Extreme preamp jumper upgrading!!!

So, I've been a cable tweaker all along. I've tried various interconnects in the $30 to $450 price range and they all deliver something different IME (and price is not a reliable indicator of performance--but that's a different topic).

But I never thought to give attention to the preamp jumpers on the back of my Shanling A3000 integrated amp; I mean it's 4 inches of signal cable, seems like they'd be pretty low on the priority list when it comes to weak links.



But I had the opportunity to try something uniquely special recently. The salesman at my local shop who also owned the same amp made himself a pair of jumpers from parts he acquired through the shop; specifically Siltech FTM-4 G3 cable with WBT 0150 locking RCAs.







His Shanling was for sale in the shop and one of the other guys took these jumpers off of it and handed them to me, saying, with a big grin, take these home and see what you think". I'm always game for new experiences and I have built a rapport with these guys that isn't all about commerce.

So I took them home, and when the rig was warmed up and the house quiet, I sat down to listen to some music (Willie Nelson 's Stardust LP) without changing anything for a few tunes.

Here are the original jumpers; the short white/green loops:




Then I changed to the Siltech/WBT jumpers (which I covered with Techflex b/c i don't like their bright turquoise skin.) And was really surprised by what I was hearing! Forgive my limited ability to describe it; but what comes to mind is more openness, finer timbre textures and better overall detail and sound-staging. And interestingly, the whole presentation seemed to be better grounded; not so much floating in the air above the speakers.





I know better than to expect or report a "night and day" difference with any such changes, but the difference was remarkable and unexpected. And well worth the asking price It was a personal sale between me and the individual that works at the shop; I basically got them for the cast of parts. (or about $650 cheaper than they would retail if you could even buy a set).



When I stopped back in to the shop to drop off the check (about two weeks later) and reported my experience to a third salesman (I know all these guys pretty well by now), his response was a fun and friendly "Welcome to the world of stupid-expensive cables". --he even manged to say it with a hint of dread in his tone as though it would be better if it wasn't true.

Anyway...not really a point here, just wanted to share my joy and good fortune and maybe show off a little.

Although you may take this as encouragement to play around with your preamp jumpers if you haven't already.

Thanks for looking!

:thmbsp:

---brett

Interesting, but what if you forgo the RCA cable entirely and just bypass them internally?
If these sound better due to what they don't do wrong, then shouldn't not having any be the best solution?
:scratch2:

Great reading! I'm very glad you are enjoying the new cables. My amp doesn't have jumpers thankfully. I'm not done with other cables yet. But I am enjoying the journey as you are. I like your description of finer timbre. I think it's a key ingredient in cable differences.

It seems there is a "price to pay" for the option of pre-out/main-in. Congratulations on finding a way to minimize the damage!:thmbsp:

I've sort of wondered if I'd get anything by replacing the solid metal jumpers on my Onkyo with real leads. A little shielding probably wouldn't be the worst thing in that spot.

Enjoyed reading it. I wanted to try such jumper too but I didn't think my Marantz was of such quality to require one. My current amp has a pre out but no main in.

Sir.Byrd said:

Interesting, but what if you forgo the RCA cable entirely and just bypass them internally?
If these sound better due to what they don't do wrong, then shouldn't not having any be the best solution?
:scratch2:

Click to expand...

That definitely is the best solution if you don't mind wrecking the resale value of your amp.

Brett a said:

So, I've been a cable tweaker all along. I've tried various interconnects in the $30 to $450 price range and they all deliver something different IME (and price is not a reliable indicator of performance--but that's a different topic).

But I never thought to give attention to the preamp jumpers on the back of my Shanling A3000 integrated amp; I mean it's 4 inches of signal cable, seems like they'd be pretty low on the priority list when it comes to weak links.



But I had the opportunity to try something uniquely special recently. The salesman at my local shop who also owned the same amp made himself a pair of jumpers from parts he acquired through the shop; specifically Siltech FTM-4 G3 cable with WBT 0150 locking RCAs.


His Shanling was for sale in the shop and one of the other guys took these jumpers off of it and handed them to me, saying, with a big grin, take these home and see what you think". I'm always game for new experiences and I have built a rapport with these guys that isn't all about commerce.

So I took them home, and when the rig was warmed up and the house quiet, I sat down to listen to some music (Willie Nelson 's Stardust LP) without changing anything for a few tunes.

Here are the original jumpers; the short white/green loops:



Then I changed to the Siltech/WBT jumpers (which I covered with Techflex b/c i don't like their bright turquoise skin.) And was really surprised by what I was hearing! Forgive my limited ability to describe it; but what comes to mind is more openness, finer timbre textures and better overall detail and sound-staging. And interestingly, the whole presentation seemed to be better grounded; not so much floating in the air above the speakers.


