Slowly becoming a videophile....
treitz3
Posts: 19,004
in Electronics
Tom here again. This time in a section of the forum completely new to me, as I do not recall having ever posting a thread in this section before.
Please allow me to tell you a story. It all started with the time I started getting really serious about cleaning up anything and everything for my streaming setup on the big rig. It was first noticed when I got a modem (not cable company supplied) and a mesh system for the router. Then, once again after I got upgraded LPS's and cables to power both units.
I started to notice that my video feed got sharper, more defined and you would see less and less of the digital hash and......I know you guys know what I am talking about when I say this, darker screens or screens of underwater shots where the color of the water goes from one pixel color to the next. It simply didn't look real. When the shades of the colors barely changed across the screen, you could pinpoint (almost like a map) where the shades changed.
Then I got into spike eliminators, A/C line conditioners, noise harvesters along with Puron's (highly recommended) for the circuitry leading to the big rig. Once again, the image kept improving. All of this was an added benefit to video, as this was not my goal. My goal was to improve my listening experience in the stereo room.
So, one day earlier this year, a good friend of mine (Marvin - AKA @Marvda1) put up some sort of Wireworld HDMI for sale. I figured, why not? It should improve the sound of the LR setup and if it doesn't? Well, he offered it at a price that was worth a shot (to me), just to find out.
So, I get it in and I have a ROKU that feeds directly into the TV hooked up via HDMI. From the TV, the audio goes out to the system. A standard HDMI cable was there before and we have a Samsung 4K TV. Not a TOTL model, just a regular 4K TV that has a high refresh rate (can't stand the jumpiness of some refresh rates).
The first thing I did was fire up the sound system after installing the Wireworld HDMI cable. Hmmm, an improvement but not what was expecting. It was slight for my modest LR system setup. Oh well, an improvement is still an improvement and every little bit helps.......but.........but wait a cotton pickin' minute!
What in tarnation just happened to the image? Am I really seeing what I am seeing?
This TV was now so sharp and resolving that I was honestly in awe. Out of a ROKU? No freakin' way man. So, I sat down and started watching shows....and didn't stop watching for about 4 hours. Everything, and I do mean everything was now a sheer pleasure to watch. The change was akin to going from a 1080P to a 4K TV. Thing is, I swapped out nothing but this HDMI cable.
I'll put it to you this way. My office and LR are in the same room. The chair in my office is 27 feet away from the (relatively small in today's world) 50" TV. For the first time since I have been in this house, I can not only see but READ all of the print on news banners, show information, basically....I can now read everything without having to get up and walk to about 10 feet in front of the TV just to read what it says.
Before, sharpness on the TV was turned to about 50% for the best look overall between DTV, DTV streaming and the ROKU. When I turned the sharpness to 100, my mind was blown away. Now, DTV is so far out of whack, I barely watch it and that ROKU looks so damned sweet that it actually inticed me to look at an upgraded ROKU. I had a couple of the $40 ones for all of the TV's in the house and a spare or two for vacationing but always wondered what an upgraded model would/could do for the sound.
So, I got a ROKU Ultra for a Benjamin. Not much changed, if anything at all, with regards to the video aspect but now, I have a MUCH more pleasurable listening experience. So much so, that I will be introducing a Musical Fidelity DAC to the LR rig. I am now able to turn it up much louder without it becoming annoying during the busy passages. Quiet passages are now awesome. You can hear everything and the stereo imaging has greatly been enhanced.
While I am on the subject, one other thing i really like about the ROKU Ultra is that I no longer have to type in (very annoying) what it is I want to watch. Without using Alexa, I just press a button on the center of the remote and say "Find the Mentalist on Max". 2 more clicks and I am watching the next unwatched show or resuming where I last left off watching. How cool is that? That alone (to me) was worth the price of admission. Plus, this remote has volume controls for the TV. Pretty cool, eh? The other remotes did not come with a volume control.
Anyhoo, that cable has spoiled me. Now that I know what true 4K looks like, most other 4K TV's I see are all "out of focus". The cable I got is a Wireworld Starlight 5.2 Silver HDMI cable. If you have one for sale, talk to me. I'd like to outfit all of the TV's in the house with them.
That said, once you get things so sharp and crystal clear, some of those hot women out there have faces like Bryan Adams. Ouch. A Matchbox car could 4x4 over some of their "imperfections". Not literally but you DO notice a lot more when it comes to detail. Also, you can clearly tell when the auto zoom on cameras get confused or auto focus. That gets distracting as well as the lighting of the actors. It becomes much more noticeable when they put a light off to one side or underneath them.
