Hey, save some for the rest of us...I still need 4 more Darkz...
Well there are plenty new versions, BUT not DTC Darkz as they stopped manufacturing them, hence my search and collect….
Mike
Ansuz Cables & Accessories
- Thread starter kiwi_1282001
- Start date
Well there are plenty new versions, BUT not DTC Darkz as they stopped manufacturing them, hence my search and collect….
Mike
octadyndude
New member
Low level is just cleaner due to the lower noise floor. IMO not as noticeable meaning to me even Bose sounds OK at low listening levels.
Bart001
New member
I've been using an A2 Mainz with my all-Naim setup for about 6 months now. I have one A2 power cable, from the wall to the Mainz. I have an opportunity to trade the A2 stuff, plus my Naim PowerLine power cables (4 of them) towards C2 level Mainz and C2 power cables, giving me C2 cables from the wall the the Mainz, and from the Mainz to each Naim box and to my Rega phono stage.
Any first-hand reports of A2 vs C2 listening? The Ansuz website is pretty sparse on details, so understanding exactly what's inside the A2 vs C2 mainz blocks is not transparent.
As you all know, this 'Ansuz ac stuff' isn't cheap. The Naim hi fi is total about $85k list...if that is relevant.
Any first-hand reports of A2 vs C2 listening? The Ansuz website is pretty sparse on details, so understanding exactly what's inside the A2 vs C2 mainz blocks is not transparent.
As you all know, this 'Ansuz ac stuff' isn't cheap. The Naim hi fi is total about $85k list...if that is relevant.
jnelson2000
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- Sep 10, 2018
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- 65
Totally worth it just going from the Mainz A2 to the Mainz C2. I’ve Ben there and now ended on the Mainz D2. With each jump there is a noticeable lower floor and greater musical experience. FYI. I’m just running a 2M A2 Power Cable to the Mainz D2. Very happy [emoji2]
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Perfect Sense
Member
To try before you buy is always wise. That being said, if you're happy with the performance of Ansuz today, the C2 level will be a valuable upgrade where you can't really go wrong.
/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se
VoicesInMyHead
New member
I recently went from A2 to C2 Mainz for my Lumin T2, although I had more or less decided to stay on A2 level which I found "good enough" and "reasonable" for the task, but then I happened to see someone selling a C2 for a price I had difficulties to resist and well, what can you do... Even though I've been through several levels of Ansuz cables from first to second generation and I know that I shouldn't be surprised by each step, it still hits me, and I'm again surprised and deeply impressed. You will never go wrong by climbing the ladder, if you like what your A2 is doing to your system, it's not going to get worse with all of those C2 cables. Personally I wouldn't think for too long about that opportunity if I were you.
For best bang for the buck, what is the order of power cables to upgrade, in what order of components (amp, preamp, source, etc.)
Is the power cable from the power conditioner to the wall most important, or can that one be cheaper, and instead, one should focus on the power cables from the unit to the components?
Thanks
Is the power cable from the power conditioner to the wall most important, or can that one be cheaper, and instead, one should focus on the power cables from the unit to the components?
Thanks
Without doubt, cable from wall to conditioner is the most important! Then next the preamp/integrated amp all in accordance with Ansuz recommendations which held true for me at least.
Mike
octadyndude
New member
IMO the C2 is a significant step up from the A2. Likewise the D2 is a big step up from the C2. Unlike the originals the steps up were quite minor especially for the money. With the version 2 the steps up are well worth the money.
BTW you have a great Naim setup
kiwi_1282001
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- Thread Author
- #1,170
Re the cables, in the downloads section of the Ansuz website you can find a product catalogue which speaks (briefly) to the technologies used in each Ansuz cable and also provides a comparison table.
One key difference between A2 and C2 cables is that the C2, like the next model up the D2 uses AARC. AARC is an acronym for Anti Area Resonance Coil technology.
Ansuz is very focussed on the negative impact noise (in all forms – electrical, mechanical, environmental etc.) has on audio reproduction. A key objective is to stop as much noise as possible before it enters the audio system. This is easier said than done because all cables are sensitive to electromagnetic induction (EMI), electrostatic coupling, radio frequency interference (RFI) and more.
One key problem – which AARC attempts to address – is RFI. Equipment in your home and external to your home radiates radio waves. Cables, which act like transmitting antennas, propagate this radiation and contribute to the noise problem. AARC can be simplistically considered as an anti-aerial technology reducing cable tendencies to resonate and receive signals from the surroundings.
In practise users of the C2 cables (myself included) find them to be a big step up from A2 with every area of audio reproduction improving. Of course, nothing beats trying this for yourself and I encourage you to do that. The only meaningful and valid proof is that you hear the difference with your own ears.
Hi,
It may sound obvious, and I support others response to your question, but I think the best performance for the buck is the C2.
C2 resembles the same qualities as the higher model D2 and A2 differs with less resolution and a very soft and slight dark character, at least in my system. Having said that I have heard the A2 clearly better Odin 2 albeit in a full Ansuz/Aavik/Raidho system.
If you could stretch to C2 this is the place to start/Mike
Bart001
New member
Thanks Mike, and everyone else! The trade-in to go from A2 Mainz + Naim power cords to all C2 is costly, but can be afforded. It's encouraging to read the significant approval of these products here.
