Virtual Dynamics Genesis 1.1 Power Cable - first impressions

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif By the way, are you using the standard configuration r did you alter the amount of cores used?!

With all Nordost cables I found that I got the most low-level detail and speed when using a single conductor instead of the multiple conductors they use (my 7cm Valkyrja cost only a few bucks!). The bass size will be smaller but it will be tighter. It might also sound too bright and fatiguing because it is more revealing, but it's not a problem when using ERS Paper or Magix levitation feet.

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif With all Nordost cables I found that I got the most low-level detail and speed when using a single conductor instead of the multiple conductors they use (my 7cm Valkyrja cost only a few bucks!). The bass size will be smaller but it will be tighter. It might also sound too bright and fatiguing because it is more revealing, but it's not a problem when using ERS Paper or Magix levitation feet.

While i have no doubt the magix are superb, i am hessitant because of the price. if they were more reasonably priced, i would without a doubt try them out.

Most people buy a source for the money a set (3 or 4) go for. You wouldn't have a set of at least 3 for sale? Would you?

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif While i have no doubt the magix are superb, i am hessitant because of the price. if they were more reasonably priced, i would without a doubt try them out. Most people buy a source for the money a set (3 or 4) go for. You wouldn't have a set of at least 3 for sale? Would you?

I have 18 Magix and I want much more of them because then I can put more books on top of the component for mass damping. Magix is better overall than other vibration control devices I have tried, but there is a slight veil because the component on top is floating which doesn't dampen any internal vibrations. This is the reason why placing books on top of the component makes such a huge difference, it reduces the veil from Magix and increases dynamics.

It's the same with audio gear; a light chassis gives thin and open sound, while a heavy chassis gives heavy and strong sound with more blackness and whiteness. The heavier the better! The same is true for power cables... Genesis power cable is very heavy, I get sweaty when lifting it.

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have 18 Magix and I want much more of them because then I can put more books on top of the component for mass damping. Magix is better overall than other vibration control devices I have tried, but there is a slight veil because the component on top is floating which doesn't dampen any internal vibrations. This is the reason why placing books on top of the component makes such a huge difference, it reduces the veil from Magix and increases dynamics. It's the same with audio gear; a light chassis gives thin and open sound, while a heavy chassis gives heavy and strong sound with more blackness and whiteness. The heavier the better! The same is true for power cables... Genesis power cable is very heavy, I get sweaty when lifting it.

Quite opposite of my findings with my fibration reduction feet. If i put books on top, it darkens the sounds, normal use is best and most clear.

Fibration reduction works though. For estatics, why don't you order a nice piece of marble or any other heavy stone to put on top, more pleasing. i would prefer slate, since it also has dampening properties.

I agree for the most part about your findings.

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif Quite opposite of my findings with my fibration reduction feet. If i put books on top, it darkens the sounds, normal use is best and most clear. Fibration reduction works though. For estatics, why don't you order a nice piece of marble or any other heavy stone to put on top, more pleasing. i would prefer slate, since it also has dampening properties. I agree for the most part about your findings.

I haven't tried placing books on top without Magix under the component. But based on logic it would just press the component more towards the ground vibrations while reducing the internal vibrations at the same time. It might get better or worse depending on what vibrates the most. With Magix this isn't a problem.

Even with Magix, placing books on top darkens the sound for me too. It gives a blacker background with more subtle low-level detail, and it turns the excessive brightness into more information in the music. At first it sounded like a reduction of clarity because the highs weren't edgy and emphasized anymore, but later I found that there is more resolution. ERS Paper is similar to this.

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't tried placing books on top without Magix under the component. But based on logic it would just press the component more towards the ground vibrations while reducing the internal vibrations at the same time. It might get better or worse depending on what vibrates the most. With Magix this isn't a problem. Even with Magix, placing books on top darkens the sound for me too. It gives a blacker background with more subtle low-level detail, and it turns the excessive brightness into more information in the music. At first it sounded like a reduction of clarity because the highs weren't edgy and emphasized anymore, but later I found that there is more resolution. ERS Paper is similar to this.

