[Drewligarchy]

If you have an Abyss TC and a Woo Wa3 listen to this track:



Whole album is good, but this especially.

 

[ColoradoJordan]

I finally took the plunge and replaced my entire 2 channel system, as my listening room sits right below the nursery. I ended up getting the WA33 Elite with the KR Audio 2A3 HP, TA-274B Takatsuki and the 6C45Pi Electro Harmonix Gold-pin upgraded tubes. Source is the LuminX1 with Tellurium Q Black II XLR interconnects. I have some basic Wireworld power cords. Headphone is the 1266 TC.

A couple questions. What interconnects would you recommend with my system? I am looking for some warmth. Power cables I was thinking I the JPS Kaptovator. Anybody running a power conditioner? Thanks for the advice. I have loved the WA33 so far.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I finally took the plunge and replaced my entire 2 channel system, as my listening room sits right below the nursery. I ended up getting the WA33 Elite with the KR Audio 2A3 HP, TA-274B Takatsuki and the 6C45Pi Electro Harmonix Gold-pin upgraded tubes. Source is the LuminX1 with Tellurium Q Black II XLR interconnects. I have some basic Wireworld power cords. Headphone is the 1266 TC.

A couple questions. What interconnects would you recommend with my system? I am looking for some warmth. Power cables I was thinking I the JPS Kaptovator. Anybody running a power conditioner? Thanks for the advice. I have loved the WA33 so far.

Cardas clear interconnects have a warm sound.

 

[mammal]

Cardas clear interconnects have a warm sound.

As does JPS Labs Aluminata series I keep hearing, if you wanted to splurge for best Abyss guys can offer.

 

[mammal]

Anybody running a power conditioner? Thanks for the advice.

Abyss made a video about power filtration/conditioning, generally not recommending it. I have seen some folks use power regenerators like PS Audio (AC->DC->AC again) with good results, needed in some fluctuating areas especially on WA33 Elite (I read it is somehow more susceptible to it). The last option (most expensive, but perhaps the best?) is to use battery powered generators, like Stromtank.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Abyss made a video about power filtration/conditioning, generally not recommending it. I have seen some folks use power regenerators like PS Audio (AC->DC->AC again) with good results, needed in some fluctuating areas especially on WA33 Elite (I read it is somehow more susceptible to it). The last option (most expensive, but perhaps the best?) is to use battery powered generators, like Stromtank.

I use a PS audio stellar p3 powerplant. If money were a non issue I'd go for the Stromtank.
In theory those two principles seem superior to Filters.
However many manufacturers and reviewers share different views in that matter.

 

[mammal]

I use a PS audio stellar p3 powerplant. If money were a non issue I'd go for the Stromtank.
In theory those two principles seem superior to Filters.
However many manufacturers and reviewers share different views in that matter.

I contemplated on the issue a lot. Have an option to demo both Powerplant and Stromtank, but avoiding as scared I will become a believer (currently I am not) and keep one of them. Right now I have PS Audio Dectet as a simple surge protection. It claims some filtration too, but hear no difference myself.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I contemplated on the issue a lot. Have an option to demo both Powerplant and Stromtank, but avoiding as scared I will become a believer (currently I am not) and keep one of them. Right now I have PS Audio Dectet as a simple surge protection. It claims some filtration too, but hear no difference myself.

Tue PS Audio Regenerator has a pretty obvious change to the sound, maybe not to everyones liking but definitely noticeable.

Please share your impressions if you ever take the option to Demo them.

 

[mammal]

Tue PS Audio Regenerator has a pretty obvious change to the sound, maybe not to everyones liking but definitely noticeable.

Please share your impressions if you ever take the option to Demo them.

Will do! By the way, does your unit have a fan? That blows air under load?

 

[ColoradoJordan]

Thanks for all the input. Any suggestions for power cables? Anyone running the Lumin X1?

 

[ThanatosVI]

Will do! By the way, does your unit have a fan? That blows air under load?

I don't think so, at least the fan is never running if it has one.

 

[pippen99]

I also run the Stellar P3 regenerator. I found the change to be positive with a blacker background being the most positive change. I have bought most of my cables used. I believe in aftermarket cables especially for interconnects. I have not heard a correlation between positive change and the expense of power cords. I have a Transparent Reference for my WA33. I used to have a Lumin U1 and bought Cerious Graphene Extreme power cables for it. They are well made cables for a reasonable price. I plan to upgrade to DH Prion4 interconnects when Black Friday rolls around this year.

 

[Drewligarchy]

I finally took the plunge and replaced my entire 2 channel system, as my listening room sits right below the nursery. I ended up getting the WA33 Elite with the KR Audio 2A3 HP, TA-274B Takatsuki and the 6C45Pi Electro Harmonix Gold-pin upgraded tubes. Source is the LuminX1 with Tellurium Q Black II XLR interconnects. I have some basic Wireworld power cords. Headphone is the 1266 TC.

A couple questions. What interconnects would you recommend with my system? I am looking for some warmth. Power cables I was thinking I the JPS Kaptovator. Anybody running a power conditioner? Thanks for the advice. I have loved the WA33 so far.

