Qol Signal Completion Stage

[mdconnelly]

   That could be an issue if the signal was being processed. There is zero processing involved of any signal. Nor a gain stage.
...

But, but, but.... something is feeding a signal to your amp with Qol in circuit that is different than without Qol, no? 

I totally get that 'signal processing' is a loaded term often with negative connotation, but somehow, the signal coming out of Qol is different from what goes in.  If so, could not the Qol output be recorded and subsequently played back with improvements intact?   If yes, then that leads to more questions along the lines posed by tmazz.  But if not, it has me totally befuddled and extremely curious.

[Triode Pete]

Well, well, well... Charles came over this morning & brought the BSG - QOL with the Grover tour cables. We hooked-up the Qol between my tube pre-amp & SET monoblocks.

We listened for ~ 4 hours & probably could have listened all evening & night (if Life didn't get in the away  )... in other words, no listener fatigue whatsoever...

The Qol (pronounced "Cool") was impressive. It did not appear to add anything unnatural, artificial or synthetic like most surround sound processors.

It appeared to add a dimension to the music, especially live concert recordings. We listened on VINYL to the original Belafonte at Carnegie Hall as well as Friday Night in San Francisco (DiMeola, McLaughlin & DeLucia) as well as other LP's. You sense the entire venue along with audience & orchestra locations in Carnegie Hall. You could hear the spaciousness & "air / reverb" at the Warfield Theatre. The venues (halls) sounded completely different & natural. We listened to numerous CD's, including some Ray Brown Live recordings, Waltz for Debby & the NY Audio Rave Reference Tracks 2006. Same effect on CD's - pretty impressive... however, the vinyl to me, was a bit better...

Decay of instruments was superb & real... perhaps, according to the BSG-Qol website, the PHASE is corrected... I think they might be onto to something big... Depth & Imaging of instruments in the Soundfield was equally impressive. My horn speakers sounded wider, larger, disappearing at times...

I had reservations on the Qol. I like my hi-fi system SIMPLE & do not like adding "unnecessary" things to it. My system is so SENSITIVE (literally as well) is that any sonic anomaly is easily picked-up by ear. The Qol, when in my system, was dead quiet and did not interfere my system sonics at all.

The Qol picks-up ~ 2 dB worth of gain when engaged as per Charles... I concur. It appeared that there was more information being retrieved with the Qol than with it bypassed. Perhaps the perceived increase in information was the added "gain"? IDK...

Overall, I could not find anything detractable about the Qol, except for its MSRP... and then again, it might be worth it...

Does my system still sound good without it... YES!
Can I live without the Qol in my system... absolutely.
Do I want to live without the Qol in my system (after only 4 hours of listening with it)... Probably Not 

My initial impressions (more to follow on Friday & Saturday!),
Pete

[mdconnelly]

Pete,

Thanks for the input and your take on the Qol.  Charles already had me drooling a bit and you sure didn't help that!  From most everything I've read, it sounds incredibly intriguing if not a bit mystifying.

There's an interesting discussion on AC here: 

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=99930.0

... that ultimately links to the only potential criticism I've found here:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?4384-Stereo-Field-Processing

which utlimately points to a couple other products that may or may not be similar in nature here:

http://www.fmacoustics.com/c_dom_fm_133_233_harmonic.html

and here:

http://rupertneve.com/products/portico-5014/

All very fascinating if not totally overwhelming and a challenge to sort out.  Be that as it may, I really want to find a way to hear Qol myself at some point.  I'm certain we've only hit the tip of the iceberg on this...

[rollo]

  Pete glad you liked it. The "gain"  [ 2db is an estimate ]is a result of what is extracted in absolute correct  phasethrough qol. Very similar to adjusting ones subwoofer. When phase is correct  for the sub it'sthe volume increases. Never before with any kind of device has this been  accomplished.   
   Of course your system still sounds good. Just mo better with the qol
    OK this is my official stand as an Audiophile not a dealer. Never in all my 40 years at this hobby has a device come along that changes the game. This is it. Period. I will stand by this statement with my reputation at stake. Yes a bold statement which I have doubt the BSGT qol technology will confirm in any system.

charles
SMA
   

[arthurs]

Does it perform better between source and pre on digital?  Or is between pre and amp optimal regardless of medium?  I'd love to get a demo on this thing....sounds very interesting. Thanks for the updates

[rollo]

Does it perform better between source and pre on digital?  Or is between pre and amp optimal regardless of medium?  I'd love to get a demo on this thing....sounds very interesting. Thanks for the updates

   Actually hard to say, we like it in both positions. We are using it after the Pre right now. as it appears to have a slight edge. If one has a phono setup after the Pre if CD based then either way. The jury is still out.
  Where are you located ? If you are in the NYC tri-state area a demo is in your future just email me at rollo14@verizon.net to arrange a day.
 
charles
SMA

[arthurs]

Thanks Charles, I run digital only so it sounds like I would have options on placement to explore.  I'm in Texas unfortunately....

[rollo]

Thanks Charles, I run digital only so it sounds like I would have options on placement to explore.  I'm in Texas unfortunately....

   I love that Texas Brisket but a bit of a drive.  I will contact BSGT to see if there any dealers in your area for a home demo.

charles
SMA

[arthurs]

Thanks Charles, very kind of you!  If you ever end up out our way, brisket, beverages and listening session are on me!  A link to my room and system http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1115953260&read&keyw&zzvac

[rollo]

    looking great there Buckaroo. thanks for that Texan hospitality.


charles
SMA

[arthurs]

Charles have you put the Buss back in again and did stridency subside as the Buss got hours on it?  Curious as I have custom hard wired  from Dave on both my front end and amps and the interplay of the QOL and Buss is of interest to me.

[rollo]

Charles have you put the Buss back in again and did stridency subside as the Buss got hours on it?  Curious as I have custom hard wired  from Dave on both my front end and amps and the interplay of the QOL and Buss is of interest to me.

  The stridency after 200 hours is gone.  The qol is plugged into the Uberbuss with good affect.
 

charles
SMA

[arthurs]

Thanks Charles!  Good to hear they play well together...

[rollo]

  I'm done. Yes thats right done. Living with the BSGT qol for a while now has convinced me to stop my audio journey.
   Before being qoled I was a happy camper. All to me was right [ except vinyl]  The vinyl set upneeded a new cart. Bought a Goldenote Boboli HOMC for the Lingo'ed Linn LP12. Before We had a chance to install it we became Kuzma dealers and waited for the Stobi S, Stogi 12s arm, external power supply and Crystal cable phono cable . In a word  DONE.
  Adding the BSGT just concludes a long 40 year journrey. I cannot listen without it. It has changed the game for me and others who have heard it in THEIR systems and bought it.
   If you are confident and happy with your system and have no desire to change a thing, adding the BSGT will make ya giggle all the way to the record store. 
   From this point on no more Nervosa  for a long time. If anything a new digital front end and that's a long shot. The Plinius 101 CDP is in instead of the Lector CDP. So far it's a keeper.

charles
SMA

[mdconnelly]

Charles,

Has there been any scenarios where you would would have wanted to put the Qol in bypass?  Any system or music that you felt it did more than you wanted?