as a follow-up. My first rejig of the mains cables in my sys had a positive impact...
Before rejig:
- std domestic mains supply to switched double socket
- single Trichord Research PowerBlock 500 (with two unswitched sockets) plugged into wall socket
- one typical, surge protected, 8-way with two led plugged into Trichord powerBlock
- standard power cables to all equipment plugged into 8-way
After rejig:
- std domestic mains supply to switched double socket
- shielded cable 4-way from eBay (user: Audio1st) - well made, with ferrite rings, quality plug and 4-block (unswitced, no led) - £23.
- single Trichord Research PowerBlock 500 (with two unswitched sockets) now plugged into 4-way
- 2nd hand Eupen silver powering SACD/CD player - plugged into Trichord
- 2nd hand Eupen silver powering amp - plugged into Trichord
- std lead powering amp's power supply - plugged directly into 4-way
The results:
Well, based on my before v after - there are three changes:
1. Trichord PowerBlock has been moved up the chain to directly supply CDP and amp.
2. multi-socket has been upgraded
3. Eupen silvers replace std leads to CDP and amp.
I have yet to test each change singly, however I am very surprised by the results of the combined changes: my system has simply come alive. The digital harshness I so disliked from PCM/CD has been transformed considerably into a fuller, more coherent and more engaging musical articulation.
Right across the frequencies, the sound is more cohesive and far more engaging than before. When the volume is cranked up, the experience simply is more of the same rather than any hardening that I experienced before.
Detail has increased - but to the benefit of the music - rather than being at all clinical. The soundstage has improved considerably as a result of the better communicated detail.
I am fairly convinced that moving the Trichord up the chain has had a strong part to play in the improvement but I certainly doubt more than 50% of it. How I would then split the influence of the Eupens from the improved 4-way is more difficult to say without further careful testing.
Interestingly it has somewhat convinced me that the Cyrus 7 amp and Ruark Epilogue speakers have far more potential then I had hoped for. Regardless of peoples opinions about the mainsteam, bright "sound" of Cyrus amps, or the diminuitive Epilogues, I have to say I am more convinced than ever that this combo is a solid partnership at their combined price point (for my tastes naturally). The combo is now fuller sounded, far more musical, decently coherent, certainly forward (but not bright) and no longer hard sounded when listening to CD. However before this experiment I was well on my way to replacing them.
It kind of begs the question should I completely exhaust my mains upgrade options - both domestic rewiring, and additional cable experiments - before I consider replacing amp and spkrs?