I jumped the gun on the 8 week improvement when I purchased the SR Atmosphere XL4 to go with my 2 HFT sets and 2 Speaker HFT sets. It was like TC on steroids.
However, my wife noticed congestion/hashy sound on choral parts on LPs recorded in the 50’s and early 60’s (all four Aida Triumphal Scene LPs-recording tape headroom saturation problem). Jazz and instrumentals sounded fine but with the slightest blur on some (using a custom made tube phono stage with perfectly impedance mated SUT). I thought there could be worn stylus problem but my best LPs sounded fabulous. I did an experiment.
I decided to plug in my old EAR 324 phono stage. It was difficult to get the right impedance/gain match (which is why I switched five years ago) getting too much bass, insufficiently open sound or too little bass and open sound (150 or 400 ohms, cartridge is best at 220 ohms).. Then I decided to treat the EAR 324s 2 pairs of RCA ICs and the A/C power cord with TC. Wow, I was able to dial in a setting I liked. The choruses became 50% clearer (wife approved as listenable) and a very tube-like tonal quality ensued. As noted, bass becomes more prominent. I was able to use a higher impedance match for my cartridge (Benz Ruby 3). My wife approved of me spending $300 for TC (as well as the XL4 after she heard what it did and the removal of all the wall/window treatments for the HFTs). She spent some time listening to LPs (luckily the XL4 has an Amplify room setting so that she can enjoy heavy metal and Robin Trower recordings).
I just want to say that TC improves everything I pasted so far. Unfortunately for me, my wife will be spending more time listening to 80s rock LPs in my music room. On a personal note, my wife had about 300 LPs when we met 21 years ago which she kept in pristine condition. I’m a lucky man.
However, my wife noticed congestion/hashy sound on choral parts on LPs recorded in the 50’s and early 60’s (all four Aida Triumphal Scene LPs-recording tape headroom saturation problem). Jazz and instrumentals sounded fine but with the slightest blur on some (using a custom made tube phono stage with perfectly impedance mated SUT). I thought there could be worn stylus problem but my best LPs sounded fabulous. I did an experiment.
I decided to plug in my old EAR 324 phono stage. It was difficult to get the right impedance/gain match (which is why I switched five years ago) getting too much bass, insufficiently open sound or too little bass and open sound (150 or 400 ohms, cartridge is best at 220 ohms).. Then I decided to treat the EAR 324s 2 pairs of RCA ICs and the A/C power cord with TC. Wow, I was able to dial in a setting I liked. The choruses became 50% clearer (wife approved as listenable) and a very tube-like tonal quality ensued. As noted, bass becomes more prominent. I was able to use a higher impedance match for my cartridge (Benz Ruby 3). My wife approved of me spending $300 for TC (as well as the XL4 after she heard what it did and the removal of all the wall/window treatments for the HFTs). She spent some time listening to LPs (luckily the XL4 has an Amplify room setting so that she can enjoy heavy metal and Robin Trower recordings).
I just want to say that TC improves everything I pasted so far. Unfortunately for me, my wife will be spending more time listening to 80s rock LPs in my music room. On a personal note, my wife had about 300 LPs when we met 21 years ago which she kept in pristine condition. I’m a lucky man.