Bybee Line Level Purifier

Wayne1 · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 Jun 2003, 09:53 pm »

I just got back from Mike Galusha's place.

We were playing around with vinyl for a bit. He wanted to borrow my K&K step-up transformer to try it out with his new low output cart.

We tried Bybees on his phono input and it made a BIG difference.

We also put in my Hagerman Bugle and a couple of pair of Bybee NITROs int he system. With the Bybees I built into the Bugle there were four Bybees in each channel

It was VERY nice sounding.

We then went downstairs to his HT. I wanted to see how Bybees work on video. Mike has a nice projector with a 100" screen. He put on a DVD of Fifth Element and we watched for awhile and then inserted three Bybee inline purifiers right at the projector.

There was a quite obvious increase in the defintion, contrast and brightness. There was just more signal and less noise getting through. Mike was rather impressed with the change. I almost didn't get out of his place with the purifiers

So for all you vidiots, you need to buy THREE of the Bybee inline purifiers for your TV

Are you listening, Bubba?

mgalusha · « **Reply #21 on:** 14 Jun 2003, 11:54 pm »

Thanks for Wayne for bringing over his nice toys to play with. Of course the fact that he takes them away when he leaves isn't so good.

Placing the Bybees on the input of the phono pre made a nice improvement. Greater clarity in the highs, cymbals had a more realistic shimmer and better decay. The lower registers of the saxophone had more body and more of the reed came across. The kick drum and upright bass just had more body, the impression of wood was greater.

Adding the K&K Audio MC step up transformer significantly improved the dynamics. This was due, I'm sure, to the fact that without it, I had the preamp wide open and there was just no headroom left. With the step up transformer in place we had plenty of volume before the preamp reached unity gain. I knew I needed the additional gain and it was nice to give this a listen before plunking down the cash for it.

Since this isn't a Wayne's toys thread (or is it?

), I'll skip to how the Bybees worked for video. I'll put it this way, you don't want demo these on component video if you don't have some spare cash burning a hole in your pocket. I have a Sony VPL-VW10HT LCD projector which is several years old. While not as nice as the newer stuff; in a dark room with a black wall around the screen it can produce quite a good picture. Until today it was the best LCD picture I've seen.

Adding the Bybee filters to the projector inputs for component video was surprising. I wasn't sure just what to expect, perhaps a slight improvement in clarity and detail but certainly not what appeared on screen. The most immediate change was the brightness level. The picture was noticeably brighter yet the blacks were blacker and contrast improved. Usually brightening up the image causes the low level, near black details to get lost. This had just the opposite effect, blacks were more detailed yet the overall brightness was better.

Other details improved as well such as color gradations. More of a continuous tone than distinct colors. Downsides? Determining where the film left off and the CGI appeared was easier. Very similar to upgrading your audio system, little details are more apparent and noticeable. Even the ones you don't want to hear/see. The 450 simoleons is a bit painful as well but in my system I'd probably have to spend more than that on a new DVD player to improve the image as much and not be able to keep the improvement when the time comes to upgrade the player again.

Just my nickel but I really didn't want Wayne to take these away.

Mike

eico1 · « **Reply #22 on:** 15 Jun 2003, 12:07 am »

Sounds like it'd be simple to wire one up with a switch across the bybee, I wonder if all the reported claims would be a readily discernable with quick a/b switching.:)

steve

mgalusha · « **Reply #23 on:** 15 Jun 2003, 12:27 am »

Quote from: eico1

Sounds like it'd be simple to wire one up with a switch across it the bybee, I wonder if all the reported claims would be a readily discernable with quick a/b switching.

It would be simple to wire some up with a switch across them. I *think* the difference would be noticeable based on what I have heard. I am, by nature, a pretty skeptical bastard. I don't own anything with a Bybee purifier in it but I have been able to notice the difference in the various systems I have heard them in.

