Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Hagerman Technology FryKleaner Accessory by tianguis

Model:	FryKleaner
Category:	Accessory
Suggested Retail Price:	$25 - 125
Description:	System/Cable Burn-in Signal Generator
Manufacturer URL:	Hagerman Technology
Model Picture:	View

Review by tianguis ( A ) on August 26, 2003 at 19:38:08
IP Address: 66.108.72.92

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I'd originally intended to review this neat little gizmo only after experimenting with it much more, but the benefits have been so great in my system that I grew impatient.
The FryKleaner is a system burn-in tool which can be purchased in several configurations (see link). I bought a bare board and sourced the parts and built it into a box. It's a straight-forward build and not prone to screw-ups. The board itself is a very nice piece of work.
My main intention was to use it for cable burn-in, but I hooked it up to a pre input to check that it was making the proper noises (after some basic voltage measurements). Yup, just what Jim Hagerman said the sound should be (to my ear, sorta like a fading-in-and-out steam engine and ,yes, I grew up with them).
I first burned in a pair of Eichmann6 IC's which were between the Cornet and Grounded Grid and had about 200 hours on them. After a 24 hour burn, the difference was huge: more bass, more detail, much more space, increase in sibilance (ugh!). Stuck them back on the gizmo and did another 24 hours. Noticeable increase in all the above, but no sibilance. Did another 24 and it sounded the same.
I did another pair of Eichmann6's and AlphaCore silvers and a 47 Labs OTA's (all for ~50 hrs, daisy chained), which I swapped into various positions. I'd wrongly figured that any IC between pre and amp wouldn't benefit as much due to the greater signal level. Wrong! Any IC's I've burned show the same effects, while clearly discriminating among their relative strengths.
What I've wound up with (so far) is a huge increase across the board. Not only can I hear individual instruments in combo's (or orchestras), but the timbres of those individual instruments (Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, Stephane Grapelli "Just One of Those Things", Ormandy "Grand Canyon Suite" (where the cymbal splashes are like none I've heard both in control and extension), Canadian Brass, Linda Ronstadt.
I intend to burn in the Discovery Cable in my Tri-Planar using Jim's unloaded (voltage-only) suggestion. I'd like to push this signal through the entire system, but I haven't figured a way to damp the noise (yeah, I'm aware of the out-of-phase trick, which I've used) and, frankly, I'd rather listen.
In short, considering the relative costs of other burn-in tools being offered, this one seems to offer more options and is the product of a gifted designer. This is not a pink-noise or "FM signal" generator, but a true full-range signal generator with varying amplitude.
Regards,
Larry Welsh

Product Weakness: ?
Product Strengths: Fine quality, does what it's supposed to do.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Berning microZOTL ~1 amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Hagerman Cornet, Transcendent Sound Grounded Grid
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Teres/Tri-Planar/Benz Ref 2 Silver Mk II
Speakers:	Hammer Dynamics Super 12's
Cables/Interconnects:	Eichmann/47 Labs/AlphaCore
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Eclectic
Room Size (LxWxH):	16 x 12 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments:	Upside-down Cat in the Wrong Place
Time Period/Length of Audition:	Several Weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Transcendent Balanced Power Supply
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	?
Product Strengths:	Fine quality, does what it's supposed to do.