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RLD-1 Are you experienced?

I recently purchased a McCormack RLD-1 & DNA-1. My previous set up was a Musical Fidelity CD-PRE24 and Adcom GFA-555 with B&W CDM9NT's & Velodyne FSX-12. When I swapped in the RLD-1 WOW! Even with the Adcom! The DNA-1 was not quite as dramatic an improvement to my ears (good power cord should help). This makes me wonder! Could I still get a decent return on preamp investment? SMCaudio upgrade or put it in the bedroom with the Adcom and move on? Max upgade & used RLD-1 = +/- $2400 (no phono).

Some things I love about RLD-1:(from my limited perspective)

sounds more believable at a lower apparent volumes and you can push the volume pretty hard before it starts to fall apart
effortless presentation - never seems strained
soundstage/imaging quite good
bottom end extended and tighter
mids smooth and lifelike
top end good detail but not too crispy
involves me
and how 'bout that volume contol

Any thoughts?

Thanks oh so much!
dueler
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Rwwear's assumption that guage is the only thing which matters in cable design is not correct, though somehow I'm not optimistic this fact will change his mind on the possibilities. Since Dueler says he "intuitively" agrees with him, it will be interesting to see if he hears a difference if he decides to upgrade the PC. But then again, the upgrade cord will indeed be heavier in guage than the stock cord, among other divergences. It's when you hear differences among various upgrade cords, all of them equally heavy in guage, that you realize there's also more going on.
rwwear
2,867 posts
 
It's true Zaikesman. You will not change my mind. Unless the power cord has some sort of filter or power conditioner to clean up the electrical, there can be no difference in sound. And then it would be slight. I don't doubt that if I or anyone else wants to hear a difference, they can. It is more likely true that when something is played a second or third time we will hear things we didn't hear the first time it was played. And it is also true our systems sound different at times without changing anything.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Well Rwwear, don't want to hijack the thread completely (me, that is - you came on here only to interject this pronouncement), and besides the conversation has been had so many times before it's simply boring. "I don't doubt that if I or anyone else wants to hear a difference, they can." I always stipulate to that, and strive to account for the effect when evaluating gear, but the reverse can also hold equally true. I'll just note that it does seem likely from your comments that you haven't personally tried comparitively auditioning aftermarket power cords, and leave it at that.
rwwear
2,867 posts
 
OK Zaikesman, but I used to work for a company that made them. So, I have tried them in other systems as well as mine.
dueler OP
7 posts
 
Nobody suggests a different brand of pre. A platinum modded rld-1 is about a $2500 pre. Is there really nothing better for the price?
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