Spirit,
I'm using a copper Tellus connected to the clean earth outlet of a Quantum QRT QB8 mains block and a second copper Tellus connected to the ground of my Well Tempered Amadeus tt, and to an unused rca input on my Pass Labs Aleph L pre. I agree completely with your comments. Listening has become fluid and engaging. It reveals a lot, so it's very useful for really getting to know your system. I see it as a tool to explore. Different connections lead to different results. I'm using silver Ertha cable for signal, copper Ertha cable for chassis ground. And Mr. Friberg is a very nice person! |
Hi Spirit,
Actually, I didn't get much of an improvement by connecting the phono amp (Clearaudio Reference) to the Entreq Tellus (or Entreq Minimus - I've got two of those).
I got a great result by connecting the TURNTABLE ground to the Tellus. It's a Well Tempered Amadeus, 1st model, with a sturdy ground point separated from the signal outputs. I believe that by having the source signal already grounded through the preamp, connecting the phono to the Entreq units might have been overkill. And, of course, the preamp works as the central link between source and amplifier (which is why the Primary Earth plug on the Quantum QB8 is reserved for it).
Speaking of which, I'm experimenting now with four QV2 Quantum units, with interesting results... |
By the way, the Straingauges seem to be a truly unique design- just checked the site for the first time. |
Hi,
Direct cart-phono stage cabling is a very nice touch. It does seem that you have no Ertha option for your tt/arm, unless you consider the metal area of both? But that would be grounding chassis and not signal. I make the distinction because my phono stage allows for separate signal PCB ground / chassis ground, which made for an incredible difference when experimenting with the Entreq solutions.
I found the Quantum QV2s positive enough to invest in a set of four. There's a story to it, of course: the Quantum Qbase literature advises connecting sources first and amplifier last, when it comes to equipment hierarchy in the powerblock. Your preamp stays the middle of the strip, plugged to the "Primary Earth" outlet. It's a subject I've been aware of for some time, and I don't consider it a minor detail. When I first auditioned a single QV2, I was following the Qbase's equipment order instructions. I feel that "sources first" gives great detail and midband firmness, when you are handling a quality recording, but frequency extremes and flow are more restricted, as is the music's freedom from the speakers physical bulk, and it's even more noticeable when you listen to average pressings or recordings. I didn't like the QV2 then; it was pleasant, but sounded more like an "enhancement" than actual pure mains deliverance.
Sometime after that, I tried placing the power demanding components first on the QBase, by order of current demand, and the lighter loads after. (By "first" I mean the QBase outlets closer to the mains cable plugged to the wall socket, you get the idea). This improved things, as far as I'm concerned. Better tonal delivery, easier, wider dynamic soundstage, sound beyond the boxes. So, when I tried the Quantum QV2s in THAT amp first configuration, they really let go and flew. More dimension, more detail everywhere, more reality - it was helping rather than adding. I'm still experimenting with Qbase's QV2/equipment positioning - I've got the 8 outlet model, 4 QV2s and 4 pieces of equipment. But so far, my money's on the counter. |
Spirit,
I take your word for it. Plus your tt/arm set looks very interesting indeed.
If you ever can find the time, can you detail how you actually placed the Westwick as far as your audio mains circuit is concerned? Thanks. |
Spirit,
I meant where you place the unit phisically, yes, as far as your system's electrical circuit is concerned: multiple wall sockets? Power strip outlets? Do you connect your equipment in any given order?
I have experimented in the past with two Richard Gray Power Company 400 Pro units, and was wondering if the Westwick has a similar function. Of course, your assessment of the Westwick from an improvement scale point of view would also be of interest. |
Sounds good Spirit, thanks! |
Hi Spirit,
Long time since last. How are you these days?
I moved house and have been adding up to my Entreq fleet (now two Minimus, a silver Minimus and two Tellus, sharing two Silver Erthas and two Copper Erthas). My system has been really enjoyable, while I keep on experimenting with all components and listening to great sound. In the meanwhile, my two Richard Gray 400 Pros have been idle. But I'm writing to ask if your Hovland HP200 preamp features a phase reversal switch. Thanks! |
HI Spirit,
Thanks for your reply. I'm been getting excellent results by minding each recording's absolute phase, to the extent of getting aquainted to Lps I've had for years but regarded as inoperative pressings. But I must go about this by switching loudspeaker cable polarity at the speaker, rather tedious. I took notice of a Hovland for sale near me, and wondered if a phase reversal facility could make me go for it, being pleased with my Pass Labs Aleph L. As for Entreq, I'm a confirmed buyer. Besides experimenting with grounding variations, I'm heading for an Eartha Atlantis cable for the preamp, plus Silver Minimus for each source arrangement. Will expand on this idea later, if you're patient enough to read it.
