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1203
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 22, 2012, 03:01:33 pm
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I've got a few minutes before my flight, so thought I'd quickly chime in. So the impact of the system on sound quality. Well sound is has improved EVERYWHERE, perhaps most importantly a nasty layer of hash and confusion in the sound has been removed throughout the performance right from lows through to highs. This has creatated a much firmer and more understandable foundation for the music to be built on with a much lower noise floor. Yes, this is pretty much exactly how I would describe going to balanced AC in my system. As a result, in my system, the depth of the sound stage is really improved - certain sounds now come from way back behind the speakers. There is nothing at all in your face. However... The PurePower2000 provides an even more drastic improvement. It's hard to describe, but with it I'm no longer getting just a nice clean sound, I'm getting music. An acoustic guitar no longer sounds like it's made out of cardboard. It now resonates and 'sings', just like my own Martin (when someone who can actually play a guitar plays it, i.e. not me). I really, really don't want this to sound like an advert for PurePower - they are bloody expensive and may not work out well for everyone. Indeed, mine has been gathering dust in my cellar for the last 12 months because I decided I preferred the sound without it. But then I tried plugging everything into it, including the PC, and voila. So I now how the following AC setup: 100A dedicated line -> PurePower2000 -> 5KVA balanced transformer (with dedicated earth on output) -> shielded/screened wiring The biggest bang-for-the-buck is definitely the 5KVA transformer. But having heard what the PP2000 does, I can no longer with without it. Indeed, I've just ordered a new PurePower+3000. (Of course this is just crazy - quite frankly I could have paid my bloody mortgage off with all the money I've spent on this hobby.) Mani. |
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1204
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 20, 2012, 12:00:30 pm
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I spent a long evening yesterday comparing various AC configurations (house AC, PurePower2000, 5KVA balanced in all permutations). I'll share my views when I have more time. But I just want to quickly share something with Nick. I went ahead and ordered a 3kva transformer from Airlink today. The Airlink seems to work best with an AC cable with a shield. I use Belden 83803 - a pig to work with but easily available on eBay and reasonably cheap. Connect the shield to earth at both ends. Mani. |
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1205
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 19, 2012, 03:18:45 pm
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The only thing I see is a Voltage between the Transformer ZERO and the house earth . This voltage is about 70Volts , which goes to about 10V with a current flow in the order of uA . In my case, the DC voltage between teh transformer zero (bonded to my dedicated earth) and the house earth is only 0.25V. The AC voltage is 0.4V. I can live with 100-200 nA. Mani. |
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1207
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 19, 2012, 01:41:25 pm
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Maybe not stupid when you think it is a false alarm.. Yes I was asking whether it might just be a false alarm - the 'noise sniffer' might not be designed for a balanced setup. Is it allowed to know what this was ? I mean, maybe I am going to read that article, but reading my own posts ? Yes, referring to 'Peter's long post' is a bit like referring to Berlusconi's gaffe. I meant this: Hook up your DC Voltmeter to the two ground references. You should see something. Now, start switching on house devices like phone adapters or motors or possibly amplifiers and the like. Watch the DC Offset change with it.
Now envision that this DC Offset mangles with at least your house ring ground reference. So, mid point e.g. goes up, and think about the part of the (hot point) wave above zero (which should be lower now in amplitude ) and the one under it (should be higher). Here you are turning that sine into something else.
In the mean time your AC output changes too. I never looked at it on the analyser, but while net the result should be the same, it won't because of the wave shape and let's say (for easily envisioning it) clipping at one side.
This all is about your consuming devices fireing back to the mains because of they changing the ground reference.
It may not be an official thing, but this is how I once could look at it. So, that consuming device is not a "balanced device" like in "it draws from both the phases separately" (see earlier posts about this - the 115v/115v thing) but as how I look at it, it will draw the ground towards "itself". So, where ground is to be 0V (which is a virtual thing always, but works for the physics in order) and a device is consuming the 230V, the ground goes up by, say 5V. I know, for AC this can't work, but I think something like switching power supplies ay use the positive side of the wave only or more than the negative, which depends on how the AC/DC conversion is done. Attached are are a couple of snippets from the article. Mani. |
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1208
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: The beginning of the end of CA?
