XXHighEnd

Hi,

My standard USB cable is kind of broken. No matter how I connect it, after 10 minutes or so all error counters go bazerk. Sound collapses into static. Probably some buffer overflow.

No such thing with my cheapo 5 meter USB but unfortunately this cable has no Mojo. Differences between cables and such have become MAJOR since the NOS1a. Tried a more expensive one (35 euros) but the sound became awful.

Any recommendations for a 1.5-2m USB cable that suits the NOS1a?

Thanks,

Regards, Coen

Ah, good luck Coen. I began my own quest to find the 'USB cable holy grail' immediately after receiving my (first) upgraded NOS1a and noticing that USB cables now made a massive difference. But in the end, I was defeated - just way too difficult with so many other variables (such as new speakers, etc). In the end, I opted to stick with my 'expensive' USB cable, which I stupidly paid a lot of money for (more than the NOS1a upgrade!).

If I were in your position, I'd probably try the iFi Mercury cable. I won't cost the earth, and seems (purely from pics and reports online) as if it's well put together.

Mani.

Hi,

somebody recommended this cable in the forum.

It has a great sound.

Joachim

http://www.yourfinalsystem.com/component/virtuemart/cables/audiophile-usb-cables/usb-reference-audiophile-usb-2-0-cable/highend-audiophile-usb-reference-cable-1-0m-dataonly-17-21-25-28-detail?Itemid=0

Hi Joachim,

Are your sure that a USB cable without power will work between the PC and the NOS1(a) ?

2 years ago I had an Sotm USB 3 PCIe card that has a switch to allow sending the 5V power in the USB cable or not.

To establish the connection it was necessary first to allow the power to flow between the PC and the NOS1, then (and only then) as soon as the 2 components connected, I could switch OFF the USB power...

I would test with an ordinary USB cable (on which the power is "masked" with a thin layer of isolation tape or plastic) first just to be on the safe side...

It seems that some dacs do not require this, but the NOS1 seem to use it at least for the connection time... (Peter ?)

Alain

Hi Coen,

I was planning to buy this one: https://www.kabeltje.com/supra-usb-a-b-kabel-2-meter.

Real (?) 90 ohm, because that might be the most important.

Stanley

Hi Alain,

somewhere Peter wrote no USB power connection between the PC and NOS1 is needed. I will look for his remark.

I bought this cable (I think Juan recommended it) at NOS1 times and there was a benefit to hear. There aren't any problems with this cable for the NOS1 and NOS1a in my system.

Joachim

Maybe what I experienced has to do with the Sotm USB card itself ? I can't really say, since then I have removed it and now use the Silverstone PCIe card...

Alain

The SOtM won't work without power. Don't ask me why. Otherwise the power is not needed for the NOS1(a).

Peter

At last it "has it" in the specs : http://www.jenving.com/products/view/usb-2.0-a-b-blue-1m-1001907573
... and this is rare to begin with. But since this cable is often reviewed well ... looks good ?
The ones I found myself with explicit 90 Ohm spec (and then still wth +/-15% because that *is* the USB spec) can be counted on one finger and then still have to be made yourself (with the connectors).

So good ? And for 45 euros ... a no-brainer I suppose.

Stanley, nice find !
Peter

Hi Peter,

The sotm card needs power of course... I was talking about the switch that "cuts" the 5V that otherwise would be sent through the USB cable...

Here is how they tell it...

SOtm tX-USBexp Features
USB port
USB 3.0 compliant xHCI host controller
PCI express x1 Gen2 interface
Support for super-speed, high-speed, full-speed, and low-speed
USB port power on/off function
Over current protection
ESD protection


Alain
Edit: thinking about it again... I may not have understood your point - you mean that the Sotm will not work if power is not applied first at the USB port ?

Alain, exactly. I too wasn't the most clear, but logically there was nothing in my mind about the power to the card itself. So there's a dipswitch on it for USB power, and without that set to On the NOS1 will not work. Again, no clue why but the card will be not compliant somewhere. And not to forget, the card's latency is also not on par, so something is fishy in there. Do notice though that this experience is from when it was first out (over 3 years ago by now ?).

