24-Aug-2017, 15:20
(This post was last modified: 24-Aug-2017, 15:22 by GuillaumeB.)
As some of you will know I have spent the past few weeks testing different cables between Master and Companion.
The purpose of the tests was twofold really:
1) Shunyata Research asked me to evaluate a number of prototype and production digital cables in my own system and against some of my other references, the cables were a mix of SPDIF and "hybrid" RCA/AES
2) this seemed like an ideal opportunity to revisit the RCA/RCA v RCA/AES connection method
My initial expectation had been that a half decent hybrid cable would mount a serious challenge to my trusted Transparent Ref XL SPDIF. One of the first tests that I conducted was a comparison between Transparent and Audioprana. In comparison to the Transparent the Audioprana seemed bright and unrefined. This was literally a first impression and as I left the Audioprana in my system for a day or two I forgot about the Transparent and perhaps just got used to the Audioprana. In fact I rather liked it. Going back to the Transparent was interesting since each time I had forgotten quite how good it was, it was almost as though I had to be reminded. There was no denying it, the Transparent Ref XL was better. On some occasions I found it a little difficult to discern differences, and I found this to be the case particularly if I tried too hard or if I just wasn't in the mood. On one day I literally spent 4 hours comparing the the Audioprana to the Transparent. Literally the same piece of music going backwards and forth. It was enough to drive me insane.
Frustratingly the first batch of Shunyata hybrid cables did not fare much better. The Transparent still reigned supreme.
Following feedback given to Caelin, a few weeks later another pair of Shunyata hybrids (in Alpha and Sigma versions) arrived with a production ready Alpha SPDIF.
I spent time with each cable in my system without A/Bing, just allowing each cable to settle and my ears to become accustomed to any changes that each brought. So a few days were spent with the Alpha SPDIF. Then I would switch to the Transparent. Then I'd change the SD card and spend a few days with the hybrids. You get the picture...
Each change had an effect but it got to the point where I just wasn't sure which one I preferred. I was going round in circles. At which point I called Rufus to the rescue. I was building up a picture in my mind of what each cable could do but I wasn't sure which I preferred. Or rather there was some cognitive dissonance going on: I was secretly finding the SPDIF connection better when based on everything I had read on here it should be the hybrid connection that was best. After all even Devialet were at one point recommending this connection method, with diagrams on their website showing how to assemble an RCA/AES cable. It made sense: the presence of a transformer behind the AES port would ensure a better signal, qualitatively speaking. Indeed I had always found the AES port on the master the best way of feeding the Devialet, even better than AIR. And Shunyata were sending me their best SOTA hybrid cables that should in theory thrash the Transparent SPDIF or Alpha SPDIF. But this wasn't happening...
So Rufus arrived here a couple of days ago. I had to bribe him with pork pies, the really nice big chunky ones you get at a farm shop, but it was worth it since his help was invaluable.
We found an excellent piece of music to base the tests on. Thelonious Monk's "Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960". This recording was recently discovered in someone's attic, and is made up of two volumes both cut in a single day in New York in 1959. The track we had on repeat was "Light Blue" and a second version of the same track: basically a 14 minute in-process recording with live dialogue. This track is excellent: most of the percussion comes through the right channel (i.e. the Companion!) and there is fantastic interplay between the musicians not to mention that all important piano which is always very challenging to reproduce naturally.
Rufus even suggested we try using the balance controls to send everything to the Companion. This forced us into an intense monitor listening type situation. Very interesting to say the least, amazingly even with just one channel (the right hand side) the sound was very full and dispersed well in the room. But it gave us added focus on the micro details.
I donned the white gloves and switched cables rapidly and Rufus would focus on different areas of sound (depth of sound, timbre of the piano, weight of the drum etc), trying not to tilt his head too much or even breathe between switches. Occasionally we would have a longer break when I would have to change the config, but eventually I got more and more efficient at this and we were able to make fairly rapid changes between SPDIF and hybrid.
to be continued....
The purpose of the tests was twofold really:
1) Shunyata Research asked me to evaluate a number of prototype and production digital cables in my own system and against some of my other references, the cables were a mix of SPDIF and "hybrid" RCA/AES
2) this seemed like an ideal opportunity to revisit the RCA/RCA v RCA/AES connection method
My initial expectation had been that a half decent hybrid cable would mount a serious challenge to my trusted Transparent Ref XL SPDIF. One of the first tests that I conducted was a comparison between Transparent and Audioprana. In comparison to the Transparent the Audioprana seemed bright and unrefined. This was literally a first impression and as I left the Audioprana in my system for a day or two I forgot about the Transparent and perhaps just got used to the Audioprana. In fact I rather liked it. Going back to the Transparent was interesting since each time I had forgotten quite how good it was, it was almost as though I had to be reminded. There was no denying it, the Transparent Ref XL was better. On some occasions I found it a little difficult to discern differences, and I found this to be the case particularly if I tried too hard or if I just wasn't in the mood. On one day I literally spent 4 hours comparing the the Audioprana to the Transparent. Literally the same piece of music going backwards and forth. It was enough to drive me insane.
Frustratingly the first batch of Shunyata hybrid cables did not fare much better. The Transparent still reigned supreme.
Following feedback given to Caelin, a few weeks later another pair of Shunyata hybrids (in Alpha and Sigma versions) arrived with a production ready Alpha SPDIF.
I spent time with each cable in my system without A/Bing, just allowing each cable to settle and my ears to become accustomed to any changes that each brought. So a few days were spent with the Alpha SPDIF. Then I would switch to the Transparent. Then I'd change the SD card and spend a few days with the hybrids. You get the picture...
Each change had an effect but it got to the point where I just wasn't sure which one I preferred. I was going round in circles. At which point I called Rufus to the rescue. I was building up a picture in my mind of what each cable could do but I wasn't sure which I preferred. Or rather there was some cognitive dissonance going on: I was secretly finding the SPDIF connection better when based on everything I had read on here it should be the hybrid connection that was best. After all even Devialet were at one point recommending this connection method, with diagrams on their website showing how to assemble an RCA/AES cable. It made sense: the presence of a transformer behind the AES port would ensure a better signal, qualitatively speaking. Indeed I had always found the AES port on the master the best way of feeding the Devialet, even better than AIR. And Shunyata were sending me their best SOTA hybrid cables that should in theory thrash the Transparent SPDIF or Alpha SPDIF. But this wasn't happening...
So Rufus arrived here a couple of days ago. I had to bribe him with pork pies, the really nice big chunky ones you get at a farm shop, but it was worth it since his help was invaluable.
We found an excellent piece of music to base the tests on. Thelonious Monk's "Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960". This recording was recently discovered in someone's attic, and is made up of two volumes both cut in a single day in New York in 1959. The track we had on repeat was "Light Blue" and a second version of the same track: basically a 14 minute in-process recording with live dialogue. This track is excellent: most of the percussion comes through the right channel (i.e. the Companion!) and there is fantastic interplay between the musicians not to mention that all important piano which is always very challenging to reproduce naturally.
Rufus even suggested we try using the balance controls to send everything to the Companion. This forced us into an intense monitor listening type situation. Very interesting to say the least, amazingly even with just one channel (the right hand side) the sound was very full and dispersed well in the room. But it gave us added focus on the micro details.
I donned the white gloves and switched cables rapidly and Rufus would focus on different areas of sound (depth of sound, timbre of the piano, weight of the drum etc), trying not to tilt his head too much or even breathe between switches. Occasionally we would have a longer break when I would have to change the config, but eventually I got more and more efficient at this and we were able to make fairly rapid changes between SPDIF and hybrid.
to be continued....
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research
220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD
UK