Complaints aside, I wouldn't trade anything for what I see (and hear) now. The attributes WELL outweigh the deficiencies. Watching movies has become something the family all looks forward to now, as the pleasure aspect has increased greatly.
To wrap up my rambling for this post, I will say that I stumbled across becoming a "videophile" while trying to achieve another goal and I am kinda liking it. The end result is (to me), just as rewarding as extracting the most you can out of music. Especially when you have a movie or a nature program with superb cinematography.
Eye candy, as opposed to ear candy, if you will. It's nice.
Tom
Please allow me to tell you a story. It all started with the time I started getting really serious about cleaning up anything and everything for my streaming setup on the big rig. It was first noticed when I got a modem (not cable company supplied) and a mesh system for the router. Then, once again after I got upgraded LPS's and cables to power both units.
I started to notice that my video feed got sharper, more defined and you would see less and less of the digital hash and......I know you guys know what I am talking about when I say this, darker screens or screens of underwater shots where the color of the water goes from one pixel color to the next. It simply didn't look real. When the shades of the colors barely changed across the screen, you could pinpoint (almost like a map) where the shades changed.
Then I got into spike eliminators, A/C line conditioners, noise harvesters along with Puron's (highly recommended) for the circuitry leading to the big rig. Once again, the image kept improving. All of this was an added benefit to video, as this was not my goal. My goal was to improve my listening experience in the stereo room.
So, one day earlier this year, a good friend of mine (Marvin - AKA @Marvda1) put up some sort of Wireworld HDMI for sale. I figured, why not? It should improve the sound of the LR setup and if it doesn't? Well, he offered it at a price that was worth a shot (to me), just to find out.
So, I get it in and I have a ROKU that feeds directly into the TV hooked up via HDMI. From the TV, the audio goes out to the system. A standard HDMI cable was there before and we have a Samsung 4K TV. Not a TOTL model, just a regular 4K TV that has a high refresh rate (can't stand the jumpiness of some refresh rates).
The first thing I did was fire up the sound system after installing the Wireworld HDMI cable. Hmmm, an improvement but not what was expecting. It was slight for my modest LR system setup. Oh well, an improvement is still an improvement and every little bit helps.......but.........but wait a cotton pickin' minute!
What in tarnation just happened to the image? Am I really seeing what I am seeing?
This TV was now so sharp and resolving that I was honestly in awe. Out of a ROKU? No freakin' way man. So, I sat down and started watching shows....and didn't stop watching for about 4 hours. Everything, and I do mean everything was now a sheer pleasure to watch. The change was akin to going from a 1080P to a 4K TV. Thing is, I swapped out nothing but this HDMI cable.
I'll put it to you this way. My office and LR are in the same room. The chair in my office is 27 feet away from the (relatively small in today's world) 50" TV. For the first time since I have been in this house, I can not only see but READ all of the print on news banners, show information, basically....I can now read everything without having to get up and walk to about 10 feet in front of the TV just to read what it says.
Before, sharpness on the TV was turned to about 50% for the best look overall between DTV, DTV streaming and the ROKU. When I turned the sharpness to 100, my mind was blown away. Now, DTV is so far out of whack, I barely watch it and that ROKU looks so damned sweet that it actually inticed me to look at an upgraded ROKU. I had a couple of the $40 ones for all of the TV's in the house and a spare or two for vacationing but always wondered what an upgraded model would/could do for the sound.
So, I got a ROKU Ultra for a Benjamin. Not much changed, if anything at all, with regards to the video aspect but now, I have a MUCH more pleasurable listening experience. So much so, that I will be introducing a Musical Fidelity DAC to the LR rig. I am now able to turn it up much louder without it becoming annoying during the busy passages. Quiet passages are now awesome. You can hear everything and the stereo imaging has greatly been enhanced.
While I am on the subject, one other thing i really like about the ROKU Ultra is that I no longer have to type in (very annoying) what it is I want to watch. Without using Alexa, I just press a button on the center of the remote and say "Find the Mentalist on Max". 2 more clicks and I am watching the next unwatched show or resuming where I last left off watching. How cool is that? That alone (to me) was worth the price of admission. Plus, this remote has volume controls for the TV. Pretty cool, eh? The other remotes did not come with a volume control.
Anyhoo, that cable has spoiled me. Now that I know what true 4K looks like, most other 4K TV's I see are all "out of focus". The cable I got is a Wireworld Starlight 5.2 Silver HDMI cable. If you have one for sale, talk to me. I'd like to outfit all of the TV's in the house with them.