Best wishes. |
Hi Spirit,
The thing was born out of trial and error, really. I began with a Tellus, then moved on to two Minimus, for the speakers. However, that implied connecting the Minimus to the return post on the speaker, which indeed tampered with the signal circuit directly, and I avoided it, feeling it wasn't beneficial. So, two Minimus to spare. To cut a long story, I looked at my phono stage, which has separate ground posts for chassis and signal board. I had plugged the ground from the turntable directly to the signal post on the phono, feeling it made sense. But, curiosity being what it is, I tried the chassis ground instead. Well then. Increased clarity, scale and texture. Why would this be? I reasoned that since the turntable's chassis and cartridge ground are joined together, connecting directly to the phono signal board was interfering with it. And it was. I also noticed that keeping a Minimus for the signal board alone improved matters further. So, next up I connected the preamp to the Tellus, the turntable to a Minimus, and the phono signal board to the other Minimus. This improved things further, so much so that going back to everything connected to the Tellus flattened matters down, and I began to refer to this new arrangement as the "isolation fleet". Remember though, I'm using copper Tellus and Minimus. With that in mind, I applied for a Silver Minimus... which arrived a week ago. And things got truly interesting. Well, this is getting long, I'll be sure to get back to it later. But I'll say that whatever one's system's peculiarites, using Entreq has been a pleasure and a revelation. Cheers, |
Spirit,
Your findings with balanced power are interesting. Using two Richard Gray 400 pro's in line with my system circuit has advantages but, unfortunately, also caveats. More on that later, I suppose. It's also interesting your mention of bass improvement as overall acoustic improvement, which possibly sheds light on room/system interaction way beyond bass traps and diffraction solutions. The thing is, the better my system gets in terms of output, the slighter acoustic impediments get.
I should point out that I'm using primarily the unused rca/xlr inputs for Entreq interface. Chassis ground has turned up as a secondary route, meaning two Minimus per device (copper on chassis, silver on signal) which yields complementary results. I suppose I'm being, as your US cousins might say, dedicated to the process. I'm afraid I'm not acquainted with Tripoint at all.
In the meanwhile, an Eartha Atlantis and second Silver Minimus are now on their way. Can't wait, really. Hope there'll be more positive points to discuss over the next few weeks. Still, I'll trace back your posts to read more about your balanced power setup.
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Spirit, I live in the old Continent, not in the UK, but in a small coutry which holds the oldest, still ratified alliance in existance: Portugal. The Anglo-Portuguese alliance dates from 1373, making it even older than Lps!
I'm based on vinyl replay, and use a Well Tempered Amadeus (it of the golf ball), carrying a Clearaudio MM Virtuoso cartridge, connected to the Clearaudio Reference phono amp (earlier version, 100W p/ch power supply), which connects to a Pass Labs Aleph L 0.2 preamp, leading to a XTZ AP100 amp, option of class AB/A. Speakers are XTZ's own 99.26 "high gloss" monitors. I also carry two Clearaudio vinyl cleaning machines and shelves of Mobile Fidelity and Clearaudio vinyl cleaning/restoring fluids (it's a thrill checking discarded records take on life and meaning again). My present Entreq collection you already know. Before playing a record I also use Furutech's DeStat II and clean the stylus tip with Clearaudio's own fluid for the job. And I optimize VTA and damping for each record. It's easily done on the Amadeus and it's amazingly important.
I read the Westwick data sheet and it sounds truly tempting. Way to go. by the way, I removed my Rega Apollo cd player from the system because it interfered with the analogue systems ground (not with noise, it just improved the sound removed from the power strip) so your findings with 16/44 rbcd do ring a potential bell. By the way, I use PS Audio's AC5 current cables throughout, linked to and from a Nordost Quantum Qbase 8, sporting four Quantum Qv2 current harmonizers, as I reported before. Right now, still experimenting with Entreq grounding alternatives and really having a good time by it. |
Hi Camb, please check my reply to your QB8 thread. I hadn't been around here for awhile... |
