XiTron Alpha Digital Power Cord

[jap]

I already have a theory about what is special about the Alpha-1 Digital PC and I have only had them in my system for 7 days! When I look back on my impressions of the impact of this PC when first installed and how it has evolved during the past week, I cannot help but come to some very strong tentative conclusions.

First, they filter out specific power line noise, as demonstrated by Caelin's sine wave tracings, that creates an additional digital hash in the entire electrical path and thus affects signal, any digitally regulated power and of course any digital servo control, both mechanical and electrical. The drastic reduction of this digital hash produces a much lower noise floor by removing much of the hash that obscures many subtle cues in the recording. By reducing the noise floor via filtration to remove digital hash, these all important auditory cues become available and thus massively and fundamentally alter the auditory experience.

The net result from this reduction of the noise floor is much more dimensioned sound as well as a greater ability to sort out what is going on. What I hear going on sounds essentially identical to what I have heard from breaking in other Cobra Zitron cables, but in much greater detail. The net result is that when it is good, it is great; when it is considerably less than good, it is painful and very wrong.

I eagerly await watching this cable find its stride.

Many years ago I had a special opportunity to listen for hours to a fabled speaker/transducer that people, including Harry Pearson believed was only lore. It had a military power supply with filtration that was beyond anything I had ever seen or heard of. The nature of the sound was so unusual that I instantly knew I was hearing "something" I had never experienced before in audio but, had experienced many times in live scenarios. On day 7 of break in, the Alpha Digital 1 PC has moved into that category of sound, despite the less than wonderful break-in qualities of the Zitron Cobra that are more apparent than I have ever heard before.

BTW, that fabled speaker has the John Iverson "Force Field" speaker that I auditioned in his personal lab.

Your theory is wrong.

Digital components that are powered with SMPS units, push high frequency noise back into the A/C line and effect other components on the circuit.

Cheap wall warts are the worst.

The better the design of the SMPS's line filter, the less noise they push into the A/C circuit.

I'm pretty sure there are no "digitally regulated" power supplies in your Oppo & DAC.

BTW, IMO spending weeks or months breaking in PCs by just plugging them into your components is nuts.

Your Oppo only pulls 35W (0.5W Standby).

As per my last post, Caelin suggests using a fan to break-in PCs. It's not a bad idea, but the secret, however, is not amperage. It's frequency. The higher the better.

PS, I'll bet the Alpha-1 Digital PC doesn't improve the performance of a digital component powered by a properly designed linear power supply.

 

[Mobiusman]

Everyone is entitled to their theories. Personally I do not care much about who's theory is right. What I care about is the final sound. The sound improvement I described is much more important than what I postulated.

 

[jap]

Everyone is entitled to their theories. Personally I do not care much about who's theory is right. What I care about is the final sound. The sound improvement I described is much more important than what I postulated.

Hope you enjoy waiting for your $1K PC to break-in.

Having worked on lots of SMPS units, I can say for sure that for less than $100. in parts I could improve the sound of your Oppo more than your SR $1K PC.

But, I understand audiophiles like you love plug and play upgrades like PCs,IC, etc...

 

[RBFC]

Hope you enjoy waiting for your $1K PC to break-in.

Having worked on lots of SMPS units, I can say for sure that for less than $100. in parts I could improve the sound of your Oppo more than your SR $1K PC.

But, I understand audiophiles like you love plug and play upgrades like PCs,IC, etc...

Please keep comments directed at content of the posts and not the posters.

Lee

 

[mep]

Many years ago I had a special opportunity to listen for hours to a fabled speaker/transducer that people, including Harry Pearson believed was only lore. It had a military power supply with filtration that was beyond anything I had ever seen or heard of. The nature of the sound was so unusual that I instantly knew I was hearing "something" I had never experienced before in audio but, had experienced many times in live scenarios.

So please identify this mythical speaker that used a military power supply.

 

[MylesBAstor]

So please identify this mythical speaker that used a military power supply.

Russ did-Iverson's Force Field speaker. It reportedly took you to another dimension Or so the reviews went.

 

[mep]

Russ did-Iverson's Force Field speaker. It reportedly took you to another dimension Or so the reviews went.

Is that the same Iverson who mysteriously disappeared and was never heard from again?

