Did anyone experience Audio Prism's Ground Control

Scottmac,
Let them settle in for a while. Bud says several hours. In my system I hear changes in sound stage, image tightness, to bloom, then tightness then settle + changes in harmonics over a period of several days. Typically, so far, the improvement was in my system most seen on the 4th day. I hear no decrease in harmonic richness with the ref versions. In fact, the instrumental color is superb. I did note, in mine, so far, that using the standard and ref models in each component yields the best results. Remember, that is my system, and each varies. The harmonic warmth is retained as well as a purity and open, detailing that is really superb. Images are tight, spot on and in surround that is intriguing to me. Remember, though, as of now I still have several days for the last set to settle in for final judgment and determination of sonic changes. While I am watching TV in surround right now I hear the sound altering a lot and sound staging as they settle in per Bud's comments on their "cycling". I should have a good handle on them by Sunday night.

odd

Ozzy is absolutely right. I am using both the ref and standard on one of my inputs to my SC-09 receiver in my HT section on one of the 7.1 analog input sections. I use all digital input to the receiver so any would do fine.

I have not experienced the elevation in upper mids Ozzy has, just an extension of the extreme top end which opens up the sound immensely with low level details which are extraordinary. The upper mids are as warm and flat as ever. Same with sound stage. Mine did not decrease at all. Remained open, huge and deep on musical presentations and for movie tracks it opens up the sound to a huge open sound field from top to bottom. Remember, though, I use the Walker Audio Reference + HDL's on all my speakers which could alter results from what others have found. The Walkers and AP's work synergistic and on different levels. I am not the only one reporting the use of both together to super results. So, I may be a bit of anomaly that needs to be kept in mind here.

Odd

According to Rick at EVS, sometimes tying the little buggers to the speaker cable with some soft cotton string at their top and bottom ends, or otherwise keeping them from resonating, has cured the "hardness" that some people are experiencing.

Worth a try I guess.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Bud,

Yes, they do have the gold ground petals.
I burned in my standard rca on my cary amp for hundreds of
hours since I had some new tubes to burn in. I then
let it settle in for about ten days on the Naim. So,
they were settled in. I think what is going on is that
Niam's forte is star grounding. So, i think that adding
another star ground is overkill. I did however, finally
add a standard rca to my dac via a rca y-adapter and have
let that settle in for a day. Now this is a different story. For vocals and acoustic music it a dream come true.
Vocals now have that presence that i have experienced with
single ended tube amps, but with so much more air and decay
trails that let you hear the recording studio. So, there is
more depth and a maybe a little bit more width. There is also more detail, but in a very organic presentation.
I found the standard spades to have more effect in increasing width in my system. The only downside i have at this point is that i am getting too much mid bass weight on certain types of music. However, my system is already tuned this way.

Ozzy and Oddeophile.

Are you using an HDMI connection for your HT? I tried the
rca on my Denon center channel 7.1 input and did not really
notice much. I also have a standard spade on my Gallo nucleus center channel speaker. I was really hoping to get
that organic mid bass bloom quality that i got with my dac,
but so far no luck. I will have to experiment with my bluray and dvr.

Scottmac,

Yes, I have both a standard and refereence RCA on my Pioneer Elite SC-09TX. I use a very expensive silver HDMI cable made by PS Audio which is the finest sounding, and looking, HDMI cable I have found so far. It absolutely walks on any copper and silver clad copper HDMI I have tried so far. Not even close. It was originally designed by PS Audio to carry hi resolution data between their PWT and PWD transport and DAC in a true I2S transmission with all data carried separately. In my PWT/PWD it is immediate and obvious the difference in sound quality, so I tried it on my Pioneer BDP-09 - SC-09 connection and was amazed at how much more detail and better imaging/balance, detail, depth, dynamic capability the sound became on hi -res lossless movie tracks. then, on to the video end where I eventually added one for the BDP-09 to the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-151 plasma display, and there they have all stayed, except for cleaning the connections periodically, for about 1.5 years now.

Anyway, I noted an improvement in the 5.2 channel set up when adding them initially to the SC-09 receiver but caution they are not broken in yet. I have had them only in now for about 48 hours and it takes at least another 2 days before they will finally settle. Last evening, the sound did just what Bud states - initial pleasing sonic improvement, then dull/narrow, then wide/bright, then back and forth and I could easily hear this going on while using the system. It is freaky to note that. However, I expect to hear them finally settle by sometime on Sunday which is the norm. We'll go from there for the final notation on how they work in that format.

Also, I have a set breaking in on my two channel preamp which is also integrated into the HT system and should be fully broken in by then to know what happens when any of them are removed, inserted again, etc. The good thing about the RCA versions is they can be quickly removed and replaced for immediate, and obvious, noted changes. I have noted already, however, the bass is deeper, and when they are not breathing in and out, for the short time they appear to settle the sound can become quite organic and the top end is also much extended.

I would suggest you try the Walker Audio HDL's. If you are having problems especially with your CC speaker, try adding the walkers. They extremely effectively remove all ultrasonic EMI/RFI from the system. Believe me, I had no clue this was even effecting my system until I added them. Immediately a huge amount of heretofore unknown grain and crap was infecting my system and now stripped away providing a very sweet, warm and smooth/natural sound. Performances moved literally into my room and moved me directly to the studio when called for or auditorium. Superb. Movie sound tracks take on an al new "you are there" sound. Combining the two is quite an experience when I had the AP reference GCs' on my speakers alone and then added the walkers along with them. Never heard it sound better and more consistent from early morning, day and night time use.

Enjoy!