Herron VTPH 2--what cables are you using?

Thanks for the response arsh.  It makes sense that a power supply mod would make for a punchier presentation.  

Mkiser, the Zephyr is a great cartridge. The Paua adds a lower noise floor, and more resolution and refinement. I love them both, but the Paua is better. Hope this helps. And Keith upgraded my VTPH2 as well; I think most of the work was on the power supply. 

Beatlebum,

I honestly don't know the details of the upgrade.  It was $325 including shipping, so not a lot of the really expensive parts.  My takeaway is more "punch".  The technical term I suppose would be macrodynamics.  The noise floor is lower.  It took about 20 hours to break in.  Well worth it, but again it was in the context of a cartridge change and cable change.

Mkiser,

Long time fan of Keith’s VTPH-2 myself. What upgrades did Keith perform on your VTPH-2?

Thanks,

Tim

BTW, I've got a Nordost Frey 2 interconnect between my VTPH-2 and my Belles Aria integrated amplifier.

For my VTPH-2, I've tried grover interconnects, Morrow MA-1, and anti-cables but I kept coming back to the Herron interconnect. Then, last December I installed a .9 meter pair of the TEO Audio Game Changer "liquid metal" interconnects.  Jim Jordan of Vaughn Loudspeakers recommended them. At that time you could buy the interconnects as a special here on Audiogon, but they've disappeared since then. They were $400.  Now you have to go to their website and contact them to get prices. Once those cables broke in, they were in a class by themselves.  The most noticeable cable improvement I've ever made. Silky is the first word that comes to mind.  There's sort of a naturalness to them.  Completely non-fatiguing.  Detailed, but unforced detail.  At the time I put them in, I was using a Lyra Delos.  Since then I've switched to a SS Zephyr MIMC and had Keith upgrade my phono stage.  Once I got the Zephyr azimuth, VTA and tracking weight dialed in on my ET 2.5 tonearm, the system achieved a level of transparency and resolution that was way beyond what it had been. The Zephyr pulls a disappearing act.  I understand now what "freedom from mechanical artifacts" means. It's more like to listening to a master tape. If it was a tad warmer, that would be fine, but that's nitpicking. I had a party a week ago, and the most telling indication is that my wife was talking to a friend in the listening room while the music played quite loudly, and she didn't ask me to turn it down. That requires near zero distortion.  The new interconnect, the upgrade to the VTPH-2, and especially the Zephyr, make for a stellar combination, but since I installed the TEO interconnect first, pre-upgrade, while still using the Delos, I'm confident in my observations about it.   Arsh - if you wouldn't mind, could you describe what improvements you see going from the Zephyr to the Paua?  I'm considering that upgrade. 

Thanks bpoletti. I also think the vtph2 sounds great with the Herron cables; however, I was recently speaking with a professional in the business who has owned the vtph2 and found that different cables for the vtph2 made a big difference in his system. That conversation sparked this question.  If I put the new cables in and hear no difference or a diminution in performance, I will send them back. But I figure I have to try it at least. Have you compared any other cables in your all-Herron system (which I am sure sounds great)? Thanks.

My entire system is cabled with Herron Audio cables.  My entire system uses all Herron Audio electronics (except the digital equipment).  That's a VTPH-2, VPSP-3A r002, 2 x M1 amps, 4 x M-150 amps.   

For some unknown reason, Herron Audio cables seem to work well with Herron Audio equipment.  Go figure.

Thanks Chuck. I appreciate it.

Separately as I already had the cables when I purchased the Heron. Less congestion in the mid range and more inner detail especially with regard to violins. When the performer pulls the bow across the strings you can really here the impact of the bow on the strings.

Chuck  

Thanks again. What difference did you hear, and did you do this simultaneously with cable change or separately 

I replaced the stock tubes with NOS Telefunken's which had a major impact on the sound of the Herron.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck. I'll check out their website. From most of these responses, it seems I should hopefully hear even better performance with a cable change.

Home Grown Audio http://www.homegrownaudio.com/

The improvement was definitely noticeable more transparent better bass response and more detail through-out the audio spectrum. The pass xa amps are very smooth with the Be tweeter of the focals and let the detail come through without being harsh. The HGA cables compliment the system well as I also use their (HGA) x-32 speaker cables with excellent results.

Chuck 

Hi Chuck, thanks. I'm not familiar with HGA cables? Did you notice a big improvement with them, and what is their cost? Thanks.

I have some Herron Cables and I use them on my digital source. I use HGA DNA's on my VTPH-2 which are more transparent than the Herron cables.

Chuck

Thanks Violin. Another very helpful comment. I have some Transparent Reference MM2 cables coming (to match the rest of my cables) to try with the VTPH2. I'm excited to hear the results! I would welcome and appreciate any other comments from those who have compared Herron cables with those of another brand on their Herron electronics.

I have also used Herron cables with my Herron phono stage in the past but now have a complete Synergistic Research loom and the sound is wonderful. As someone in answer has already said , the Herron equipment is better than their cables in my opinion and my complete system uses Herron Audio gear except the cables.

Thanks davt. That's very helpful. I've been wondering if I'm hearing everything the vtph2 is capable of.

Yes, I used the herron cables, I still have two pair of them. The Herron electronics far far exceed the ability of the Herron cables. The Herron cables are ok but the Audience were a huge improvement in all areas. 

Thank you very much for your responses, I appreciate them very much. I would love to hear more from people like dodgealum who have also been able to compare the Herron interconnects against other cables.

The Grover Huffman Empress Make The Herron sing beautifully

I have always used Synergistic Research phono cables on my Herron Phono Stage with excellent results. I've never used any other cable in that spot so I don't have any comparisons. 

Thanks Davt. Did you ever have the opportunity to compare the Audience to Herron cables?

I used Audience AU24se in an all Herron system, Phono, Pre and amps. Very pleased. I think Herron recently used Audience in one of the audio shows. I now only have the Herron M1A amps as I have gone all digital but have kept with the Audience all around with the exception of my speaker cable which is Nordost Frey.