JPS Digital
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gentlemen: i had a pleasant surprise yesterday. my friend brought over a mapleshade line cord. this line cord uses several 9 volt batteries. i was using a voodoo cable gold dragon line cord and then switched to the mapleshade. i heard greater clarity, openness and timbral accuracy, without searing my ears. hear this cord for yourself. i believe the line cord is priced at $900, new. the voodoo cable is not bad either, but a touch veiled compared to the mapleshade. |
I have the DCCA Source on my CDP and really like what it does, that Don is so cool and easy to work with is an added bonus. It is a thick, heavy and stiff cord, so you need to consider any potential issues that could cause you as part of looking at DCCA as an option. Another to look at is Black Sand (Violet or Silver Ref) they are extremely high quallity, reasonably priced, and John there is great to work with. |
Depending upon the duckets on hand for the PC, and taste of course, my preffs on PC's for front end have been VooDoo Silver or Black Dragons, given the level of refinement the CDP has inherintly. Black for more strident ones, and the Silver for less. the Gold D as posted does work better where larger current is being demanded, though I am using one on my low fi combo player with great results. In shunyata, again, depending on money and tastes, the VX line was made for spinning stuff. I've had both the older Python vx and helix vx's on my Sony xa777 to great effect. older types have a more quieting factor proviso, the helix's are more refined and the sound stage is deeper set , but both present a grand stage and lots of extension on both ends. One cord they make is my fav overall. If it don't work on the CDP it will elsewhere. Taipan helix. VX if more darker a SS is needed.. Alpha if not. In fact there is less diff now with the quieting in the helix line than previous to it. I used a Python helix to repalce my old Python VX though it was not as queit as the old VX the Python helix did a fine job presenting more resolution, and again, greater rear of stage depth which may or may not be a consideration for you. Others that didn't make the grade IMO in my system were the JPS digital, Audience, Purist venusta, kimber pk10 pladium now I use my Voodoo Tesla II 95% of the time on the xa777, and sometimes I move the pcs around... If a non specific (like a VX ) is used you can do that too. In fact my Elrod Sig 3 does all the Python helix did and with a more natural rendering... a Sig 2 might be better suited though for a CDP. If you're going to use a filter down the road and add a good su-pply cord there, the Taipan helix Alpha would be my suggestion based on it's great sound and versatility. |
I was a bit disappointed with the Shunyata Taipan Helix VX. My buddy had one and it was well broken in. 6 months old. I noticed that when you are just starting out with your system, it sounds absolutely fantastic. Just right amount of details, warmth, dynamics, etc. But right about when it logs 3-4 hours running continously, things start to get thick, bloaty and just too warm ( i think thats the better word, too warm). I sense a loss of details, etc. Perhaps your mileage might vary. I recently tried the DCCA powercord, felt it was better for almost half the price. |
I've got a Wadia 830 (w/ GNSC mods) and had been using a JPS Digital to good effect. But I tried a Black Sand Silver Ref PC and have since sold the JPS. The Black Sand is the real deal. You can find tons of positive posts about it here and on AudioCircle.com and AudioNervosa.com. http://www.blacksandcable.com/cords.html P.S. Just a happy customer |
Nolitan that's pretty remarkavle to hear your words about the taipan HVX... and I was considering getting one based solely on the Taipan HA performance. I am amazed actually to hear that it was too warm or thick. What sort of gear was in that system you heard it on? I tried both the Python HA and Python HVX and naturally the HVX was a warmer wire, it wasn't dramatically warmer or thicker, as you say about the Taipan HVX vs. the Taipan HA. huh. I had planned on either another THA or the THVX for a supply cord to the filter driving the digi front end sources so as to replace the Black Dragon, now at that pos. which in fact I've tried for a couple years now to replace as that supply cord with no success. Which IMO, says something about the Black d I guess. Would you please illuminate us about that rigs gear? . |
For good digital playback gear, the Shunyata Python Helix VX is a serious step up from their previous Alpha lines. The VX (with proprietary Fesi1000 compound) is necessary for any digital gear to deal with (eliminate) the noise, etc...that every piece of gear with a digital circuit puts back down the power line from the info I've been give over the years. The Taipan VX and Taipan Helix VX are quite good (the Taipan Helix Alpha is great for amps, etc...) but I agree with others that (in my system) the Taipan HVX and Taipan Alpha VX sounded a bit warm/constrained whereas (in my system), the Python Helix VX and Anaconda Helix VX deliver wonderful sound, openness and great lowered noise-floor attributes. The Anaconda HVX is roughly twice the price of the Python and delivers not so subtle improvements however at twice the price, I'd suggest you try the Python HVX first and see if it works for you. |
Bindjim, the gears we listened to varied from Krell integrateds, old Classe 100 power amp, Bryston 3bsst and a Maccormack amplifier dna 1. In most cases we felt the warming up of sound, thicker, fuller sound after 3-4 hours listening which I felt that i'm lossing some details. A buddy also commented similar comments on his all Audio Research set-up. The thing is, it was consistent thru the listening session we had. Strange, we had to return it back... Python might be different but again never had the opportunity to hear one. |
Nolitan thank you very much. I noticed with the past (earlier) itterations of the VX cords, they had more 'magic beads' in them and as the result, more of that ominus 'quieting' factor. I've mentioned just that in my various power cord threads and reviews, and your experience seems to bare that out. I use several dedicated ckts and with the older red ended Python VX in place the 'warming' did increase as time passed. One or two minute of powering down the source was sufficient to erradicate it though... then continue on with the show. In fact the warming/quieting issue seemed to reach over and onto adjacent dedicated ckts as well. The "build up" time was lengthy, a few hours at least. I would also think that in lieu of dedicated ckts the encroachment would be more pronounced and likely quicker to develop. However, I felt the newer Helix versions having far less beads in their makeup, would be more suitable, as the previous effect of continued deadening was near non existant in the Python Helix VX I bought.. and ultimately sold to afford other items. Yet again, I'm on dedicated ckts for source, preamp, and amp. The PHVX did not provide such a blanketing effect at all. Consequently, I felt the THVX would be most similarly acting. It's a sure bet for my money though, that the Helix versions are the more refined cords than the previous ones possessive of lesser the 'warming' effect, and they are indeed different animals sonically speaking. IMO Thanks again. |
