[Tyson]

As some of you may know, I recently got divorced, so the audio-fun budget got shrank to almost nothing.  So swapping around DACs, amps, preamps etc, is OUT, and smaller, cheaper changes are IN.  Plus I have a soldering gun and a LOT more free time now 

Improving the Signal Path INSIDE Your Gear

I realized that it makes no sense to have the best interconnects in the world, if you've got mediocre wire connecting things inside your gear.  In my Dennis Had Inspire Monoblocks, I'd already put in some great hookup wire - Neotech UP-OCC with a teflon jacket.  This is ultrapure copper with a very low crystalline structure.  Great wire, certainly among the best materials and construction in the world.  But, like the inveterate experimenter that I am, I had to give the VH Audio hookup wire a try.  It uses a somewhat different OCC type copper as well as a foamed teflon jacket instead of a solid one.  It certainly seemed promising. 



OK, side note time.  As a person that used to think that speaker wire and interconnects made large differences, I've actually modified that opinion in recent years.  Nowadays I thing wiring makes relatively small changes to the sound of a system.  So I was not expecting much of this particular wire change and really did it on more of a lark than anything else.  In fact the improvement was not massive, but it was larger than I was expecting.  Even compared to the Neotech UP OCC wire, the VH Audio hookup wire was just as detailed sounding, but made the Neotech sound bright and harmonically thin.  Now, I don't think wiring can improve anything, they can only make things worse.  Obviously the VH Audio wiring is letting more of the signal through than the Neotech.  So less of the beauty is being stripped away.  Net result?  Big smile on my face. 

Brass Is Not Your Friend

The other area I’ve been experimenting with revolves around the connectors for input and output signals.  I realized that the large majority of binding posts and RCA inputs are made of brass.  And they are also usually big hunks of brass with lots of mass and unnecessary metal glomming up the signal path.  How to fix that?   Hmmmm.....

Easy – ETI Research and Furutech to the rescue!  For RCA inputs, the ETI low mass jacks are great – no brass at all in the signal path, only pure copper.  And only enough copper to pass the signal efficiently.  Much closer to a “straight wire” approach than what was originally in my amp (and in the large majority of amps). 



Same with the binding posts.  In fact the binding posts tend to be even worse than the RCA jacks.  Much more massive, way more brass.  And even if they’re made out of copper, there’s just too much of it.  I found some nice low mass Furutech 865 wirewound low mass high purity copper binding posts on clearance at Parts Connexion and bought a couple pairs.  One of the few posts I’m aware of that actually uses OCC copper.  Nice. 



Took an hour, opened up the amp, replaced the RCA jacks and the binding posts at the same time.  Put it all back together and.... a small but notable improvement in liveliness and openness.  Really just sounds like a small veil has been lifted and the music just breathes easier and is more alive. 

So, there you have it – 3 small changes, which cumulatively give a very nice improvement to the sound in my system.  For my $$ these are way better bang for the buck than upgrading speaker wire or interconnects, because I’ve already got pretty good speaker wire and interconnects in place.  These “inside the amp” improvements give you a bump in performance that simply isn’t possible with other tweaks.  Now the quality of wire and connectors inside my amp match the quality of wire outside my amp (interconnects and speaker wire). 

[Tyson]

Had some extra time today, so I went ahead and re-wired (using the VH Audio hookup wire) my Almarro A318B SET amp that powers my Klipsch Heresy IIIs in the 2nd system.  Swapped out the generic brass binding posts on the Almarro with some WBT Nextgen low mass pure copper binding posts.  After re-assembling and firing it up, I only have 3 words:

OMG the BASS!

[Wayne1]

So when do the mods start on the Klispch?

Both the Furutech and the WBT binding posts are great but I believe the ETI Cable pods (on sale now) might be a bit lower mass.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for crossover components. Perhaps you should send the Klipsch off to Danny for through analysis. The Klipsch modders I have read on the 'net can't seem to agree what should be done.

[Early B.]

Better quality, better sound. Everything in the signal path matters. Keep it going. Looking forward to hearing about more minor mods.

