Cyro treatment order?

lifewithmusic · « **on:** 23 Jan 2003, 06:00 am »

Wayne (and others):

Has anyone compared cables that were broken in and then given the cyro treatment with cables that were cyro'ed and then broken in? Does the order of the freeze and break in make a difference?

And while I'm at it, how does a cyro'ed smART sound?

Wayne1 · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 02:50 pm »

The Cryo treatment is supposed change the crystal structure of the wire.

This will "reset" the break-in to zero. I have put cryoed cables right back on the Cable Cooker. I have not listened to a cryoed, not broken in cable.

Marbles and I have the only two cryoed smARTs. It really does take too long to get the cryo treatment done and get the units back to really remember what they sounded like before.

I do not have any broken in smARTs to compare them to. I do not stock any ART DI/Os and I ship out customer units as fast as I can.

My unit has been modded now to Mensa status. I hope to get together with Tyson over the weekend to compare his smART to my Mensa.

Hopefully he will post his impressions.

I have decided to offer the Mensa mods. I will add them to the website by next weekend. The cost will be $150.00 over the regular $260.00 for the smART.

If you send in an unmodded ART, to get the Mensa mod it will cost $410.00. If you already had your ART modded to smART status, it will cost $150.00 to join MENSA

All prices do NOT include shipping.

Jay S · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 03:41 pm »

I am very glad, Wayne, that you are offering the MENSA level of mods. I liked what I heard from the start and it is getting better with break in. Right now, Andrea Bocceli is singing in my living room. To me, what I like the most about the upgrade to MENSA from smART is the smoother, more refined midrange and treble. Sure, the bass is deeper, but that isn't the main attraction for me. Given the time it took to get the unit modded I can't recall to what extent soundstaging, imaging and similar subtleties were impacted by the mod.

I'd be interested to read about the head to head comparison of smART vs MENSA.

jcoat007 · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 04:25 pm »

I don't remember if the Mensa upgrade involves the Power Supply, but if we want the upgrade do we send you just the DI/O or the DI/O and PS?

Thanks

Steve

Jay S · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 04:31 pm »

Your smART was getting better treatment than mine was!!

No bybee, a much simpler power filter, no cryo anywhere. All of these help in the smoothness department, I'm sure. It sounds like in your setup you don't need to upgrade to MENSA (but since when do we let "need" stop us?)

Now, my MENSA has a bybee'd power supply, and its currently being fed off Guan's little DeZorel LF-P1 power filter, so its moved up a notch or two in the world. If ever I send it back to Wayne I'll surely get it (along with the digital cable) cryo'd.

I'm glad to hear that the smART sounds great even with a cheap transport. I'd like to replace my Cary (and my Tosh DVD player) with a universal. One problem is that the selection here in Hong Kong doesn't seem to be so good. Its easy to find the Marantz 8300 (not a good buy?) but I haven't come across the new Yamaha SD2300 or Pioneer DV47Ai/45A or even the Integra 8.3. By the way, Guan told me he heard noticeable improvements when he had a Monarchy DIP upstream of the smART. I'm not sure what he was using as a transport at the time.

Cheers,

- Jay

Quote from: Marbles

Jay,

My smART has a bybee in the power supply and the PS is plugged into my PP600. All parts of the DIO, power supply, Bolder Digital cable and Nitro's were cryo'd.

I would say that the mids are smooth and the bass is deep as well.

I really can't find fault with the smART at all. Even with a cheap transport it is smooth and "better than analog" sounding (no pops and clicks) IMO.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 04:36 pm »

Steve,

The MENSA (smarter DI/O

) upgrade just involves the DI/O at this point.

I am thinking about a power supply update that will involve changing out the Type 1 power cable now used for my new NITRO power cable.

I will guestimate about $100.00- $150.00 for the power cable upgrade, depending on what power connectors are used.

For now, all that will be needed is the DI/O. that will help with shipping expenses

Did you ever get a chance to compare your smART to your modded P-3A?

jcoat007 · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 08:01 pm »

My main system is in storage until March, and the front three channels of my HT system are up and running in my tiny apartment and it is just not a good place to try and evaluate anything.

Once I get into the house and get everything set up again I am going to be doing lots of comparing and listening.

Stay tuned.

Steve