That said, once you get things so sharp and crystal clear, some of those hot women out there have faces like Bryan Adams. Ouch. A Matchbox car could 4x4 over some of their "imperfections". Not literally but you DO notice a lot more when it comes to detail. Also, you can clearly tell when the auto zoom on cameras get confused or auto focus. That gets distracting as well as the lighting of the actors. It becomes much more noticeable when they put a light off to one side or underneath them.
Complaints aside, I wouldn't trade anything for what I see (and hear) now. The attributes WELL outweigh the deficiencies. Watching movies has become something the family all looks forward to now, as the pleasure aspect has increased greatly.
To wrap up my rambling for this post, I will say that I stumbled across becoming a "videophile" while trying to achieve another goal and I am kinda liking it. The end result is (to me), just as rewarding as extracting the most you can out of music. Especially when you have a movie or a nature program with superb cinematography.
Eye candy, as opposed to ear candy, if you will. It's nice.
Tom
~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
Comments
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Everything you talked about is impossible as Digital signals and power supplies can't make a difference. Especially hdmi cables!
I noticed very similar results when I did similar in my rig, maybe not as much as you are describing but definitely a sharper, more refined image with superior colors for streaming- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Well, as you know, I am partially color blind and the three primary colors on a TV are the ones that mess with me the most. So, it's best that I do not comment on that aspect of things.
You also have much better gear when it comes to HT than I do. For me, this has always been considered, "unimportant". The proof should be that as of (I think it was) 10 years ago or so, we still had a tube TV! I think my 4K, BR player was probably 80 to 120 bucks. The TV was a demo unit from Sam's Club. I think I paid 3 bills for that and the ROKU was $40. DTV provided all of their equipment and all cables were "scraps and leftover's" from previous stereo systems gone by.
I have been there and done that when it comes to an HT setup, so I will no longer pursue that. I'm fine with stereo for the TV but I will most definitely pay more attention and shift some of the budget toward improving the LR system. Luckily, I already have everything I need to upgrade all of the cables and install the DAC. The Polk's are sounding better and better and enjoyment is definitely been heightened. Even something as simple as watching a nature program narrated by David Attenborough.
Some tenant left a 180P (no mis-type) portable movie projector in one of the houses we are working on. So, I brought it home and my son hooked it up just for S&Giggles. It's just some cheap Chinese POS that retails for something like 80 bucks. We LOVED the aspect ratio and the image didn't look too bad. We just watched it on the vertical blinds out in the sun room. We were so impressed that my son stayed up until the wee hours of the night looking at other 4K options.
A portable projector is something that the wife wants and apparently, after getting a cheap taste of this 180P projector, something my son wanted as well. Okay, so he sends me a link. He was able to find a $400 4K projector (last year's model), with a $30 coupon that was 55% off. We added award funds from Amazon and found a gift card I have had for 3 years and we ended up not paying a dime for it.
"That's my boy!"
I'd be fine with the one we found but it would be interesting to see what differences could be made with a nicer unit. It would be cool to watch a movie when camping out or just for fun on a fall evening out in the front yard. It's something different. Ya' know ya' gots ta' experience a little strange now and then...
For someone who used to care freakin' less about video, this has been an eye opener.
Pun intended.
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
I think with theater a larger screen is nice of course.
I have considered a projector and screen to pull out for movie nights- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Heck, you already have the outdoor system. Get a sturdy projector screen, put the portable projector on a stand, then sit back and enjoy a movie off your back porch!
The one we got is small enough for you to check out prior to purchase. All you would need is a feed and a wall/screen big enough to project onto. We did it on the blinds of the sunroom and it still looked pretty good with the cheap one we snagged from the rehab house.
What I liked most was the "movie" aspect, without making the characters short and wide. It was literally like watching a movie at a theater. That's what impressed me the most. We get that one some movies on the TV but it sure does shrink the screen a bit.
The one we got will do up to a 25' screen. Crazy!
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
I'm following your journey and I'll implement a few of your recommendations . . . .
I just cut the cord THIS week and here's what I'm starting out with (just arrived today)
If I read you right, then question, how is your DAC connected to the TV?AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
Pre Cary SLP-05
Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
Mains Salk HT2-TL
Rythmik F12 -
AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
Pre Cary SLP-05
Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
Mains Salk HT2-TL
Rythmik F12 -
I just cut the cord THIS week and here's what I'm starting out with (just arrived today)
First off, congrat's on cutting the cord. I am debating doing that but I haven't been able to figure out how to watch a show I usually watch with the wife after dinner. That's a show called "The Five" that we DVR and watch whenever dinner is done. Paying $90/mo for one show is a little ridiculous but it's time spent alone with my wife, so I guess I can't put a price tag on that.If I read you right, then question, how is your DAC connected to the TV?
