SuperCap does what its on determine SQ?

Hi, just wondering, does what a SuperCapDR sit on make a significant difference in SQ. I’m trying one on my 282/250DR, but not really getting on with it. It’s sitting on a well supported wooden shelving unit. The rest of my system is on Mana supports, which also sit on the same shelving unit. Thanks
Best wishes Amer

Keep it as far away as possible (horizontally and vertically) from your 282.

I have a Supercap2 (to be replaced shortly by a Supercap DR which is at the dealer) and that approach certainly helped to improve the SC2 further, although I already had improved sound clarity, bass extension / clarity over the HiCap.

Also make sure your AC power and SNAICs are kept separate.

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Thanks T-elmi, due to lack of space, the rear of my set up is very congested with wires. I’ll try and separate the mains leads as much as I can. It’s the one thing I haven’t tried. Best wishes Amer

It’s a shame you can’t give things a bit of space to get the cables and equipment separated more.

In what way is the Supercap not doing it for you ?

Hi james, equipment is separated on different shelves of Mana supports, the Mana units are sitting on a large well supported wooden shelving unit. As there isn’t a spare Mana shelf left, the SC is sitting directly on the wooden shelving unit. The back of the Mana unit is near the wall, so hence congested, I’m going to now try and separate the mains leads from the SNAiC’s as much as possible as suggested by T-elmi.

The SuperCapDR has improved about 80% of the sound significantly, but the remaining 20% means that the top end, including aspects of vocals, sound too edgy and not pleasant for me to listen to. This wasn’t so noticeable when I was just using a single HiCap. From the responses to previous thread, I appreciate that this is a particular problem for me as all others found the SC not only extended the top end, but also smoothed it out!
Best wishes Amer

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Hi Amer - yes good advice above about the cable dressing. If still no joy, put the Hicap back in and see what you think. Whilst I would expect the Supercapped 282 to be ‘better’, system synergy may be at play here and you just prefer the Hicap in your particular setup. I’ll be interested in where you end up.

James

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I think that’s all the iron in the Mana making its presence felt.
Though I didn’t have Mana my system lost that edginess when I got rid of the steel rack, as my dealer had been advising for a couple of years but I wasn’t having it.
Transformer, magnetic field, iron, sensitive pre amp.

Thanks Yeti, interesting thought, though not sure if that’s the case here. Mana was originally designed to get the most out of Naim equipment - it’s interesting that the Naim fraim, which came well after the success of Mana, copied many of it’s design features. Also in the years of being involved in this forum, I haven’t read any other threads about this possible drawback with Mana supports.
Maybe the Mana uses different metal or a different form of steel. For example I know that Naim and Mana use a ‘softer’ form of steel for their ball bearing/cups and spikes respectively because it sounds better, but it means it doesn’t always look shiny.
There are lots of expensive speaker and equipment feet that use high quality steel, my friends loves the sound, I don’t as for me, while they result in a detailed sound, they sound a bit edgy as you found, but it was still listenable. That presentation of sound wasn’t on the level of the edginess I am experiencing with my current set up with the SCDR, as it’s just not enjoyable.
Anyway, I’m going to address the neatness if my wiring first as suggested by T-elmi above, as it is a bit of a mess!
If all else fails, I’ll go back to the HiCap as my system sounded great then, it’s only the dreaded upgrading itch that resulted in me going for the SuperCapDR! I could blame it on Covid as well - spending too much time in lockdown with my own thoughts, instead of socialising with friends and family!
Best wishes
Amer

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Just a thought… A SuperCap has a significant cost. So why not address your support issues, to fully accommodate the SC…? Rather than compromise - and be left wondering if…?

When did Mana first appear? I remember a friend with an LP12 lusting after it some time around 1990 and another knocking up some copies some time around then. It predates the supercap in any case if not the 52ps.

