Did anyone experience Audio Prism's Ground Control

According to Rick at EVS, sometimes tying the little buggers to the speaker cable with some soft cotton string at their top and bottom ends, or otherwise keeping them from resonating, has cured the "hardness" that some people are experiencing.

Worth a try I guess.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Bud,

Yes, they do have the gold ground petals.
I burned in my standard rca on my cary amp for hundreds of
hours since I had some new tubes to burn in. I then
let it settle in for about ten days on the Naim. So,
they were settled in. I think what is going on is that
Niam's forte is star grounding. So, i think that adding
another star ground is overkill. I did however, finally
add a standard rca to my dac via a rca y-adapter and have
let that settle in for a day. Now this is a different story. For vocals and acoustic music it a dream come true.
Vocals now have that presence that i have experienced with
single ended tube amps, but with so much more air and decay
trails that let you hear the recording studio. So, there is
more depth and a maybe a little bit more width. There is also more detail, but in a very organic presentation.
I found the standard spades to have more effect in increasing width in my system. The only downside i have at this point is that i am getting too much mid bass weight on certain types of music. However, my system is already tuned this way.

Ozzy and Oddeophile.

Are you using an HDMI connection for your HT? I tried the
rca on my Denon center channel 7.1 input and did not really
notice much. I also have a standard spade on my Gallo nucleus center channel speaker. I was really hoping to get
that organic mid bass bloom quality that i got with my dac,
but so far no luck. I will have to experiment with my bluray and dvr.

Scottmac,

Yes, I have both a standard and refereence RCA on my Pioneer Elite SC-09TX. I use a very expensive silver HDMI cable made by PS Audio which is the finest sounding, and looking, HDMI cable I have found so far. It absolutely walks on any copper and silver clad copper HDMI I have tried so far. Not even close. It was originally designed by PS Audio to carry hi resolution data between their PWT and PWD transport and DAC in a true I2S transmission with all data carried separately. In my PWT/PWD it is immediate and obvious the difference in sound quality, so I tried it on my Pioneer BDP-09 - SC-09 connection and was amazed at how much more detail and better imaging/balance, detail, depth, dynamic capability the sound became on hi -res lossless movie tracks. then, on to the video end where I eventually added one for the BDP-09 to the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-151 plasma display, and there they have all stayed, except for cleaning the connections periodically, for about 1.5 years now.

Anyway, I noted an improvement in the 5.2 channel set up when adding them initially to the SC-09 receiver but caution they are not broken in yet. I have had them only in now for about 48 hours and it takes at least another 2 days before they will finally settle. Last evening, the sound did just what Bud states - initial pleasing sonic improvement, then dull/narrow, then wide/bright, then back and forth and I could easily hear this going on while using the system. It is freaky to note that. However, I expect to hear them finally settle by sometime on Sunday which is the norm. We'll go from there for the final notation on how they work in that format.

Also, I have a set breaking in on my two channel preamp which is also integrated into the HT system and should be fully broken in by then to know what happens when any of them are removed, inserted again, etc. The good thing about the RCA versions is they can be quickly removed and replaced for immediate, and obvious, noted changes. I have noted already, however, the bass is deeper, and when they are not breathing in and out, for the short time they appear to settle the sound can become quite organic and the top end is also much extended.

I would suggest you try the Walker Audio HDL's. If you are having problems especially with your CC speaker, try adding the walkers. They extremely effectively remove all ultrasonic EMI/RFI from the system. Believe me, I had no clue this was even effecting my system until I added them. Immediately a huge amount of heretofore unknown grain and crap was infecting my system and now stripped away providing a very sweet, warm and smooth/natural sound. Performances moved literally into my room and moved me directly to the studio when called for or auditorium. Superb. Movie sound tracks take on an al new "you are there" sound. Combining the two is quite an experience when I had the AP reference GCs' on my speakers alone and then added the walkers along with them. Never heard it sound better and more consistent from early morning, day and night time use.

Enjoy!

Oddeophile,

You have really piqued my interest in the Walker Audio/AP
combo. First of all, I must say I have sticker shock on the
Walker Audio HDL's. I can not believe that such a small little box with only a couple of parts can cost this much.
Have you had the chance to compare the Reference HDL to the
Mark iii? There is no description on the difference in
construction or sound.

I did get a chance to try the GC rca on my center external
7.1 input on my receiver, and here i did notice a difference. Less glare at higher volumes. However, the sound had less bloom and the sound field was more narrow.
Not getting that warm organic sound that I did on my other
components. I guess I will have to experiment with source
gear for my HT system.

If you have any extra Walker's or AP rca's that you no longer need. let me know. I have a spare AP spade that I can't find any use for.

Scottmac,

Give the GC time to settle and break in on the receiver. I have both versions on mine and the sound stage is quite large to say the least and detailed exquisitely. Yes, the HDL's are not the cheapest thing on the street but like the GC they are indespensable and when you have them on and break in you will never want to be without them. If you don't biwire or biamp its not too bad and I did get them through a dealer if you pm me I will advise you of to contact to discuss options.

The Reference Plus is much better than the Mark III, both my dealer advised (who I trust absolutely) and Lloyd Walker. They do add an additional dimensional benefit the Mark III does not, I am advised. I went for all matched for my system. They are matched super tight, use silver capacitors and parts that are all "nude" internally, then cryo'ed in a specific process, etc. There is I am advised a 10-15% mortality rate in production due to the extremely difficult parts to work with. As I said, I am completely in love with them, though, along with Bud's GC's. Staple in my system.

Give the GC in your receiver time to settle. The standard GC should provide for an enlargement and detachment better from the speakers in your 5.1 presentation when settled in. I think actually on a receiver and source without a true third ground structure they show a larger improvement, at least I thought so, over time. Mine are on their final settle in process this week and will know more this weekend for final determination but I was enraptured this last weekend with a few movies I knew well before adding in the final set of RCA GC's to the system and what I heard was extremely promising and delightful.

Enjoy and take care!

Odd