Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8...OMG!!

@jtcf 761 posts
11-09-2019 10:09pm
That is really interesting.I know that a too short digital cable is troublesome,but ics too?Every little thing really does matter even if it shouldn't.I'll be interested to hear what Rob says.I'm still waiting impatiently to demo other cables.The last piece of the puzzle I think.

It might be more believable if there was a difference in version or connector types or different type internal wire used, but these are the same version cables and visually in every way, just 1.0M vs. 1.5M and slight age/use difference - that's it.  My buddy ended up with a 2.0M pair of AP Crystal IC in a used system he purchased at an audio show.  I remember the MFG factory guy just saying the liked the longer ICs better in that particular all tube system.  While I've read it written many times over the years,  many note "use longer ICs" and "shorter speaker cables", perhaps some truth to this with digital source components. It's extra noticeable on more inferior recordings played via high resolution streaming services through my tube DAC. Yes, tried many different tubes in my DAC, different preamp tubes, and nothing rid that upper midrange glare.  Then swapping the 1.0M and 1.5M IC placement did at the DAC.  Kinda having a hard time wrapping my mind around this one. 

Well here's my latest adventure.I've been trying this and that attempting to "feed" this system exactly the right combo of signals that will help it perform at it's best:-).Today it all fell together and I feel I'm 98%of the way there.It's leaning just a bit to the lean side,but is so transparent,detailed,and layered.Right now dac and pre are fed by Audio Envy Ocean Elite pcs.Transport and amp have CableDyne pcs.Ics are Audio Envy Prestige.The AE cables work much better together and compliment each other's strengths,and I know this after trying many configurations.The ics are all about the midrange and the pcs bring the high frequencies,bass,and dynamics.The Gabriel Gold Revelation digital cable.
The last piece of the puzzle was moving the High Fidelity MC-O.5 from the power conditioner to the duplex plug.Bam!The Analysis Plus scs in turn are sending beautiful music to the Tektons.Now to add just a drop of warmth by adding or subtracting just one thing.....
A tube,more HF power conditioning,one of the ZenWaves(still waiting).

re: DIGITAL COAX RCA cable: ???
Some people praise this change while other's may not.  

REQUEST: 
Has anyone here tried or using the Analysis Plus Crystal Solo [DIGITAL COAX] cable in 1.0M or 1.5M in your rig?  Any notable difference? 

The GG cable is an xlr cable that I was using a few years ago when I had balanced connections.I put adapters on it and tried it just out of curiosity.Surprise,I like it!I did try the AP Crystal Solo((1 meter) along with a few others and I could hear slight differences but all were rather dull,veiled.Results may be better with 1.5 meters or even better with  other xlr cables??Sometimes good things happen when fooling around with tweaks.
I have a basic understanding of how reflections and timing errors distort the digital signal so finding one that is a perfect match is yet another adventure.

@jtcf
...I have a basic understanding of how reflections and timing errors distort the digital signal so finding one that is a perfect match is yet another adventure.

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Okay, good to know. So let the experiment continue. I ordered a 1.5M coax AP Crystal Solo on a black friday sale. Not sure what to expect, but I’ve wanted to try this for a while completing the system with AP Crystal Solos. More than a few places I’ve read the shorter .5m and even 1.0m can produce more "reflection", bounce-back, and "glare" compared to a tad longer 1.5M.  I did not believe it myself until trying it and comparing. So, I tested it with ICs on my DAC to pre first and truly did see a difference, like it more. So, I’ll try the same with my Arcam streamer to DAC next, and need 1.5M regardless keeping them apart. Guess I should not be too quick to let go of my Cardas lightning and other cables yet til’ I let this new cable run for a while. Last piece to complete the chain with all AP Crystal Solos. 

re: "timing". Speaking of timing, I was driving myself batty past few weeks after adding some Jensen PIO bypass caps to the DAC, paralleled over some Mundorf Silver Gold Oils as the base caps in the tube DAC. Even up to 100hrs of burn-in I kept hearing something almost like an added reverb / out of timing effect on some instruments on good tracks. Almost a reverb (1.25x repeat sound) and blurring or smearing effect at times. I really noticed the difference with my AP Crystal Solo cables, not so much with my Cardas interconnects which tend to smooth over a bit more. Finally gave up and removed the bypass caps. As soon as they were removed, the timing issue was completely GONE - back to normal, nice clean smooth signal, improved sound stage too. It was really odd, and never had played with or experienced notable timing issues much except for tweeter/woofer mis-alignments in my own custom speakers. While I've had okay success with other bypass caps, components, this was a first and a surprise to a few audio friends. Perhaps just an incompatibility between two different type caps.

Trying the different AP cables has been a fun experiment, the Crystal Solos OCC copper version seems to be in it’s own lane if you like this type of sound, tone, sound stage changes - it’s unique.