Lush^3

[PeterSt]

Sorry for the running commentary,

No no, it's big fun.
I envision 10 or so people tomorrow heavily breathing over their mailbox.

[briefremarks]

I will now be one of those soon to be heavily breathing over my mailbox!!

[PeterSt]

Haha. Ramesh, then prepare for upcoming Friday.
Meanwhile I'll try to be as confusing as possible. 

[PeterSt]

Because I have no other way of approaching this, I look at Lush^2 configs and what they brought. This is where the A:B-R, B: came from too. Btw, I don't recognize similarities in the sound so far, but the "technical approach" is at least something to hold on. Thus, that previously given config tells that we provide the same as a Lush^2 config, BUT that there is an imbalance between that one connected (R) shield now and one other shield to the outside of that (the G) and TWO shields underneath it (W and Y).
And so I had already lying around the next one to try :

29-09-2020
A:B-Y-R, B:
As promised, here the more balanced config. Now the two middle shields are connected at one side, but obviously surrounded by an other shield (W and G), both not connected. So do notice that with the Lush^3 there is no one middle shield any more and thus we need to work with two (Y and R).

Very first minute : Too quiet ? Not enough life ? … not sure yet …
Okay, if anything, this shows even more dynamic range than what already showed with the previous config(s). I suppose this is equivalent to “again more quiet”. I think that it could be so that because of this, the sound is even more natural than A:B-R, B: showed already.

People should not try this right away - I'd have rather that they notice the same with the transition from the previous config to this one. I mean, it is very well possible that too much adrenaline creeped into my brain to begin with.

Peter

[PeterSt]

My Lush^3 is in! It was a bit of a pain installing, as its B-connector is rotated exactly 180 degrees to that of the Lush^2. So, I had the choice of twisting the cable, or simply swapping the vertical positions of the Mach III and NOS1. I went for the latter.

The relative position of the connectors is quite random. If you'd receive two, chances are fair they will be different, when compared to each other.

So I tried it on a 70cm ...
When the cable is straight, it is completely impossible to twist it. But notice that this in itself is nothing strange. E.g. a random power cord would also not bend, unless you imply a curl in it and the cable gets shorter because of that ... (a not desired situation).
Oddly enough (apart from that we never tried this at all), when the devices are on top of each other (your vertical alignment), you can 100% easily fold the cable in the other direction. The requirement : a bend of 180 degrees (which is what you would have).
It is hard to explain. But take the cable in your hands, fold it 180 degrees (with a nice harmless bend), and from there fold it backwards (move 360 degrees). Et volá.
Aha, but this is not exactly what you want because it again implies change of vertical position. Now take the connectors in your hands, your hands at 20cm distance. Now move the one hand over the other sideways. Now it works.
Small problem, in one of the two positions the cable now crosses itself. It thus requires more length now ... (undesired, unless you sufficiently know in advance what's ahead of you).

On a last note, for the Lush^2 this was way worse. And in the end nobody complains (but some times people ask(ed) how to accomplish it - and this is then only for the 40cm version, which obviously is more problematic to this regard).

Regards,
Peter

[PeterSt]

Oct 4, 2020
A:B-Y-R, B: W-Y & R-G
The “intelligence” in this one is that both middle W and Y, those connected to the A end, at the B end extend via Red and Green respectively, back towards A. Thus, the latter are not connected to the B end. This virtually makes the W and Y shield twice as long.

