rpghero27's Xanga

API Power Pack II, Part 2

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:29:00 GMT

In 1989, Lou Gramm took a break from Foreigner, and came out with Long Hard Look. As rap and heavy metal were in vogue then, Gramm's "Just Between You And Me" fit nicely with adult contemporary, which was that era's "alternative."

I've already mentioned that, when I went to UC Santa Cruz, the AC there was bad. In my last year, I was happy to use the API Power Pack. After I graduated, I would bring Foreigner's The Very Best Of..And Beyond to audio stores, including Ultiamte Sound. But there, I also heard Gramm's "Just Between You And Me" surprisingly come on the radio.

I tried the PAC IDOS, but found it to effect little or no change, versus plugging my gear straight into the wall. I could not afford API's Power Wedge models, so I picked up the Power Pack II instead. The PP2 had a trapezoidal body, which allowed it to be slipped nicely between and behind audio racks.

The PP2, unlike the hard-wired original Power Pack, had a 15-amp IEC inlet. Thus, users were free to experiment with powercords. API's own Power Link 313 was nothing special. A very nice match for the PP2 was the Kimber PowerKord.

When I first bought a PP2, I used it in my bedroom system, which featured headphones, not speakers. Immediately, I found the PP2 to capture better the "pop" of snare drums. Case in point: Gramm's "Just Between You And Me."

The PAC IDOS had five outlets, one marked "digital." But what if you had digital separates? The PP2, OTOH, had two digital outlets, perfect for a transport and DAC. According to API, these provide special and extra filtering, so that digital gear doesn't bleed RFI and EMI into the line and other gear.

Forget headphones. The API PP2 provides such clean, open, and uptempo sonics, it is suitable for main systems. If you do not have a big, cavernous room, you can even plug a power amp or two into a PP2.

API Power Pack II, Part 1

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:38:00 GMT

20 years ago, it was one thing to be tired of Reagan. But when Bush came in, things got even worse. Neil Young's Freedom, featuring "Rockin' In The Free World," led the way against Bush. But Overkill's The Years Of Decay provides the ultimate time capsule portrait of those awful years. Furthermore, it did not help that the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake allowed San Francisco's crazies to take over.

When I got a ride between S.F. and UC Santa Cruz, we often took Highway 1, aka Pacific Coast Highway and Cabrillo Highway. It was fitting to hear the two 8-minute epics, "Who Tends The Fire" and "Years Of Decay," while traveling PCH. PCH has some bridges, such as the one above. It was kind of scary, not knowing if the bridges were damaged in the quake.

San Gregorio beach is at the intersection of PCH and Highway 84. It's supposed to be a place where nudists can sun themselves. However, I did not go summer school at UCSC, so I never came by when the weather was better, and the nudists were said to frequent the beach.

Tessa complains, "Boy, it's windy here."

I had known that San Francisco's AC was iffy. But when I got to Santa Cruz, I discovered that the AC there was even worse. Electronics had to deal with spikes. When I turned electronics on and off, they'd sometimes pop. I guess it's like a windy day at San Gregorio beach.

During my senior year, I lived in the on-campus apartments. I solved the AC problem by getting an Audio Power Industries Power Pack. It was a small 2x3 block of outlets, with a hard-wired cord. Some time that school year, API came out with an upgraded version, the Power Pack II. Notice how the outlets are oriented. You can fit wall-wart power supplies onto a Power Pack II.

Anyway, the original Power Pack not only squelched the turn-on/turn-off pops, it made the audio components perform better. The sound was less grainy and hashy. It was easier to "see" the images. The music had better flow and power. Things were so good, I did not feel like listening to the somber The Years Of Decay much.

Audio Note CDT-Zero, Part 2

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:19:00 GMT

In late 1989, adult contemporary got a little more sophisticated, when Basia came out with London Warsaw New York. It is neither pop nor jazz. It has a lot of unconventional (for pop music) rhythms. It sounds, at times, like a more international Sade, Swing Out sister, or Miami Sound Machine. I didn't quite care for it at first, but it did grow on me.

I'm not sure if I heard Basia, while I frequented San Francisco's Ultimate Sound. While I did my Hokubei Mainichi paper route, I'd stop off at the Kinokuniya Bookstore, and read the music magazines. I'd read about Swing Out Sister, who had a large presence in Japan. But I hardly ever saw anything about Basia. Well, it turns out that, after 1989's London Warsaw New York, Basia's only studio album was 1994's The Sweetest Illusion. And just this year, Basia finally came out with It's That Girl Again.