Regards,
Peter

@all,

Thank for the tips! The tech specs of the supra cable looked sound to me so I ordered a 1m length that will arrive in the coming weeks.

I'm rather discouraged by the audibility of the USB cable since it will be another variable in the audio chain making it more difficult to optimize with the aid of others (that have different setups). Hopefully the nice specs will translate into superior sound.

I will also put some more effort in eliminating noise at the computer side. This may provide insight into to the vast differences in sound between usb cables (despite the undoubtedly excellent noise suppression in the NOS1a).
Groundloops aside, I can envision reducing amplitude modulation of the carrier signal bij stabilizing the DC power and frequency modulation by enhancing the clock, which in itself is also for a large part a power supply stability solution. I hope that I catch noise on the USB powerline by these better supplies or maybe even disconnecting it at the USB3 card side.
The design of the SUPRA cable may help here also.

regards, Coen
 

If you want an exceptionally black back round, without high frequency grunge at very loud levels, you really ought to consider the data only cable Joachim posted about. You may initially feel that the sound is a bit soft compared to your out of the box USB printer cable but don't let that fool you. Turn it up, you'll be amazed.  :)

I´m using a Mapleshade USB 2.0 cable with the NOS1a as I did with the NOS1 and the results are great. Listening The Moody Blues "Nights in white satin" I can perceive much more ambient with this cable than with others, music and voice seems to be in a big space with perspective and a lot of air around rather than being a flat sound in a constrained place. This is an old recording but the ambient can be perceived, or not, easily with one cable or another.

Another option I would not discard is Peter´s standard cable, I mean the one that comes with the NOS1. This is a very cheap and common cable but for some reason I find it a very good one, very close to the Mapleshade cable although perhaps a bit smoother (which could be better in some cases).

Mapleshade Clearlink Plus: http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CLEARLINK3-B-PL (http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CLEARLINK3-B-PL)

Regards,
Juan

So USB cables is kind of uncharted territory for me ...

The only other USB cable I have is the
http://www.neo-w.com/english/d_usb-2.html
The "S" cable ..... Which I briefly experimented without much success, though it was well regarded in places like audio exotics.

I followed Mani's recommendation on iFi, and found their top of the line
USB http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-iusbpower/
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipurifier/
setup with the power dual cable and purifier
However having 4 components for USB did not make sense to me

Then I read up on the total dac USB cable
http://www.totaldac.com/USB_cable-eng.html

Now Joachim's/Boleary's recommendation seems most simple.
So .... Is there any issues with the DAC and server sync ? Any downsides otherwise for a data only cable?

Thanks in advance
VJ

I also just ordered the Supra USB Cable mentioned above.

Should be here within a week.

https://www.hifisound.de/Hifi-Zubehoer/Kabel-konfektioniert/Digital/SUPRA-USB-2-0-A-B-KABEL.html

Regards, Michael

A bit stupid that the Supra is nowhere on stock else than in Sweden (as it seems). I never like to wait forever ...
So this is the only reason I did not try it myself - really.

Peter

You can find it in Amazon UK or Amazon Spain

Regards,
Juan

Hi VJ,

when you have a look to the following link

http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=1744.msg17482#msg17482

under Specifications,
where Peter mentioned:(NOS1) - USB is powered by an internal dedicated linear power supply.

So, the USB cable from the PC to the NOS1 carries "datas" only.
Until now I did not face any problems with the "data only" USB cable (everything is in "sync").

Joachim

Just got the YFS cable in and running this PM.
 :veryhappy:

Anyone received his Supra cable yet ? Results ?
I know of one, bit his NOS1a id not arrive yet. :swoon:

Mine just arrived. Will try it tonight.

Peter

PS: Thank you Juan - I never considered Amazon. But it was not available in Spain; in Germany it was (2 left at the moment I ordered).
Edit : Of the 2m I needed.