Several weeks ago I attended a party/listening session a Chris Brady's (Teres Audio) place and was just kicking back enjoying the tunes and the company when they made a change to the system. Even though I wasn't paying particular attention it was immediately apparent that something was considerably different. In this case it sounded akin to a sheet being thrown over the speakers. Like some of the life had been sucked out of the music. The change? They had remove an inline Bybee filter from the power cord. I was extremely surprised as I don't own any of the high buck power cords. I've always been happy with some nice shielded Belden and haven't found the need for magic power cables. Had I not heard it, without being aware of it, I would have had difficulty believing the difference.

I don't know exactly what's in the flters but it certainly removed some of the noise and as far as I can tell, that's not a bad thing. Worth the cost? Dunno, that's up to the buyer.

Mike

Marbles · « **Reply #24 on:** 15 Jun 2003, 01:29 am »

Quote from: eico1

Sounds like it'd be simple to wire one up with a switch across the bybee, I wonder if all the reported claims would be a readily discernable with quick a/b switching.

steve

Good idea Steve, I think you should do it.

My switches took about 30 seconds, and were with songs that I normally do my A/B testing on. I've heard them more times than I would wish to count, and with the Bybee's on the digital cable right before the DAC, the difference was not subtle.

Of course you have to decide if you like the change or not. For me I really liked it.

You would have to decide if adding a switch effected things as well

With the "in line" design, switching does not take hardley any time at all.

It would be great if my system could sound as good without the Bybee, as I could save some $$$$. Those Bybee's are not cheap.

But to me it sounds much better. The main thing is that it has lost a "digital" edge that got on my nerves. I never really noticed this edge before I got my turntable, but after my table I had a hard time listening to my digital front end until the Bybee was installed.

As always, YMMV.

bubba966 · « **Reply #25 on:** 15 Jun 2003, 04:04 am »

Quote from: Wayne1

So for all you vidiots, you need to buy THREE of the Bybee inline purifiers for your TV Are you listening, Bubba?

Yeah Wayne, I hear 'ya.

But I haven't had you build me any component cables yet. So I'd rather have them IN the cable than use an In-Line & add another connection (as well as more expense) to the chain.

So, what'd a 1.5M Component W/Bybee, Silver Bullets, & Cryo run me?...

Wayne1 · « **Reply #26 on:** 15 Jun 2003, 02:27 pm »

Hey Bubba,

I will start work on that sort of cable next week. I am also going to be building a S-video version. My 35" Toshiba CN35F90 set was made befroe the days of component video.

I am also going to be working on building a Bybee into a male/female F-type connector so it can be inserted at the back of your cable box/satellite receiver/TV antenna input.

More Bybees, Robin

brad b · « **Reply #27 on:** 19 Jun 2003, 03:22 pm »

Well, I took the plunge and added a bybee to my digital in. Holy Crap! I had a similar experience as some others with the cymbals developing more air, definition, and decay. I started digging through the CD's for stuff that was congested before. Cowboy Junkies, Patricia Barber and Jewel all provided more detail around the strings and cymbals. I'm not sure if the bybee accents this, or creates a quieter background around the instruments, but it works. I also found something nobody mentioned. My Diluceos are crossed to a Marchand at 60 hz, and the midbass definition really popped, to expose real variations in the upper bass region. That was as huge for me as the detail I had never heard in the upper frequencies, and low level background detail. All the little movements on stage and misc. finger on string sounds come alive. The depth (especially on the Cowboy Junkies) popped another couple of feet back, providing a smile on my face that won't come off.

I think Wayne has found a true winner, and really really endorse this investment. Try one, maybe two, or what the heck, maybe a bunch. If you want tweeks, this is truly one that works for me.
Brad

Wayne1 · « **Reply #28 on:** 19 Jun 2003, 07:13 pm »

Robin,

Thanks for the care package for Vermont.