The old Hokubei building on Post Street had been torn down, and is now a J-Pop building. It looks like any other building around Union Square. While I do miss the old Hokubei building, the new one does remind me of the good times I had in Union Square, including Ultimate Sound.

"Forget J-Pop," says Aiden. "I want to be Thomas, and listen to some music."

Uh oh. The Audio Note CDT-Zero does not have the disc time remaining function. It does have the other three: elapsed track time, elapsed disc time, and remaining track time.

With the Illuminati D-60, we get a clue as to what the CDT-Zero is all about. The D-60 brings out the midrange, which, in this case, has small images. There's a little bit of soft sweetness around the edges, but the music is lively in its own way, and has excellent portrayal of Basia's rhythms. There's not much of a soundscape; the music is confined in a small ball between the speakers.

Audio Note CDT-Zero, Part 1

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:52:00 GMT

I remember when I started 8th grade in the Fall of 1984, someone had spray painted "U2" in black over the Presidio Middle School yard. Around the same time, U2 had a major hit with "Pride (In The Name Of Love)." Geez, back then, none of us knew about the CD and CD players.

About 10 years ago, Audio Note, known for super-expensive gear, came out with the half-sized and "budget-priced" Zero series. It included a CD transport, DAC, preamp, power amps, cables, and speakers. At this time, single-box CD players were in vogue, so it is surprising that Audio Note designed separate transport and DAC. While I have heard the Audio Note Zero stack at shows, I have only been able to secure, of all things, the CDT-Zero transport.

The Zero series is available with either black or silver faceplates. But c'mon, who's going to get the ugly black? But do note that the CDT-Zero has no front panel buttons.

Therefore, you better not lose the remote! The CDT-Zero supposedly uses a Sony disc drive. However, my old, 1980s Sony remotes do not work on the CDT-Zero. I'll have to borrow Sony's 1990s remotes, and see if they work on the CDT-Zero.

The CDT-Zero does have two "emergency" buttons, open/close and play/pause. It has just one output, S/PDIF on RCA. No Toslink, no AES/EBU, no ST optical, and no BNC. The power switch is above the 15-amp IEC jack. Yes, you can play around with after-market powercords.

California Audio Labs Icon Mk.II Power Boss, Part 8

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:25:00 GMT

Lost in the shuffle of heavy metal bands were McAuley-Schenker Group, aka MSG. In late 1989, they came out with the mediocre Save Yourself album. Parts of the recording equipment were hooked up with Monster Cable. It sure sounds like it. The sound is soft, compressed, and lacking in treble. But it does include two killer tracks, "Anytime" and "This Is My Heart." I'll have to go home (my parents' place), and look through my old ticket stubs. I think we saw MSG in early 1990 at the Warfield.

Also in late 1989, I became aware of digital separates. Magazines told people to buy CD players with a digital out. That way, you had an upgrade path, by later purchasing an external DAC. Or, you could run that digital out into the digital recorders, which manufacturers had promised to make. Alas, the record companies balked, and digital recorders weren't really available until the early-to-mid 90s. And even then, they had built-in copy-protection.

When the California Audio Labs Icon Mk.II Power Boss is used as atransport, the Illuminati D-60 actually provides a decent overall picture. More attention is focused on the mids, which is where most of the music lies. There is good contrast between music and the background space. The D-60 prevents the bass from getting too fat or out of control. And treble still has some "ching" and "ring" to it.

"What a mess," exclaims Tessa.

I never did like using a full-sized CD player, and then running a digital cable to a DAC. I usually got better performance from dedicated transports, even cheap ones from CAL and Audio Alchemy. Nor did I use Save Yourself that much as an audiophile reference. Its sound is just too compressed to be of much use.

Okay, in order to see just what the Icon's potential as a transport is, I brought out the Tara Labs ISM Onboard Digital 0.8. Quite clearly, the treble is pushed too far back in the soundstage. Versus CAL's own Delta, the Icon doesn't have as focused imaging. The Delta has a better grip on how the music starts, flows, stops, and decays.

Conclusion. Although the Icon makes a decent transport, its internal DAC is plenty good. You're better off just using the Icon as a stand-alone CD player. Use the digital out for recording purposes.