Still waiting for the 0,7m  :(

Stanley

Hi Michael,

You can mention what you want. But it's a sort of your responsibility that dozens of people are going to try it because you say it will be for the better. Also see next post ...

Peter

All,

Let me start like this :
The back of the package the Supra cable comes in, even more states what we like :
"PE insulated wires with correct 90 Ohms impedance design".
And from seeing the package my readily remark was : HOAX.

How ?

It does not matter when you put out nice texts like I just quoted if you next literally destroy the dielectricum of the cable with such tight tierips that it almost makes the internal wires bare.
I forgot the number of windings needed for this 2m cable in the package, but say 5 and with two tierips so super tight the cable is molested at 10 places.
True, without knowing the dilectricum it feels and weighs like the air needed to create something like "correct 90 Ohm" but if this is the treatment afterwards ... :no:

But of course I was hopeful and at 7:30pm the cable went in;
I had been playing for 1.5 hour so so in advance of that and at a third track of the album playing I pressed Pause, changed cables and pressed Play again. Now envision (and believe me) :

Within 2 seconds I said WHAT !?
boom-boom-boom-boom - that is what I heard. And yes, those 2 seconds are for real so that bad.
It was after not more than 20 seconds that I expressed a : nothing works. NOTHING. So much nothing that I can't begin to point it out (and I won't). There was totally no music coming from anywhere.

This happened in a stage of co-listeners doing other things so whatever I said was not really heard or talked about. All I noticed is that someone put on headphones connected to an iPad and that lasted for the whole session (which was to 10:30pm). This was very rare to begin with.
Meanwhile I was seeking and seeking for music which wanted to "play" but could not find anything. All I knew was "hold on Peter, maybe some breaking in is required". Yeah, well ...

At this 10:30pm when the music was stopped, the headphone person finally took them off and THEN said : well, that was such sh*t - better don't do that again.
Ehm, I thought you were not listening ?
Answer : why do you think I put on those headphones in the first place ? and besides, no headphones helped anyway.

Oh.
Well, the least I could do was being gracefully thankful for the proof it wasn't my ears or mood.

I could try to think that it's the tierips. Officially that will be so, but suddenly *that* bad ? I can't tell and I can't repair it either. One hint : when you receive this cable, you most probably will see the same and you should send it back and ask for a refund. Could be hard to explain to the seller (unless it is the manufacturer himself), but anyway you'll have these rights. Whether it is worth the effort is something else (but still 49 euros ex VAT).

Michael, I suppose your cable looks the same regarding the tierips ?

Bweh,
Peter

Oh no...

One of the reasons that I initially purchased a NOS1 was so that I could get off the USB cable merry-go-round.

Maybe I need to borrow my old Revelation Audio Labs USB cable from the guy I sold it to.

 :sad:

The one I took out was the $1 stock one. That must be our luck ?

Supra Uses tin in a litz fashion.

I have prevoiusly used their speaker cables in the past.

Hmm, this isn't very promising.

No news on my 1m order, should have been 3-5 days, but possibly they meant 3-5 weeks.

I am going to order a couple of loose USB A and B connectors and solder them on the stock cable. Hopefully this will make better contact.

Regards, Coen

Peter
I also received the USB cable from Supra but I cannot really comment about it. As you know, my Phasure is about to be shipped and will arrive hopefully soon.

Can you tell me what exactly you mean by tierips?

Can you show on a photo what you mean exactly? Not really sure I understand.

Regards, Michael

This is after a day if "recovering".
And as said, I really don't know whether it is this doing it.

The "tierips" are the white straps which bind the cable together.

Called cable ties, at least in my part of the world.  Guess I won't be trying that cable..!

They also call them "tie wrap"...

Or "tyraps" or "trekbandje" in Dutch.

Hi

Just checked my Supra, no such markings there.
Furthermore from what I can tell, there is no audible difference using another high quality USB cable I have.

but this is for another DAC.

Regards, Michael

Peter,

Nope no tyraps marks on mine usb cable. 8)
The guy i talking about is Ronald Overbosch from Concept& Design in Almelo.

