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Old 12-11-2016, 10:10 PM
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Weirdcuba Weirdcuba is offline
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Default Ear Opening Afternoon with Verastarr Cables . . .

I just had an eye/ear opening afternoon with Mike Powell of Verastarr Cables (happens to be based here in Atlanta). It was a great session, particularly being able to change cables/set ups/a-b things/control volumes-tracks. Plus, Mike knows a lot more about this game than I do. I got a great boost out of a few different cables, but I think the configuration changes made a significant difference also.

First thing was to adjust the positioning of the TADs, which ended up with much less toe in. It spread the sound stage out significantly and lifted a layer from the sweet spot - the sweet spot was good before, but now it was significantly better. Instruments were spread further across the stage, and it also increased the depth of the stage (although not as much as the breadth). That was worth the time, right there.

Next thing was a power cord for the Pre. I was previously using a Wireworld Silver Electra, and replaced it with a Grand Illusion Statement (silver) and immediately noticed the increased brightness and overall speed of response of the system. It was material and worth the change, but not breathtaking. Then, we changed the power cord (same changes) on the DAC and again, more speed and dynamism in the sound - material and worth the change, but not breathtaking.

We also ran the PC for the pre directly into the wall (dedicated line) rather than through the P10 as a test, and while there was some very slight difference in mid-dynamics, I'm not sure it sounded materially better than coming from the PSAudio P10. Plus, there's just no way I'm going to run my stuff without surge protection between the wall and the system. After the house was struck by lightning two years ago (with no damage to the system thanks to the RGPC), I added whole house surge protection and re-engineered the grounding, but lightning might still strike twice (and make it through my other layers of risk mitigation).

Then, it got breathtaking. First, we moved the WW cables from the bottom connectors to the top connectors, which really helped the mids and trebles (still using the jumpers between the two sets of connectors). Then, we swapped the WW for a pair of Verastarr Grand Illusion Statements (again on the top set of connectors). That made it more detailed and smoother all at once. Then, we added the WW back to power the lower (bass) connectors (so, two sets of speaker cables running to the speakers at the same time, no jumpers). It was just amazing - seemed like I got a several dB boost out of the whole thing, and there was more bottom end and more clarity (without harshness) in the mids and highs. I had been remotely toying with the idea of a sub(s), but that idea is now put out to pasture (for I hope a good long while). At this point, it sounded like a different system - breathtakingly different and better to my ear.

The final improvement, which was sort of like throwing nitro on a fire, was changing the interconnect from the DAC to the pre from a WW Silver Eclipse XLR to a Verastarr Grand Illusion Signature XLR. Wow, it was jaw dropping. More of everything - it all just opened up and spread out, while seeming more cohesive at the same time. I'd gone from great sound, and then added wonderful sound stage enhancements (side to side and back to back), clarity (quieter backgrounds), increased separation between instruments, and much quicker overall sound - it now sounds like a chills on your neck/ reference system to my ear (while it was only damn damn good before).

At that point, I was out of money and time, so no further changes for today. I'm going to have Mike build these out for me in proper lengths, etc. and will let it burn in for a while, and then give an updated report. Really just fun fun stuff, leading to great SQ improvements.

Let me add - most importantly, this was all, to my ear, on my system, and in my opinion only. Your ears, system, and opinion may vary, of course. I love the WW cables and will continue to recommend them highly. I know why many on this forum swear by them.

I keep on having these "better than I ever thought it could be experiences." When will it end?
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Old 12-11-2016, 11:16 PM
jussy1254 jussy1254 is offline
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Out of interest were both WW and Verastarr speaker cables identical in length?
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Old 12-11-2016, 11:30 PM
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Pretty close. The final set being built will be the same.
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Old 12-12-2016, 07:39 AM
SCAudiophile SCAudiophile is offline
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Can you shoot me a picture or two of your revised setup for the TADs? I'd like to see the way you've found best to lay them out. (Thank you!)

The following is humbly suggested;

If you like the Verastarr approach to things (ribbon-based designs), before buying all-in you owe it to yourself to try the grandaddy of them all from which DCCA (now out of business it appears), Verastarr and others seem to have drawn inspiration, the Elrod Statement Gold NextGen and Diamond level family of power cords, interconnects and speaker cables. Multi-layer and varied metallurgy in different layers gets you further (IMHO) down the road of great sound, imaging and energy in the room and the playback of music. State of the art connectors (Furutech FI-50s, FI-52s, the new NCFs, Bocchino, top-line Cardas or what strikes your fancy) also give better overall results. I am not a dealer or affiliated with one but frankly I've been through the mill of expense on ribbon and non-ribbon analog cables and you may wish to check them out...you are more than welcome to journey up here a bit north of Atlanta to have a listen!!!
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Old 12-12-2016, 07:52 AM
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Thanks. On the road for a few days, but will shoot some photos later in the week. Have heard good things about the line you suggest.
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Old 12-12-2016, 08:07 AM
SCAudiophile SCAudiophile is offline
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Looking forward to the photos...have to hit the road tomorrow as well. Call me anytime...
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Old 12-14-2016, 11:16 PM
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I know you guys have had lots of "aha" moments, but this is unbelievable. I spent a lot of jack on this system and it wasn't justified sonically until this weekend. First thing, if you have dual posts on your speakers and a capable amp, add another set of speaker cables - doesn't matter what they are, but that was an incredible change for me.
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Old 12-30-2016, 10:59 PM
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Default More eye opening Verastarr cable experiences today . . .

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on whether you're my bank account, I spent another 3 or 4 hours with Mike Powell of Verastarr today. Today's upgrades included the following:

- Grand Illusion (copper) to the bass taps on the TADs, same length as the Grand Illusion Statements (gold/silver) to the treble taps (replacing the WW Silver Eclipse (I had a mis match as I had already replaced the treble cables with Verastarr)). This was an experiment that worked very well - helped with imaging and overall coherence to the presentation. I hated to do it (as that means that I have now purchased two sets of speaker cables), but it sounds so much better. If you're going to go the dual speaker cable route, my experience was that two sets of matched cables (in length and type) is better than mismatched. Mike started talking about mismatched impedance and stuff between the Verastarr foil and the WW round wire, but it just sounded much better to me, no matter the technical explanation.

- Single foil silver Grand Illusion Statement power cord to the SILENZIO, which was astonishing. It replaced a WW Silver Electra 7. I didn't think the Silenzio could get much better, but the Verastarr brought the entire image forward into the room - much more presence. Just an incredible upgrade.

- Double foil (gold/silver) Grand Illusion Statement power cable to each Accuphase A-200, replacing WW Silver Electra 7. Faster, more responsive, blacker blacks - just perfect.

Overall, I've now replaced nearly the entire loom, and it's as if I bought an entirely new system. All of the fundamentals spring from the same place, but everything is much much better. More breadth and depth of the sound stage, more clarity, deeper blacks, better spacing of instruments, but better overall coherence at the same time, with much better "in the room" presence. Unless you witnessed it, it's hard to believe all of these adjectives and hyperbole, but I'm glad for you to come by and give it a listen.

Whatever cables you're thinking about trying, give them a try. The difference can be, in my experience, just amazing. Mike gave me a great deal - it was still a big chunk of change, but not nearly retail for cables of this quality.

As stated, all experiences are on my system, to my ears, with my music, and in my humble opinion only - yours may vary, quite legitimately.

weirdcuba

Last edited by Weirdcuba; 12-30-2016 at 11:21 PM.
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Old 12-31-2016, 01:37 AM
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Need.

Pics.

!!!!
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