 

[GuidoCorona]

Gents, may I recommend that this fine thread be returned to its original topic? G.

 

[Mobiusman]

If there is interest, both Marty and I shared the Force Field experience and can try to describe it on a dedicated thread.

 

[Steve Williams]

If there is interest, both Marty and I shared the Force Field experience and can try to describe it on a dedicated thread.

I would be interested Russ

You and I have talked about that demo you heard

 

[mep]

If there is interest, both Marty and I shared the Force Field experience and can try to describe it on a dedicated thread.

Count me in.

 

[Mobiusman]

Today marks two weeks of the Alpha Digital cables being in my system, replacing Zitron Cobra PC plugged into my Meitner DAC and my Oppo BDP 93. The break in continues and is moving into the more subtle change part of the process. The mid range and highs are becoming more delicate and lifelike, although less spectacular than they were last week. The absence of the digital hash is now becoming what I expect, making it hard for me to even consider going back to sound in which it is a component. The noise floor seems to be continuing to drop, which is a bit erie. Subtle percussive details continue to become more apparent. Despite a proclamation that "I am wrong", I continue to believe that what sounds like a lowering of the noise floor is created by the reduction of what I am calling digital hash.


Today there is an overall cohesiveness that I am sure is not the final state, although it is incredibly cohesive. The front to back image is a bit compressed and a bit lean. Despite the leanness, there is a subtly of resonance and reverberation that is quite impressive and rarely heard on high end systems. I am still hearing new things that I have never heard before, even on my reference discs that I play daily.


The bass is still in transition. It is certainly tighter and more detailed than it was several days ago and extremely cohesive between the three different drivers involved in its production with absolutely no ability to determine where the cross-over points are.


Based on past Shunyata PC break in's I am projecting that I still have another 10-14 days before I reach the end point. Having broken a number of Cobra PC's plugged into a wide array of components, it is frequently hard to remember that the Alpha is basically a Cobra with a different Zitron circuit because the subtleties of the break in are much more noticeable than they are on a Cobra, which I attribute to what I am calling the reduction of digital hash and lowered noise floor.

 

[CGabriel]

The noise floor seems to be continuing to drop, which is a bit erie. Subtle percussive details continue to become more apparent. Despite a proclamation that "I am wrong", I continue to believe that what sounds like a lowering of the noise floor is created by the reduction of what I am calling digital hash.

I am not sure who disagrees with this but I am not one of them. A reduction of digtial noise of the power line is what was the intend of the Alpha Digital. And the measurements demonstrate that clearly enough.

 

[Mobiusman]

Caelin,

I am sure that you are busy preparing for CES, but I would love to hear your take on what is actually going on within the PC that is producing what we are all talking about as "Break In'. I am particularly interested in your explanation for why one can hear changes in the sound from minute to minute at different points in the break in process.

 

[CGabriel]

Caelin,

I am sure that you are busy preparing for CES, but I would love to hear your take on what is actually going on within the PC that is producing what we are all talking about as "Break In'. I am particularly interested in your explanation for why one can hear changes in the sound from minute to minute at different points in the break in process.

i think it is pretty well covered in this thread:
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?12845-AC-Power-cable-quot-break-in-quot&p=235136&viewfull=1#post235136

The only time I hear minute to minute changes is during the very first 30 minutes when a cable is installed. You can literally hear it change especially first 5 minutes.

After that it goes through a cycle of up and down with the swings becoming less pronounced in amplitude over time and the cycle period becoming longer until the cable has stabilized.

 

[Mobiusman]

It is over two weeks and I still hear subtle changes in the audio spectrum balance, tautness, tonal accuracy that seem to be ever changing and clearly noticeable changes ever 5 minutes. It is not subtle, especially with the Alpha.

 

[BlueFox]

And they are the most subtle of all, since they are so obvious.

 

[BlueFox]

Apparently, somebody is humor impaired.

 

[jfrech]

Apparently, somebody is humor impaired.

I was laughing....

 

[BlueFox]

Ordered my third Alpha today. This will go on the Oppo 93 in the HT. Also ordered an SR-Z1 outlet. I am having another 20 amp line installed on 12/23 for the two channel. This will be for the Cyclops powering the amps, and should make for a nice Xmas break.