Finalized:
I would like to thank Dave for such a great job on all the pieces that I have finally had time to put together. Current implementation looks like this:
Wall plug to Pi revB Buss
100 AHM Power Sonic Battery to Pi Battery Buss
Western Digital Hard drives in to Pi Battery buss, along with Dodd Dac 32/384 12Volt, and Dodd SG Pre with 6H30 DR tube.
Mac Mini with Pi MPC ++ power cable in to Buss
DIY 5 watt EL 34 Amp in to Buss
Pi Split Wire USB cable (power and data)
iTunes 11, no software program being used currently
I chose to do two separate trials with the items. The first trial followed one piece at a time and documenting what thing were changing with three songs that I listen to on a regular basis. The second included having the pieces randomly taken out of the puzzle to see what I was now missing. Human nature is to recognize the negatives more than the positives and to take away a positive bias that would be associated with what was going in to the system.
Songs used were from Mumford and Sons - Live at Red Rocks
NIN All that could have been
Neil Young Live at Massy Hall
It was very difficult to tell what one part made the biggest difference, but the combination of the USB cord and the battery buss, would most likely come to the top. I am NOT taking in to account any of the hard pieces, only the wires and buss at this time. After adding the power cord for the mac mini there was significant gain in blackness and it appears to have reduced the back ground noise over the stock cord. Also, as Dave told me it to be true, there is a polarity to the mac mini. This took me a couple times of switching on and off the mac and reversing the cord to find it, but there is a easily discernible difference in sound when it is in the correct polarity.
The Usb cable was a great add and even one up'ed my pervious one. The use of the power from the usb and separate data cable was a great combination. I did notice that putting the data cable usb further away from the power supply and the power supply usb cable closest to the mac's power cord had a better sound/blackness. I did not believe this at first when trying it, but also confirmed it from other AC members who have tried similar combinations.
The combination of the usb, battery buss, and mac mini cord, along with the big buss b, have made a significant change in sound quality and sharpness I have not heard prior. The investment vs gain was, in my mind, a positive one. I am not sure that I could spend this little amount on secondary parts, and have such an influence on the overall sound quality. For sure a positive correlation.
During listening test the following was notice.
The breath of Neil Young during his songs on Massy Hall was increasingly livid and you could visualize him moving his head side to side no matter how slight. The movement of the guitar away from the mic etc.
The cymbals in Mumfords band was bright, crisp, and sound new to my ears. This is something I had not heard this prior.
NIN and Trent with some of his slower songs, plus Hurt, really had a dynamic unlike previous incarnations of my systems.
Overall the distance between speakers seemed to increase on the positive side, even though they had not moved, depth to the back of the recording site for Neil Young was much deeper and the greatest item was the lack of noise.. the blackness, of the music. I am off to China again, and then to California on the way back. Feel free to post, but will not be around to respond quickly.
