Interconnects: sc vs. sc.

[mboldda1]

hello, i believe i have the sc interconnects (black,nickel carbon shield and no arrows).
what is the difference in the two interconnects and what is the upgrade fee?
thanks,
marvin

[Bigfish8]

hello, i believe i have the sc interconnects (black,nickel carbon shield and no arrows).
what is the difference in the two interconnects and what is the upgrade fee?
thanks,
marvin

I do not know if many people have yet made the switch from the SC version to the SC Dot version of the Grover's.  Grover claims they are better and we know he has a very good ear.  Upgrade prices are $50.00 for a 1 meter pair and $75.00 for a 2 meter pair.

Ken

[rlmacklin]

mboldda1

I have had the Grover "SC" with no "direction arrow" since February 10th
(burned-in similarly as described below)
and used those for source to preamp and preamp to amp of 2-channel system,
until I received Grover "SC." (SC dot) interconnects on March 21st. 
I put the SC dot ICs in the 2-channel interconnect spots
and moved the Grover "SC" with no "direction arrow" to the source to preamp position for the center and surround channels of multi-channel system.  All other ICs in multi-channel system are Grover "SC" with the direction arrow.

I burned in the new Grover "SC." (SC dot) interconnects using Track 2 of the IsoTek Enhancer CD
running on repeat overnight during sleeping hours for more than a week and they sound well stabilized at this point.

I previously posted in AudioNervosa Album Review section re the improvement
in listening to the Japanese remaster of Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks."

Today over lunch I fired up my Modwright SWL9.0 Signature tubed linestage (w/cryoed 1957 metal base Philips Miniwatt 5AR4/GZ34 and 2 Bendix 6900s) and after it warmed up for 30 minutes or so,
I listened to the track "Stormy Monday" on the DSD SACD "Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East"
in SACD stereo (I am using Grover's latest configuration speaker bi-wire speaker cables also received February 10th).  Superb blues from Duane and Greg Allman, Dicky Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe.
The Grover "SC." (SC dot) carries the soul/emotion of the music even better than the already excellent Grover "SC with no direction arrow" - just draws me more into the music.

I couldn't resist playing "Stormy Monday" again in SACD surround sound after a few minutes...
Can't wait to get the more Grover "SC." ICs I have ordered (Grover e-mailed he is already working on them),to use in all positions in my multi-channel system - as the music will only get even better   

[AcidJazz]

Mhnn...another improvement to the ICs. The older SC's has been my staple IC since the last "upgrade". I still got two of the even older S...one of which I hardly ever use.
Maybe I will upgrade the old S to the now SC. .And next time around upgrade the SC to the .1 or whatever.
Kinda reminds me of a car lease, after a couple years return it for the newer model for a small fee.

[mboldda1]

Just got my upgraded pair of SC. interconnects back and for those sitting on the fence as someone once said, " GET ER DONE"
There are no directional arrows on mine but I do use them in the direction of the writting on the cable.
I'll have to ask Grover about this.
I will be doing a review on the SC. interconnects and speaker cables for Stereo Mojo in the future.
Marvin

[richidoo]

That's cool Marvin!!

[shep]

Got mine today
Mind if I bitch? These have to be the tightest fitting connectors in audio history. Is this really necessary? I'm not sure I can ever get them off again without doing some serious mayhem. Ok well they are on the Isotek disk for a while so no impressions. Anyone have a cleare idea now about directionality or is this left up to guess-work? I put them going the same way, whatever that means (letters closer to amp). Fact service, pretty cables, bad-ass connectors. As soon as there is an update about the misbehaving speaker cables, let's hear about it.

[mboldda1]

shep, once you take them off and then put them back on a couple of times they loosen up.  here is what grover had to say when i asked him about the missing arrows.


"The early models of the SC IC's used an active carbon nickel shield so that's why the directionality. The superior passive carbon nickel shield of these new models is not directional. I do believe that the signal should be applied the same way each time, that's why the label is on one side of the cable. I run my cables the same as you."