I use relatively cheap interconnects: Audioquest King Cobras - but I really like the sound. Also a PS Audio AC 3 for power. It's kind of silly that I have a JPS SC cable for my Abyss and interconnects that are so much cheaper for my whole system. Need to demo some higher end interconnects from the cable company, but going to roll some tubes first. I've been on the stock tubes with the Wa33 for 18 months, and just ordered the Psvane ACME 2a3, upgraded drivers, and the USAF 596 rectifier. I think I'll probably get the Tak eventually, as well at the KR power tubes when they are back in stock - but hopefully this gets me going.

 

[littlej0e]

I finally took the plunge and replaced my entire 2 channel system, as my listening room sits right below the nursery.

I know this problem well. That's why I have a headphone rig until my kids are older. Or at least old enough not to destroy a good 2 channel system...lol

I ended up getting the WA33 Elite with the KR Audio 2A3 HP, TA-274B Takatsuki and the 6C45Pi Electro Harmonix Gold-pin upgraded tubes. Source is the LuminX1 with Tellurium Q Black II XLR interconnects. I have some basic Wireworld power cords. Headphone is the 1266 TC.

Holy crap do you have an amazing system! Congrats on going "balls-to-the-wall"!!!

A couple questions. What interconnects would you recommend with my system? I am looking for some warmth. Power cables I was thinking I the JPS Kaptovator.

I've heard amazing things about Tellurium cables, especially the interconnects. I don't know If I would change them, but I've never personally heard them. If you are after warmth and OK with artificial warmth and a more digital sound, I'd take a look at the Cardas Parsec ICs, AudioQuest Fire XLRs, or Danacables (a fine Colorado company). That said, I would try adding a bit of color via the power cables first instead of replacing your XLRs. JPS power cables should match quite well with your system in theory, but I don't have any experience with them personally. Alternatively, take a look at Snake River Audio Cottonmouth Signature Series, AudioQuest Firebird, or Tornado's if you need something cheaper. The Snake rivers in particular would be awesome for this use case.

Whatever you chose, I would highly recommend buying used cables whenever possible. Specifically, cables with a lifetime warranty. If the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty (almost always to the original purchaser only), then you already know the cables are likely built well enough to outlast the original purchaser, so there is a 99% chance they will outlast you as well.

Anybody running a power conditioner? Thanks for the advice. I have loved the WA33 so far.

I actually have very recent experience with this. The short answer is it boils down to taste. If you want something that will make things sound smoother than silk and lower the noise floor to obscene levels of quiet and "blackness"...get a power conditioner. Specifically, I had the IsoTek EVO3 Sigmas and it was fantastic at what it did. Truly impressive. The trade offs were that it reduced musical impact a lot, added slight artificial coloration to the sound, and screwed with the staging a bit by bringing the mids and vocals forward and recessing the rest. I eventually ended up bypassing it and plugging my system directly into the wall because it gave me a much more lively, natural, musical, neutral, and less "processed" sound. Again, it is all about personal preference.

Interestingly enough, I live about 40 minutes away from PS Audio's home office (looks like you are very close as well!!!) and I recently demoed a PowerPlant P20. It was surprisingly good and I ultimately ended up buying one (I have a special use case as to why I needed a regenerator. I have extremely noisy and unreliable mains power at my new house in very rural Colorado), but as with everything - YMMV. The P20 was miles better than any "conditioner" I've ever tried because it doesn't artificially color or "enhance" anything. This is probably due to the fact it is a "regenerator" and not a "conditioner". Conditioner is a fancy audio marketing term for "filter" and they almost always take something away. Regenerators are basically the same thing, they just do it differently. The trick is to find out what you like, then find a filter that leaves the things you enjoy and takes away the things you don't. That's the whole game of power conditioning in a nutshell. For example, the P20 improved clarity a bit, impact a bit, dynamics moderately, and staging (specifically depth and width) moderately. But I suspect all of these "improvements" are nothing more than a passive byproduct of the local AC regeneration process itself. In other words, the P20 basically just re-regulates the incoming voltage similar to what your local utility's transformer does that feeds your house. The P20 just does it with components specifically designed to isolate or eliminate THD and noise on your electrical system. That's it. Also, the P20 doesn't really "enhance" anything. It just reduces the THD/noise floor and the resulting "improvements" become much easier to hear as a result. In any case, I honestly don't think I'd buy a regenerator or a conditoner unless I had money to burn, a special use case, or wanted to forcibly change the sound in my system. But again, it all depends on your personal preference.

Lastly, the only way you're going to answer most of these questions is to try as many things as you possibly can, then decide for yourself. I've made some very expensive mistakes not following this simple principle. Put everyone's recommendations on a list, then narrow it down with things that will likely match your tastes, then start demoing. If you haven't identified your tastes, then I would expand your demo list to include gear with a wide range of sound profiles and start there. You just never know what you're going to like until you try it. Unfortunately, this is a very slow, methodical, and often painful process, but it's the only one guaranteed to satisfy you and your unique preferences. There is just no substitute for demoing gear on your system with your ears. This is where finding a good, trustworthy dealer can be very helpful. Find one that asks the right questions to understand your system. Specifically, how your components sound together and what you are looking to achieve. Then he/she can make educated recommendations based on your answers.

Anyway, that's my 32 cents. Good luck!

 

[ColoradoJordan]

Drewligarchy, thanks for the great write up. Much appreciated!