View Single Post
  #4  
Old 11-19-2019, 07:30 PM
For The Love of Music's Avatar
For The Love of Music For The Love of Music is offline
Ultra-Fast 69
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Spanish Castle Magic
Posts: 1,926
Default

Recap;

I have been using Coherent Products since RMAF 2019, where I met the owner, learned about his development experience, and how he incorporated most of his products into Nordost as the QRT line.

Bill has left Nordost after many successful products and now is back designing kick ass products that providing sonic and visual benefits taking no prisoners. You get great sound, for value if that’s not an oxymoron in audio!

I just received and installed the Wizard, a somewhat compact at 12” W 8” D and 2” H, so finding a place for it on the shelf was easy.

The Wizard is encased in an aluminum chassis, with an engraved front panel with its name, it only has an IEC cable for power, and I used the Nordost Blue Heaven from their entry series, all your other components plug into their current locations.

IMG_3358.jpgIMG_3359.jpg

I incorporate multiples of ADD-POWR’s Ever Clear (3) and Symphony Pro (2) split between my Reference System as well as in my mechanical room that houses the modem, switches and CAT5 wiring hub that runs throughout the home except the audio room where direct connection is made between the AQVox SE switch and the Gigafoil.

Gains throughout the home were not subtle, bringing sonic and visual improvements, all without doing any harm, and cost effective in comparison to other things I have done chasing the dragon reaching top shelf performance.

The Wizard was placed into the open receptacle feeding distribution to the reference system and is working with Symphony Pro and Electra Clear with strong positive results - the more you add will be cumulative contributing more goodness to the overall sound!

From the Aurender N10, I cued up Patrica Barbers new album, Higher (purchased direct from her site), and it actually does take you higher without needing Washington’s own Sour Diesel. She records very well, and now with Wizard added to the reference grouping it is crazy good listening to the undertone ring of the piano keys play with more openess allowing the sustain of the keys to decay naturally into the sunset and the noise floor resides in basement levels that just bring out this album to its fullest. And while that’s all really good, you then benefit by a considerable gain in volume, in my system what before was at 35% now easily sits at 25% - this is huge and shows how much noise is in these lines and systems even when you think your doing good.

Streaming through the N10 is very close to music stored on the Aurender server, I mean good luck hearing the difference in my system. The Patricia Barber description above is equal in sound quality and volume levels using other tracks, but their always can be the exception as recording quality is paramount - Wizard makes it that good.

The dynamic range is open and controlled. The low end does not smear over other sounds and is as tight as bed sheets in basic training. Noise and harshness, “the edge” what I like to refer to it as, is virtually dissipated, I say virtually as when I think there is no more improvement, it seems there always is.

As for the improvements in analog...

Let’s just say while the cartridge and tonearm cables are still breaking in, things here sound slightly more opened, better defined and playing at louder levels. I’m really liking this, so I played the UHQR of Axis Bold as Love, where 2 days ago it was evident the cartridge and cable needed some hours, today it was more richer, open, louder and only a couple of days have past with 2/3 hours of play time since the last session, the difference is clearly attributed to the Wizard!

No comparison between the remastered 2009 streaming version, against the UHQR version, it is clearly the leader checking every box, but I knew was to be the case going into it. I will compare against the new SACD version later.

Power is everything, it’s what we hear. There are all sorts of products out there that condition and regenerate which IMO mask the problems at the expense of sound quality or power restraint, but I guess in some circumstances it’s a solution and I’m told ADD-POWR does no harm when added to these scenarios where conditioners and the like are used.

Take away:

Aside from a treated room, having a neutral distribution, ideally one that is internally star grounded, (and consider optional passive grounding), plus good mechanical isolation and power cables builds a solid slab to erect a contributing foundation building on your sound - it can be perceived like its a lot, and it is but this is a hobby, and your playing for sound to enjoy - you will spend less addressing this rather than chasing components.

If your working towards getting the most from your sound, adding a product from the ADD POWR line will erect from your foundation helping you reach levels unknown that existed in your system, and that’s the best part. Most of you already have the pieces in play, so why not get more as intended by the OEM.

These are my opinions, and my experience may be different than yours due to how you addressed power, grounding, isolation, cables, components, speakers and heck the room itself, but after all that disclaimer, I trust you still will be ahead, and by a decent clip!

If your up in the Northwest, come by and hear for yourself.

Stay Tuned, and Enjoy Your Sound [emoji1733]
Reply With Quote