SuperLine Loading Thread.

Yes, I have two airplugs for the Condor: 200R and 1nF. They sound much better even than the nude standard pins.

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:
Ok BigH, no worries - Airplug is considerably better IMHO - Better de-coupling I believe.

Kind regards,

Peter

And better pins I think. I noticed the silver colour of the airplug pins, when I got my first hiline. I believe the airplug has some sort of shielding, my guess is RFI.

Obviously there has to be a complete electrical, and therefore mechanical, connection between the DIN socket and the resistor leads. I don't see how an "airplug" could give superior mechanical isolation than a nude resistor and pins (possibly with some nice air-insulated silver flying leads), as BigH suggests.

Anyone tried simply sticking the resistor leads in the holes? Less is more.

Guess which one I'm going to try?

BTW while never a great fan of silver interconnects in the past, I find that my Superline LOVES a silver wire sticking in to it. Currently using high-purity all silver arm leads, and WBT Next-Gen silver plugs, and it sounds fab. Am I right in thinking that the new Ekos SE is all silver-wired? If so, seems to support my experience of the good effect of silver on the Superline.

I have also sourced some small diameter silver co-ax which I'll try with the original Naim 50 Ohm BNC plugs that I found in my spares box. Also, this silver co-ax is the same diameter as the cables used in the Hiline 4/5 needed between the Supercap and pre-amp. What am I suggesting?

p.s. Isn't silver solder a pain to work with.

I'm of a similar opinion to Rockingdoc. Whether the actual resistor leads are thick enough to make a good contact is the only problem I could see.
I can't get my mind around how 2 resistors and pins, plug base and cover can isolate better than just 2 pins and resistors.

quote:

Less is more.

Why don't you just hold the record up to your ear then?

Rockingdoc

I see that your profile that you use an SMEV arm with a superline?

I use an ORBE/SMEV/Helikon Do you have any suggestions regarding arm leads...mine is about 15 years old and I am sure I can do better......is the Ekos plug compatible with SME?

I am also interested in trying WBT NEXTGEN plugs, having heard the beneficial effects of them on other leads

Any comments?

laurie

quote:

Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:
Rockingdoc

I see that your profile that you use an SMEV arm with a superline?

I use an ORBE/SMEV/Helikon Do you have any suggestions regarding arm leads...mine is about 15 years old and I am sure I can do better......is the Ekos plug compatible with SME?

I am also interested in trying WBT NEXTGEN plugs, having heard the beneficial effects of them on other leads

Any comments?

laurie

Linn, and nearly everyone else, uses the SME arm plug, so you should have no problems. I have used Linn leads (and a Naim Prefix) with my SME V arm without any problems.

I found the original SME supplied VdH arm lead to be dire, and not improved by changing the plugs. Completely dull and lifeless. In fact, I wonder if this is the cause of a few original reviewers reservations of the SME arm.
Linn Ekos copper lead; ok, but still dull.
Audio Origami copper/silver mix; a bit bright and bass light.
Kimber copper; surprisingly good, quite lively but plenty of weight (this was unlistenably bad on my LP12).
DIY naked solid silver in loose teflon tubing, one hot and two returns for each channel in a loose weave. Bloody brilliant. No RF problems even running 1 metre for versatility of placement, but I think will be better still if I shorten it to 0.5m.
Oh the joy of a non-suspended chassis turntable.

I haven't used the silver version of the Next Gen plugs before, because they are so frighteningly expensive. But they have turned out to be worth it, and at least you only need two for an arm lead. Same principle as the Bullets, and the Superline's own WBT sockets; small contact points and non-metallic construction to remove eddy currents.

If you aren't into silver soldering, I'd give the silver Ekos lead a go.

I suspect all of these things become so much more important with the low level signal from a MC cartridge.

Rockingdoc

thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

I really would like to "try before I buy" as you suggest, the results I obtain are certain to be very system -dependent. Having said this, I am more than willing to spend the money if the upgrade turns out to to be significant

I just wonder if there is any way I could try different arm lead before comotting myself, especially as my experience with cables of all kinds is that they do take a significant time to settle down

If I read your post correctly, you are suggesting a silver Ekos 2 lead(?)


PS I live in Kent with easy train access to Bromley, and I would love the opportunity to have the differences demonstrated to me.


Laurie

Laurie

I have an unused T-Kable [terminated with BNC's] sitting in my drawer and would love to hear your Orbe....

Julian [in mid Sussex]

quote:

Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:
Rockingdoc

If I read your post correctly, you are suggesting a silver Ekos 2 lead(?)


Laurie

not that it really matters, but with the talk about silver solder etc, the silver in the Linn cable is the name - the wire is copper (at least that is my understanding)

Bob

I have an SME V / Koetsu Urushi on my Orbe with the TW Motor. As Frank knows that sounds excellent using the Linn T - Cable (Grey insulation colour) on BNC's. Mine is now into a bespoke K&K phono stage though I also enjoyed what the Linn does with a Vinyl 1.

Like Doc I have experimented a bit. I agree the standard VDH cable is pretty dire. I also had a Kimber Silver cable which was pretty good but in my case not as good as the Linn cable. I did try another Silver cable which was sourced locally and gave a good result as an interconnect at line level but again was not so good at MC level signals.

Incidentally where I am RFI was a problem when I demoed the Superline and the Kimber was poor at rejecting that. The Linn again does a good job in these circumstances.

