What works best in MY system is HIGH ohms resistors. I went with 56 ohm.

Very sweet and mellodious sound, I used the same resistors in all three of my speakers (my two pair of HR-1s and my ERRs). I've ordered a set of the M-Resistor Supremes, 33 ohm, for my main system HR-1s just to see what they would do.

very cool thanks for the advice

JD

Wow. What a couple of power cords can do.

I removed a few components from my second system (probably will sell them) and that freed up some power cords, and I did some shuffling around and moved two PS Audio xStream Premier SC power cords to the system at my parents' place.

I replaced the My Audio Cables Hefty power cord that ran from the outlet to the PS Audio Dectet with one of the Premier SCs, and the My Audio Cables Hefty power cord running from the Dectet to the Torii Mk II with the other Premier SC.  I put the two Heftys in place of the Decware Silver References that I had running from Dectet to the CSP2+ and the California Audio Labs CL-10.

The tonal balance is a bit warmer and the music is a bit less forward. Both of which are improvements for this system. I'm happy! I'm done for a while, going to just sit back and listen. (Promise!)

Hey Lon. I keep trying to like tenderfeet under the CSP3 and my Tranquility, but I can't do it...too veiled. Isocups bring both right out.

Thanks for the reminder about the Deep Moss Quartz. I have been meaning to order some to try. Right now, under the MKIV, I am using two old style isocups with the Highend bases and stock lampblack balls, and in the back, the new black cups and stock supersonic hard balls. It is really great sounding, better than with either Jasper, but your description is compelling. Even two of the Deep Moss balls it could be a nice touch. I am going to order some right now!

So I ordered some moss balls and thin/small fat dots to use under weight on my DACs. Coming in a day or two. Steve is great!

I've got a couple of the Supersonic Stablizers - I really couldn't find any place I felt they made any difference. Though they look nice on the top of the big caps on the ZMA.  :)

I'll try again on my DAC, and/or my Media-PC then and see what happens!

Interesting - I've never heard of the mini cloud balls, so I did a quick search and came up with this.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gingko2/minicloud.html

It looks like they are using audio sweeps and spectral analysis to read the differences with the devices in place. I should try and figure out how they did that so I can measure what the shelves I'm building do! I've been looking for ways I could measure vibration at home, and so far none have been very telling.

I am using 4 isocups under the Torii MKIV, as I did under the MKIII. I remember liking it better with 4 rather than 3. As I think about it, this makes some sense in that the amp is big and heavy, and more cups (to a point) will do more...and with the symmetry of the amp build, you can place the front cups symmetrically between the same tubes on each side, and the back 2, in the relationship to the transformers and connections on each side that sounds best. When I tried five and six I heard it, but it did not necessarily sound better for me, and complicated the tuning with more choices. I can see how 5 or 6 could be useful though.

Under my CSP3 and DAC, I use 3, but both are pretty light and small.

Gosh Dave it's so long since I have had the standard rubber feet on an amp I can't really make a comparison. And with both the Tenderfeet and the Iso-Cups what you are putting them ON can make a difference in the sound.

But I agree that the Tenderfeet can soften the upper frequencies and add a mid-bass bloat. Sometimes on some shelves/racks that actually brings the sound to neutral! But the Iso-Cups don't share these characteristics (though you can emulate them a bit with different balls). They're more neutral overall and really open up rather than soften the sound is how I hear it.

Thanks Will.  I am going to place an order today for some Iso Cups.  Also, I sent you a message about Morrow cables (should be in your inbox)  Cheers.

EDIT:  Just saw that you responded.  Thanks Will!

Well, the system at my girlfriend's is sounding quite good. That DAL amp works well with the CSP2 there, it's not as rich as a Decware amp but the tonality and imaging are right and the power is there, they work well with the Sony tower speakers, which I must say are impressive in their control and dispersion. There's an audible hum that I am going to keep trying to remove. I put in a PS Audio Duet there which helped some. I'm sure it's the CSP2 interacting with the amp and may be a tube. . . . I'll roll some tubes soon.

