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Furutech GTX-D Rhodium NCF Outlet

Hi

I have been using a strip with Cary tube preamp and digital sources on a Furutech GTX-D Gold outlet and Pass power amp to a Maestro on the wall for a while now.

The combination seems decent but lately with some bass heavy recordings I have found the bass thick and boomy on extreme low bass notes. The mids and highs are fine and I tend to be sensitive to bright treble.

I took the preamp out and put it to the Maestro on the wall and this ameliorated the bass somewhat. Everything became fuller sounding but as a result, there was less low bass reverb (sounds contradictory?)

I suspect it is the GTX-D Gold. I am guessing if I replaced that with a GTX-D Rhodium NCF, it will tighten up the bass and hopefully eliminate the excessive low bass reverb. But in doing so, will the highs become too forward, hard or bright as Rhodium tends to be vs Gold?

Any experienced feedback from users who have tried the Maestro, GTX-D Gold and GTX-D Rhodium NCF is much appreciated.

Thanks
mikey8811
mikey8811 OP
194 posts
 
OK so I got the GTX D Rhodium NCF’s.

I have about 5 hours on them now. I have the Cary tube preamp and digital sources on a strip to the outlet. I have the Pass Labs power amp on the Maestro.

There is greater clarity, air and instrumental separation. Image outlines are also more distinct, but with less bloom and fullness - I guess this would constitute a minor negative. The bass has tightened up and there is more micro detail all round.

More on the downside, the treble has become "silvery" with a bit of hardness and brightness. There is more extension but the sound doesn’t seem like it has opened up yet and still sounds etched and shut in.

I do hope the treble hardness and brightness goes away. How long does this take?

The GTX D Gold had boomy low bass but I liked the top end on that. Overall, if I had to choose one among the 3 outlets, I prefer the Maestro so far.
auxinput
1,538 posts
 
Heh.  Anywhere from 200 to 400+ hours, depending on resolution of your system.  Yes, 5 hours in is when you start that painful burn-in.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Yeah, the bad news it does take time for the 'extra' treble to stop.I cannot say exactly since I kept adding more Rhodium plugs and outlets over a few months. So I had a long long time with it. It will stop.
mikey8811 OP
194 posts
 
Echoing the comments of others after 60 hours - the burn in is a pain!

It alternates from sounding better to sounding worse in the treble. Earlier the tight bass got boomy but that seems to have cured itself.

I can't recall the GTX-D Gold being that bad with respect to burn in.
davidpritchard's avatar
davidpritchard
801 posts
 
mikey8811:
Your memory is correct. Rhodium outlets have the longest and most frustrating burn in of the outlets that are available. Elizabeth's approach to condition the Rhodium outlets for Months outside the audio chain and only then install them is the only approach that makes sense. I have endured the long break in with the Furutech GTX Rhodium outlets and I hated it.

I must say this is why I prefer the Synergistic Research Blue outlets. Twenty four hours after being installed they sound good, 3 days latter they sound better, and after 10 days they sound great! If you are unsure you like them at 21 days, send them back. This makes for a quick and easy experiment.
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