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One Small Step ... That Transforms Your System

I just had an interesting thing happen to my system that I wanted to share.

I use PCs, SCs and ICs in series. I have talked about this in other threads and will not restate this here. Some of the patch wiring I use is Supra LoRad that I attach to other wires using a burn-in adapter. I use mostly Oyaide plugs and IECs for the DIY LoRad cables.

I am near the end of a long audio journey. After 6 years of upgrades and changes my system is finally sounding great. But, being an inveterate tinkerer, I wanted to hear the difference between an Oyaide M1 and an Oyaide P-079 upstream. The other day I substituted an F1 IEC for a C-004 IEC and the former was a big improvement. What would switching the M1 and the P-079 do to the sound? Which one would sound better upstream? I was curious. Before making the switch the P-079 was upstream. I figured there was an even chance the M1 would improve the sound. After all, it is the top of the Oyaide line, and deservedly so. I have three M1s and 3 F1s in my system.

How important is location with these little Oyaide miracle makers? Well, if you think you know about your audio system you should try a similar experiment. The M1 upstream killed the sound. Even with all the high end cables in my system humming the sound became lifeless and thin. The synergy was awful. My system needed the warmth and fullness of the P-079 upstream of the M1 to give it the beautiful sound I had been enjoying before making the change.

The fact that a single plug can change the sound so profoundly -- completely transforming it for the better or the worst in the face of high end components and cables -- is both surprising and humbling. The moral of the story is that you can never do too much tinkering to find the very best sound that your system is capable of producing.

Needless to say, back the M1 and P-79 went to their original places. Have you had an experience with your system where one small step completely made -- or ruined -- the sound?

Disclosure: I have no connection with any audio company except as a customer.
sabai
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Elescher,
I didn't allow any break-in time because both plugs were well broken in -- thousands of hours.

Mrtennis,
This is subjective. Each person is judging his own system. Who knows your system better than you, after all? It is not a matter of disagreeing if a change is large or small. It is up to each person to report what they hear in the system they know best -- their own. No one else is there to tell anyone what they are hearing is other than what they are hearing.

One small step -- we are obviously not talking about changing components here. They cannot be considered small. We are talking cables and tweaks and half inches. Would anyone consider one half inch a big step?

Rok2id,
The perceived changes were observable with all recordings. The sound was thin and lifeless, lacking the body, fullness and naturalness that the system is capable of producing.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,225 posts
 
It took you six years to put together a thin and lifeless sounding system. Contradicting yourself you also describe your system as sounding great. Then you make a subtle change and the system is transformed and is now highly musical.

How many other transformative tweaks have you experimented with?
sebrof's avatar
sebrof
835 posts
 
"I am near the end of a long audio journey. After 6 years of upgrades and changes my system is finally sounding great."

So was it great, or "thin and lifeless, lacking the body, fullness and naturalness that the system is capable of producing?"

I'm guessing maybe whatever it is it ain't the location of the plugs. But it's just a guess.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Onhwy61 and Sebrof,
Of course, I knew this was coming. It was too obvious. With all due respect, your comments show a complete misunderstanding. There is absolutely no contradiction at all -- except that which is caused by elements that do not match.

Both sides of the audio coin can easily be made evident in a highly resolving system -- especially a system such as mine that uses cables in series and that uses plugs and IECs patched into the system. Have you tried to create a system using cables in series? With all due respect, if you had you would know exactly what I am talking about.

One small change can ruin a system. If you used Oyaide plugs and IECs you would know this. Even a highly resolving, wonderfully musical system has to have all the elements working in synergy. Each element has to be in its proper place.

Oyaide plugs and IECs are a powerful tool in complex systems like mine. They can create enormous changes to a system. I have been working with them, as well as Bybee products and other Quantum products for 6 years. I have upwards of 20 Oyaide plugs and IECs in my system and upwards of 20 Bybee products in my system.

Sebrof,
Absolutely -- it was both. Depending on the location of the elements. With all due respect, this is elementary. My dear Watson. If you used Oyaide plugs you would know this. IMO.

I have more tweaks in my system than you can shake a stick at. When everything is in its proper place everything works together beautifully. When things are not in their proper place, the system is potentially great but may sound awful.

It's like so many things in life. For example. What would you look like if you went to a party and you had your right shoe on your left foot and your left shoe on your right foot. You'd try to walk properly but things would not be going too well for you. Everyone would get a good laugh. Now what would you say about the situation? Would you say your shoes were no good? Would you beat yourself up about your ineptness? Would you be embarrassed about your misfortune and try to figure out why you had done such a foolish thing? Or would you do the obvious? This is too simple, really. IMO.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
The OP did not rule out changing the stock tubes as a small change. I experienced a very big change using the electrically equivalent 12AX7 stock tubes in a Jolida CDP output phase for 12AX7 Mullards. Both sets of tubes were close to new so it wasn't a burn in vs non burn in issue and a 12AX7 is a 12AX7 isbn't it. Anyone was able to hear a big change in the sound for the better of course.
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