[rollo]

shep, once you take them off and then put them back on a couple of times they loosen up.  here is what grover had to say when i asked him about the missing arrows.


"The early models of the SC IC's used an active carbon nickel shield so that's why the directionality. The superior passive carbon nickel shield of these new models is not directional. I do believe that the signal should be applied the same way each time, that's why the label is on one side of the cable. I run my cables the same as you."

 Usually what makes the wire directional is the grounding scheme. Wire is NOT directional. Now when its burned in then its directional. Do you mean the shield was connected to ground or it had a power source such as a battery ? One can either connect the shield to the input end, float at both ends, float at both ends and provide a drain wire to attach to ground or use an actice shield with a battery. So which application are we talking about here ?
  The use of the carbon shielding has been one of the biggest improvements to cables IMO. As an experiment I slipped some over a homemade cord for kicks. Floated at both ends. Very affective in lowering the noise floor. May be subjective as I cannot measure any results of change. Had to rely on my ears which again is subjective.
  Your new cables should be much improved using the new shielding material. A VG upgrade and reasonably priced. ENJOY!.


charles

[richidoo]

Conductors are not directional when they signal AC, but wires that ate a pig are usually directional.
I think stereofool has a funny story about directional speaker wires?

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[shep]

Alright then, no directionality, just burn them in one way and keep using that direction. As for the plugs...
IF I can get them off without tearing the back off my MArantz cdp...actually had I some of that super silver based paste or something similar, they might not be quite so tight. I do not want to start a flaming row here but it isn't exactly true that wire has no preferred direction. Depending on how it has been drawn, the internal christaline structure will have a potential for a preferred direction of electron flow. (depending on the boundry effect) burning them in or as in the case of Furteck, sending massive jolts of current thru them, will create an easier flow one way from another. I'm sort of making this up from bits and pieces I've gleaned here and there. Leave me with my illusions and pseudo science, It's more fun that way. One day we believers wil be vindicated!

[shep]

First impressions after a 10hr Isoteck burn: favorable. Of course it is still "green", meaning tight, rather raw and way too crispy but that is expected. However there is a good sense of spaciousness and air and maybe a slight improvement over the previous versions at both ends of the spectrum. Very much a "house" sound, nothing startling except that it is listenable at this early stage, which wasn't true of the earlier cables.
More to follow. For those of you not familiar with my rather odd audio qualifications, my system is very basic and consists of an ancient and very tricked-out Marantz cdp (which could now be graced with the NOS term), a custom built ICE-based amp, incorportating a Vishay ladder-type passive front-end and a pair of Dutch TL's, strung with solid core OCCC wire. Let's say for want of superlatives that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts and plays way above it's price class.

[mboldda1]

i know the older inteconnects did not have an active power source such as ac or battery, i assume grover means by active is the sheild being connected.  someone will have to get grover to explain this.

[djbnh]

Thanks for the info re: connector tightness and other comments. Re: Connector tightness - I personally prefer a good degree of tightness for my ICs; however, it's interesting that the newest iteration of Grover ICs might be initially supertight, as mentioned by one poster, and then subsequently loosen up.

I note that a set AV connectors that I'm using with my AV setup definitely lack tightness and are a PITA if I move things around (like I just had to do when I got my fireplace rebuilt in the past 30 days). FYI, I use that SST paste, too.

Seeing the speaker cable Group Buy is in limbo for the nonce, perhaps the upgrade price if $50.00 for a 1 meter pair of ICs will merit consideration. Again, thanks for the input.

[richidoo]

The connector tension on all my Grover ICs is about the same, on the SC. too. But there's always chance of extra tight tolerance. I think Grover uses a Switchcraft high copper alloy RCA male, plated in silver to his own specification. On the whiteys he tweaked that connector a lot as part of the development of the graphite, iirc.