I think you know the guy..x-fi show 2013 mayby?
He calculated no hi end prices. But the wires are hi end. And you can make it as expensive as you want.
He makes very nice cables.

Kind Regards,
Michel

Hi Peter

My conclusion for your Supra Cable problems is that it must be broken.
Otherwise that would be kind of a contradiction to your statement that USB cable influence with the NOS1a is almost zero?
At least that is what I understood by reading through some posts here in the forum.

Regards Michael

Hi Michael,

The "no influence" counted for the NOS1; For the "a" version it is known to be under the influence of the USB cable.

Regards,
Peter

Ahum ...

I thought that in both the cases "Michel" and "Michael" I was responding to Michael (I never saw the difference). So please take this into account when a response from me looks odd.

How someone named Michel is able to have a Supra cable (as the only other person having one now ?) and nicely responds about that while I was asking Michael of whom I know he received one ... ?
We better join some lottery !

Peter

Peter, my mistake. I thought it was a typo. :wacko:
My intention was to help ...

Kind Regards,
Michel

Based on some research these German guys seem to make a very decent USB Cable:

http://www.aqvox.de/cable.html


And here a very interseting article in German about USB Cables.

http://www.audio.de/ratgeber/tipps-und-tricks-zur-musik-uebertragung-per-usb-1163895.html

Price for the Aqvox cable 1m is about 150 Euros.

Regards, Michael

MichAel,
;)
Maybe a bit hard to explain, but let's say that such a "search" for USB cables has been - and still is - performed all over the globe. In our forum this has been less of a subject, because thinking "NOS1 oriented" it was not much necessary. Still today I personally do not think there's any real hope in finding the cable that brings us in Walhalla because it all depends ...

What I want to say is that you "just missed" the kind of new apporach we adopted here since maybe 6 weeks : do not pay audiophile prices for any sort of cable that can't prove its merits to begin with. Or better put : "we" started to think about specs instead and how any fairly normal "1$" cable could meet those specs. This is how the "90 Ohm" came about for USB cables, because that's the spec for it. This is also how the Supra would be able to do it, because at least that one tells about the 90 Ohm to begin with. Just look for others and you will see how difficult it is (two days of search brought me exactly ONE cable which should be reliably OK and then still it has to be made ourselves).
This is also why I was happy that Stanley came up with the Supra.

Let me additionally tell you more explicitly that "we" (NOS1 owners) are not experienced with the stupid USB cable endeavours just because it did not matter anyway. And maybe it still does not if only one of us finds the proper setup. Not that I have hope for that, but it can happen.
So for you a small example of what we went through for a "better setup" : Isolate the USB connection from the PC (this is about the famous Silverstone card you ay have read about). But also : when I test a cable (like with the Supra) I have this isolated USB in order. Would it be the best ? I don't know. It would need to re-isolate the connection and try again. But will *I* ? No. I am satisfied as it is, and spending 49 euros is fair enough to quickly try it. QUICKLY. That is important for me; it takes too many days for me for the judging when the sound seems OK in the first place and when something sounds wrong to begin with I am happy that I don't need to enter that stage of x days listening to all sorts of music types.
So all is to be seen in this context.

To be very honest : I think it would be better if we spent our time on finding the setup which again eliminates the USB cable influence. "We" now sounds nice, but it will come down to "me" because of the more possibilities I have in tweaking. On the other hand nobody should wait for that because that takes even more time (with the notice that this is pending for maybe 4 months and I could not spend a minute on it so far).

The least I will do know is spend relatively little time in making such a 90 Ohm cable myself. Or, when everybody who ordered the Supra is claiming a "way better !" then that would be the best and next it will be easy for me to dig out why over here it does not work at all.
Never ever count on one experience ALSO NOT when it is mine.

Peter

Peter

Thanks for your detailed explanations.
I agree that paying such a high a amout for a cable is a potential way but paying below 50 Euros for a cable is more resonalble.

BTW, I saw USB cables out there for a over 500 Euros ;)

Rearding the Supras I can say they seem fine to me.