[Nick77]

Tyson, I couldnt agree more. I found the Neotech a little bright after I switched to Cardas hookup wire. I like the Cardas wire but not easy to work with.

I found brass to enemy in my system also, I switched out some brass wattgate connectors on a PC and got rid of an top end electronic haze. Been trying to get all brass out of my system too.   

 Ill have to try that VH wire. That ETI stuff looks real nice $$$. Thanks for posting..........

[Elizabeth]

I read the line about 'getting the brass out' and YES, I have to agree
When Iwent to Furutech duplex. shch have no brss, only copper, I then could hear the noise adedby a single brass Wattgate plug stuck in. So I am now a big believer in no brass. Though I have not cleared it from the RCA..
Just wanted to chime in as a PLUS ONE on the getting rid of brass stuff anywhere in system.

[Tyson]

Wow, such nice responses.  I'll answer in order:

So when do the mods start on the Klispch?

Both the Furutech and the WBT binding posts are great but I believe the ETI Cable pods (on sale now) might be a bit lower mass.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for crossover components. Perhaps you should send the Klipsch off to Danny for through analysis. The Klipsch modders I have read on the 'net can't seem to agree what should be done.

I think I'll leave them alone for now.  The H3s are actually pretty nice.  If I were to do something, it's probably be along the lines of putting Norez on the interior of the cabinet (they vibrate quite a bit) and bypassing the generic crossover caps with these wonderful Miflex Copper caps I ran across a few weeks ago. 

Tyson, I couldnt agree more. I found the Neotech a little bright after I switched to Cardas hookup wire. I like the Cardas wire but not easy to work with.

I found brass to enemy in my system also, I switched out some brass wattgate connectors on a PC and got rid of an top end electronic haze. Been trying to get all brass out of my system too.   

 Ill have to try that VH wire. That ETI stuff looks real nice $$$. Thanks for posting..........

It's all relative - it's definitely cheaper than buying a new amp!     The VH audio wire is very easy to work with, even easier than the Neotech.  The foamed teflon strips quite easily, ver nice. 

I read the line about 'getting the brass out' and YES, I have to agree
When Iwent to Furutech duplex. shch have no brss, only copper, I then could hear the noise adedby a single brass Wattgate plug stuck in. So I am now a big believer in no brass. Though I have not cleared it from the RCA..
Just wanted to chime in as a PLUS ONE on the getting rid of brass stuff anywhere in system.

It's amazing how little things like this make such a difference, isn't it? 

[wndrmke]

Questions for you Tyson. Did you arrive at a preference between the WBT or Furutech binding posts? 2nd. one is whether you used Furutech Fastons  on the FT-865’s and if so, were you satisfied with the connection or tempted to get a bit of solder involved? Thanks.

[Tyson]

Nowadays I generally go with the low mass WBT connectors.  For the FT-865's there was definitely some Cardas silver solder involved....

[tull skull]

Tyson, isn't a speaker like the H3 supposedly voiced with cabinet resonance as an integral part of the design, or am I thinking of some other Brit companies?

If so it will be really interesting to get your opinion post No-rez.

[Tyson]

The older Klipsch used to use plywood for the cabinets, but the newer ones use MDF now.  I actually gave my Heresies to my dad to use in his HT and bought the Forte's.  I ran the Forte's for a while (and extensively upgraded them) before selling them a few months ago and getting my current speakers, the Spatial Audio X3's.

[Norman Tracy]

Tyson I am considering using the Furutech 865 wirewound low mass high purity copper binding posts you used in my designs. Am I correct the one option for the wire to binding post connection is a female spade connector crimped or soldered onto the wire?

[Tyson]

Tyson I am considering using the Furutech 865 wirewound low mass high purity copper binding posts you used in my designs. Am I correct the one option for the wire to binding post connection is a female spade connector crimped or soldered onto the wire?

Not sure - I just soldered my wires directly to it.

[wndrmke]

Nowadays I generally go with the low mass WBT connectors.  For the FT-865's there was definitely some Cardas silver solder involved....

Thank you.