Doug Schroeder Method, Double ic

Thank you Doug and celander for the information..

I tested another HAVE Inc. custom built DS dual Canare StarQuad integrated assembly (per “Celander Specification”). The integrated assembly is 1-ft length having an RCA male connector at one end and an RCA female connector at the other end. Burned in a set on my cable cooker and tested it with a 1-meter set of Nordost Red Dawn ribbon interconnect cables. Dramatically improved the SQ over the ribbon IC’s alone. Such an integrated SM assembly could provide a “taste” of the improved SQ benefits of a SM assembly for those who own uber-expensive IC’s but don’t want to buy a second, identical set of uber-expensive IC’s (along with 4 external Y-splitters) to test the SM of interconnect placement in their system.

HA! HAVE is right in my backyard almost. Driven by there and wondered what they were many times.....elephant head and all...

I put two pairs of Gabriel Gold Rapture (one 'r' version) on Audio Sensibility Impact SE splitters from my CDP/DAC (Cary 306/200) and tube integrated (VPI 299d) this morning and am slack jawed at the changes. Provocative. Compelling. A surprise birthday party kind of questioning astonishment.

I see more silence between images and hear more detail/microdyamics - a LOT more -  are what I've first noticed. I'm happy to post more after a bit for all the normal reasons.

I'll also say that I was even a little taken aback by the added detail placing emphasis in ways that change the balance in how I heard/listened to some familiar recordings. Kind of disturbing if you like the familiar staying that way...But cool if you're alright with shifting landscapes, changelings and shape shifters. Love a good shape shifting.

AND, my curiosity is already piqued over what contribution the y-splitter themselves are making and what the benefits might be of straight up 'double double' construction/design from the originators - some head-to-head with Teo's in-house double double vs. 2 pair w/y-splitters.

Anyway, pretty impressive difference right off the starting line. Bound to be fun to see where this sound-track runs and what soundscapes there are along the way.

budburma, congratulations on your success! You have a lot more fun to come. Many permutations and discoveries await you if you desire to explore further.  I simply cannot go back to single IC for any appreciable time, as it is paltry. What was considered by the industry to be very good sound (single IC) is now mediocre, imo. 

Well, there's a bold statement! 

I can say the the improvement is remarkable in 'realism' for me and in all realms of sonic descriptors and segments. All the qualities I love about the GG Rapture are amplified as if on steroids.
 
It's also true that I was using a $200 IC (used price) which I really liked quite a bit. The SM with 2 of them and the y-splitters is a large step up; it should be acknowledged that it's now almost 3x the price. BUT, it's definitely sounds to be outstripping the law of diminishing returns!