you are going to thank me profusely if you follow my advice diligently:

call audio art, ipoh (05-2432339) and ask them to install the stage III concepts jumper into your MCB (circuit breaker), that's assuming you have a dedicated audiophile-grade MCB for your hifi. (note: MCB is the "fuse" installed in your ELCB)

the results are nothing but astounding. imagine adding 2-3 times the impact of a richard gray power delivery box. the improvement are shocking, surreal, tangible, across the board, covering the full spectrum - transparency enhanced, mids density thickens, lows more tactile and bouncy, ambience and air more apparent, harmonic textures become richer, highs more refined.... i would have willingly paid RM5-10K for this sort of improvement in my system. but no, a single unit of stage III jumper only costs less than RM1K.

the improvement i derive far exceeds the change of interconnects, speaker cables or power cords. it will probably makes sense since we are talking about the source of your power supply. over the last few months, i have become a fervert believer that power supply makes or breaks the system. power corrupts, as they say.

of course, you can use other make top-grade jumpers like AQ, but you won't derive the full pleasure if you don't use stage III.

people who know my system well know how exquisite the highs are. now i have upped the ante. it is quite a sound to behold. damn shiok and damn fun too.

listen up, hurry up, do yourself a great favour.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Leslie,

>to install the stage III concepts >jumper into your MCB (circuit >breaker), that's assuming you have a >dedicated audiophile-grade MCB for >your hifi. (note: MCB is the "fuse" >installed in your ELCB)

Does that mean you're bypassing the MCB? Sounds like so to me. Be careful when doing that and double check the protection on ALL your equipments are working properly!

Err...one more thing, i doubt there is any MCB in the ELCB. Unless you are using one that combines ELCB and MCB (does this exists?!)

Cheers!

ps. Frist time reading your blog. Nice to read about the HK scene. Your blog was referred to me by someone in the States. ;)

maggielurva 愛美姬 said...

hi wai hoe,

sorry, i am just not technical enough to describe the process accurately.

no, i am not replacing the MCB, or whatever you call it - it is the rectangular circuit breaker i am talking about.

from the mains (in the ELCB) to the individual MCB, there is the normal copper wire connecting it. just move your dedicated (for hi-fi) MCB next the the mains so that the distance is short enough for the copper wire to be replaced by a single speaker jumper.

the overall improvement is shocking. i am still smiling from it!

Anonymous said...

The sound of Les’ system has changed in 2 significant ways since I last heard it with KC who was validating the Stealth Cloud 9:


a) presence has improved tremendously, similar to that when Cloud 9 was fitted to the preamp. The illusion of presence is due to how density and weight manifests itself in vocals & instruments. If you notice, real voice and instruments, when articulated or struck right in front of you, has a weighty feel/sharpness to it. Also palpability increased where sound sources seem to be more realistically carved out in thin air in front of you, especially if the recording is minimalist (you may not appreciate this much if your software is generally studio recorded material as opposed to live performance)

b) vitality & vividness, or fowardness, also improved noticeably across the spectrum. In yesterday’s session, bass lines became more prominent and ‘stronger’ in force without sacrifice in quality and I felt this led to music with better rhythm foundation (I am a big fan of bass articulation and used to use transmission line speakers to get result but this is another long story). But on the highs, I felt that it was a touch over-the-top (OTT) – sounded much more enthusiastic than the lows. On well recorded material, one may notice ‘enhanced highs’ but sibilant recordings turned a touch stinging and scorching. The word that came to mind was – turbo boost. Everything was boosted, including noise etc.. and hence proceedings were more edgy but it did have a more edge-of-seat experience. Last I know, it has mellowed a bit now, after some ‘run-in’.


In contrast with Cloud 9’s experience on the preamp, not only did presence manifested itself but minute resolution and separation was quite startling, especially on the highs. Can’t wait to hear the system with both Cloud 9 & Stealth 3 jumper cable in place. For the price paid, I think you will be hard pressed to get this kind of return even if you pay 10x the cost of the jumper installation on any equipment upgrade.

Went home to check my 3-phase dedicated box for audio applications – will cost me a bomb to do the same as Les! Need to think of a workaround or use cheaper cables. My worry is that the replacement cable may ‘melt’ of suffer physical/electrical failures leading to fire as my box is in 415V, 3-phase and the stock cables are ‘thick’, which I presume is necessary for the designed current load.



CKee.

Unknown said...

Leslie,

Ah. Now i understand.
But usually from the ELCB or RCDs,
is a copper bus barr to the MCBs.

At least i understand what you're trying to say here!
Thanks for clarifying! :D


Ckee,
Well, my ears are non so golden so maybe i can't hear what you've experience! :(

Anyway, don't simply change your mains cable with speaker cables without first checking on the insultation properties of it! (the speaker cables!). Safety is MOST important! Without it, you might not have a system to listen to! :O

Cheers!
Wai Hoe.

Unknown said...

Leslie,

Ah. Now i understand.
But usually from the ELCB or RCDs,
is a copper bus barr to the MCBs.

At least i understand what you're trying to say here!
Thanks for clarifying! :D


Ckee,
Well, my ears are non so golden so maybe i can't hear what you've experience! :(

Anyway, don't simply change your mains cable with speaker cables without first checking on the insultation properties of it! (the speaker cables!). Safety is MOST important! Without it, you might not have a system to listen to! :O

Cheers!
Wai Hoe.