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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
sebrof's avatar
sebrof
835 posts
 
Sabai - Your system was as it was and you said it was both "sounding great" and "thin and lifeless..." at the same time. Very contrasting descriptions (since you don't prefer contradicting).
Simply confuses me, that's all.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,226 posts
 
That's many many words to back out of a hole you dug for yourself.

Why don't you list your system. It might serve as a guide, or a warning, for people about resolving systems with many many tweaks that sounds potentially great, but can sound awful.

Have you ever thought of becoming a professional audio equipment reviewer?
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Sebrof,
With all due respect, my system did not sound "at the same time" both great and lifeless. How can a system sound like two opposites "at the same time"? This is impossible. Changing the plugs transformed the sound. And this happened at two distinct times.

With all due respect, if you had experience with using cables in series and Oyaide plugs and IECs you would understand exactly what I am talking about. Your confusion comes from not having experience with my kind of system.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Mechans,
Thanks for this observation. I will be rolling tubes soon and look forward to listening to the difference between various 6DJ8 tubes.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
When I stated that the sound was awful -- thin and lifeless -- with the switch in Oyaide plugs, I should have clarified my statement. I did not say that the sound stage collapsed. It did not. I did not say that the holography disappeared. It did not. I did not say that the detail was no longer there. It still is there. I did not say that the dynamics disappeared. They did not. I did not say that the transparency was no longer there. It still is there. What I was referring was that ineffable thing we call musicality -- the fullness and the realness and the sense of being there. When my system was less developed I would not have perceived this change in sound with the change in plugs. But I do now, thanks to the evolution of my system over the past 6 years.
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