The best so far. This is now not about “how to get the last anomaly out of the way” but merely “I am shocked that this could be achieved”.
I largely played mere commercial music and it is unbelievable what’s actually in there. Voices are crystal clear and yesterday I literally said “It has become impossible not to hear what’s being sung”.
Drums now have an impact which I deem the most realistic I ever heard, and which mostly is about the more “sloppy” the tension of the skins are is than music normally expresses (remember we have a fairly large drum kit over here).
Cymbals sound nicely long and with appropriate color (I can imagine that improvement on the color is possible but then I’d be unthankfully nit-picking).
What seems to be new is how (electric) basses come forward playing their lines. I could also attest that *everything* seems to come forward with this config. And that detail … amazing.
What seems to be the key character of the Lush^3 in any configuration is the lightfootedness. This is IMO also how the impact on drums seems to be more difficult to “arrange for”. But apart from this config doing very well on this aspect now, yesterday I paid attention to this phenomenon explicitly, and it is merely so that the drums are more in the background now (and let’s be honest, in real life they also are).
The latter brings me to the level of distortion. Uhm … none ? So this is exactly how a snare always was brought forward – distortion. And obviously … there’s a pile of sh*t brought to us from a snare, when the snare is “on”. So really, this is so different now. Must be the same as the so enormously crystal-clear voices.
On a last note, I think that by now it is fair to say that the Lush^3 in general allows for “infinite” more level of playback. I did not do it, but I am pretty sure it can be done. Anyway yesterday with this configuration I was tempted, knowing that the past days with the Lush^3 I already play 6dB louder than ever before. But it can be more. … Nobody complains, it is only that already now it has become quite hard to talk to each other.
If my impression is the same upcoming evening, I suppose this will be the configuration the next ^3’s will ship with.

Peter

[briefremarks]

Peter,

Just to clarify so I have this configuration correct.

On A:  B connected to pin 1, with the red dot; Y to pin 2; R to pin 3; full jumper between 4 and 5; half jumper on 6; half jumper on 7.

On B: Nothing on pin 1 (red dot); W on pin 2; Y on pin 3; full jumper on 4 and 5; red on pin 6; green on pin 7.

I am not clear on the B side if W is connected to pin 1 (red dot).

A picture would be most appreciated.

The Lush^3 just arrived!!!

[briefremarks]

Read the examples in the instruction sheet with Lush^3, and am interpreting B: W-Y & R-G to mean W on pin 1, Y on pin 2, half jumper on 3; full jumper of 4 and 5, R on 6, and G on 7.

So here goes, am going to try it this evening.

[briefremarks]

OK, looked at the instruction diagram again.

A: B on pin 1; Y on pin 2; R on pin 3; half jumper on 4; half jumper on 5; full jumper on 5 and 6

B: W on pin 1; Y on pin 2; full jumper 3 and 4; half jumper 5; R on 6; G on 7.

Hoping this is correct.

[PeterSt]

Haha. Why don't you show a photo yourself ?
(teasing a little, but I don't make photos at 6 am)

The jumpers are not related / in order for this latest config. They are only for protection (hence leave them off to avoid confusion).

[PeterSt]

OK, looked at the instruction diagram again.

A: B on pin 1; Y on pin 2; R on pin 3; half jumper on 4; half jumper on 5; full jumper on 5 and 6

B: W on pin 1; Y on pin 2; full jumper 3 and 4; half jumper 5; R on 6; G on 7.

Hoping this is correct.

With some time and rest now ...  YES, that is correct !

Regards,
Peter

[PeterSt]

A picture would be most appreciated.

I now added it to the original post about this config.
Peter

[John Aiello]

Just placed my order.  Can't wait to receive it and post some impressions.  Currently using another well regarded cable.  Should be interesting to compare.   

[briefremarks]

Wow!!

I think the Lush^3 may be the most significant upgrade after Mach III, and G3.  Some impressions.

No distortion.  This manifests most obviously in the desire to turn up the volume.  Peter mentioned this.  I'm playing music louder, and want to play it even louder, 3dB - 6dB.  Even the slightest distortion that normally causes fatigue is gone.

Clarity.  Crystal clear.  Completely silent background.  Microdetails.  The result is extreme naturalness, especially the timbre of acoustic instruments. 

Imaging.  I know its a cliche, but we could use "pin-point" imaging to describe this.  Instruments and singers are solidly placed and stable.  Much more so that with Lush^2 where there still remained some impreciseness with where instruments are located.  I used to think this was because of listening too close to the Orelos. 

Bass.  Amazing!! The bass on the Orelos has always been incredible, but now it's really astonishingly good.  Especially the really low registers.

Percussion.  Natural. precise.  Less splashy.  More focused.  And yes, you can sense the skins on drumheads flexing.

This is just in the first day. Will update as I listen more. 

To conclude: this is a significant upgrade.

[briefremarks]

Hooray!!!

I can listen to symphonic music again without flinching when masses of strings and trombones start going.

Going to do more listening.  The difference in playback of symphonic music is dramatic.

Ramesh