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RE: Question re your pure linear PSU




Here is the sound test of cMP2.(Excuse me for probably bad English)

Сontrol sound section:
- A control source of a sound: cd transport CEC TL5100 (thoroughly upgraded in a power supply: two toroidal transformers, some voltage stabilizers are added, electrolytic capacitors are replaced with capacitors Black Gate of different series, established the copper screens separating psu, the mechanism, the display and the main board from each other)
- DAC: Musical Fidelity A3.24 (output capacitors are replaced with BG NX)
- Integrated push-pull tube amplifier ART AUDIO LAB m25 (Tula, Russia) (the absolute upgrade is made: external psu on two kenotrons, supplying input and output cascades from separate windings of the transformer; wiring of an anode supply and input circuits of the amplifier by silver wire Jensen; all sockets WBT; a regulator of loudness ALPS Blue Velvet; capacitors BG, Jensen, Elna Cerafine; resistors in grids of input tubes Riken Ohm; four-stage adjustment of feedback depth is made)
- Loudspeakers: Klipsch La Scala 2 (a small upgrade: all "automobile" demountable connections in internal wiring are replaced with solderings)
- Cables: power: self-made, made of an inexpensive acoustic cable; digital coaxial: Supra Trico 1.0m (BNC - BNC); interconnect: Ortofon Reference 8N-1m; acoustic: Nordost Blue Heaven - 2m.
- cMP2: "black case" configuration but with hdd 1000ГБ Western Digital Caviar Green

1. Sounding сМР2 with computer psu (Antec EarthWatts EA 430W)
Sound is dry, etched that is called with the "sand", abounding with the false detailed elaboration distracting from perception of a musical material. A sound is superficial, as though deprived of density. On difficult fragments of products of classical music sounding frequently formal, laid-back. An involvement into listening is low, in a consequence of that listening classical music is simply uninteresting. As a whole the control source beat сМР2 though lost to the last on some parametres, such as the resolution and depth of a stage.

2. Sounding сМР2 with completely linear psu.
The occurred changes in a sound can be characterised as critical: the sound from the cheap ("computer") has changed in the costly, close to an analogue source on character of sounding . Sounding became more dense, perceived, the "roughness" and "sand" have practically disappeared, was showed timbre saturation, "beauty" of music. The involvement into listening has considerably raised, the perception of a musical material was facilitated. At high levels of loudness fatigue from long listening is small.

3. Sounding сМР2 with completely linear psu and a precision external clock.
The changes which have occurred in sounding in comparison with item 2 to describe difficult enough. On the one hand this changes seem small, with another - strongly enough change a picture of perception of music. Such audiophile characteristics as localization, resolution, dynamics have certainly improved, but it seemed, what not this main thing in the occurred change of a sound.
The sound became, if so it is possible to be expressed, crystal, but not in sense firm and cold, and even more transparent, harmonious, "tasty". In general it is much easier to hear all it in real sounding, than to describe in the standard terms. The impression was made, that other sound-reproducing path slightly limits source possibilities. It is necessary to notice, that cMP2 became very critical to quality of supply mains voltage. I attribute it to the increased resolution and a transparency of a source of a sound. Replacement of a power cable on good firm one (Cardas Audio Golden Reference) cardinally improves all picture of sounding. In this case it is possible to speak about a power cable as very important part of an sound section. The source transparency is that, that allows to test easily quality of mains switches,preventers, filters, plugs, sockets etc.

Conclusion.
cMP2 (last update) beat the control source of a sound practically at all items. Some nuances of sound reproduction which are present at both sources and are undescribed in the given test, concern the category personal listener's preferences.

to be continued...
Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live



Edits: 04/09/10

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