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Tweakers' Asylum: REVIEW: Nekken Carbon Diatonic Accessory by mrgil

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REVIEW: Nekken Carbon Diatonic Accessory

4.17.136.6


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Model: Carbon Diatonic
Category: Accessory
Suggested Retail Price: $88
Description: contact enhancer
Manufacturer URL: Nekken
Manufacturer URL: Nekken

Review by mrgil ( A ) on February 19, 2002 at 11:28:54
IP Address: 4.17.136.6
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for the Carbon Diatonic


I had been researching contact cleaners for a couple of months and descriptions of the popular favorites didn't give me a comfortable feeling. For one thing, the need for periodic reapplication suggested that partial solutions were in effect. After forgetting the search for a time, I ran across a mention of "Setten" Pro here:

http://www.AudioAsylum.com/audio/cables/messages/30706.html

A few minutes later I read Greg Weaver's Soundstage! review here:

http://www.delveaudio.com/products/accessories/nekken.pdf
(I would post a more "neutral" URL, but I can't find the review elsewhere)

Nanometer carbon particles suspended in shark liver oil sounded crazy enough to work. I was also given hope by Greg W.'s assertion that he found no sonic degradation after three months' use.

Having taken every precaution against my premonition that I would knock over the 5 ml bottle, that's the first thing I did. About 1 ml of this expensive black liquid is currently enhancing the electrical contact of a napkin to a trash bag in a landfill.

As recommended, I listened to my untreated system for about an hour to get a good idea of how it was sounding, then applied a very thin coat to the spade lugs at my speakers. The change was very inspiring. Greg Weaver's description is so fitting that I won't take the time to repeat it here. The first improvements I noticed were increased air (so *that's* what air is) and noticeably more correct pitch. That was an unusual surprise once I figured out what I was hearing. Improved microdynamics and detail were recognized soon after.

I could barely sit and listen for a couple of minutes before I wanted to take the whole system apart and treat each point of contact. In the interest of knowing which contacts made the most difference, I managed to restrain myself long enough to paint each set of contacts individually. To my ears, the prongs of the AC cords and IEC pins made the most difference, followed by tube pins, speaker wires, interconnects and rotating switch contacts. The improvements were easily noticeable each time, all of a character similar to the first one.

The end result was luckily not "too much air" or "too much pitch correctness", if such things exist. As ridiculous as $88 for 5 ml of ink justly seems, that's all it cost me for a full month's relief (and counting) from upgradeitis, so I got off easier than in recent months past.

I wish I could get a component for $88 that would make as large a positive difference without drawbacks, and I haven't even used the whole bottle. There's more than 3 ml left to spill, and supposedly I won't have to do that for a long time.

Since I haven't used any other contact cleaners, I can't say that "Setten" Pro is better. It's good enough for me, though, which so far hasn't been easy.


Product Weakness: bottle has a high center of gravity (?)
Product Strengths: undoubtable wide-scale improvement, Weird Science and esoterica appeal


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Decware Zen Select
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Blue Circle BC3 Despina
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Meridian 508.24
Speakers: Silverline Sonatina II
Cables/Interconnects: Homegrown Audio Super Silver II interconnects, Alpha-Core Goertz MI2 speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Techno, New Wave, Indian Classical
Room Size (LxWxH): 13 x 14 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments: benign neglect
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Audio Magic Stealth
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Nekken Carbon Diatonic Accessory - mrgil 11:28:54 02/19/02 ( 17)