Gabriel Gold IC's are they really this good?

Hi Steve, I will be adding the SR PowerCell 10SE to my system in a couple of weeks with the Precision Reference PC and Galileo MPC. I am an irrepressible tweaker. So, in the meantime, I have been busy tweaking -- the result of which is that the Gabriel Golds and Merlins have taken a giant step up in my system. I find it amazing that adding a special tweak can change everything in an instant. This happened when I added Ric Schultz's EVS Ground Enhancers to my system a few days ago. Suddenly Gabriel Golds and Merlins delivered a much higher level of performance -- detail, dynamics and a much fuller sound on the sound stage. The Enhancers came highly recommended but I was not prepared for what happened when I installed them in my system. The inveterate tweaker in me now has me tweaking the Enhancers. I have a box full of small items that I have ejected from other systems over the years. I have the straight version of the Enhancers sticking up through the negative speaker binding posts on the Merlins and my Marantz PM-15 integrated amp. Here's how I tweaked the Enhancers. I popped one Cardas speaker pin (gold-plated) onto each of the Enhancers on the PM-15. An immediate improvement. I was inspired to tweak the Enhancers on my Merlins. So, I experimented with various combinations of terminations. After a lot of trial and error here's what I found works best on my Merlins: a Furutech rhodium spade adapter popped onto each of the Enhancers and then two of the Cardas speaker pins (gold-plated, joined together with their set screws) popped onto one of the Cardas spade forks -- not on both -- on each Merlin Enhancer. Crazy? You bet it's crazy. But it works -- please don't ask me why. I have no idea why. I have spent days A/Bing every permutation you can imagine using these little items. With the above-described combination in my system -- YMMV -- there is the greatest improvement in detail, dynamics, sound stage and ambiance that I was able to obtain after all the experimentation. Of course, I use my "reference" CDs for testing each tweak change -- listening to each CD over and over again -- tweaking -- listening -- tweaking -- listening. The venue is now much more "there" on live recordings -- Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Johnny Rivers, Chris Montez, Beach Boys -- you name it. Both live and studio recordings are greatly improved but it helps when the CD is really good quality -- good original recordings or good remasters. But even recordings that sounded "flat" can improve, surprisingly. I had a cheap Duane Eddy CD that sounded like a cheap Duane Eddy CD in my old system. I played it with my new EMM CDP and added the EVS Ground Enhancers. Boy does Duane Eddy ever sound good now. I thought I'd share this with you and those who may be interested in improving the sound in their system. In this case it cost a song -- pun intended -- to get a lot more than song's worth -- A LOT MORE. In other words the improvement was not subtle. The Gabriel Golds and Merlins just keep getting better and better. It's all about synergy. You have a feeling there's a lot more in them thar cables and speakers just waiting to be released then -- wham -- the "more" is suddenly there. I can't wait to add the SR PowerCell 10SE + Precision Reference + Galileo MPC to my system. And a few more tweaks too, of course. I have a feeling it's gonna be "ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN"!! I saw the Righteous Brothers "Live in Concert" in 1976. Beauuuuutiful!!

Sabai-
It sounds interesting and confusing all at once,however the bottom line is you have found your own personal sonic utopia.
Curious have you ever had an issue in your area with EMI/RF?

Not knowing the make-up of the enhancers it almost sounds as if they are acting like a passive RF/EMI drain in your set-up.

I'm sure there make-up and design has had hours of testing and their must be something special going on with them even if it can't be explained technically

Once again if you're happy - I'm happy

Hi Steve, I think this has me just as baffled as you. I can't explain the changes but my ears bear witness to them. I might mention that my hearing is excellent. I always protected myself from loud concert music when I was young by sitting in the back or by putting my fingers in my ears (at a Sly and the Family Stone concert) or with ear plugs or even walking out (I walked out on Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) -- unlike some of my audiophile friends who now have hearing loss. As you know I live overseas. There are lots of EMI/RF issues in my area. Most of the tweaks I have added to my system that are designed to address these problems produce results that are not subtle. The Gabriel Golds sounded incredible out of the box but they sound even better with every tweak I add to the system. Which tells me they have incredible "hidden" potential. The challenge for me is to find what I need to do so that the Gabriel Golds sing with their full potential. I'm sure that adding the SR PowerCell 10SE line conditioner soon -- and some more tweaks -- will elevate the whole system and will show just how good the Gabriel Golds and the Merlins and the EMM can really sound. The system is already well on its way.

EMM CDSA-SE and GG Reflection (rca) = excellent match

Sutts, I second that emotion. I am using the GG Reflection PC, SCs and ICs, as well as other non-GG cabling. Also, changing the stock EMM fuse to the Furutech T2A (green) has made a big improvement but adding EVS Ground Enhancers and Synergistic Research MiGs has improved the sound even more -- sound stage wider and deeper and more full and more detailed.