My daughter tried the maple syrup and now wants pancakes for lunch

Brad has already called me today about getting another Bybee for his digital. The only one I had ready, was for Tyson. Brad says Tyson can wait, he is paying CASH

Your next Silver Bullet Bybee went out today

Now that you will have three of the RCA inline, you will have to try them on your component video input

Tyson · « **Reply #29 on:** 19 Jun 2003, 07:51 pm »

Brad and I may come to blows. . .

brad b · « **Reply #30 on:** 19 Jun 2003, 08:30 pm »

Man: you have more toys, and do more tweeking than anybody I know! Why don't you just cut out a couple of those bybee suckers from your jumpers and duct tape em on your digital!! That outa work for awhile...Besides, I bet you already are upgrading your T7 with that fancy new AVA transformer, so you probably don't even have a pre to listen to??

And by the way, since Wayne started this, he said he would make sure you were taken care of this weekend, as he promised.

Nothin worse than a snitch Bybee maker!

Tyson · « **Reply #31 on:** 19 Jun 2003, 08:46 pm »

I'm still gonna have to beat you up, simpy on principle

Brad · « **Reply #32 on:** 19 Jun 2003, 08:59 pm »

Be sure to only use cryo'd duct tape

bubba966 · « **Reply #33 on:** 20 Jun 2003, 05:06 am »

Quote from: satfrat

Hi Brad, one Bybee on your digital coax ain`t nuthin` after you`ve tried 2 Bybee`s, one on each end.

Robin,

Curious as to why you're running one in-line on each end of your digital, and not both on the receiving end?

From what I recall of the Bybee site they work best at the end of the signal chain. So it would make more sense to me to run them both on one end of the digial, instead of one on each end.

brad b · « **Reply #34 on:** 20 Jun 2003, 11:55 am »

interesting, as I tried the 2 bybees, one at the input, one at the output, and thought it was too much. I then switched them to 2 in line, and find that is where mine will probably stay. Very smooth. I must say that with the elevated detail in my system it takes getting used to.
Brad

Wayne1 · « **Reply #35 on:** 20 Jun 2003, 02:15 pm »

Bubba,

The inline adaptors are about 2 3/4" long. Two together will be sticking out 5.5" behind your gear. I do not have that much room behind my stuff. It was simply easier to use it with one on the output of the source and one on the input to the processor.

If there is interest I can build an Ultra version of the Inline purifier with two Bybees in series, like Robin's Ultra Speaker Bybee Purifier.

For a power cord Jack likes to add a Bybee at the ground connection as close to the wall outlet as possible and then one Bybee in the hot and one in the neutral at the IEC.

I have built a Bybee Power Bar this way using 5 Bybees. I really can't tell much difference with the Bybee in the ground circuit or without it.

brad b · « **Reply #36 on:** 20 Jun 2003, 06:58 pm »

that is why you cannot take one person's opinion as the only opinion. My amp, preamp, speakers, cables, DAC, transport, room, and ears are all probably not like yours. I only posted the info to show there are different ways to connect a Bybee, and no one way is "the only way". I don't think your recommendation is right or wrong. It's just your set up. A bybee at input and output currently sounds harsh to me. Give me time to adjust, get the bybee broken in, etc... and I might change my mind.

By the way, they were not at the output, they were connected to the DAC at the input
Brad

Wayne1 · « **Reply #37 on:** 21 Jun 2003, 12:20 am »

Just by the way, I received an e-mail from Jack Bybee today.

The Large Bybee purifiers are back in stock. I still have over a dozen on hand.

The smaller purifiers that are used in the Line Level Purifier, and the Bybee interconnects are back-ordered until the end of JULY!!.

After my current orders are filled, I will have two left.

If anyone wants one, they better order VERY soon or they will have to wait.

bubba966 · « **Reply #38 on:** 21 Jun 2003, 12:25 am »

Wayne,

Would the small one be what you'd build into a digital, or would you use the large one for that?

Wayne1 · « **Reply #39 on:** 21 Jun 2003, 12:29 am »

Bubba,

The smaller ones are what I would use for the new digicable, whenever I get around to building one