The DIY'rs Cookbook

[Tand2016]

It must have been some work for SOtM. I think the Rednet sCKL-EX was a first for SOtM, not sure about the mini but probably. Yes, it looks very nice. I like the details on the back of the Rednet.

Regarding the SQ. When getting the big lift in sq using AOIP after leaving usb, which futher was improved with the LPS converting. I figured the Rednet could have some potential.

"And it looks like you patched right into the output of the existing clocks (as a guess), but how did you disconnect the original clock?" I am not sure how they do it, but I think May called it they "discipline" the original clock with the more accurate sCKL-EX clocks.


Actually I have no idea what to expect. But using the REF10 on my (unmodified) MC3 + USB (whick will be modified after things are dialed in) and Word Clock to the Rednet (and now my Vivaldi dac) I think this will be very interesting .

I will report back later when I have some hours on them.

 

[johnjen]

I'm curious to find out more about your HD800 mods. I gave up on them because it seemed the more I modded them, the more precise, but more boring they became to listen with. I never tried a hard-wire mod though.

Say there.
This mod I've worked up is used in an environment where DSP is available, and provides EQ and SSBB and PRT tweaks and paying attention to the absolute phase (the phase button on the front or remote etc.)

Having said all that, this mod by itself should significantly reduce the irritation of long term listening or tLFF (theListenerFatigueFactor) as I call it.
This is what I hear, a BIG reduction in 'improperly timed and placed acoustic energy" as it is generated by the transducer.
In short I improved the critically damped 'suspension' that the driver sits in.

I have the 2nd paper poised which will go into some of what you are looking for ("but more boring they became to listen with"). But I have yet to start with the measurements which are a ways off yet, but…
As I mentioned those DSP tricks are an integral part of the end result.
You might even say they are the enablers of 'the fun stuff', the T3 and HB&W (ToeTappingTime) (HeadBobbing&Weaving).

And there is yet more, as learning does continue after further experimentation.

Perhaps I should make this a 3 part post.
hhhhmmmmm

JJ

 

[johnjen]

Do you have another shot of the wiring from the clocks to the mainboard?
And the clock input wiring from the rear panel inwards?

Just curious is all.

Thanks and I know what you mean about getting back to AOIP from usb,
while there (using usb) it ain't all that bad,
that is, until AOIP comes back on line.

And now getting fully clocked AOIP, just might set yet another boundry up a notch or 2 or 3+ higher

 

[Tand2016]

Do you mean on the Rednet or the mini? I can ask May to send some more. These 3 is all I have for now.

Last months I have used a Regen (LPS-1.2) and Curious usb Cables to my Vivaldi dac from an unmodified 2011 mini and I have almost not lisened to music at all since sending the Rednet and mini to SOtM. Must mean something

 

[johnjen]

The rednet was my 1st thought, but if you have the MacMini Mod shots, yes please.

Yeah it is amazing the degree of difference between a well implemented AOIP setup, in contrast to anything else I have ever heard.

And it seems the more we push the edges of this envelope the more we find that which improves it.

JJ

 

[Tand2016]

sCLK-EXs 4 tabs to my Mac mini. To System, usb, ethernet and thunderbolt.

 

[johnjen]

Ah, I see now.
You just snagged the outputs of the existing ports, then re-clocked the data and sent it on its way.
It was just using those same rf coax cables only longer versions, with a few more connectors in between.

So the new reference word clock data that was sent to the RND16, was it embedded within the digital audio data stream, or sent separately?

It will be interesting to get your impressions once all of this is up and running.

JJ

 

[Tand2016]

I will connect each of the sCLK-EX with a Habst 0,5 m BNC 75 ohm cable from my Mutec REF10. Each sCLK-EX and the Rednet 16 will be used with 3 x UpTone LPS-1.2. A third Habst 0,5 m will go to my Mutec MC3 + usb from the REF10 and the last one will be used from MC3 to my Vivaldi dac Word Clock input.

