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What's Going On?? Sound changes every night

O.K., this is what I'm experiencing: Some nights my system is superb and I just get sucked in and have to force myself to stop. This will be for 2-3 night and then all of a sudden, the next night or three, the music looses life and I can't get involved. The sound looses high end sparkle and extension. Things sound closed in a bit and percussions instruments that the night before were right in front of me are now fake with a closed in and shelved down presentation. Cymbals no longer sound like wood sticks on bronze but as if someone threw a blanket btw me and them.

Is this a power conditioning problem? I use a hospital grade outlet but not a dedicated circuit and no power conditioners. Or could it be my DAC which is a Perp Tech w/ Level 2 WrightMods and cryo treament. When the system works right I couldn't be happier but it seems something weird is going on every few days or so. Could it possibly be coming from the local power company and I need some sort of powerful line conditioner?

System:

Merlin TSM-MX speakers
REL Strata III subwoofer
Air Tight ATM300 stereo amp
Joule-Electra LA150 pre-amp
WrightModded Perp Tech DAC
CEC transport or Marantz SE 5 disc changer as transport
Cardas Golden Reference interconnects
TG Audio speaker cables
tomryan
eddaytona
216 posts
 
"Copper corrodes rather quickly and you can imagine what it's like after 30+ years."

Actually, when copper "corrodes" it produces a conductive oxidate on the outside that should not cause problems by itself. Also the joints and connections should be fine too (see; the opposite problems with aluminium house wire that caused so many fires in the 60's and 70's that it is banned for house wiring)

More likely, however, are problems with insulation from older wire.
tomryan OP
796 posts
 
All the responses are much appreciated. Last night things were a bit bright as opposed to the perfect mix the night before and the rather dull presentation the two nights before that! This stuff just started about 3 months ago and is the same even while mixing equipment.

I do think it's most likely something to do with the power coming to my gear and I'm going to call an electrician to get a dedicated line and circuit. By the way, can anyone suggest an outlet that may work better than the hospital grade one I'm using now? And I will be getting a new and better power strip as I just realized the one I'm using is 15 years old! Any suggestions for one (I know PS Audio makes one - any users?)?

By the way, I do live at the end of a cul-de-sac in a 50 year old neighborhood.
tomryan OP
796 posts
 
Mhu - What's a BTP 3.5 Sif plc? I've never heard of this.
dedicatedaudio's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
dedicatedaudio
169 posts
 
The Running Springs Power Devices will stablize and clean your incoming power. It will sound like 3am everyday!
perfectionist
197 posts
 
Well, I live in a neighborhood thats only six years old and my house is five years old. The power here is very solid from what I can tell. I installed two 20amp circuits with 12awg wiring and Furutech FP-2g outlets. I've experienced glorious music both during the day and evening hours. The only times I can remember it sounding compressed, closed-in, dull, flat, etc. have been at night, sometimes late at night when power consumption should be reduced on the grid.

I've been driving an aphile buddie of mine nuts with this;
is it this component or that component, power, me, mood, too much beer, not enough beer, arrgguuee!@#$%& It's been especially frustrating for me as I've been going thru some component changes. Doesn't happen all that often, but when it does, it is extremely frustrating. And I don't think it's my imagination!
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