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Old 06-23-2018, 05:41 PM
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kubla36 kubla36 is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2016
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Piling on to another trail in the audio journey (I’m getting postcards in the gift shop now). Sometimes repetition helps one learn, it does for me, so here goes:

I’ve been wondering why my system seemed more engaging at some times than others. Usually late night. I had chalked it up to not wanting to face the work week, warm up from the system being on all day/weekend, warm up of myself rested and disengaged from work. I’d read about power but-- could that make a big difference? I don’t have the setup some of our friends here do that can take advantage of fine adjustments. Well serendipity struck. The system sounded more engaging the other weekend all the time. I realized while walking the dog that the duplex next door had moved out (all dark) and the neighbors on the other side were away on vacation (all dark). Hmmm, same transformer. Its usually daytime/early evening that it isn’t as engaging. With them gone it sounds better daytime and early evening. Next week Dan posts about getting the PS Audio P10 regnerator, so I go researching the forum. At this same time Greg offered the opportunity to explore power cords on the market place. Color me skeptical, but folks here are saying this Furutech cable does stuff, and they’ve got a really good track record, so why not give one a try? Just one, I could always sell it. I don’t want there to be much difference, I can’t afford fufu power cables and it really seems silly.

The test: macmini/audirvana->gumby->c2600->mc452->xr100. Mc452, c2600, gumby on a dedicated 20amp. Macmini on a different dedicated 20amp through a panamax conditioner. Older dense neighborhood in a metro. Furutech Flux-50 NCF tested on the mc452. Music via Tidal, Fleetwood Mac Rumours MQA/1987. Listened one night after warmup, sampling album on stock cable, then sampling album with Flux-50 and ended up listening to the whole thing way past bedtime not sampling. Waited for the weekend. Then the whole album with Flux-50, then stock cable, then back on Flux-50. Then all afternoon. I know the album well again and have my fill of it for a while.

Summary: I hope no one takes my STEM card away… The mc452 on the Flux-50 is noticeably different. Not as big a difference as a new amp. Like the later focal lenses in an eye exam (5 or 6, 7 or 8). I don’t understand how a power cable could do this for a quality amp (transformers and capacitors obviate all that—right?). Of course everyone’s system and power situation is different (I’d recommend room treatment for more bang). I also tried it on a MC275 in a different room to lesser impact but still impact.

Subjectively: the stage got bigger. Singers and instruments moved further apart allowing more details of them individually (just like Lindsey and Stevie were doing at the time). I could hear backing vocals more clearly. More layering. In Never Going Back Again, guitars moved further left and right—plucks higher pitched and more decay; Lindsey sounds airier. Go your own way, its more clear there are differently tuned electric guitars floating around that sound sweeter instead of one – obvious now that I hear it this way but never noticed it before (I often don’t like that overloaded guitar amp sound but do with this treatment), and I guess I heard the maracas before but they seem more real now, drums have more strike smell. The Chain, that wonderful bass at 3:10. Gold Dust Women, more echo in Stevie’s voice, more electric guitar twang, more space/dimensionality, is that sitar? Now. The lower mid seems a little leaner—not sure if that is the singer/instruments no longer being bunched in the center, or the cable doing something else to performance of the amp. The bass seems the same and a little tighter. It sounds different and I’m adjusting for sure. That silk is just a little worn and fuzzier without the Flux-50.

Objectively: Sorry, I don't think there is anything objective. I tried to take some measurements (see image), but not sure it means anything other than difference in calibration between the two sets. Perhaps y'all can tell me.

Thank you to everyone here who talked about all these issues, options, and reviews. This is a great forum. Oh, and if you thought you’d go buy Greg’s other two used ones, “Thpttttt!”, he only has the new one left now.

Placebo? Maybe. Let me quote Star Trek, The Cage. “She has an illusion, and you have reality. May you find your way as pleasant.”
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