I ment not only the background, but all the music gets darker. Not my preferred sound.

I read good stuff about the magix feet, pricey but they seem to work.

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even with Magix, placing books on top darkens the sound for me too. It gives a blacker background with more subtle low-level detail, and it turns the excessive brightness into more information in the music. At first it sounded like a reduction of clarity because the highs weren't edgy and emphasized anymore, but later I found that there is more resolution. ERS Paper is similar to this.

My comment above is only true for my CD transports because less vibration reduces jitter/edginess. But with books for my DAC I get more whiteness and less smoothness because there is more low-level information. The background gets blacker like it should be, and the highs get whiter because they are less veiled.

I tried books for my DAC again. But before putting the books on I first plugged in a few RGC-24 Ground Conditioners which gave huge improvements, but it made it sound too smooth and veiled because everything was cleaner (similar to Valhalla power cord). There was no graininess anywhere, it sounded annoying. After I put the books on, the smooth and veiled highs became whiter! Everything is both blacker and whiter, the bass is bigger and has more information in it. The high frequency transients are bigger and whiter but there is still more blackness in between those transients. The difference is night and day, and I'm using HD590 right now. It's definitely not too dark, it's just more revealing.

Magix alone is no good, but Magix + books is amazing!

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My comment above is only true for my CD transports because less vibration reduces jitter/edginess. But with books for my DAC I get more whiteness and less smoothness because there is more low-level information. The background gets blacker like it should be, and the highs get whiter because they are less veiled. I tried books for my DAC again. But before putting the books on I first plugged in a few RGC-24 Ground Conditioners which gave huge improvements, but it made it sound too smooth and veiled because everything was cleaner (similar to Valhalla power cord). There was no graininess anywhere, it sounded annoying. After I put the books on, the smooth and veiled highs became whiter! Everything is both blacker and whiter, the bass is bigger and has more information in it. The high frequency transients are bigger and whiter but there is still more blackness in between those transients. The difference is night and day, and I'm using HD590 right now. It's definitely not too dark, it's just more revealing. Magix alone is no good, but Magix + books is amazing!

Magix with books has to take more weight, doesn't it mean they could touch the bottom of the base?! Or are they still floating...e.g. try to press them down....

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif Magix with books has to take more weight, doesn't it mean they could touch the bottom of the base?! Or are they still floating...e.g. try to press them down....

I put on as many books as I can while keeping them floating. I fine tune the books for hours.

 

[Patrick82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have 18 Magix and I want much more of them because then I can put more books on top of the component for mass damping.

Ok, I tried it. I went from 4 to 8 Magix under my DAC, I did some A/B-ing and there was no difference, 4 Magix is good enough. I thought I heard a small difference but couldn't be sure.

Then I added a few more books on top and heard a slight improvement but I couldn't be sure. Then I removed all books and the difference was HUGE, it sounded open, harsh and noisy. Based on logic; the more books the better! I had already stacked a metre of books on top and didn't have anything more, so I found a big box of CDs under my bed and stacked my DAC with it, I also put on as many books as I could while still having the 8 Magix floating. I have 100+ lbs on top.

Impressions: More blackness and quietness. The bass appears to be tighter, bigger and louder. The background has never been this black before, it scares me.

Stacking more books on top didn't make a night and day improvement but it was still noticeable.

I would like to try more Magix and more books but I don't think my ceiling is high enough. And it also seems like the screws need to be tighter to get further improvements from mass damping. After a reaching a certain point of mass damping the limit is in the solder connections and internal circuits. I don't think the cheap plastic casing is that good either, I'm worried of it breaking.

 

[Patrick82]

 

[Patrick82]

Based on my experiments it's pretty clear now that vibration control is 99% of the sound. Dampening the vibrations of the power cable gives huge improvements!

I drew a picture to illustrate how Genesis sounds compared to the veiled and thin sounding Valhalla. I'm not hearing any coloration from Genesis.

 

[Akathisia]

o... m... g...

 

[Know Talent]

..."chock full of nuts" I say

"We need a bigger flux capacitor Marty!!!"

 

[moogoob]

My wording: "There's two of them!?!"