[jimdgoulding]

A certain somebody we know should get a kick out of my opening a topic about this being the late bloomer that I am.  I took delivery of a PC from Grant Fidelty.com on Monday.  It's got six outlets, four universal, two unfiltered.  It weighs just over 10lbs and the case is attractive if bulky.  Two power cords came with it.  One has built in RFI filtering for use with a component while the other is to connect the unit to the wall.  I think they are 16 gauge and have substantial plugs.  It is doing for me what a friend's Shunyata was doing for me during a short stay.  The first thing I played there is more info emerging in the far field and it is more succinct.  On a track from Ani DiFranco's Up, up, up, up, up, up which sounds like it was recorded in a garage she asked her bass player who is off mike a question.  Her reply was very clear before but more of a two dimensional image of a person rather than a person actually being there by comparison.  There is more body and life to the image.  On the opening track a snare drum and a tamborine (the latter barely discernable) come on as the tune progresses and they are WAY off mike.  Noticeably more succinct.  Art Blakey's vocal encouragement of his front line on Free For All is clearer and coming from more of a someplace.  I thought it might separate the boy's chorus out more clearly on Telarc's hybrid disc of Carmina Burana and it didn't do that.  But, what they hey, if they are singing on key, there are not supposed to be heard individually.  My bad.

I'm glad I bought it.  Thank you, oh wise one.  There is more to tell you about the RFI filtered power cord.  As I couldn't use it between my pre and the PC cause the cord on my pre is permanent, I stuck it into the back of my DAC.  This is a whole nuther conversation cause it has changed the sound.  Seems like the midrange and down is a little warmer and nearer, voluptuous sorta. I think that it is smoothing transient info a bit somehow and the net effect is that my awareness is shifted to the midrange.  Things do sound better, less static, less hifi.  That's the good news but the bad news is that imagery isn't quite as sharpe.  Let me suppose that imagery is defined by transient info and as it is seemingly a little softer this could be the reason. 

But the music is wonderful.  On closely miked acoustic guitar, I'm more aware of the woody sound of the strings resonating in the guitar body and the attack off the strings is smoother, more integrated.  Same for vocal sibilants.  Even the ambience may be a little warmer.  At the very least, I am recommending that someone or two purchase the power cord (they are available separately) and plug it into your amp if you are not using a power conditioner.  I expect the effect, whatever is responsible for it, would be the same and it's generous. 

I went back and forth with a Signal power cable into my DAC repeating the same music.  I'm leaving the monster Grant Fidelity in there tho it almost pulls my DAC off the rack.  Life is better.

[Browntrout]

Good to here it. Mains filtering can produce the most lovely sweet natural and delicate sounding stereo. Enjoy.

[satfrat]

Edit, nevermind

[jimdgoulding]

Thanks, Brown, Sat.  I've just finished Elgar's Cello Symphony with Du Pre on EMI and freakin EVERYTHING was better.  Fine detail and gobs of air all the way around the lass.  Modern Cool was not as warm as I expected, neither were, but detail was explempary.  Startin to think some of the mellowing I was describing may have had as much to do with that Vicodin I had been taking for 3 days mellowing my brain tho I was takin it when swapping out the cords to my DAC.  Maybe I'm just adjusting.  Been listening all day.  And lovin it. 

[TheChairGuy]

Jim,

I've generally found conditioners to be a positive on the CD/DVD/DAC solo....mixed when used on other gear...and decidely negative on any amp(s).

I'm not so certain that the 'conditioner' benefits from 'combing' the line of spurs and provides the DAC (where it be - inside or out of the player) with clean power.  Or, that it acts like a gate for digital hash so that it doesn't empty out into the rest of the component chain.  Either way, it seems to work in various forms and from various makers for digital.

For other components, it's rather hit or miss.  I generally only use them on the digital side (the exception being a PS Audio Noise Harvestor, and Enacom AC filter on the whole system....which either do nothing at all or nothing bad )

Listen a bit longer to the conditioner...sometimes annoying artifacts take a while to hear when other parts of the spectrum have improved.  But, there are overwhelming more positives than not in use with digital (only) gear.

Either way - happy you found an upgrade with your sounds 

John

[satfrat]

edit: nevermind

[jimdgoulding]

John-  Thank you for your explanation.  The sockets for my amps are unfiltered.  There are not enough unfiltered ones to include my pre, however, but there is always the wall.  Would any of that make a difference, you think?  I have yet to listen to vinyl.  I'm wholly moved by what I'm hearing thus far and I appreciate the heads up.  I have far more records than I do CD's so I will be getting around to that.  I'm grateful, mate.

[lonewolfny42]

Jim...

I took delivery of a PC from Grant Fidelty.com on Monday.  It's got six outlets, four universal, two unfiltered.  It weighs just over 10lbs and the case is attractive if bulky.

Since this is a review circle....what is the model number of this PC ?

[jimdgoulding]

That would be the RPF-120 MkII, main dude.  The primo power cord refered to may be extra.  I think I got a deal cause I knew somebody who knew somebody.  Best inquire.  Cost is $379.00 for the PC and standard cord and that includes shipping.

[lonewolfny42]

That would be the RPF-120 MkII, main dude.

Thank you Jim...

[jimdgoulding]

Jim,

I've generally found conditioners to be a positive on the CD/DVD/DAC solo....mixed when used on other gear...and decidely negative on any amp(s).

I'm not so certain that the 'conditioner' benefits from 'combing' the line of spurs and provides the DAC (where it be - inside or out of the player) with clean power.  Or, that it acts like a gate for digital hash so that it doesn't empty out into the rest of the component chain.  Either way, it seems to work in various forms and from various makers for digital.

For other components, it's rather hit or miss.  I generally only use them on the digital side (the exception being a PS Audio Noise Harvestor, and Enacom AC filter on the whole system....which either do nothing at all or nothing bad )

Listen a bit longer to the conditioner...sometimes annoying artifacts take a while to hear when other parts of the spectrum have improved.  But, there are overwhelming more positives than not in use with digital (only) gear.

Either way - happy you found an upgrade with your sounds 

John

If what you say is true, John, regards amps, then perhaps the RFI filtered cord should go into the DAC as I have done.  This has been a plus for me.

[PhilNYC]

I've generally found conditioners to be a positive on the CD/DVD/DAC solo....mixed when used on other gear...and decidely negative on any amp(s).

I've found that non-current-limiting power conditioners (eg. Audience, Richard Gray's, etc) actually work well with some amps...particularly Class D amps.  I agree that in my experience, conditioners that are current-limiting (eg. balanced, regenerators, etc) generally have an overall negative effect on amps, especially for high-powered solid state amps...

(disclaimer: I'm a dealer for Audience and Richard Gray's)...