Not necessary to say I was very happy for the Habst group buy on CA !

Yes, I will defintly share the impretions when things are up and running.

 

[johnjen]

System Status Report…

As I write this I have ≈ 245+hrs of playing time on my JggyB which is already pushing that 100% ceiling up, and away, and in ways most desirable.

A new audio term was uttered for the 1st time,
yet another descriptive term.

Subterranean Bass (SB) which refers to, 'you feel' the bass (bass, only-better) as it concusses, or thumps, or rattles your body and is coupled with its higher frequency harmonics.

Remember those B grade movies with 'earthquake' effects?
Remember most of it was in not really even subsonic, let alone SB
Yeah like that only with headphones.
It smacks you (Involuntary Blink Response) or rattles your head, and surprisingly your chest, and more.

This degree of coupling is also a contributor to the soundstage enhancements that are emerging.
One such emerging enhancement that is noteworthy is I5 (Intelligibility) and vocal backup singers, have already pushed their degree of focus and REALNESS to new heights, new 100% markers.
I expect this trend of emerging enhancements to continue for a while yet.

But the soundstage itself has morphed.
Everything from pure acoustic (orchestral, solo guitar or piano, etc.)
to studio produced music to fully electronic and all the blends of all of them…

Its like the walls or acoustic limits of each track is defined in 4-D space all around me, based upon how each track was created.

Sometimes it pans out before me, or surrounds me, it can be 'expansive' or confined.
I can zero in on a particular 'Voice' and 'drill down' into it's nuances and focus upon those abundant inner details.
And sometimes one of those 'Voices' grabs my undivided attention and away I can go.

This JggyB is roughly 1/2 way to the 500hr mark where I usually stop counting, but I think I'm gunna keep counting.

What this portends, based upon my previous experience is, assuming these patterns continue, in 2-3 days I should or might or could hit another peak blossom event, and another at ≈ 100hrs (≈3-4 days) later.
And another at ≈750hrs total, (mid july) and there are additional patterns that extend even further.

One development that has changed and seems to be rather consistent now is, when the system falls off it's 'peak', it doesn't really fall but it eases back (or slows way down) morphing/improving.
Which means most of the previous peak was retained, which for the most part means, it's improving or waiting till it does, and until the changes are so subtle they go by unnoticed.

Oh yeah SB is literally kick-ass, and body, and head…

Which can really be a surprise when you get whacked upside yer head.

JJ
ps yeah I'd say the JggyB upgrade fulfills my expectations in the bass, and in unexpected ways at that.

 

[gefski]

And that SB must help the entire bass range, micro detail wise. The REALNESS of bass drums, strings, organs was an early grabber of my attention with Yggy-B.

 

[johnjen]

Yeah it does, but not as most would think it would.

By that I mean, when the extreme bottom end is coupled to the rest of the bass, there is this cohesiveness to the bass that extends upward into the mids and up.

IOW it isn't just thumps and whumps, but each 'Voice' that includes this very low frequency range, when it's coupled to it's 'parent', then the wholeness of that 'Voice' takes on a whole new degree of REALNESS.
Even instruments that you would never suspect have any low freq component to them, when coupled in this way, can surprise you with the impact of their 'presence'.
Piccolos, flutes, harps, trombones, pianos, tubas, guitars, not to mention any percussive instrument.
When their near dc frequency component is aligned and coupled to it's 'parent', the results are T3, HB&W, SDSG REALNESS, which all take a step up in SQ, along with other attributes as well.

IOW bass isn't just about thumps and whumps, it also establishes the 'foundation' for each instrument, especially those with a 'sharp', or fast rising, leading edge.
This is where the system that has 'extended bass response' provides and results in a coordinated and aligned C3 (Coherence, Cohesiveness, Coupling) aspect to the experience.

And when all (or actually any combination) of these desirable sonic traits I have made acronyms of, take a step up, the results are usually immediately obvious, much like AOIP vs usb, or dialing in a sub woofer into a speaker system, and countless other examples we have direct experience with.