I know better than to expect or report a "night and day" difference with any such changes, but the difference was remarkable and unexpected. And well worth the asking price It was a personal sale between me and the individual that works at the shop; I basically got them for the cast of parts. (or about $650 cheaper than they would retail if you could even buy a set).



When I stopped back in to the shop to drop off the check (about two weeks later) and reported my experience to a third salesman (I know all these guys pretty well by now), his response was a fun and friendly "Welcome to the world of stupid-expensive cables". --he even manged to say it with a hint of dread in his tone as though it would be better if it wasn't true.

Anyway...not really a point here, just wanted to share my joy and good fortune and maybe show off a little.

Although you may take this as encouragement to play around with your preamp jumpers if you haven't already.

Thanks for looking!

:thmbsp:

---brett

Click to expand...

Pretty much the first thing I do with an NAD amp is replace the stock jumpers with the inexpensive but far better AQ jumpers. Well done, Brett.

Nicely done. I've always thought that in audio everything matters.

gadget73 said:

I've sort of wondered if I'd get anything by replacing the solid metal jumpers on my Onkyo with real leads. A little shielding probably wouldn't be the worst thing in that spot.

Click to expand...

Makes some sense! Join the cable journey

Art K. said:

That definitely is the best solution if you don't mind wrecking the resale value of your amp.

Click to expand...

You're assuming it can't be undone, which it could be. Voiding warranties is a totally different problem though!

I'm past warantee, so I'd be free to bypass them internally, but I do use thier functionality to occasionally run passive preamp(s) into the shanling's amp sections. I will likey add a better pramp someday and use the Shanling as an amp.

Brett a said:

I'm past warantee, so I'd be free to bypass them internally, but I do use thier functionality to occasionally run passive preamp(s) into the shanling's amp sections. I will likey add a better pramp someday and use the Shanling as an amp.

Click to expand...

That would be the next thing I would do :yes:

240sx4u said:

You're assuming it can't be undone, which it could be. Voiding warranties is a totally different problem though!

Click to expand...

I wasn't assuming it couldn't be undone, Evan. I was assuming an honest, full disclosure, sale in the future.

Art K. said:

I wasn't assuming it couldn't be undone, Evan. I was assuming an honest, full disclosure, sale in the future.

Click to expand...

I guess it depends on what all is involved as well. Looks like Brett uses that function anyway, so it's probabally pretty handy for him. They sure are nice looking jumpers though. Those ends have a kung-fu grip.

I have to admit my wheels have been turning with thoughts of possible internal mods to this unit. Unfortunately, they4e out of my knowlede range at this point.

I know when these first came out, Underwood HiFi (i think) was modd'ing them.

Synergy's a funny thing isn't it?
Use those jumpers on some other preamp and, while different, it might not be an improvement.
It's finding the combinations and not extrapolating that, the magic change will improve everything wherever you put it, is key.

audiodon said:

Synergy's a funny thing isn't it?
Use those jumpers on some other preamp and, while different, it might not be better.
It's finding the combinations and not extrapolating that, the magic change will improve everything wherever you put it, is key.

Click to expand...

Extremely good point. Very well stated.

congrats

siltech is wonderful cable when used in the right system. for us cable is mostly about tonal and timbre changes. i dont have much experience with the shandling line but what i have heard i liked a lot. what does the amp come with for jumpers from the mfgr? the reason i ask is that i would have thought that you would run the amp without jumpers unless you wanted to run as a power or pre. ive seen int's that do this sometimes with a switch and some without.

that said your findings as pre the change are exactly what i would expect.


btw which shandling do you have? never mind i learned to read just now.

eric

audiodon said:

Synergy's a funny thing isn't it?
Use those jumpers on some other preamp and, while different, it might not be an improvement.
It's finding the combinations and not extrapolating that, the magic change will improve everything wherever you put it, is key.

Click to expand...

I think this may be part of the blessing. Te guy who made these jumpers works at a shop that sells both Siltech and Shanling, (among many other brands of cables and components). I dint know what his process was at choosing these particular parts (Siltech and WBT) of if there even was one. I should stop in or email him some time. Although I've spent a fair amount of time w/the guy who made these, the transaction was handled w/o him.

stereocuuple said:

(...)what does the amp come with for jumpers from the mfgr? the reason i ask is that i would have thought that you would run the amp without jumpers unless you wanted to run as a power or pre. ive seen int's that do this sometimes with a switch and some without.
(...)
eric

Click to expand...

There are a couple pictures of the stock jumpers in the first post. IIRC, they have pretty ambiguous marking; only about shielding and composition (I think) and don't have a name brand.

As for their place in the signal, the Shanling is a real minimalist rig. Basically the preamp and the (dual mono) amps share the chassis, but connect externally. There's actually no switches on the whole unit, only buttons for input selection and power.

This is kind of a drag if I ever wanted to run a sub, I'd have to split the signal externally from the preamp section.