The Front End Digital Foundation

UltraFast69

UltraFast69

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Several posts are out on various network switches, optical filtering devices, etc.

Spend some time learning what’s out there, you will be blown away what digital is capable of. Breaking it down, all in will gain you a lot more than the cost of a mid to high level power cable, brand depending [emoji851]

There are several brands of network switches; the top contenders are AQVox (German) SOtM (Korea) and The Linear Solution (Washington, USA).

Gigafoil v4 is a top contender in optical filtering, and TP Link makes a filtering device at much less then the Gigafoil.

I highly recommended the use of a linear power supply (LPS) and not to forgot the aftermarket AC and DC power cables, plus isolation feet. There are a lot of companies making LPS with several options and price points.

One of my largest system gains at the lowest outlay of cash was incorporating the LPS on the modem, network switch and optical filtering with decent cables just adds a natural refinement to the sound, it’s beyond amazing. My system has never sounded so good with all the cables and components that have settled in nicely. Not to mention the collateral benefit of playing with modems and such are the Apple TVs and regular cable through the home which has all upped their game.

I chose Ghent cables, located in China to make my DC cables and he uses high end Japanese cable and connectors. These cables are way beyond reasonable. I just updated to the Gotham series at under a $100 each for 1M.

Purpose of this thread is to lump the digital foundation all into one conversation.

Enjoy Your Sound [emoji1733]

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Today I repurposed a PS Audio ($50.00) receptacle outlet I had to the cheap Home Depot receptacle in my mechanical room where my Arris Surfboard 10/100/1000 modem resides.

It may be a coincidence but things got quieter, will need to validate this.

I have a better than cheap distribution ($75?) plugged into the PS Audio receptacle, and from the power cable into the first receptacle is a PS Audio Noise Harvester ($75.00), then a Shunyata plug in conditioner ($199.00) then the Nordost Red Dawn ($400) feeding a Keces P8 ($699) that runs Ghent Gotham cables ($100 each) to the modem and switch. I use Audio Quest Vodka RJ45s until the AQVox SE switch.

Very happy with these results, and posting this for people to think about the front end and how you can go at in pieces.

Starting over, I would change the outlet first, where I did this dead last.

It all matters has been has been my experience and none of this is anywhere near the crazy costs once you get into the music room where the 2 channel resides.




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Very interesting.

I try to avoid having my music going through the network completely. I have all of my music on internal SSDs in my server. I go directly out through AQ Coffee USB cable to a W4S Recovery, back out through another Coffee to the DAC. Every component is connect through an AQ Niagara power conditioner and I do have a Linear Power Supply on the Recovery and I also have two PS Audio Noise Harvesters attached to the same power outlet as the Niagara. It all sounds quite to me and friends from the audio club usually comment on how "black" the back ground is in my system.
 
Randy Myers said:
Very interesting.

I try to avoid having my music going through the network completely. I have all of my music on internal SSDs in my server. I go directly out through AQ Coffee USB cable to a W4S Recovery, back out through another Coffee to the DAC. Every component is connect through an AQ Niagara power conditioner and I do have a Linear Power Supply on the Recovery and I also have two PS Audio Noise Harvesters attached to the same power outlet as the Niagara. It all sounds quite to me and friends from the audio club usually comment on how "black" the back ground is in my system.
Click to expand...

Hey Randy - Makes sense on what you did especially with all your music on your SSD.

I may have 100 albums playing off my SSD, and found I rarely pick up a CD and have drawers full from when I started back in the 80’s.

Streaming is just too easy for me and with recordings making or breaking playback I wanted to be sure to have a very stable playback and operation and IMO Tidal/Quboz make it simple, with being more favorable to Quboz.


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Certainly I can understand what you are accomplishing with your network if streaming is important to you. Since I prefer to own and play all of my music locally the network does not come into play for my playback (other then the control tablet, Surface Pro 6 in my case).

I figure I have a hard enough time picking out what I want to listen to as it is with almost 1000 albums (mixture of downloads, flac and DSD up to DSD256, CD Rips, and SACD rips) that I could not imagine determining what I would like to hear from Tidal or Quboz :).

All of my disks get a single spin to rip and copy to the server and backup drives. So my spinner doesn't get used a ton any more :)....
 
