anthem,

How much are the Anticables you are using?

I noticed that Furman has a 20 A version of your conditioner, around $1100 today at Amazon. Anybody had experience with this unit?

I have noticed a steady improvement in my system, too. Jaw dropping clarity and fine detail, definitely better than before the PC upgrades. Some say this is due to a lower noise floor, but I don't agree. I measured my listening room noise while I turned up my system to max (no signal!!!) looking for the noise floor to change. It didn't, leading me to believe that the noise I see is environmental.

Me thinks it's something subtle about the signal interaction with the cables. Based on what I'm hearing, I think it's better group delay. The physics are in there somewhere.

Charlie

Charlie:
The AntiCable Level 3 Reference PC's are $330 for a 5ft. length. I love this cable...i have 4 now.
anticables.com/power-cords#!/Level-3-Ref...872/category=3461168

Thanks, anthem. I see on their site that one person said he heard improvement at 150 hours! I'm around 60 hours on my PCs now, and I think they are still changing. Will be interesting.

The Anticables are about the same price as the Nordost Red Dawn 1 m. Heimdall was around $650 1 m.

Charlie

I'm back in TX, cranking the GEt's, and lovin' it.

My Furman power conditioner has a 10 gauge non removable power cord, so can't try a power cord upgrade there. I've done the next best thing I could think of doing. I have a Shunyata Venom Defender pocket power conditioner/noise reducer plugged into a spare outlet on the Furman, where the Oppo (AntiCable Reference 3 fed) and Marantz AVR (Nordost Blue Heaven fed) are plugged in. It too made a difference by cleaning up SQ even more. Shunyata recommends plugging a Defender into their own power conditioner to give it a boost, or any circuit that is feeding audio equipment. It helps my Furman also.

The two amps are plugged into a separate power strip. The 5 channel ATi amp has a Signal Magic feeding it, the stereo Parasound amp feeding the Zone 2 kitchen Invisa speakers has a stock cord. I've tried listening with and without another Defender plugged into that power strip, and prefer the SQ with a Defender plugged in there also. Everything is a little cleaner, clearer.

The Triton towers are plugged directly into 4 separate wall outlets, with a mix of AntiCable Reference 3, Shunyata Venom 3 and Signal Magic power cords. I don't think power cords there make as big a difference as on sources, but I had 'em and use them.

Ain't this a fun hobby!

Anthem, glad to read that you're loving your present combo! I'll try the Audience Forte F3 soon, probably first on the Marantz AVR.

Separate subject: just received 2 sets of GAIA II isolators to try on the Ref's. I'll report on these after I get them installed and have a chance to do some serious listening.

Happy listening, all!!

Rick

rjohn79395 wrote:
I have a Shunyata Venom Defender pocket power conditioner/noise reducer plugged into a spare outlet on the Furman, where the Oppo (AntiCable Reference 3 fed) and Marantz AVR (Nordost Blue Heaven fed) are plugged in. It too made a difference by cleaning up SQ even more. Shunyata recommends plugging a Defender into their own power conditioner to give it a boost, or any circuit that is feeding audio equipment. It helps my Furman also.

I've tried listening with and without another Defender plugged into that power strip, and prefer the SQ with a Defender plugged in there also. Everything is a little cleaner, clearer.

Rick, this does fit with noise reduction, although I can't find where my electronics noise floor is! (Couldn't find it before I upgraded PCs either.

Charlie

An update on experimenting with the new Audience Forte F3 power cord.

The first gear I tried it on was the Oppo 105, which had an AntiCable Reference 3 on it. So the new set up as of a couple weeks ago was Audience on the Oppo and the existing Nordost Blue Heaven still on the Marantz AVR. And yes, I really liked what the Audience did on the Oppo. Just a little more gentle (?), natural, than the AntiCable it replaced, and bass just a tad better defined with the Audience (AntiCable, as always in my system, is the cleanest, if leaning some toward some hard). In fact, I loved the Audience on Oppo/Nordost on Marantz AVR combo so much I was tempted to stop experimenting and just enjoy. It's that good, and just so natural sounding. But I just had to give the next switch a try.

First, a disclaimer, the more I play with power cords the more convinced I become that results are very dependent on the gear they're tried on, the room acoustics being affected, and listener preference. So, YMMV applies.

Today I switched the two power cords, Audience to the Marantz receiver, and Nordost to the Oppo. Tried playing streamed stuff first, which goes direct to the new Audience/ Marantz combo. Bass was a tad better defined, BUT mid and treble didn't sound quite as natural as the Nordost presented it. Then I tried playing Blu-rays to test the Nordost on Oppo/Audience on AVR combo. Again, really nice bass clarity, but not quite as natural. So, switched them back. AH, the Audience on the Oppo and the Nordost on the AVR just WORKS!!!! (Anthem, it seems you love your Audience PC on your Oppo also).

I am pondering trying a move up in the Nordost PC line, maybe Red Dawn or Heimdall (Charlie, feel free to comment on what you're discovering between the two) for the Marantz. I am getting convinced that Audience is the best fit with the Oppo, and Nordost does wonders, for me, on the Marantz AVR .

Monday I'll, finally, be installing the GAIA II isolators on the Ref's. More on that after Monday on a GAIA related thread.

Ain't this fun????

Happy listening!

Rick