I use Chord Anthem 1 from the phono stage to the 552.

regards
Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:
Rockingdoc

thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

I really would like to "try before I buy" as you suggest, the results I obtain are certain to be very system -dependent. Having said this, I am more than willing to spend the money if the upgrade turns out to to be significant

I just wonder if there is any way I could try different arm lead before comotting myself, especially as my experience with cables of all kinds is that they do take a significant time to settle down

If I read your post correctly, you are suggesting a silver Ekos 2 lead(?)


PS I live in Kent with easy train access to Bromley, and I would love the opportunity to have the differences demonstrated to me.


Laurie

Lauirie

..and I would like to hear the Helikon in an SME, as I'm in the market for a better cartridge.

It is likely to be much easier to swap cables than cartridges, and I'm guessing neither of us want to transport turntables. So, would you like me to bring some cables to you?

regards

Malcolm

p.s. I'm afraid I don't now have an Ekos arm cable as I've sold my Ekos.

quote:

Obviously there has to be a complete electrical, and therefore mechanical, connection between the DIN socket and the resistor leads. I don't see how an "airplug" could give superior mechanical isolation than a nude resistor and pins (possibly with some nice air-insulated silver flying leads), as BigH suggests.

Anyone tried simply sticking the resistor leads in the holes? Less is more.

Doc, sticking the resistor pins directly into the din socket would give a good connection, but no mechanical isolation. The idea behind the Airplug is that it decouples the mechanical vibration, etc from the signal.

guys

has anyone tried a shelter 501 or 301 with the superline? at the moment i like no plugs at all the best, but will give it some time.

(pow. directly from aux 2 of the 202).

regards
christian

Using SUPERCAP2 + HiLine DIN 4-5, Shelter 501 mk II with 1K0 plug, no capacitive loading on either LP12/Aro etc. or Nottingham Dais + supplied arm (if memory serves me correctly)....

thanks david
have you also compared agains 10ko (aka naked)?

regards
christian

quote:

Originally posted by count.d:

quote:

Obviously there has to be a complete electrical, and therefore mechanical, connection between the DIN socket and the resistor leads. I don't see how an "airplug" could give superior mechanical isolation than a nude resistor and pins (possibly with some nice air-insulated silver flying leads), as BigH suggests.

Anyone tried simply sticking the resistor leads in the holes? Less is more.

Doc, sticking the resistor pins directly into the din socket would give a good connection, but no mechanical isolation. The idea behind the Airplug is that it decouples the mechanical vibration, etc from the signal.

O.K. I've been away experimenting using naked pins and connecting the resistor with short lenths of flexible wire (as is used in the Airplug). So this gives an identical layout to the Airplug, only minus the case and the compliant support for the pins. As my pins are not connected to each other, they must be at least as decoupled as those in the Airplug. After extensive listening, the naked arrangement sounds exactly the same as standard Naim plugs of the same value.
There must be something else about the Airplug to explain the difference that you are hearing.

To put another cat among the pigeons, I have found that small changes in value of the loading can sound better with certain LPs.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockingdoc:

To put another cat among the pigeons, I have found that small changes in value of the loading can sound better with certain LPs.

Doc, Better or just different? It is an interesting one. But there again, we have different systems and personal preferences, so perhaps it’s not actually that surprising

KR

Peter

Hello,

What would be the best value for a Supex 900 MKIV MC cart ? I'm waiting my future Superline.

Best regards

Jacques

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:

quote:

Originally posted by Rockingdoc:

To put another cat among the pigeons, I have found that small changes in value of the loading can sound better with certain LPs.

Doc, Better or just different? It is an interesting one. But there again, we have different systems and personal preferences, so perhaps it’s not actually that surprising

KR

Peter

This is totally consistent with my findings when seeking the "right" load for my Benz Glider. One album that seems to highlight even the most minimal changes in load is Exodus by Bob Marley and the Wailers - so much so, that it is / was actually difficult to differentiate between better and different.

quote:

Originally posted by Huwge:

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:

quote:

Originally posted by Rockingdoc:

To put another cat among the pigeons, I have found that small changes in value of the loading can sound better with certain LPs.

Doc, Better or just different? It is an interesting one. But there again, we have different systems and personal preferences, so perhaps it’s not actually that surprising

KR

Peter

This is totally consistent with my findings when seeking the "right" load for my Benz Glider. One album that seems to highlight even the most minimal changes in load is Exodus by Bob Marley and the Wailers - so much so, that it is / was actually difficult to differentiate between better and different.

Hi

This is something I experimented with and just got the impression that I was changing certain aspects of the reproduction but adversely manipulating others.

Julian

one quick question:

in my system
(Raven/Ortofon12"/Shelter301 on 202/200 - no caps)

the SL sounds best naked (10kohm).

am i the only one?

i am getting a hicap today or tomorrow and try to replicate my findings.

regards
BF

ps> the SL really sings together with the quiet Shelter - wonderful!

good to see you back here blackforest

get addicted again...

thanks pylod!

do unpack that 252/SC - you won't be disappointed!

shall i send you the bespoke 501?

;=

BF

Does anybody have experience with a Lyra Skala on a ARO LP12 combination.

I am currently using the 500R with the 10nF loadings, but I am sure there is more to come.

Where would I get alternate loading plugs?