At my parents the only recent change has been very significant: I've put my Power Plant Premier in where the PS Audio Duet had been. This has just polished the system up to a shine, eliminating all my little quibbles. The tonality is just right now with a smooth extended treble and tight bass, open midrange. A real sense of body to the music, fuller than it was before. Listening fatigue is all but nonexistent. Dad and I have been happily listening, and it's great that he can do so, since he's missing my Mom so much.

Edit to the post above this: it's a California Audio Labs CL-5, not CL-10, that I am using in both the system at Dad's and the new system for Lucy.

I have completed two "phases" of change to the system at Dad's.

On Sunday I took advantage of the fact that my brother took Dad to church to change out all the power cords in the system. Ran a PS Audio PerfectWave AC-12 from the wall into the Power Plant Premier, an AC-10 from the Premier into the Torii Mk II and also one into the CSP2+ and an AC-5 into the California Audio CL-5 changer. I got an improvement from the start but after 24 hours an even deeper improvement. Violin tone and piano attack were even more natural. This was a welcome change in this classical music based system. I don't know that I would have thrown the money at this system if I did not already have these cables on hand, but repurposing them here was a good move indeed.

Then Monday night while Dad was watching the OSU game I installed my Denon DCD-A100 SACD player/DAC. This is an excellent CD player that has the second best SACD playback I have ever heard, and its excellent 32 bit DAC can be accessed via coaxial, optical or USB. So I connected the CL-5 via coaxial to the DCD-A100 and used a Decware Silver Reference power cord to power the DCD-A100. I shifted the VooDoo Cable "Evolution" interconnects from the analog outs of the CL-5 to the analog outs of the DCD-A100. Over the next two days I listened to SACD and CD from the CL-5 as well as CD from the DCD-A100 and it didn't sound to me quite as wonderful as I had expected it to from how it sounded in my two systems at my place. There was a steeliness to the violin tone that I just didn't prefer and also a thickening of the imaging and stage. So I swapped the Decware cord for a PS Audio xStream Premier SC cord that had been in use in this system before and after an overnight settling in I got just the excellent sound I was expecting. Listening to the Tokyo String Quartet Beethoven SACDs has been a real joy. Just the right balance and the depth to the sound and stage is very pleasing. My Dad is really enjoying the music. Right now I'm listening to the Beethoven Violin Concerto by Heifetz and the BSO on RCA Living Stereo SACD and it's dynamic and thrilling.

My next step is to try the PS Audio xStream Statement speaker cable I have in use in my second system at home here. I think I can make the 6' length work. I think that these may just be a better fit for the system here at Dad's than the Decware Styx cables. I just am finding that silver-plated copper does not quite yield the refined tone that I feel the musical content here could benefit from. It's almost perfect but I think that big heavy copper configuration in the PS Audio cables may just add the solid foundation I think that is all that is lacking. I'll try that this weekend . . . hope I can make the length work with the same ERR positioning.

After that I am going to swap out the preamp and amp from my second system at home to this one at Dad's. . . replace the Mk II with the Mk III with stepped attenuator and Jupiter caps, and the CSP2+ with the CSP2+with stepped attenuator and Jupiter caps. I'll keep the same tube complement that is in Dad's system now. I think that will be a decided step up in refined and natural sound. After that I'll consider moving the silver HR-1s here. It's hard for me to imagine which of the speakers will be best. . .The ERRs sound as they never have in this room and are really a delight (especially as the Mundorf silver caps and metal oxide resistors have seasoned in, they are a great upgrade).

Days later, everything has been settling in and sounding excellent here at Dad's. Out of the blue this evening Dad said "Man that really sounds great, it's been sounding great for days now." When I think back to how the system sounded two years ago I want to say to it "You've come a long way baby!"

Bringing over the Denon DCD-A100 and the PS Audio xStream Statement speaker cables made a real difference.