California Audio Labs Icon Mk.II Power Boss, Part 7

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:56:00 GMT

25 years ago, I was in 8th grade. When my class heard Alphaville's "Forever Young," I think we came of age. Well, if we did not come of age, at least synthpop did. Everywhere I heard that song, it made me stop in my tracks. I especially liked hearing it while playing baseball. One of my PAL teammates would always bring a boombox to practices, and when "Forever Young" came on, and the fog rolled in over the Golden Gate Park field, it was magic.

Furthermore, hearing "Forever Young" at practices made me forget just how lousy we were. So hey, at least life was good! After I graduated from junior high, I'd go out to play ball with my friend Larry. We liked to check out San Francisco's parks. I loved going back to Julius Khan playground in the Presidio. Located in an upscale neighborhood, it was safe. It was also fun to look north at the Presidio's trees, and watch the fog roll in.

After high school, Larry and I would go around San Francisco's richer neighborhoods, and feel like we didn't belong. Pacific Heights is named after Pacific Avenue. Pacific Avenue actually starts at Golden Gateway Commons along the Embarcadero. It goes through Jackson Square, Chinatown, Nob Hill, Polk Gulch, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, and ends up in the Presidio. See the road going up the hill above the baseball backstop? That's actually Pacific Avenue.

I actually want to go back, and do a follow-up. I want to see what the California Audio Labs Icon Mk.II Power Boss CD player is like, when used as a transport.

"Sweet!" exclaims Aiden, on his second cup of ice cream.

Going back to our old parks and checking out CD players as transports are like having a second serving of dessert. Above, you can see the MIT Digital Reference coming out of the Icon M2PB. I used several DACs. Regardless of DAC, the treble is pushed too far back in the soundstage. So your ears start straining to hear more treble. The sense of scale and proportion is off. If you see it as not enough treble, others will say that the bass and mids are too big.

Q-Audio Tao SC, Part 5

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:23:00 GMT

The "pull-up" diapers are meant for toddlers who are transitioning to using the potty/toilet. The size 2T was the smallest we found, so we bought a box for Tessa.

Alas, Tessa, at 15 months, is physically small. So, the 2T pull-ups are too loose around her waist.

As a child in the 70s, I always thought that Barry Manilow was always around. Little did I know that I was already 2 years old, when Manilow's ballad version of "Mandy" hit the charts. Yes, that was 35 years ago. Yes, that does show my age.

See how nicely bananas (in this case, Deltrons) work? Here, the Q-Audio Tao neatly and easily goes into the binding post of the Penaudio Charisma. And, because the Tao is a lightweight (like a shoelace) cable, it places no strain on the posts, speaker, or stands.

Tessa observes, "Hmmm, the sound is getting better."

When I recevied it, the Tao speaker cable already had 2 days of Cook time. I added another 12 hours of Cook time. Then I used it for a few days. It initially sounded zippy and lean. But with playing time, more musical weight developed, and the soundstage's rear stretched out. Before I brought the Tao over to San Francisco, I subjected it to another 12 hours or so of Cooking.

Now I feel that the Tao has had adequate burn-in. Do not let the shoelace dimensions fool you. The Tao is capable of passing full-range signal. In fact, it doesn't play tonal balance games. So, whatever the recording and equipment do, that is what the Tao will pass. The Tao is very clean-sounding, allowing you to get that much closer to what's on the record. And in the case of "Mandy," the Tao lets you hear just how good Manilow's performance is. It should have you swaying to each inflection in Manilow's phrasing. 1974...2009...you just lose track of time, and get lost in the performance. You forget about how your audio buddies make fun of Manilow. You forget about how you didn't hear Manilow in the 80s and most of the 90s. You forget that Manilow, today, still sings in the same key as he did in the 70s. You forget that 49er fans used to call a young Joe Montana "Montanilow." Heck, you don't even stop to ask, "Who is Mandy?" Because the Tao is honest about getting out of the way, it just leaves you with...Manilow himself and the music.

Q-Audio Tao SC, Part 4

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:57:00 GMT

20 years ago, Congress decided to take San Francisco's Presidio away from the military, and turn it into a park.

If you stand on the Richmond District streets, the Presidio's trees block your view of Marin. But if you stand within the Presidio on a clear day, you can often catch glimpses of Marin.

Heavy metal reached its saturation point in 1989. It was kind of like having too many pumpkins to choose from. It was a crowded market, so an act had to be really good, in order to stand out. That was not the case with Kiss' weak Hot In The Shade album. However, instead of going with the ubiquitous all-black merchandise and artwork, Hot In The Shade featured many white and neon-colored shirts, logos, and paraphernalia.