The JggyB just continues to push my previous 100% marks, in all categories, to new heights.
And it appears it's going to continue to do so for the next few weeks.

This is Weigh Frick'n Kewl (WFK…?). hahahahahahahahahaha

JJ

 

[johnjen]

So another SSR (System Status Report)

I've been fussing with my gen-5 mods to my B-800's while the JggyB is climbing out of a TD (Toilet Dump).
I'm pretty sure the JggyB is back up, as I'm hearing more of what my latest fussing's are yielding.
I say this because I'm In a pre-blossom stage where these brand new nuances are peeking out from around the edges of the 'voices' (aka moisture on their breath).
And this pattern of 'peeking out from around the corner' has been observed numerous times previously.

I'll know more in a while, but I think I leapfrogged over gen5 and have landed in gen6 territory, already.

I have ≈ 580hrs on the JggyB and I gotta say that was the mildest TD in terms of the SQ going boringly bad, thus far.

And LEDI (Leading Edge Dynamic Impact) has improved since the TD (which is one of the more obvious changes to the SQ) and along with bass coupling provides a much more satisfying visceral experience.

And there is sure to be more to come in terms of SQ refinements as my B800's settle into their new comfy zone and the JggyB finishes finding it's own comfy zone as well.

JJ

 

[johnjen]

Yet another SSR!

The JggyB is at ≈650hrs and my 800B's are at ≈190hrs.

And tonight its fairly warm and we have 2 fans running in my 'listening room' so the noise level is 'elevated'.
And despite that, at 'normal listening levels' (or perhaps a bit less), I'm hearing deep into the background of Eric Clapton's Pilgrim album.

I'm hearing new subtle brush strokes from the drum set,
I'm hearing new nuances in his voice and his background vocals, (moisture on his breath), Better I5 (Intelligibility)
I'm hearing bass with increasing LEDI and the degree of tonality of bass guitar and drums etc is reaching new levels of SQ as well.

And listening to Bonnie Raitt's album Luck of the Draw, these same acoustic attributes are very much in evidence as well, as might be expected.

These morphing patterns of the system's SQ, which are proceeding 'slowly', tells me it will take a bit more time before the SQ peak is reached, but in the mean time these newly experienced subtle nuances will accumulate and compound upon each other.

Much to my delight.

JJ

 

[johnjen]

So there are developing plans afoot to build a headphone amp, a max tweaked, really simple 2 tube/ch using the 45 (or 2A3) tube and transformer output.

Only it isn't really simple.

It'll be 2 custom monoblocks, with class A, ≈1.6watt output, using several chokes in series for the power supply, ac heaters, a balanced input transformer/volume control, and massive Audio iiirrrrnnnn (heavy transformers) everywhere.

This is massive overkill and simplicity all rolled into one, big, heavy, chassis.
And best of all, it will be an ongoing project as additional tweaks are added once the analog and power supply circuits are 'dialed in'.

And now the search for tubes begins in earnest and I already have a matched set of two, RCA Radiotron #45 globe/balloon tubes inbound.

What have I done!!!!!?????

JJ

 

[gefski]

So there are developing plans afoot to build a headphone amp, a max tweaked, really simple 2 tube/ch using the 45 (or 2A3) tube and transformer output.

Only it isn't really simple.

It'll be 2 custom monoblocks, with class A, ≈1.6watt output, using several chokes in series for the power supply, ac heaters, a balanced input transformer/volume control, and massive Audio iiirrrrnnnn (heavy transformers) everywhere.

This is massive overkill and simplicity all rolled into one, big, heavy, chassis.
And best of all, it will be an ongoing project as additional tweaks are added once the analog and power supply circuits are 'dialed in'.

And now the search for tubes begins in earnest and I already have a matched set of two, RCA Radiotron #45 globe/balloon tubes inbound.

What have I done!!!!!?????

JJ

Terrific! It can work great for speakers, so why not? And custom cables for the cans are easy for you!