Soon I'm going to swap out the Torii Mk II for the Mk III with Jupiter caps I have in my second system at home, and the CSP2+ with Jupiter caps in that system for the CSP2+ without Jupiter caps in this system. Then after that settles in I may or may not swap the ERRs for the silver HR-1s. I may not though because this room and the ERRs are such a fantastic match.

Very cool discovery!

I think anything one does for power from the fusebox to the component power cord pays off if done right!

Here at Dad's place I have made a few changes. Due to upgrading my cables in my main system I moved a VooDoo Cable Ultralinear interconnect to take the place of the VooDoo Cable Evolution between the CSP2+ and Torii Mk III. And I now have a pair of Westinghouse OA3s in (was using OB3 before) and a pair RCA OB2 in place of Raytheon OC2. This combo and this interconnect change have really brought out dynamics. I've been listening to the excellently recorded and mastered box set of Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's work on RCA and tympani and whole sections of instruments are just blooming out of the speakers into the room. Really amazing sound. I am not going to mess with anything here, just let it all stay as is and percolate. Dad and I are reveling in good sound daily. I'm so glad I can bring him this sort of reproduction, he is really enjoying it.

How many times have we heard that one, Lon?  This is that last Amp I'll ever buy. I have X pair of speakers, why would I want another.  I'm done tube rolling.  The list goes on...hehe.  Mark.

Lon,  I'd be more than happy to store all those CDs and all that gear for nothing.  No need to rent a storage unit, just send it down to Big D...hehe.  But seriously, I'll take a look at anything you want to sell.  I've completely reverted to my old Hoarding Ways and still have a bit more room in the house and the Pod on the driveway.  Mark.

Well, I have come to the conclusion that if you have killer interconnects a source straight into the Torii sounds better than the source first into a CSP2+ with lesser interconnects. In my experience interconnects are very important. Even though this means you are running the amp at a lower gain setting. Running the Denon DCD-A100 straight into the Torii with the VooDoo Cable UltraLinear interconnect is the best this system has sounded! Just a delight. I'm really enjoying each spin. I'll miss this system when Dad and I both move. I'll probably set his old system up and use the Calfornia Audio CAL-5 as a source (right now I'm using it as a transport when I'm not here, feeding into the Denon, on repeat; when I'm here I use one disc at a time into the DCD-A100 itself.)

Just dawned on me how many things I'll have to sell soon. I've been stockpiling! Four systems down to 1.5 systems. . . I'll keep some things in storage, but a lot will go.

I just might, and both my Mk IIIs have beeswax caps; it will be hard to part with one of my Mk IIIs (I also have a Mk II!) but realistically I probably will part with one. It will be a few months before I'm going to be parting with amps, preamps, and maybe speakers, but I'll probably list some sources and cables etc. sooner. We'll see. My fiancee accuses me of being a pack rat and she may be right, it's hard to part with anything, especially when I don't have something else I want to get (I am so happy with my system which I have taken as far as I can go without room treatment etc.--I'm probably never going to be able to go the room treatment route, but that's fine, my system sounds like real music to me, not soundstage minutiae which aren't really real to me).

Anyway, thanks for your interest and I'll keep you posted.

Well, last night I put my first pair of HR-1s into the system at Lucy's. So the path is PS Audio PWT into PS Audio PWD Mk 2 into CSP2 into modded Zen C amp to HR-1s.

Really nice sound, though not as much bass as I'd like ultimately, but good enough for another month or so. The Zen C put more bass out into Lucy's Sony speakers, which I have to say are really great speakers. Gave a very good conventional stereo sound in that system, though not the room filling wonder of the HR-1s, but far better than I imagined they would have. They must be surprisingly efficient as well.

Anyway, I'm about five weeks from having my main system at Lucy's (and my mattress and self!) Going to be a great adventure living out in the wooded area, so much more quiet there with far fewer human and machine sounds, and lots of birds and rustling trees. And I can play music and instruments as loud as I want when alone.

Thanks Eric. It will be nice to have a life of my own again!