Kubala Sosna and Virtual Dynamics - Similar??

Hi All,

Cable received and burned in 24/7 by VD for 8 days before shipping to me...(at least this is what I am told)....Below are reactions so far....AND PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT SLAM ME FOR PROVIDING THESE INITIAL REACTIONS....

Initial Reactions:
- extremely tough cable to work with, even with pre-forming or pre-bending into shape...
- keeps on popping out of inlets and do not grip very well compared to my Furutechs
- needs to constantly make sure there is no shift in weight for the cables to work loose..
- if I had to decide on this alone, these cables may not make it.
- it is so difficult the cable would not stay in the Naim CD player inlet (thus I have left one PC out).

I have a borrowed Naim CD2X (this unit is used, just traded in so I believe it is runned in) to test these cables(nice dealer who loaned it to me).

I bought 2 Revelation 1.0 cords and I have plugged 1 of them into the Pre-amp. 2nd power cord could not go into the CD player...so it stays out till I figure out how to manhandle this thing...

So far it has been running like this:

Wall --> Pre amp (VD Rev 1.0)
Wall --> Naim CD2X (Naim power cord)
Wall --> RSA Duke (Mongoose) --> Monoblocks (DIY Furutech cords)

See my system for other cable connections..

With the Hydra 8 in the equation, the reduction in dynamics is worse...sound seems to have dropped back by a few rows (rather than forward)...Have to really crank up the volume to get the same sound as before...

Now with the Hydra 8 out, the dynamics have returned but still detect that the sound is further away...vocals (male and female are good) but instruments not as prominent as before...

Now to be fair, since the Naim CD2X is new to this equation, I am recognizing that this player could be contributing to what I am hearing....since I have gotten used to my other Oppo 981 player...

I intend to run this configuration for at least 1 week before I switch back to the Oppo....I know I know, it is not the best player on the planet, but this is what I have to work with now....so please take these comments with a pinch of salt....

By then the Rev 1.0 should have added another 100 hrs (total close to 300 hrs) to it to get to the magic 400 hrs...

Will post again then.....

>>PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT SLAM ME FOR PROVIDING THESE INITIAL REACTIONS....<<

They're your opinions and there's no reason to apologise for it. You hear what you hear. So what?

You paid the money and really shouldn't care what anybody else thinks. Your ears' satisfaction is what matters not some self appointed expert(s) here who claim(s) to know what's best for you. Everything in these threads must be taken with a grain of salt. Trust your ears not the resident forum genius.

Finally, there is no single manufacturer whose products are best for all systems. To say or believe that is very naive.

Good luck.

As you say, you have no baseline for comparison. I would put the Oppo back in, let it run for a few days, and listen. Alternatively, put your old cord back in the system with the new player and listen for a few days first. Either of these suggestions will give you some sort of a baseline, which you totally lack at this point and are therefore unable to evaluate the VD cords really at all, since you introduced another unknown variable.

Additionally, a new VD PC will probably make a more pronounced difference plugged into the CD player than the pre-amp. I would therefore really try to make that work - the cable bending can be a challenge, but is definitely doable with a little thought. For example, my CD player is 5' off the ground and I have a Genesis PC attached(a lot bigger and heavier than yours) with no problem. I'm sure many others have gone thru similar gyrations so you are by no means alone. Obviously we feel it was worth the drain bramage. Good luck

Teck5
you are experiencing normal cable issues that everybody must wrestle with(and I mean literally, when I installed my Genesis i/c's,I actually broke a sweat).VD cables should be supported by either putting something underneath or by wrapping a strong construction string around the cable and tying it to your audio rack or wall.I know they can be frustrating to deal with but they will show themselves if you have the patience on installation and in listening.Fplanner2000 is right about the cd player being the most important source component,the fact that you must turn up the voulmne more is a good sign.The soundstaging that you are experiencing will drop back further and also widen out as the cables break in ( this is not a forward sounding cable and should increase your soundfield).Dynamics will also change remember that your cd and preamp are swallowing a lot more juice than they are used to with the SOL circuit.Also you can suport the cables with objects that fit underneath the cables ( I do this with my p/c going into my dedicated lines and coming out of my Wadia).Please contact me if you need any other suggestions since these are the toughest snakes you will have wrestled!!Take care Dennis

Teck5,

Additional ideas..

You also may try to use the wall as additional VD support.
That is, bend the cable so the cable bends at near a right angle at the wall pushing towards the CD Player.
Of course the power cable has to be long enough to do this.
Also, for the wall outlets, try using the Wattgate 381 . It has the grip of death and will help grab the VD.

All the other suggestions about support underneath the cable and tieing a cable to them attached to your stand are good ideas.
My outlets are 4 feet off the ground so I also am using a large Radio Shack project box filled with pennies that sits atop a 1/2 Tube trap behind my TV near the outlet.
I have tied a lamp cord wire around the heavy project box and then around the VD Plug that goes into the wall.
Also, try putting a strip of electrical tape around the edge of the VD IEC that may tighten it up.
I am using a 20A VD Master cable to power my Hydra 8 and I think it is great!