If only if I could just address the support issues Ian! The space is very tight otherwise I would have hunted for a two shelf Mana unit and put the SC on the lower shelf under the LP12. I don’t want to drastically alter the layout of our living/listening room, I spend loads of time in there and I like what I see!
If all else fails then I go back to the HiCap, it’s been sounding great for years - just that old upgrade itch! I’ll just have to chill, do a bit of deep breathing and relax and accept that even with just a HiCap it sounds very good. I’ve seen the other grass, it was good but not right for me.
I have another week to fiddle around until the SC has to go back for a refund. Best wishes Amer

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It was in the late 80’s or 90’s, I remember when first heard them and couldn’t believe the difference. The reviews at the time said a new standard had been set.
What I have since gradually found out is that Mana’s sales practices prevented it from being even more widely used. To keep costs down and quality up, they liked selling it direct, but that meant while the shops knew it was really good, after the first bit of demoing, they didn’t promote it as there was no money in it for them.
When I bought mine, around 1990, a bloke from Mana came to instal it.
Best wishes
Amer

If you cannot or will not, you have answered your own question. Stick with the HiCap. Buy lots more music, with the money you saved… :smile:

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Hi @Amer I have just replaced the SuperCap2 (which probably needs service to be fair to it) with an ex-demo SupercapDR - and this really is a good step up after just 3 hours of settling in with my 282/250DR - the second hour wasn’t so good with boomy bass - but that is disappearing - no ‘brightness’ even with female vocals.

Whilst I don’t have a Fraim setup (Stands Unique - wood pillars, glass shelvesI have followed Naimees’ advice and have a Brawn and Brains stack in separate units.

Until I pull the Supercap2 out of the rack tomorrow I have just placed the SCDR on the foam inserts from its box onto the lounge floor at the greatest distance the 1.2metre interconnects will allow from the 282 and 250DR. I am using Graham’s Hydra (x2) on the XPS DR and SupercapDR, and I have already moved the Powerline to the 250DR.

It might even be worth trying your 282 out of the steel rack onto temporary support/wooden table and putting the SC into the faraday cage instead.

Thanks for all the helpful responses, I have now implemented your suggestion,T-elmi, made a few days ago, and made sure the signal leads were away from the mains leads, and it has made a massive difference. Thanks, no one else, including the dealer, had suggested that. Maybe people thought it was so basic that I must have done it! Well clearly I am v.basic on that aspect! Thanks T-elmi!
It was a bit of a mess behind my set up, I think I got sloppy when I installed a Hydra a few years ago. The improvement in sound was so much, I didn’t pay attention to getting all the extra lengths of mains power lines out of the way. There wasn’t an issue with a single HiCap.

So now only a slight edginess remains, which is source dependant - CD and LPs sound really good. It’s only on some FM, DAB stations and some streaming that a bit of edginess remains.

The dealer I got the used SCDR from has agreed to send me some alternative feet to try under the SCDR which might well resolve that as well.
I am also due to get my hearing checked by an audiologist in a few weeks time so it could be down to me needing a bit of a service as well!

Thanks to everyone who has responded, and considering the wide range of set ups mentioned, it is clear that I should expect improvements only after installing a SCDR.

Just as an interesting aside, the dealer told me that the customer who they got the SC from had moved up to a 555 from a 252, and they were finding it a bit difficult to get used to as they were finding it a little bit harsh!
Best wishes
Amer

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That would be me Amer :slight_smile: Glad you’re finally enjoying the Supercap. I’m now enjoying the 552, though probably could have stopped very happy with the 252/Supercap.

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do you have any new Iphone USB C chargers or other fast chargers?

I found these do inject noise into the mains, and I can hear the difference.

I switch them off when not required.

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Hi driaj, I think it would be fair to blame Covid for these particular bursts of upgraditis! Not enough other normal social things to keep us entertained!

Great you’re now also enjoying your 552.

But to be fair to covid, even though I was 100% I had reached my destination system when I got the 282 a few years ago, I am now so enjoying the improvement to the sound that the SCDR has bought! So silver lining provided. Thank you for releasing the SCDR!
Best wishes
Amer

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