Me myself I still consider the Aqvox USB cable, but only if I need a shorter one. My Supra is 3m, if I change my setup I might be able to reduce it to 1m length.

We will see.

Michael

Hi Michel, just to be om the safe side : You did help of course. I only wondered how out of everybody two persons with about the same name have that cable. So of course it was me who made the mistake. I guess I had my eyes closed ...

Regards,
Peter

I just purchased the YSM  cable Joachim mentioned (see link below)

http://www.yourfinalsystem.com/component/virtuemart/cables/audiophile-usb-cables/usb-reference-audiophile-usb-2-0-cable/highend-audiophile-usb-reference-cable-1-0m-dataonly-17-21-25-28-detail?Itemid=0

I do not have it yet but when it arrives I will let you know if I notice a change in the sound. Honestly with the NOS1a the sound is so good and lifelike I do not expect to hear much if any difference.

Today I´ve discovered this "double head" USB cable, has anyone heard about it?:
http://www.audiocadabra.com/blog/optimus-handcrafted-dual-headed-usb-cables/ (http://www.audiocadabra.com/blog/optimus-handcrafted-dual-headed-usb-cables/)

Regards,
Juan

Has anyone tried the Lightspeed

http://www.lightharmonic.com/lightspeed.html
 
by all accounts the best at the moment?

Gosh after spending lots of euros on the NOS1, computer front ends and Orelino's, I can't understand why some are trying to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear with cables.

Same goes for interconnects with BNC. BNC is a very valid connection but the cable quality of most 75ohm commercial grade cables is not good enough for Hi-Fi.

Cables should be considered a critical component same as a DAC. It is hard to justify some cable prices but listening is the proof. I can't go past Nordost these days and I've listened to lots plus made them.

They do have crazy pricing but after listening can't live without them.

Robert

QED Performance Graphite USB.

Another USB cable with specs: http://www.futureshop.co.uk/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=6567&osCsid=3npgstfbgmt4jp996eoimq6896#.VFAI_4ePthp

Stanley

Hi Robert,

the amazing sound  of the NOS1 with a BNC cable connection to the poweramp is dependent on the NOS1 (Christmas is coming soon), because with other DACs (Weiss) I did not get the same results by far.

Prior to the 50 Ohm  BNC cable I used RCA cables from Nordost (Valhalla) and later on one from Entreq.

For a second hand Valhalla 1m RCA we have to pay at least € 1400,00 in Europe, and we get a first quality 1,5m BNC cable (RG223) for less than € 100,00.

Joachim

Guys,
Before looking at any other USB cable, please consider the YFS cable previously suggested. I have it playing for a week (however <100 hrs required for breakin), "clear" improvement in SNR by at least 6 dB from the stock cable.

Btw Peters cable will be the default gold standard cable, considering it was the cable used for the development of NOS and XXHE!

Maybe I'll ask Kevin if I can send this on a tour!

 :clapping: :yahoo: :NY01: :NY01: :NY01:
*edit* Kevin from YFS has agreed for a cable tour!!
Requirement Phasure NOS -1/a DAC
So people interested kindly PM me their info, and we can plan this tour.
Hopefully we can find a way for our international phasure owners to try as well.
Input on the forum will be appreciated!
VJ

P.s I don't specialize in this stuff, it's just my enthusiasm. (And my first time) So things might be sluggish and jittery!

Hello Joachim

Not sure but why are you not using XLR Cables?
Is there any thread here explaining why BNC would be superior to even XLR?

Speaking of XLR and Cables.... maybe people do not used them with their Phasure setup here not often.

Regards, Michael

For further reading on USB cables in this forum, and the YFS data only cable in particular, look here, page 4. Not everyone who tried to replicate a data only cable had good results:

http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2701.45

Hi Michael,

I´m using XLR cables with my NOS1a and I´d like to try the BNC cables but it looks that the XLR/BNC adapters do not maintain the BNC impedance which seems to be essential to get the sound the BNC cable. Maybe someone has a solution for the ones that use XLR connections in order to use a BNC cable, or is it impossible?

