Yeah i've found in my system attention to AC power really pays off. In the last 6 months i've added a Furutech GTX-D(G)wpo, Gigawatt PC-3 SE Evo power conditioner & plan on upgrading my 3 main Jorma Prime pc's with cryo'd Oyaide M1/F1 connectors which should take those cables to the next level. So I can relate to wriging every last bit of performance out of your front end. Each part in the chain plays an important part in achieving a clean, stable power supply with excellent impulse response.
Power Cords Rule
Just finished another DIY power cable using Ohno Continuous Cast copper. This is the third cable added in the past two months, the first two for my ARC mono blocks, this latest for my Wadia 861SE CDP, now over ten years old. I am trying to wring every bit of performance from this player, modified by GNSC. This new cable has lifted that old player to a new plateau of sound stage and clarity; there's just more information in the music not previously heard. All of these cables have first replaced Transparent Reference AC cables, and, after those, three other DIY cables containing OCC copper but with a PVC dielectric not well-suited for AC cables, but vastly superior to the Transparents, circa 2002. My newest versions have polypropylene dielectric over a combined 8 AWG OCC copper, mated to Furutech rhodium plugs. All together, these AC cables have improved my system as much as upgrading the front end would have, IMO, and that would also require a pre-amp in going away from Wadia. And so, my fellow audiophiles, this is where it's at--get that clean power and those great power cables--make 'em yourself--all else depends more on that source of pure power than your other cables can achieve, good as they have to be, as well. Every piece of your system will improve with a purer current--any way you can get it.
Showing 7 responses by melbguy1
posbwp554 posts11-03-2016 6:41pmI have a question for Melbguy1. Can you describe the sonic character of the Jorma Prime PC's? Are they on the detailed side of neutral or the full bodied/lush side? Can you compare them to a few other High end PC's for context? What are you trying to change/improve by adding the M1/F1 connectors. Thanks for you response.Hi Bart, I wouldn't describe the Jorma Prime pc as lush at all, nor the other extreme of ultra resolving, etched, analytical. I would describe the Jorma Prime pc in similar terms to a Conrad Johnson Gat preamp. "It just sounds right". One word to describe Jorma is natural. The Prime pc has a touch of warmth compared to Origo which is neutral & sounds harmonically rich, resolving, sophisticated and musical. By musical I mean instruments have body and sound tonally correct. I have compared Jorma Prime to the Andromeda pc which comes with Vitus gear & Acoustic Revive Power Reference. Prime is more resolving, transparent, yet more resolving, sophisticated & musical. It's in a different class altogether as it's price suggests. Mihalis here on A'gon compared Prime to Nordost Valhalla and Odin in his reference system & preferred Prime in every application except transformer-phono. Not bad considering Prime is half the cost of Odin. Otoh, Fred Crowder from Dagogo uses a mix and match approach in his system & preferred a Jorma Prime pc on his phono, hence it is system dependent. Apropos which, Fred told me the Jorma Prime pc's "generally work well on front end components, somewhat less successfully on high powered amps but that is a generalization. As I said, they work spectacularly on the EAR electronics, EMM Labs and Ypsilon. You will need to find what works best on your electronics". Compared to other flagship pc's, the only perceived weakness I could find in the Prime pc were the factory Oyaide P-004/C-004 connectors vs other reference pc's which use Furutech FI-50(r) connectors. So I had 3 of my Primes re-terminated with the M1/F1's. I wanted to reduce the noise floor & improve dynamics, and the cryo'd M1/F1's certainly delivered. I got a nice improvement with those connectors, though note: they don't change the basic tonal balance of the P-004/C-004's (using the same metallurgy on the pins). Others would argue the factory connectors are good enough. And for most folks, in most systems they would be. But I wanted to push mine to the max ;). |
YW Bart. To offer another anecdote, my friend who owns Marten Coltrane 3's & Vitus Masterpiece series gear was using Siltech Double and Triple Crown cables and was not happy with the sound. Here is some of what he had to say.. "just be careful if u go down Siltech ruby double crown route. I just plugged Ruby Double Crown into the dac and the transport. Not good. Sounds much better with the Primes. Unless u want clean analytical - clinical sound. If you go around looking for the biggest bass and “see through” clarity and detail you will pick Siltech every time, but over the longer term and especially with speakers that need a little warmth somewhere in the chain then Siltech may not be the best answer." "Yesterday i decided to try my last remaining Jorma Prime power cable on my Vitus MP Dac. Previously it was using an Andromeda, and I’ve also subbed in a Siltech Ruby Hill 2 a couple of times. I had never put the Jorma on the Dac before - it was instead feeding the gigawatt. Well I’ve got to say, it was the single biggest change I’ve had for a while. Voices became noticeably smoother, especially through the Vitus amps, and also through the Cary. So once again your theories play out to be the truth. Don’t overlook any aspect of your system , synergy , and jorma for midrange!!" Ps: Cheers jafant. |
@posbwp55 , I haven’t tried the Origo power cables, though I have one Unity pc which is very good for the money, with the only weak point being its fairly cheap connectors (which I re-terminated with Oyaide P-004/C-004’s borrowed from from one of my Prime pc’s). I previously had a full loom of Origo cables (sans pc’s). Origo uses similar technology as Prime, but has once less shielding. Yes, in my experience Origo is more neutral, but there is not a really bid difference in tonality. Jorma cables are basically neutral, though Origo is the most neutral of the top models. Given the relatively small difference in price from Origo to Prime, and the fact I was planning an all-ss system, I decided to go for Prime pc’s when I upgraded to Jorma. If you are aiming for a bit more detail in your system, bare in mind Prime’s extra and more comprehensive shielding & slightly higher spec copper wire should give you a lower noise floor & improved resolution/detail. And you could always re-terminate the P-004/C-004 connectors later on with cryo’s M1/F1 connectors if it’s a keeper. Then if you wanted to subtly dial back the warmth from there, I would install a Furutech GTX-D(R) wpo. |
@jafant , Actually i’ve got a few big upgrades planned in the next 14 months or so aimed at removing any weak links & further optimizing my system. Mind you, my system will still remain fairly simple, being based on cd & 4K Bluray for movies. I’m picking up a nice Tivoli dab+/Internet radio for background music at home next week. Good luck with your cable demo'ing! |
@posbwp55 .Good show. In an ideal world, running dedicated 20a lines into audiophile wpo’s is the way go go. In my situation, I only got into high end audio after moving into my current apartment. And retro-fitting 20a lines would be a dog of a job, so I installed a Furutech GTX-D(g) wpo & am planning on adding a Telos GNR & QNR next year which will achieve similar goals & maybe even take it a bit further. @jafant, that is one of my planned upgrades next year. The other biggie is on the amplification side, but i’m keeping that under wraps for now ;). |
Jafant, carte blanche my audition list of amps would be a bit different to yours.. - (future model) Vitus Signature series integrated - Absolare Passion integrated - Pass INT-250 - Gryphon Diablo 300 & - (future model) Vac 160 SE with IQ technology. That said, I'm pretty sure I know which one I'd take home for synergy with my Vitus SCD-025 Mk2 ;). |