November 18, 2014

• Tale of Two Bybees, Part 2

  One point I should have mentioned during Part 1 concerns metallurgy and the resulting compatibilities or incompatibilities that result between power cords and the rest of the electrical reproduction chain.

  The electrical wall outlets that I use in my apartment for my stereo system are the Oyaide R-1 model. These electrical outlets start with a twice-polished copper beryllium substrate to which is added a 0.5 micron layer of platinum and then a final layer of 0.3 micron thick palladium. Each layer, the same as the substrate, is twice-polished. Three of these same outlets are used in my Power Wing II.

  The Oyaide M1/F1 connectors use exactly the same metallurgy and therefore, in this sense, should be a perfect electrical match for both the wall and Power Wing II outlets. The Acrolink Carbon Fiber connectors, on the other hand, have a 3,500 micron (3.5mm) layer of rhodium plating. I do not know the substrate material but assume that on these older plugs it is most likely phosphor bronze or copper.

  Some believe (including both manufacturers and audiophiles that I greatly respect) that metallurgical mismatches result in tonal and/or spatial discontinuities in the reproduced sound that aren’t present when all the metals match.

  Bybee Golden Goddess M1/F1
  The first application for this power cord was on the Oppo 105D replacing a Shunyata Taipan Helix Alpha. Bear in mind that the retail price of this Bybee is about three times more than the Shunyata.

  Listening Impressions
  • A playlist of Hearts of Space tracks on my personal computer via Foobar2000 showed an immediate improvement in low level detail and image placement
  • Bass is more impactful
  • Very even and extended tonality with a more delicate treble
  • Timbre/inner detail is better, as well
  • Music seems to be just hanging there against a dead black background

  Bybee Golden Goddess Prototype Acrolink CF
  Replaced the Tel Wire power cord on my Olive O3HD music server with the Bybee Prototype Acrolink CF.

  Listening Impressions
  • Very low level details are more easily heard
  • Sound stage is more three-dimensional extending from farther behind the plane of the speakers right up to the listening seat
  • A bit smoother with echoes seeming to go on forever
  • Details such as the intake of a singer’s breath more easily discernable
  • Initial transients are a little rounder
  • Dynamic changes can be startling at times

  There were later changes using these two cords including switching between the 105D and the O3HD. One thing I did notice, as had been pointed out to me by an audio buddy, was that the M1/F1 cord cast a higher sound stage. In general, however, the two differently terminated cords sounded more alike than different and both were capable of producing reference level sound at times.

  • 10:15 pm
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