Sorry if my wording in the previous posts weren't as straightforward as they should have been. I just typed as if I was speaking and didn't go back to proofread anything. To answer your question, I currently do not have the DAC hooked up. The plan is;
TV optical out>MF DAC>RCA in to Cary Pre>MF amp>Polk speakers
While I am not a big fan of optical when it comes to audio, with a modest system in the LR, I don't think I'll mind it to much, given that this system is no where near as resolving as the big rig is. I have had the DAC hooked up before to an older TV when I lived in the townhouse and it was an improvement to the sound, so I can only try it out and hope for the best.
When I do this, I will try it to see if it works and improves the sound, then I will change out all of the other cables (every one of them) until I find the best combo/synergy for the setup.
I have everything go through the TV, so I don't have any timing issues with dialog and the sound. That and I never have to worry about what setting the pre is at. The TV is the only thing that gets sound in this rig but I have multiple devices hooked up to the TV and don't like getting up to switch from one component to another. Going through the TV saves me any hassle with keeping up with the pre and what signal is coming from/going to what.
Tom
~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
k
Thanks
OTA (over the air) has much to be desired. Better than nothing, fo sho. But no where near cable.
OTA, I get Fox affiliates, but not The Five, Jesse, Guttfeld ETC. Mostly local (within 60 miles, including Canada) as I'm in SE Mich . . . Detroit is actually south of Windsor, Canada
OTA has options i'm exploring, like long range external antenna (high mounted) with boosters/amplifiers
I'm normally Not the type to hunker down and watch 10 hours of TV day-after-day, like A LOT of FOLKS
I just wanna watch my stuff and not pay thru the nose for it
I'm just breaching the rabbit hole so not a lot of info from meAC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
Pre Cary SLP-05
Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
Mains Salk HT2-TL
Rythmik F12 -
I just cut the cord THIS week and here's what I'm starting out with (just arrived today)
First off, congrat's on cutting the cord. I am debating doing that but I haven't been able to figure out how to watch a show I usually watch with the wife after dinner. That's a show called "The Five" that we DVR and watch whenever dinner is done. Paying $90/mo for one show is a little ridiculous but it's time spent alone with my wife, so I guess I can't put a price tag on that.If I read you right, then question, how is your DAC connected to the TV?
Sorry if my wording in the previous posts weren't as straightforward as they should have been. I just typed as if I was speaking and didn't go back to proofread anything. To answer your question, I currently do not have the DAC hooked up. The plan is;
TV optical out>MF DAC>RCA in to Cary Pre>MF amp>Polk speakers
While I am not a big fan of optical when it comes to audio, with a modest system in the LR, I don't think I'll mind it to much, given that this system is no where near as resolving as the big rig is. I have had the DAC hooked up before to an older TV when I lived in the townhouse and it was an improvement to the sound, so I can only try it out and hope for the best.
When I do this, I will try it to see if it works and improves the sound, then I will change out all of the other cables (every one of them) until I find the best combo/synergy for the setup.
I have everything go through the TV, so I don't have any timing issues with dialog and the sound. That and I never have to worry about what setting the pre is at. The TV is the only thing that gets sound in this rig but I have multiple devices hooked up to the TV and don't like getting up to switch from one component to another. Going through the TV saves me any hassle with keeping up with the pre and what signal is coming from/going to what.
Tom
I know he hates me, but Tom could save a substantial amount if he switches from Directv/cable to Youtubetv and he will get unlimited DVR (well, sort of) and “The Five” among other free tv/movie apps that comes with a Roku-type device.CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC
DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)
Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777
Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)
Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150
Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i
Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart
Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables. -
…also I apologize to @treitz3 and the forum for any offenses I have caused.
I have been hard-hearted at times and don’t know why. I apologize for this.
- Justin -CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC
DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)
Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777
Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)
Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150
Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i
Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart
Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables. -
Paying $90/mo for one show is a little ridiculous but it's time spent alone with my wife, so I guess I can't put a price tag on that.
Just think how quickly you could put the savings towards more Wireworld HDMI cables.😃 Definitely understand the value of quality time with the wife.
Thanks for sharing your findings. I will now be on the lookout for one or two of them to upgrade the Roku and Panasonic HD Blu Ray player connections. Only bummer is the long run HDMI cable to the projector that Im guessing would be out of this world expensive to replace with a Wireworld.____________________________________________________________
polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
