canv2.

But I haven't heard any hum, it's dead silent even at the silent part of some of the songs. And I don't know is carbon is higher resistent, the cable can be use as a co-axial cable.

 

[blr]

Thanks for the info.
I'm considering The First seriously now.

Would it be too much to ask if you can connect the X-Can directly to your CDp and listen if a hum appears?
I'd appreciate this very much.

 

[darrylnz]

[ Quote from Jude's post: ...

I'm curious about your use of rubber feet under your speakers. Wouldn't something more rigid be better for something for use under speakers (like spikes)? I'm no expert, so I'm not saying that spikes are better, but I always assumed putting anything flexible -- anything with "give" -- underneath speakers would result in the speaker actually moving around more when music/sound is being played through them... ]


Hi Jude,

Well, I would normally concur with your reasoning as prior to using these Sonic Design damping feets, I was certainly sceptical and like you, the optimal way to couple a pair of floorstanding spkrs are thru the supplied spikes, pierced thru the carpet layer and into the floorboard. When I tried these SD feets, I was not that sure if spikes are necessary always the way to go.

Before I go on, suggest you peruse thru these sites ;

http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/sonicdesign_e.html
and
http://www.sonicdesign.se/

In my set-up, I am experimenting with my Mission floorstanding spkrs resting on SD feets (per SD specs) at each corners, (ie. 4 x SD feets per spkrs), than come the next layer of polished granite plinth, and than spikes under the granite plinth, with pointy ends coupling to the carpeted floorboard. Been comparing both SD and using my Mission spkrs spikes and the results are quite interesting, with the SD supported scenario, yielding marginally more "relaxed" sound and spkrs sounded subjectively more "effortless" and transparent when vol increases. Certainly the SD "sounded" less forward, bass seemingly sounded marginally more extended but rounded ... hmmm, but then I do miss the relative "excitement, tautness, speed and dynamics" when the spikes are used. To me, the differences in my system are appreciably discernible but not huge. Still it was discernible enough for my wife to even differentiate. Currently, I still cannot honestly decide which sonic balance I prefer. My wife prefers the SD feets, and in her words "sounded relatively more natural and clearer" ... I guess ultimately, it is a personal taste issue.

Hope this has been useful, Jude.

Cheers,

 

[Audio Addict]

I would suggest trying the JAZZ4 from ZCable. I use this cable between TDS Passive Audiophile and my HeadRoom amplifier. It is a very natural sounding cable. I believe it retails for only $125. If you wanted to find a little more you can can some information on the web site at www.zcable.com

 

[darrylnz]

Quote:

Originally posted by blr Tried this. I took a pair of SD feet from under my MD deck and placed a thick wooden piece on top and placed the X-Can on it. It brought some minor improvements, everything is a bit cleaner and better defined now. The (already very good) instrument separation god even better, but it didn't help to tame the thing that much . Tried the feet directly under the X-Can with similar results, ie better then no feet but still more mellowness/smoothness in the lower treble is needed. So, I'am selling my belowed van den Hul cables and will look for something that sounds darker. Thanks again very much for the reply.

Hi Blr,

Just some thoughts to share with you and its up to you to consider trying. Just note that your YMMV tho' ...

From my own experience, using ferrite clamps on the mains cable and the audio cables have a subjective effect of rolling off some of the HF energy/freqs, especially more so when applied on audio cables. Yup, BROADLY speaking, I am referring to the ferrites attached to your PC and PC monitor cables.

However, I'm not sure where you can source them (ferrites) from your part of the world, but I have in the past experimented with ferrite clamps that I could get them inexpensively from a local electronic surplus store here in NZ, and with various permutations, I settled on simply just clamping the power cords on my cdp, pre, and my headphone amp. The Loewe TV, dvd and vcr machines also gets a ferrite clamp each on their respective power cords. Those ferrites I have can be un-clamped, opening up into two equal halves.

After some experimenting, I avoided clamping any of my audio ICs and spkr cables as the clamps simply rolled off too much HF and did not suit my taste. Clamping mains cables (power cords) seemed to hardly affect HF in any adversely as far as my system is concern, and interestingly, they seemingly reduces "background noise" ... I guess the ferrite clamps may have introduce some level of RFI/EMI rejection properties, and that in turn helped to marginally lower the electrical noise floor, and the delicate HF freqs seemed subjectively "smoother but also clearer", if that makes sense to you . That's only my subjective observation/opinion of course, and the improvements I hear are marginal. Well, FWIW, it seemed to have some subjectively positive effects in my system and I have left the clamps there ever since.

So, if you can source some inexpensive ferrite clamps, use one on your X-Can's wallwart powercord, position the clamp closer to the X-Can unit, and if the clamp's internal diameter are relatively large, then wrap the cord 3-4 times around the clamp. Have a listen and see if you can discern any differences; Suggest you try (audition) it for half hour plus with the clamp and then remove clamp and try it again. Next also consider "clamping" your D102 ICs too ... though not really "pure-fidelity", you may well find the ferrite clamps allows you to "fine-tune", ie., rolling off sufficient HFs and potentially tilting the subjective HF balance more to your personal liking.

All these tweaking with ferrites will be system dependent and frankly, only you can decide if its worthwhile as you may well get comments that ferrite clamps are "counter-hifi". From my own experiences with my system, I am only using ferrites on my mains cable, ... and NOT good on my audio cables. You may think otherwise with your system and your subjective taste would vary too ... hence YMMV.

Finally, a url (interconnects review) you may find useful ;
http://members.tripod.com/~tsc/review_vdh.htm
Its a subjective IC comparison, between vdH The First, D102III, Nordost Blue Heaven and XLO Type 1. FYI, I used to own The First ics but eventually sold them as I felt they were a tad "soft" in my system, lacking some subjective pace and dynamics. BTW, I experienced no "humming" in my case. Its just a personal taste issue, I guess, when I decided to replacel my The First.

All the best,