June 21, 2015

  • Simaudio Neo 260D, Part 9

    The Simaudio Neo 260D's manual recommends 400 hours of burn-in. That is 16.67 days of non-stop use. Though most of the burn-in occurs by the 7th day, Simaudio weren't kidding. In fact, I didn't think the Neo 260D stopped evolving, until it had 21 days on the clock.
    IMG_1848
    Before you mess around with after-market powercords, do yourself a favor. Stick the stock OEM powercord on an audiodharma Cable Cooker for 4 days. Then stick it back on the Neo 260D for 2 days. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Cooked stock powercord. The resultant sound may be lacking in bass power, but tonal balance is fine, and PRAT is surprisingly good.

    Start with the Cooked stock powercord, and make changes elsewhere. I would start by replacing the Neo 260D's fuses [I'll have more on after-market fuses in future posts]. Since the Neo 260D is fundamentally solid, competent, and thoughtfully well-balanced, avoid line-level interconnects which are colored, distorted, fat, bloated, or otherwise inaccurate. The interconnects do not have to be new or expensive, either. They just have to be neutral, honest, transparent, and properly burned-in. Good examples include the all-Cooked AudioQuest Quartz; Kimber Timbre; and original XLO Reference Types 1 and 2.

    If you want to go a little more upscale, but still not super-expensive, my friends got excellent results with Tara Labs Air 1, and Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6. I myself use XLO S3 interconnects.
    IMG_1849
    Then you can resume messing around with after-market powercords. Be careful; the warm, round, and thick-sounding Synergistic Research Tesla T1 completely ruined the Neo 260D.
    IMG_1853
    The Acrolink 6N-4030P with Oyaide P/C-046 plugs is a good startng point, with better image outlines, and boppier sound. However, those images aren't firmly anchored within the soundstage, which is itself small and not very spacious.