XiTron Alpha Digital Power Cord

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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Awesome!
 

marty

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Apr 20, 2010
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Stardate 19Dec 2043
Great news. The Zitron Alpha digital I bought in 2013 has finally broken in! No need to hook it up to fancy cooking devices, fans, deep fryers or other electronic devices. Just good ol' plug and play in my hi-fi rig for 30 years took care of the break-in completely. As I said about 30 years ago, it really is an excellent cable after all. It's only minor liability is that it does not have the heft and weight of the bottom end that the Python and Anaconda PCs do, although the midrange and top end are just wonderful. Of course, after CES 2014, they came out with an enhanced version of the Zitron Alpha Digital. It was called the "To the moon, Alice" cable, presumably so named because you could go to the moon and back before break-in occurred. I shall report on that one in 2046.
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
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WA, USA
www.shunyata.com
Stardate 19Dec 2043
Great news. The Zitron Alpha digital I bought in 2013 has finally broken in! No need to hook it up to fancy cooking devices, fans, deep fryers or other electronic devices. Just good ol' plug and play in my hi-fi rig for 30 years took care of the break-in completely. As I said about 30 years ago, it really is an excellent cable after all. It's only minor liability is that it does not have the heft and weight of the bottom end that the Python and Anaconda PCs do, although the midrange and top end are just wonderful. Of course, after CES 2014, they came out with an enhanced version of the Zitron Alpha Digital. It was called the "To the moon, Alice" cable, presumably so named because you could go to the moon and back before break-in occurred. I shall report on that one in 2046.

Ok, that's pretty funny! :D
 

MylesBAstor

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marty

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Ok, that's pretty funny! :D

Caelin, I appreciate that you have a good sense of humor. Sometimes we get too serious about this stuff. The slight timbral difference was easily taken care of with some 0.1-0.2 db modifications of my dsp curve from about 16Hz through 80Hz. The trick was waiting long enough for adequate break-in to allow me to hear those small differences. I am, for the moment, fully Shunyatatized and very pleased. Looking forward to the "to the moon, Alice" cable so I can do this all over again!! However, will probably need to adjust my Lithium dose before taking that one on. :b
 
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Kingsrule

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Caelin, I appreciate that you have a good sense of humor. Sometimes we get too serious about this stuff. The slight timbral difference was easily taken care of with some 0.1-0.2 db modifications of my dsp curve from about 16Hz through 80Hz. The trick was waiting long enough for adequate break-in to allow me to hear those small differences. I am, for the moment, fully Shunyatatized and very pleased. Looking forward to the "to the moon, Alice" cable so I can do this all over again!! However, will probably need to adjust my Lithium dose before taking that one on. :b

Yep
You worked for Paul Heath and that says it all......
 

marty

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Apr 20, 2010
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Yep
You worked for Paul Heath and that says it all......

Correct, Sir! And those were wonderful days. We brought in the original Linn Sondek, the Heil AMTs (who would have thought they'd make such a comeback!)- lots of good stuff. But the best time was 5 pm. Paul's store was located directly across State street from the main offices of Eastman Kodak. At 5 pm, Paul was glued to his front door watching every secretary leave the building. Good times indeed.
 

Kingsrule

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We should share our Paul Heath stories some day....
 

GuidoCorona

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Apr 23, 2010
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Hopefully returning the thread closer to its original topic...

Caelin, would Shunyata consider future development of heavier gage Z-tron Alpha variants to target specifically the optimization of high power class D amps such as the ARC DS450M, Rowland M925 / M825, Bel Canto Black System, Mola-Mola Kaluga, ML #53, etc...?

Regards, Guido
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
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Hopefully returning the thread closer to its original topic...

Caelin, would Shunyata consider future development of heavier gage Z-tron Alpha variants to target specifically the optimization of high power class D amps such as the ARC DS450M, Rowland M925 / M825, Bel Canto Black System, Mola-Mola Kaluga, ML #53, etc...?

Regards, Guido

It would seem that something along those lines should be on our agenda.

Are you coming to the CES show in Vegas this year?
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
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Hopefully returning the thread closer to its original topic...

Caelin, would Shunyata consider future development of heavier gage Z-tron Alpha variants to target specifically the optimization of high power class D amps such as the ARC DS450M, Rowland M925 / M825, Bel Canto Black System, Mola-Mola Kaluga, ML #53, etc...?