Randy Myers said:
Certainly I can understand what you are accomplishing with your network if streaming is important to you. Since I prefer to own and play all of my music locally the network does not come into play for my playback (other then the control tablet, Surface Pro 6 in my case).

I figure I have a hard enough time picking out what I want to listen to as it is with almost 1000 albums (mixture of downloads, flac and DSD up to DSD256, CD Rips, and SACD rips) that I could not imagine determining what I would like to hear from Tidal or Quboz :).

All of my disks get a single spin to rip and copy to the server and backup drives. So my spinner doesn't get used a ton any more :)....
Click to expand...

We all seem lucky to only have first world problems [emoji851]


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I have Stillpoints Ultra Mini under my Keces P3 and moved my Ultra SS from my Transport I hardly use to the P8 - I’m not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me but things sound like they tightened up in the mid and low end even more.

Stillpoints are controversial for me as they have removed midrange before in my system and speakers. Right now I am hearing the opposite to this plus low end tightening as well.


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UltraFast69 said:
I chose Ghent cables, located in China to make my DC cables and he uses high end Japanese cable and connectors. These cables are way beyond reasonable. I just updated to the Gotham series at under a $100 each for 1M.
Click to expand...

Which cable did you order to go from the Keces P3 to the Gigafoil? This resulted in an improvement? I'm keen to possibly give it a try.
 
lostinla said:
Which cable did you order to go from the Keces P3 to the Gigafoil? This resulted in an improvement? I'm keen to possibly give it a try.
Click to expand...

Ghent made up for me the Gotham series which I use for all DC cables.

It’s contributed to better sound, subtle mind you but then I added Nordost power cables and recently now Stillpoints and you will hear more then a noticeable difference!


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UltraFast69 said:
I have Stillpoints Ultra Mini under my Keces P3 and moved my Ultra SS from my Transport I hardly use to the P8 - I’m not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me but things sound like they tightened up in the mid and low end even more.

Stillpoints are controversial for me as they have removed midrange before in my system and speakers. Right now I am hearing the opposite to this plus low end tightening as well.


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Click to expand...

On my LPS, it is easy to feel the vibration despite the unit, IMO being well built, it is durable and cast in aluminum.

Day 1 after placing it was apparent things were tightening up the low end and further pronouncing the mid range, like wicked good, but I wanted to be sure it was not what I was wanting to hear.

Now a few days later, and shortly after putting on Lost and Lookin’ on Sam Cookes, The Man that Invented Soul (found on Tidal and highly recommended) there is a clicking relay sound of sorts somewhere with the first 30 seconds into it, it is more faint now then previous and it can easily be missed if your not looking for it.

I use select tracks that I am very familiar with, and take notes as well when critically listening.

The Ultra SS under the P8 feeding the modem and switch has bettered by sound, with a controlled low end and crazy good mid range building on what was stated earlier.

My hunch now is isolation does go through a break in period but what I “think” is happening is the vibration is finding its way to the isolation feet, kinda like water taking the least path of resistance. I use Ultra Mini, Ultra SS and Ultra 6 trying many combinations as I believe they are not good for everything, like my amps and speakers.

I am betting I will realize a little more change, and hope it’s in the current direction.

Side note: Critical Mass claims their Center Stage requires a number of days to settle, and now I am seeing if that’s the case with all isolation - in theory they all do the same but differ by materials and such kinda like power cables.

Disclaimer; I am not legally high or under the influence of alcohol, however, your experience may differ [emoji851]



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Kingrex said:
I might be double posting, but I'm asking if you know what's making that clicking sound.
Click to expand...

Rex, it’s recorded in the song, not the system. It plays about 7 - 8 seconds from the start.


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Tomorrow I’ll have the new Audioquest 3 distribution and surge protector that will replace a Panamax distribution and plug into the PS Audio receptacle to support the modem and switch.

Both distribution pieces appear similar with an attached power cable with in and outs for Ethernet and Coaxial but AudioQuest seems to take it a lot further claiming to reduce noise with linear filters, dedicated receptacles addressing different inputs, a directional cable and non destructive surge protection.

I will try my current Nordost Red Dawn and an Audioquest something I have into the P8. I believe matching brand cables with brand distribution for no reason other than that to me is synergy.

I like Audioquest, they make a good product. A few years ago, I had the Niagara 7000, and that was a nice component, this is about $6000.00 less coming in at $299.00, and will have no where near the load as the 2 Channel.

Stay tuned...



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