Maybe Q-Audio should take a page from Kiss' Hot In The Shade marketing. Q-Audio insist on using brown outer jackets for the Tao speaker cable.

"Brown?" exclaims Tessa. "It's not audiophile-black, but brown? Can't they come up with something prettier? Since Q-Audio, by making a shoestring speaker cable, are already going out on a limb, why not use a snazzy color, such as orange?"

Okay, only my dad (whose favorite color is brown) would approve of Q-Audio's brown outer jacket, but no one else does. So I'm not going to show it. Instead, in the world of crowded jacks, the Tao speaker cable's Deltron bananas fit perfectly. The Tao interconnect is in the foreground. See how these skinny cables leave plenty of space, even on tightly-packed components? It's like being in the middle of the Presidio's trees, but still being able to see out.

Unlike spades and angled-bananas, the straight-on Deltron is like an arrow hitting a small bulls-eye.

Q-Audio Tao SC, Part 3

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:33:00 GMT

25 years ago, Hall & Oates came out with Big Bam Boom, which included "Out Of Touch" and "Method Of Modern Love." Hall & Oates were huge then, but they dropped out of the public's sight, and did not resurface until 1988, when I was in high school.

I was listening to Big Bam Boom, and then went to Julius Khan playground. In junior high (yes, 25 years ago), my PAL baseball team played here maybe 2 or 3 times. I liked it here. The field wasn't as bad (uneven, dusty, gopher holes, dog pooh) as others. It was safe. Despite the fog rolling in, it wasn't windy. As a hitter, I liked to aim for the fence in right field. In the early 90s, I would call my friends, and come back to Julius Khan.

Julius Khan is on the southern edge of the Presidio. It lies between Arguello and Presidio Avenue. The field has been relatively well-kept. And the playground itself was renovated a few years back. It is now popular among little kids. And those homes in the background have a spectacular view to the north. I have always been too afraid to ask just how sky-high real estate is here.

For those of us who cannot afford such pricey real estate, we turn to big-bam-boom-for-the-buck products such as the Q-Audio Tao speaker cable. Again, kudos to Q-Audio for listening to average customers, who needed bananas. The Deltrons work perfectly. But do note that the Tao SC is not marked for signal flow direction.

The Deltron makes for a neat, efficient, and effective connection. See how nicely it fits into the posts of the Creek Destiny?

Q-Audio Tao SC, Part 2

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:00:00 GMT

20 years ago, when I had just entered UC Santa Cruz, I noticed that no one liked heavy metal. Indeed, as 1989 came to an end, heavy metal got bloated, and interest started to wane. But L.A. Guns' Cocked & Loaded does stick out for its greasy vibe and drums with pop. For 20 years, I have used this album as an audiophile reference. Basically, if an audio component does not get Cocked & Loaded right, it is useless.

I also could not avoid all the students walking around in the buff. Now, I usually only saw naked people in locker rooms or nude beaches. When I talked to my roommate about this, he just shrugged and said that many of these naked people feel more at ease, when they are in the buff. I had the opposite reaction. I said, "Damn, if I walked around like that, I'd be hella self-conscientious."

But you know what? My fellow college students didn't care about "looking good," or showing off the beach bod, while going around nude. And that made me feel better about myself, shortcomings and imperfections and all. And maybe that is how Q-Audio feel about their skinny products. They know that having less material has the potential to lower costs. And if the sound is top-notch, why not have a skinny cable?

I am also happy to report that Q-Audio finally saw the light, and are now offering the Tao SC with Deltron bananas. The outer jacket is a brown fabric. But the leads are a light beige color, which is the same (or at least very similar to) as the Tao interconnects I have.

Anyway, when I received my sample of the Q-Audio Tao speaker cable, it had already been subjected to 2 days on a Cable Cooker. I put an additional 1/2 day of Cook time on it. So do not ask me what an un-Cooked Tao SC sounds like. When I initially hooked up the Tao SC, it sounded fast, but was lacking organization. The music was thrown into a ball in between the speakers. Furthermore, the sound lacked weight, body, or mass. While Cocked & Loaded did shred, it sounded zippy.

Our crabapple tree is now over a year old. And once again, the leaves are starting to turn color. Likewise, the Tao SC will change its sound. Give it a few days of regular playing time, before making any judgments.