Kind regards,
Juan

Michael, quite hard to miss :
Cables with BNC Connectors/Adapters Are Generating A Superoir SQ (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=3026.0;all)

(Joachim already responded to this question from you, but he abusively put it in the topic itself (the one I just linked to)).
Edit : Joachim's response to you is here : Re: Cables with BNC Connectors/Adapters Are Generating A Superoir SQ (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=3026.msg32809#msg32809)

Peter

Yeah, well, maybe not. The QED site tells nothing about it and although the general description looks good to me (again), this does not at all :


Notic that this is from the site you linked to, Stanley.
Now laugh :
Who ever made this nice line up made a small mistake (and notice this is thus not listed at the QED site).
USB specifications are 90 Ohm +/ 15 %.
Now do the math; 15% x 90 = ... 13.5. So deviation (+/-) is allowed to be 13.5 Ohm. And this one is the most officially listed as deviating 15 Ohm.

Happy now ?
:swoon::swoon::swoon::swoon::swoon:

Obviously someone with the knowlegde made a typo. That is, I assume that this is not to let you fall in a pitfall. But still, who made up that figure in the first place ?

Still thanks of course and maybe it is ok. But I'll refrain this time (just because I don't feel the need and not because I feel this won't work (again)).

Best regards,
Peter


PS: Start to smell nastyness when anyone lists his cable as +/- 15% because this is just the USB2 spec. Also notice that the deviation like this *is* the spec because the impedance varies per frequency (say USB speed used). To me this doesn't tell at all that someone can come up with a +/- 10% for example. So the first one listing that will be my man (because there's no reason for it (because the spec is "less") so if it was done it must be "genuine" - at least that would be my view).

Hello Peter

Thanks for the link. This topic was not on my radar so far.

Will read some more into it because most of it I do not really understand.

One feedback I can give about the Supra USB cable:
I do not like it. Will not use it further.

I have another USB cable I prefer.

I will see how they compare on the NOS1a.

Regards, Michael

I just installed the YFS Reference USB cable to the NOS1a. Not broken in yet but already highly recommended. I was actually surprised to hear such an audible difference. I guess I am replacing my $5 cable after all.

Something off topic but readily observed with the NOS1a; With the NOS1, I never really noticed a large difference with Hi-Res files vs. Redbook but now there is significant audible difference.

Usually for the better. Try Nora Jones "Come Away With Me" or U2 "Mysterious Ways"

Or not for the better. Try Cassandra Wilson "New Moon Daughter"

WOW, I just spent 20 minutes reading in there. Funny how all reads as "never seen before" just because one year later quite some contexts changed (for me at least).
Highly recommended to read (I started at that page 4) because I think it may set our minds straight in the context of "USB Cables do matter" - which really wasn't my own adoption that year ago ... (for NOS1 that was).

Peter

I can tell you ... I have been waiting for a post about this. So off topic or not, this has been my own notice about Hires right since the NOS1a. Maybe a little different from your observation, because it seems that I now can play Hires without most of the time disliking it. So I'd say Hires got better from it ?
But not for this topic. So if anyone has some more explicits to say about this, please feel free to open a topic for it.

Peter

The YFS cable tour will start in Europe.  ;)
 A 1.0 m length cable will be shipped out soon.
everyone will have 1 week to try it out.
so anyone interested let me know!

Hi VJ, I'm definitely interested in giving it a go. I've sent you a PM...

Cheers, Mani.

Hey VJ, I assume a US tour too? I have a 6' YFS v4 data only. Would love to see if there is a difference with about a 3' "reference" version of the YFS cable.  :) Let me know and thanks so much for putting this together!

Brian

Ofcourse! As soon as the cable returns from Europe! :yes:

I would be interested in US tour when the time comes.  I'm in central CA.

I'll send out a notification for the U.S. tour!! All are welcome
 :grin:

I have had to forego the tour as I bought before it started :innocent:

If anyone is in the Boston area, they are more than welcome to come listen

Hahaha, expect 10+
No wait, 11+ since about now. You know ...

