Precision Audio Utilization by Lutteur
By Appointment Showrooms -
www.precisionaudioonline.com
Showroom Phone: (206) 922-2044
e-mail: paularthur@runbox.com
Dedicated to Achieving a Live Performance Experience In Your Home
January’s e-zine was a precursor to this month’s focus. I invite you to make an appointment and bring your digital source with you to explore how cable selection and component isolation can raise the performance level of your entire system with a simple upgrade. And don’t think it will necessarily be the most expensive cable that does the trick. Or experience, within this system, what a cable change and proper component isolation can achieve for consideration in your own system. Here I will share with you my latest experience in dialing-in the Reference System to give you an idea what cables and P.A.U.L.’s EMF/M-D Isolation Platform can achieve. I have reconfigured the Analysis Reference System to incorporate Oracle’s new release of the CD 1500 CD player now in MK III guise. As you might suspect it required revisiting the cabling synergy throughout the system to ensure the CD 1500 MK III was delivering its best within the context of the Analysis Reference System. Another significant alteration that has occurred in this system is the installation of P.A.U.L.’s EMF/M-D Isolation Platforms. They now reside under and above the Nu Force Reference 9SEv3 mono-block amplifiers, the Lamm LL2 Deluxe pre-amplifier, the PS Audio Power Plant Premiere with two additional Platforms slated for the Oracle CD 1500 MK III and beneath the Artemis PH-1 and SOTA Millennia motor. The next shipment of the Platforms should arrive in the next week or so. These devises have made such a significant improvement on every component they have been placed, under (and on) I am installing one under every component. I’ll recap my experience when I set up the Nu Force amps with them to give you an idea what to expect: 1: The large thin and small thick plates have finally arrived. Very interesting (good) and confounding (?) results. 2. And further thoughts… Amy and I have just finished a listening session with the following conclusions following listening to jazz piano (Chucho Valdes) and voice (Lizz Wright). I gave Amy no insight as to what to expect prior to our session: Amy felt piano had a more defined hammer to string tone. "The note is more defined, I mean it had parameters. It didn't get fuzzy on the edges". "Voice seemed to be better recorded. It didn't have back ground noise". "The sound has definitely improved". Not having listened to piano prior to our session I didn't know what to expect. I was truly shocked by the improvement I heard. This recording had previously had a slightly clangy sound at the end to each piano note which was now completely gone. It actually sounded like a real piano to me. As for voice, what I had heard on the Loreena McKennitt recording earlier today was true for Liz Wright as well. They were embedded in real space. The room acoustic of the recording venue was clearly delineated. Amy also commented that the guitar on Liz Wright's recording sounded much better as well. It's nice when critical listening bears out (my) theoretical thinking. Especially when a non-invested (or in her words “average Jo-Ann) listener comes to the same conclusions. As for the Oracle CD 1500 MK III I was in some ways starting over. I had found an undeniable synergy with Purist Audio Design cables prior to the Mk II to MK III upgrade but the improvement over MK II was so large and the sonic character of the player had changed to such a degree I wasn’t at all certain this would now work. Let me first describe, in general terms, the differences between MK II and MK III. The player has taken on a much more substantial character. The bass has become far deeper while retaining the articulation of the MK II. The midrange was always fairly good but now has far less grain than the earlier version. High frequencies, where the MK II was forward to a fault in some systems are now refined and when configured with the right cables (each system will most likely be different) are true to the source. My findings in the Analysis Reference system reflect my findings last month for the Hi Fi System. As before (see January’s e-zine for detailed descriptions) many hours trying different cable combinations revealed the Purist Audio Design Proteus Provectus interconnect and Purist AC power cord created a synergy unmatched by any other cables from any manufacturer. However, there was one important change that took place upstream for the system to come together. The Purist Audio Design Purist AC cord was changed to the JPS Labs Aluminata AC cord on the Lamm pre-amp. This is usually my cable of choice for Lamm and with the CD 1500 MK III is my hands down favorite. With only so many very high end cables out on demo it is not uncommon to find you really need just one more of something. And this was the case during this investigation. You may have noticed (from earlier e-zines) the AC cord of choice for the Power Plant Premiere was the Aluminata AC cord. That necessitated something else for the Lamm. A very good alternative was the Purist AC cord as the MSB player was very happy with the JPS Kaptivator, so all was well. This was not a happy marriage with the Oracle however, requiring finding a good AC cord for the Power Plant as the Aluminata had to go back to the Lamm and the Purist to the Oracle. To my amazement (this stuff is so unpredictable) the Purist Audio Design Aqueous Anniversary AC cord was fantastic with the Power Plant! I now have a very strong recommendation for the PS Audio PPP that doesn’t cost $3500! Serendipity at work here. In an upcoming e-zine I will focus specifically on my observations as I integrated the Oracle CD 1500 MK III into the Reference System and the beguiling synergy discovered with Purist Audio Design cables. By the time I present this I will have gotten in another shipment of the EMF/M-D Isolation Platforms and will report on any changes I observe when placed under the Oracle CD player as well. If you’re looking for a high end CD player and or cables you won’t want to miss this. 
The differences I've heard with the plates (thick below, thin above) seem to be mutually exclusive. Overall, the amps definition across the frequency spectrum has been noticeably improved. Leading edge of plucked instruments is more finely defined; bass has even greater authority (a Ref 9SE hallmark characteristic). Where I'm puzzled is female voice has a much smoother sound. Much more "analog" in character. I'm not certain how to explain more detail and yet smoothness of textures (particularly voice). I had not heard this level of authenticity before with these amps.
Well, the focus of this month really requires a visit to P.A.U.L. so I can demonstrate how cables can make or truly break your system. So again, I invite you to call and make an appointment to explore your possibilities.
Good listening,
Paul Lutteur
P.A.U.L.
(206) 922-2044