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on: July 19, 2012, 01:25:29 pm
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You posted in the wrong forum. haha. I've made my views heard on CA also. Anyway, I just decided to close down this forum... But for an entry fee of 100 in your own currency you can be back. This only works if the forum is any good. And what does that depend on? Us forum posters! And now we have to pay for the privilege? Yep, makes total sense. Mani. |
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1210
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 19, 2012, 12:30:02 pm
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I'm gonna try the following:
electricity meter -> dedicated consumer unit -> PurePower2000 regenerator -> 5KVA balanced transformer (house PE on input, dedicated PE on output) -> 8-way distribution block Spent until the early hours of the morning doing this. (The input ground of the transformer is connected to the house PE and the output ground to my dedicated PE.) I think it was a worthwhile redistribution. I'm getting the same beautiful balance between micro-detail and smoothness as I did when I initially reinstated the PurePower2000 last week, but strangely I'm getting what sounds like a deeper (and more satisfying) low-end. The only thing I'd like more of is a hint more 'sparkle'. But I haven't yet optimised 'Le Monster' (liquid cooler still needs to go in, all fans need to come out and I need to look at BIOS settings)... and of course there's still 0.9z-7 to come! There's a very interesting review of the top-of-the-line Equi=tech product here: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/equitech/1.html. It makes a very strong case for balanced power and even mentions what Peter was talking about (in his long post earlier in this thread). My main concern now is that my Airlink balanced transformers may not be of the quality really required for a truly low-noise balanced system - I doubt they go to the same lengths as Equi=tech. Also a friend of mine who has a great sytem (centred around the dCS Scarlatti) once mentioned that he heard one of the most profound changes to the sound of a system when an Equi=tech was introduced. Don't think I really need the 15KVA isolation transformer. Anyone want one? It's 120Kg though! I may need to sell a few things in order to scr*pe enough pennies for an Equi=tech. On a final note, my 'noise sniffer' doesn't seem to like my current AC setup. It shows quite a high noise reading even with zero load. Anyone have any idea why this might be? Mani. EDIT: What's wrong with the word 'scr_a_pe'? It just means 'to rub away'... |
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1211
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 19, 2012, 12:11:07 pm
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Is possible to have a truly balanced single-ended poweramp? I mean, my Pass X1 preamp is such a design, and if it's possible in a preamp surely it must be possible in a poweramp also, no? Yes , sure . This seems to contradict something that Juan quoted earlier: Mick Maloney owner of Supratek amplifiers, the ones I used some time ago, has this opinions about Balance/Unbalanced operation:
Balanced operation
-True balance involves either using balancing transfomers or turning a Single Ended cicuit (as most preamps are) into a push pull circuit with double the components, circuitry etc- this is the only way to achieve "true" balanced throughout the preamp. Doesn't it? Mani. |
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1212
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 17, 2012, 12:27:28 pm
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Ah, I didn't know this. I sold it a couple of years ago and the guy who came to pick it up just couldn't understand why I would sell such a sweet sounding amp.
But one question: Is possible to have a truly balanced single-ended poweramp? I mean, my Pass X1 preamp is such a design, and if it's possible in a preamp surely it must be possible in a poweramp also, no?
Mani.
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1213
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Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Clean Power
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on: July 17, 2012, 12:10:35 pm
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OTHO , there are Balanced Single Ended amps , they accept both RCA and XLR inputs ( no transformer ), and their output are balanced ,and they act in push pull also . The highlight is mine. And there are single-ended amps (i.e. not push/pull) that are true balanced designs. My old Pass Labs Aleph4 was one. A very nice-sounding amp indeed. But a bit 'too polite' for XX/NOS1 duties. Mani. |
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1215
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Ultimate Audio Playback / XXHighEnd Support / Re: WASAPI problem
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on: July 16, 2012, 10:41:14 pm
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Hi Paul, a couple of obvious things, but I'll ask anyway:
1. Are you ticking the 'Stop WASAPI Services' while XX is in non-minimized mode and then ticking 'Minimize OS'? I'm sure you are, but just in case...
2. Are you getting some 'Soundcard has changed...' messages each time you reboot after ticking 'Minimize OS' on/off? You should be if WASAPI services really are being switched on/off (assuming your mobo has an on-board DAC).
Forgive me for asking the obvious - I know that you know XX as well as anyone (other than Peter), but sometimes the obvious is the last place people look.
Mani.
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