Segmented Altairas for the Constellation Integrated Amp

[Puma Cat]

Just added a second SG hub for the Constellation Inspiration integrated amp.

So, currently, there's a hub dedicated solely to the Lumin streaming/DAC/preamp "front end" and now, an SG hub for EACH channel of the Constellation Inspiration integrated amp. I should add that the Constellation is fully-dual mono internally, so this the type of component that can benefit from an Altaira SG hub for each channel, L and R. You can see the two hubs on top of the Lumin P1, the bottom SG hub is for the R channel of the Constellation, and the top Altaira is for the P1 (and Lumin U2, which is in for review). The L channel for the Constellation is resting on top of the Constellation, itself. I simply did not have the height between shelves to put the other SG hub on top of the L channel Altaira.



All I can say is....F*CK ME!!!

Holy smokes! I implemented this more "fully-segmented" set-up a couple days ago and it has been getting better and better as it settles fully, but EVERYTHING is better: tonality, rendition of timbre, bass, "power and weight" (what I call "gravitas"), instrument and vocal body, plus the soundstage is wider, deeper, taller and yet more refined and the individual instruments are more focused and 3-dimensional within the soundtage. Whatever "attributes" audiophiles care about...is BETTER.

Actually, I am still trying to wrap my head around the nature and scale of the improvement.

Bottom-line: if you have fully dual-mono components e.g. Constellation, Esoteric, etc., etc. and have the budget, all I can say is: You GOTTA try this out. Put a "dedicated" SG Altaira hub onto each channel, Left and Right, of your dual-mono gear.

INSANE.

[audiogear]

Absolutely stunning! Are those new speaker cables fro
Shunyata as well?

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by audiogear

Absolutely stunning! Are those new speaker cables fro
Shunyata as well?

Those are the current Alpha V2 speaker cables. I've had them for a coupla three years or so now, IIRC.

[JoeN]

I think I’ve said it before, but it bares repeating. That’s a beautiful room Steve.

[audiogear]

Altaira, Lumin, Constellation, and Harbeth…these are brands I keep reading about and advertised every where in print media. Gotta listen to these and demo one day.

[kennyb123]

Heck of a nice system!

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by JoeN

I think I’ve said it before, but it bares repeating. That’s a beautiful room Steve.

and

Originally Posted by kennyb123

Heck of a nice system!

Thanks, gents. It's really a wonderful-sounding system. By implementing this system, I was able to significantly simplify it. For example, I was able to remove 15 bits of gear the from the main rack alone, including 7 power cords.

Not counting the phono stage and turntable, I now only need 1 pair of ICs and two power cords for the main system.

Simple is good, because simple...always works.

[Formerly YB-2]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

By implementing this system, I was able to significantly simplify it. For example, I was able to remove 15 bits of gear the from the main rack alone, including 7 power cords.

Not counting the phono stage and turntable, I now only need 1 pair of ICs and two power cords for the main system.

Simple is good, because simple...always works.

Could not agree more. Like you, am down to a similar rig and so much less of everything physical with no reduction in SQ. In fact, with your and crwilli's help, my digital, while not up to vinyl, is now very listenable.

[miner]

I estimate probably >$12K of GR and SR hubs plus cables in your gorgeous system. From your description you fully feel it was worth the cost of admission. I still need to add the single GR hub to my system, so looking fwd to the result once done.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by miner

I estimate probably >$12K of GR and SR hubs plus cables in your gorgeous system. From your description you fully feel it was worth the cost of admission. I still need to add the single GR hub to my system, so looking fwd to the result once done.

Hi Miner,
Yes, I do fully feel the the Altaira system is well worth the price admission. Actually, I consider it to be foundational. More on that below.

BTW, just for info, the two hubs are deginated "CG" and "SG", though I'll acknowledge that the terms "Chassis Ground" and "Signal Ground" may present as being somewhat "misleading'.

As for cables, when funds allow, I've "standardized" on Alpha for great performance/dollar for making the key component connections to Altaira (i.e., the Lumin P1 and Inspiration integrated amp). I'm using 3 ground cables per Altaira hub for each channel of the Inspiration; the RCA inputs' ground cables are Venom), and 5 ground cable connections for the Lumin P1 (these are a mix of Venom, Delta, and Alpha). I use Omega CGCs to connect the Altaira hubs to Everest's GP-NR terminals as I want the lowest impedance from the multiple connections at the Altaira hubs to the GP-NR system of Everest. As I only have two Omega CGCs, I connect the Inspiration integrated's L-channel SG hub to the R channel SG hub at it's 7th terminals with a short Alpha ground cable, and then use an Omega CGC for the Inspiration's R channel SG hub to connect to Everest's GP-NR terminals. I use the other Omega CGC to connect the "Lumin hub" Altaira (which is the "source stack" hub) to Everest.

I have some Venom and Delta ground cables I use for making additional connections to other unused interface inputs, e.g. RCA, S/PDIF, USB, etc. I bought these back in the days before Altaira was released for making connections to my Everest's GP-NR system.

From my experience, I now consider the Altaira hubs to be foundational. I'd actually go down on the specification of the preamp to put those funds towards an Altaira ground hub; it's that important, in my experience.

Here my top 3 priorities for a system, based on experience:
1) Room Acoustics

2) Power distribution: both incoming and also "outgoing" (from the components themselves). Remember, one of the biggest sources (measured as the "sums of squares" of the total noise components) of noise in a system are the full-wave bridge rectifiers in the power supplies of system components themselves.

3) Ground-plane noise reduction

And yes, I feel the benefits are fully worth the price of the hubs. The Altaira ground-plane noise reduction system fundamentally changes the intrinsic qualities of the presentation as a whole.

Cheers!