:) :)

HAHAHAHA
Yes I do know. But I did not know 10+ near Boston :xx:

Sounds like time for PARTY :clapping:

I can line up a caterer AND the cable :ok:

Not to mention the NOS1a :NY02:

Life is good

FYI: YFS is passed on to Stanley (Stanray). He has quite a different setup so I am looking forward to his first impressions.

Hopefully this weekend I will find the time to post some closing remarks. These will include my impressions of a 0,7m Supra USB2 cable.
But first: Sinterklaas!

regards, Coen

I can't help it, but this one I play once per year on this evening. For years and years and years by now.
(and getting better each year :))

LOL!!!

That must be fun!

For the curious: http://youtu.be/tpf6dhZXYGY (http://youtu.be/tpf6dhZXYGY)

Regards, Coen

OMG!  I can't believe I just listened to that.

I endorse Anthony's words... This hasn't been recorded on our planet ? :wacko:

;)

Alain

stampen  :smile:

Good old days...
Damn iam getting old!

Regards
Michel

I promised some closing remarks on my time with the YFS cable. Here they are.

I gave the cable some serious XX playlist time to give it a little extra 'burn in'. When I was ready to expose myself to the cooked cable my amplifier's right channel stopped working. This was eventually solved by a simple repair... only after 8 days. Just couldn't find the time to do this with a 'fresh' mood.
So now I was completely reset auditorily and had a slightly improved amp to boot.

What can I say, it's character of solid and very clear and detailed images remained as did the feel of dynamics, yet it all was dressed in a smoother jacket. But also even though listening to Kate & Peter and other tracks made more sense now, I think it ultimately didn't add up to the enhanced musical experience at my listening seat I hoped for.

Lastly just before its departure, the Blaxius arrived. A quick listen did not reveal new things from the YFS, only that the Blaxius digs much deeper into the music which enhances the YFSs strong points.

Now I would like to address my sincerest thanks for VJ and of course the cable proprietor who made this educational experience possible. :good:

The cable is now further on its tour and I am looking forward to the impressions of the next in line. And I trust you to keep in mind that my comments are made in the context of my system and listening preferences and to be as unbiased as possible!

regards, Coen

I'm afraid you can't get much of it when Dutch is not your language; can't get the gag then. For fun I'll try to explain a bit :

So this is about "Sinterklaas" we have here and which ever back was a saint. Very similar to Santa Klaus but now for December 5th. Loves children and such, and the "Pieten" (the Pete's) are his helpers. OK.

Most what is given to the children is candy of various sorts.
All comes along with children required to sing nice Sinterklaas songs before going to bed, and when executed well the next morning there will be candy etc. in the shoe which was set in front of the fire place (he and is helpers come through the chimney of course).

So you have heard the type of music of this CD - call it "House". All tracks on it are actually existing very nice songs, normally sung by sweet (often children) choirs. This was made of it ...

But what you couldn't get is that the red thread through all the songs is about candy. You know, that candy which these days seems necesessary to survive a dance party (former House Party) until 7am. The Pieten are the bad young boys here and Sinterklaas is forced to go along with modern times (he is 100s of years old) and has problems with that. The "old sucker !" is all over the place.

As a matter of (my) fact it is a great CD for children who just stopped believing in Sinterklaas' existence and to learn how a nice sweet world can be destroyed by the surrounding. Children get that easily and although the CD seems to teach the other way around, it is in my view a best thing to show how real life will be when not careful.

Peter

Thanks for the clarifications. Of course I was joking, but to know what something is about is always interesting :)

I recently got a DVD from Australia for one song that I liked very much: "I can sing a rainbow". Each time I hear that song, it touches something very sensitve that connects with memories.

Alain

Wait a minute?!  You mean there is no "Sinterklaas"!!!
 :(

I am dead sure there is !
But our son says it is not true. And at some stage we have to follow the younger generation.
I guess !