Bart001
New member
Thanks Kiwi -- any ideas about the inner workings of the Mainz units?
I also have a Naim system. Nd555.552,500. I really like all the Ansuz cables. I have tried almost all the Ansuz products in my system. I have yet to find one of their cables that didn't out perform any other cables I have tried. For me, I think the C2 cables are the minimum I would want in my system and might be the best value. Every time I have tried their higher grade cables I could clearly hear the improvement, that for me, was worth the extra cost. In any case, I would not hesitate to recommend the C2 cables over the A2.
kiwi_1282001
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- Thread Author
- #1,175
Re the Mainz Distribution units the back story is that Ansuz developed the Mainz8 D-TC power distribution unit in 2017. The performance and price gap between the new Mainz8 D-TC distributor and the earlier Mainz8-D distributor was so great Ansuz decided to infill by introducing three new distributors at the Hi End show in Munich 2018. They are called the Mainz8 A2, Mainz8 C2 and Mainz8 D2.
The new units use a lot of the technology used in the Mainz8 D-TC (US$23k MSRP). The D-TC removes noise of the electrical mains but does so in a passive way – unlike many competing conditioners on the market which also reduce noise but do so at the cost of reducing instantaneous power and compressing dynamic range. Unlike traditional conditioners [note the Ansuz Mainz8 is labelled a “distributor” not a “conditioner”] the inductance of the AC supply is kept as low as possible to maximize power transfer even whilst addressing noise.
The mains noise addressed by the Mainz8, much of it high frequency (HF), high amplitude and transient, can otherwise bleed through the power supply sections of amplifiers and ultimately impact, in a most unsympathetic way, the signal paths.
Instead of filtering noise, like many of their competitors do, Ansuz use coils to soften HF spikes, thereby changing the shape of the noise. Why a coil? The answer is that a transient in a coil creates a current which a counter rotating coil can cancel. Ansuz even shape noise well beyond human HF hearing range as modern amplifiers and loudspeakers also have extended frequency ranges. However, cancellation is not 100% so a key difference between Ansuz Mainz8 A2, C2 and D2 distributor is the differing amount of noise suppression elements employed. More coils in parallel increases the effectiveness of the cancellation.
Furthermore, from model Mainz8 C2 and upward, Ansuz add two more technologies which they call Dither Tech and Anti Aerial (AARC).
Rather than attempt to explain what these technologies are let me instead describe what they achieve. In concert with the tesla coil’s mentioned above an audio system which uses the Mainz8 C2 distributor has lower noise and versus the A2 and earlier generation Mainz8-D a much blacker musical backdrop against which to enjoy music. In my experience a key benefit of blacker backgrounds is increased micro resolution and with some recordings the dawn of a new revelation – that there can actually be silence between musical notes ….
Photo: The internals of a Mainz8. Differences between Mainz8 A2,C2 & D2 models come down to differing amounts and types of noise suppression technologies employed and different quality levels of resonance controls (seen right). The jump in quality between the A2 & C2 is really big because of additional technologies used in the C2 and upward range.
Beyond noise suppression another key design feature of all Mainz8 units is an effective distribution of the ground [star grounding]. When you have electrical components in a system it is highly desirable to get a satisfactory ground reference between all these components in order to avoid ground currents.
Just how important is the mains distribution unit? Ask Ansuz and they will reply that they consider the Mainz8 as the heart of the audio system. After all, as described above, it is where all power to the system is distributed. It is also where the ground is distributed.
kiwi_1282001
New member
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- #1,176
In this cable upgrade race do not forget the biggest bang for the buck, DARKZ! These are wonders of SQ hikers!
Mike
Bart001
New member
Super helpful, thanks. I shall read this a few times!
I did presume and intuit that the Mainz are entirely passive. Naim themselves, and quite uniformly their owners, abhor "power conditioners." They are reported, as you said, to compress dynamic range and otherwise "dull" the music. Thus I've never had interest in listening to the myriad power conditioners on the market. The dealer is also a big Naim dealer and fan himself, as well as a fan of the Naim-Ansuz combination.
I did presume and intuit that the Mainz are entirely passive. Naim themselves, and quite uniformly their owners, abhor "power conditioners." They are reported, as you said, to compress dynamic range and otherwise "dull" the music. Thus I've never had interest in listening to the myriad power conditioners on the market. The dealer is also a big Naim dealer and fan himself, as well as a fan of the Naim-Ansuz combination.
Bart001
New member
Naim amplifier power supplies all use quite large toroidal transformers, housed in a box remote from the 'rest' of the amplifier circuitry. I wonder how this configuration is impacted by what the Mainz 'fix' vs. other hardware configurations - or if it's even relevant.
kiwi_1282001
New member
- Thread Author
- #1,180
IMHO Naim is very clever placing power supplies in a separate box. Quite a few high end pre-amplifier designs take a similar approach.
By reducing noise in the mains in a non-inductive way [the design intent of the Mainz8] the amplifier see’s cleaner and high instantaneous power which enables it to perform in superior fashion.
Metaphorically, AC is like water. You can’t make beer, wine, scotch or bourbon with bad water and expect an optimal result.