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What Does Holographic Sound Like?

And how do you get there? This is an interesting question. I have finally arrived at a very satisfying level of holography in my system. But it has taken a lot of time, effort and money to get there. I wish there had been a faster, easier and less expensive way to get there. But I never found one.

Can you get to a high level of holography in your system with one pair of interconnects and one pair of speaker wires? I don't believe so. I run cables in series. I never found one pair of interconnects and speaker wires that would achieve what has taken a heck of a lot of wires and "tweaks" to achieve. Let alone all the power cords that I run in series. Although I have found one special cable that has enabled the system to reach a very high level of holography -- HiDiamond -- I still need to run cables in series for the sound to be at its holographic best.

There are many levels of holography. Each level is built incrementally with the addition of one more wire and one more "tweak". I have a lot of wires and "tweaks" in my system. Each cable and each "tweak" has added another level to the holography. Just when I thought things could not get any better -- which has happened many times -- the addition of one more cable or "tweak" enabled the system to reach a higher level yet.

Will one "loom" do the job. I never found that special "loom". To achieve the best effects I have combined cables from Synergistic Research, Bybee, ASI Liveline, Cardas, Supra and HiDiamond -- with "tweaks" too numerous to mention but featuring Bybee products and a variety of other products, many of which have the word "quantum" in their description.

The effort to arrive at this point with my system has been two-fold. Firstly, finding the right cables and "tweaks" for the system. Secondly, finding where to place them in the system for the best effects -- a process of trial and error. A lot of cables and "tweaks" had to be sold off in the process. I put "tweaks" in quotation marks because the best "tweaks" in my system have had as profound effect as the components on the sound. The same for the best of the cables, as well. For me, cables and "tweaks" are components.

Have I finally "arrived"? I have just about arrived at the best level that I can expect within my budget -- there are a couple of items on the way. In any case, I assume there are many levels beyond what my system has arrived at. But since I'll never get there I am sitting back and enjoying the music in the blissful recognition that I don't know what I am missing.

I should mention that there are many elements that are as important as holography for the sound to be satisfying, IMO. They include detail, transparency, coherence, tonality, and dynamics, among others. My system has all of these elements in good measure.

Have you had success with holographic sound in your system? If so, how did you get there?
sabai
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Mapman,
To give you an idea of what this all means for the sound my system produces let me give you a recent example. I put on Eugene Ormandy's Rachmaninov Symphonies 1-3 yesterday. The whole orchestra was in my room. I mean the concerts opened up with such expansive 3D imaging and sound stage that I could not believe it. Not to mention all the other parameters (detail/definition, tonality, dynamics, transparency, etc.) Not only did all the walls in my room disappear, it was as if I was actually at the concert. There is no other way I can describe this.

The sonic effects of what I have been doing to improve my system are simply stunning. They have exceeded my original expectations by a quantum measure.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Csontos,
You're the only one questioning my honesty. Anyone who questions my honesty will not receive a response from me.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Marqmike,
You have caught the spirit in which this thread was started and I appreciated that.

You have confirmed something that I do with my own system. I am also experimenting with speaker cables in parallel and the results are excellent -- as you say, "the best of both cables". This is also what I am obtaining with running cables in series, as well.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,341 posts
 
Tweaking to me is essentially fine tuning the sound to achieve a goal. With this definition, I have done a lot of tweaking to my system over the last 4-5 years as well to get to where I wanted to be. Pretty much everything save my turntable and tonearm changed. None of my tweaks were what I would consider "esoteric". I had some understanding of how each change worked. Predicting how wires specifically analog ICs would affect the sound was hardest. In the end, only listening told the whole story. My most uncommon tweak was use of Mu Metal for extra shielding needed to reduce inducted noise in my phono rig. Mu Metal is used for this purpose in many applications over the years and its principle of operation is well documented and understood. The mu metal needed cost $30 direct over the internet. Compare to Shakti stones. Those are much more attractive looking I am sure. Do they work as well or better than Mu Metal? I do not know. The Mu MEtal addressed the issue well so there is no issue to address anymore.

I guess my point is tweaking is essential to fine tuning the sound to reach a goal. I prefer to work with things I understand well especially when expensive. YMMV.
chadeffect
586 posts
 
Sabai,

"The whole orchestra was in my room. I mean the concerts opened up with such expansive 3D imaging and sound stage that I could not believe it. Not to mention all the other parameters (detail/definition, tonality, dynamics, transparency, etc.) Not only did all the walls in my room disappear, it was as if I was actually at the concert"

This is exactly what I have found and have been almost surprised by. I am sure by doing the basics 1st, then tweaking to focus from there is how to achieve it.

Obviously the gear has to be able to perform at its optimum. The speakers need to be carefully placed. The power supply clean. The room reasonable.

As a single digital sourced guy I am sure the latest digital has come of age to allow through so much of the very delicate information that makes that soundstage possible. Im sure the analogue equipment too. As it passes through the equipment it's a delicate preservation game!

To me the various tweaks have pulled the overall details sharply into focus to allow that 3D holographic presentation. Some tweaks more than others but each playing its part.

I guess now we start discussing the more controversial quantum tweaks. I have experienced very strange effects with the few I have tried. PWB foils being the oddest. Whether they were working on me, the system or both!

All that to say I doubt you can reach that level of 3D performance without the tweaks.
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