will
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Hey David,
I was inspired by a sample pair of madscientist discusses too, and now use quite a few. I tried the little samples on signal connections mostly, finding them to subtly clarify signal in space, also consolidating signal density a bit. Finally I ended up with them on the negative output binding post of the Torii.
Then, ordering some of each size, I was a little disconcerted. I think this is in part because my system is both revealing and seriously fine-tuned, making even subtle changes pretty obvious. The little samples worked about anywhere for me. As they increase in size, and with more used in the system, the discusses progressively impart more of their "signature," their particular way of clarifying and consolidating the signal. Some combinations can sound really good here, while in some other combinations and places, the same discusses can be too dense/intense for me. So I play around with them over time.
The little ones are still my choice in the signal path proper, and the bigger ones have mostly gravitated to power...cupcakes or sticks near audio circuit breakers and on the top center of my PS Audio P5, "can openers" on the chokes of the Torii and on specific power cable ends...Also, I made a power cable filter using sticks and "kegs."
When I got a PS Audio P5, even after lots of burnin, it was too colored and veiled for me. Having tried different feet, fuses, settings, and power cords, even PS Audio's AC12 did not bring out the transparency I needed. So I built a cable, geometry and materials designed to be very revealing...using combinations of smaller gauge, cryo'd silver on copper teflon wires, adding up to 9 gauge if I recall correctly. The positive and neutral bunches were twisted separately, and individually wrapped with ground wires. The two conductor bunches were damped and separated with cotton wrapping, finished with Rhodium ends.
It worked! I found it better in every way, more revealing, smooth, and transparent than PS Audio's AC12. But I could still hear the P5 a bit and wanted more. So after some email questions, I ordered madscientist's DIY power cable filter kit. I made a second cable just like the first, this one using a variation on madscientist's "Neo" filter setup, black discuss sticks and kegs built in.
Feeding the P5, the filtered cable shared all sonic traits with the original, but was more clear and refined across the spectrum. Along with the right feet, a nice fuse, and some fairly radical voltage and phase settings on the P5, I was able to stop "hearing" the P5 for the most part! I still prefer my front end (computer, DAC, etc) with more transparent power filtering, but the P5 sounds good to me now with the amps, not really noticing it anymore.
My front end power goes through a modified "Audio Brickwall" with a Shunyata Defender filter plugged into it, also using some discusses on the cable end coming into it, on each end of the DIY computer power cord, and on power supply end of a MAC HC power cord I use for the Uptone USB Regen power supply.
This could easily be different with different system/room configurations, and different filtering/clarifying needs. But here, I still like smaller and sample size pieces for the signal path, and the bigger ones for power. And I find that as the system/room develops, I like to play with the discuss configurations now and then, adjusting sizes, placement, and combinations for a little better balance of sound.
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