I am finished with cables

[Frank750]

Can't believe I'm asking this but do the CGS cables need time to settle? I connected my amps and turntable a couple of hours ago. All three have their own grounding terminals so I thought I'd start there. Not as much weight, bass is not as good.
I'm about to pull them out but thought I'd ask before I did. Kind of disappointing.

 

[CGabriel]

Can't believe I'm asking this but do the CGS cables need time to settle? I connected my amps and turntable a couple of hours ago. All three have their own grounding terminals so I thought I'd start there. Not as much weight, bass is not as good.
I'm about to pull them out but thought I'd ask before I did. Kind of disappointing.

This might be a stupid question but here it is. Did you read the CGS Application Guide?

Not all components will sound better when grounded to a common ground point. And results are completely context related. Meaning that we can give you some general guidelines the only way to know is to connect each component and listen for the result. Connecting multiple components at one time will not give you the specific information that you need.

Connect one at a time and see what the result is. I wish it were easier but it isn't.

 

[crion]

Yes Frank, let them settle in for a few days.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Frank,
If you do try letting them settle in a bit and still having the same issues can I suggest then try taking your amps out of the grounding first and seeing if its better for you.

I haven't tried Caelin's CGS yet but have tried Entreq Silver Tellus and Olympos and in context with also using a good Shunyata based approach the combination gave me similar results as you are experiencing. Caelin's comment about not all gear benefitting with comprehensive grounding is spot on. A mate has a horn based system with a full on Entreq approach and it sounds brilliant so context is always the key.

With grounding (either chassis or signal) on amps it seems definitely like the assertiveness is completely switched out. If amps are sensitive to conditioning then maybe they are even more vulnerable to comprehensive grounding approaches.

The grounding brought great sense of space and fluidity to the preamp but with a comprehensive Shunyata setup that is very much already part and parcel of the sound any way. I found only limited application with either signal plane or component grounding was more beneficial in this context (pre only in my case) and still included some level of decrease in attack as a trade off in using it there.

There was some rolling off at the top as well (this was using silver ground cables) so if a setup is hot at the top I suppose this might be in some ways useful tho unsure if that will be the case with CGS and with your gear unlikely an issue anyway.

I've tried full on grounding (both planes) without any Shunyata in the loop and here it came to a more balanced outcome tho still with the effect similar to overall a more passive kind of sound (for good and for bad). I found everything a grounding approach could do the Shunyata approach could do already but just without the resultant loss in midbass structure.

Grounding on sources seems somewhere in between but generally the fluidity and space bought also came at some cost of drive and mid bass structure.

Shunyata is so good in terms of balance between attack and decay that any additional electrical noise strategy is possibly going to be have to be carefully applied as it can become overkill in terms of vitality of sound.

Also Bud, you are in such a good place with your setup I can only imagine how good the new Sigmas are but I found the best thing once I got to a happy level with the Shunyata I had and a direction that gave me the kind of value and joyful improvements that adding Shunyata has was by doing the next campaign on noise and going resonance control. By adding Stillpoints in to the system and particularly under speakers and the Shunyata the whole potential for getting rid of artifice seems to be exponentially expanded. Synergy is sometimes easily trotted out as the answer but for me Shunyata and Stillpoint is however one of the happiest sonic marriages around. Very similar pathways and experiences and a source of real expansion beyond what I had thought was possible.

Graham

 

[Frank750]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the feedback.

 

[Steve Williams]

Also Bud, you are in such a good place with your setup I can only imagine how good the new Sigmas are but I found the best thing once I got to a happy level with the Shunyata I had and a direction that gave me the kind of value and joyful improvements that adding Shunyata has was by doing the next campaign on noise and going resonance control. By adding Stillpoints in to the system and particularly under speakers and the Shunyata the whole potential for getting rid of artifice seems to be exponentially expanded. Synergy is sometimes easily trotted out as the answer but for me Shunyata and Stillpoint is however one of the happiest sonic marriages around. Very similar pathways and experiences and a source of real expansion beyond what I had thought was possible.

Graham

I agree about the use of Stillpoints and Shunyata. It took my system to a place I never knew existed

 

[BlueFox]

In regard to Stillpoints, I currently use Mapleshade Triplepoints brass footers under my electronics, except for the amps. So, I am a big fan of vibration control. In fact, I refer to power and vibration control as the foundation upon which to build a stereo. Get the foundation solid and any gear you add will work at its best right from the start.

Anyway, that is a good suggestion about Stillpoints, and I will look into that before buying DSP gear.

 

[crion]

I'm doing a 180 on vibration control and have ordered a HRS sandwich set (footers and top DPX dampening plates) for use on the Tritons and preamp/sources.

Currently using hard coupling with tungsten bearing into pure carbon footer (Boston Audio Tuneblocks XT) and weights on top. Which works ok but concerned about the vibrations I can feel with fingertip bottomside and topside.

 

[CGabriel]

I'm doing a 180 on vibration control and have ordered a HRS sandwich set (footers and top DPX dampening plates) for use on the Tritons and preamp/sources.

Currently using hard coupling with tungsten bearing into pure carbon footer (Boston Audio Tuneblocks XT) and weights on top. Which works ok but concerned about the vibrations I can feel with fingertip bottomside and topside.

Triton's have extensive internal dampening and benefit from isolation from the floor. So, putting spikes on a Triton and spiking it into the floor only conducts the vibrations of the floor into the Triton. Not a good idea. The only component that should be coupled to the floor is a speaker. No electronic component benefits from being spiked to the floor.

HRs are great vibration control devices. Respect.

 

[rockitman]

In regard to Stillpoints, I currently use Mapleshade Triplepoints brass footers under my electronics, except for the amps. So, I am a big fan of vibration control. In fact, I refer to power and vibration control as the foundation upon which to build a stereo. Get the foundation solid and any gear you add will work at its best right from the start.

Anyway, that is a good suggestion about Stillpoints, and I will look into that before buying DSP gear.

Brass footers are not really vibration control...they are drains. They will drain some vibration out of the unit but also let in in. They are a two way street. Stillpoints actually damp vibration in both directions and are much more effective than solid cones no matter what material they are made of. My observations....ymmv.

 

[Mobiusman]

Triton's have extensive internal dampening and benefit from isolation from the floor. So, putting spikes on a Triton and spiking it into the floor only conducts the vibrations of the floor into the Triton. Not a good idea. The only component that should be coupled to the floor is a speaker. No electronic component benefits from being spiked to the floor.

HRs are great vibration control devices. Respect.

Caelin,

I am confused. I thought that your feet helped the sound of the Triton and Typhon. Am I wrong?

 

[CGabriel]

Caelin,

I am confused. I thought that your feet helped the sound of the Triton and Typhon. Am I wrong?

The Triton sounds best when placed on an amp stand or good equipment stand shelf. Then it does perform better when using the optional SSF feet. When using the SSF feet you should use the supplied stainless pads.