Regards, Guido

Funny you should ask. I just inserted 2 alpha digitals into my system for the class D amps powering my bass modules. Literally spend just 15 minutes listening, but first impression are not favorable. They have been burned in for 200 hours continuous. I'll do a bit more listening and swap the incumbent cables (Mojo XPC-7) back in for comparison.
 

GuidoCorona

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2010
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Thank you so much Caelin, I do confess that I did conjecture that some heftier brothers of the Z-Tron Alpha Digital PC might be natural possibilities *grins!*

Alas no, unlike RMAF, I will miss CES, and, to my chagrin, any front seat listening to 2014 Shunyata innovations... Because...

Last March, I have come out of retirement, and joined full time the AT&T Corporate Accessibility Technology Office (CATO)... We shepherd compliance with FCC CVAA regulations...

Then, evenings and weekends, I can thankfully indulge in good music, and scribbling about components and cables.

Saluti, Guido
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
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Funny you should ask. I just inserted 2 alpha digitals into my system for the class D amps powering my bass modules. Literally spend just 15 minutes listening, but first impression are not favorable. They have been burned in for 200 hours continuous. I'll do a bit more listening and swap the incumbent cables (Mojo XPC-7) back in for comparison.

Initial impression confirmed. There was no benefit to using alpa digital on my class d amps powering woofer cabinets - mojo xpc-7 sounded better.

On the MSB dac, different story. Very nice improvement over ps audio AC-12. Note that I used anaconda before and did not do direct comparison since I sold it to partially fund the new shunyata stuff. However the steep up from AC 12 to alpha digital is bigger than the step back from anaconda to AC 12, so by inference the alpha is the better cord for the dac.
 

jap

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Apr 6, 2012
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Funny you should ask. I just inserted 2 alpha digitals into my system for the class D amps powering my bass modules. Literally spend just 15 minutes listening, but first impression are not favorable. They have been burned in for 200 hours continuous. I'll do a bit more listening and swap the incumbent cables (Mojo XPC-7) back in for comparison.

WOW!

Didn't you talk to them?
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
WOW!

Didn't you talk to them?

What is there to,talk about? It's a power cord, not a spacecraft. Only variable is more burn in. It has 200 hours on it. It just appears not to work in this application. I'll move on and pull other levers for better sound. No big deal.
 

Gilles

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2014
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0
131
Hi Caelin,
I was wondering if it's recommendable to plug the Alpha PC into the Triton since this new cable has already noise reduction built-in?
I plan to use this cable with my Moon 650D DAC/CD player.
Is there a risk of too much noise reduction and a dulling of the sound?

Thanks a lot!
Regards,
Gilles
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
618
92
265
WA, USA
www.shunyata.com
Hi Caelin,
I was wondering if it's recommendable to plug the Alpha PC into the Triton since this new cable has already noise reduction built-in?
I plan to use this cable with my Moon 650D DAC/CD player.
Is there a risk of too much noise reduction and a dulling of the sound?

Thanks a lot!
Regards,
Gilles

Yes the Alpha Series power cables work synergistically with all of our power distributors. There is no dulling of the sound quality or any other negative effects when adding more cables.

The use of coils and tranformers and ferrite toroids are what cause the dulling sound that you are describing. The Hydras and the Shunyata power cables do not use any of these in their designs.
 

Gilles

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2014
5
0
131
Yes the Alpha Series power cables work synergistically with all of our power distributors. There is no dulling of the sound quality or any other negative effects when adding more cables.

The use of coils and tranformers and ferrite toroids are what cause the dulling sound that you are describing. The Hydras and the Shunyata power cables do not use any of these in their designs.

Dear Caelin,
Thanks a lot for the prompt answer, very appreciated.
I have another one and last question for you.

I plan to update some Cx PCs to XiTron PCs in the coming days, one on the preamp (I presently have a Python on my Audio Research REF 5SE preamp) and was planning to update an Anaconda CX to an Anaconda XiTron on the Hydra Triton.
All my components are plugged in the Triton, including also my Nagra MSA amp.

I would appreciate very much you advice regarding this:
Would it be preferable to opt with the Alpha HC on the Triton instead of the Anaconda XiTron?
And with the Alpha Analog on the Preamp instead of a Python XiTron? Since they are more specified in their use and are less expensive?

Thanks again ! Your power cables are fantastic !!

Gilles
 

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