Reference Tweaks Miracle Wraps
A controversial tweak...
The first samples I received were the Power Wraps
CONCLUSION
Controversial? You bet. And the differences are not night and day. But after doing repeatative tests I can confirm that the Wraps do work. The difficulty in asessing their merit lies in the amount of time that passes for the effect to kick in or fade off after application or removal. It is advertised that this can take a long time, but I found that it is more in the order of minutes, perhaps with larger effect over a longer period. But even after immediate removal I already feel that the sound is less luxurious and that feeling was only substantiated during further tests. Also, the more familiar you become with the effect they have, the easier you can spot the differences. I feel that the Wraps make for a more intimate, more emotional sound that is at once more relaxed and more focused. The soundstage gains size in all dimensions and presents musical instruments in it with more air and so provides a more entertaining, more holographic presentation. For me, the Wraps are a keeper. Let's just hope that the maker actually does let me keep them...
Update january 2012:
Indeed, I could keep them, and the maker even sent special Interlink versions! The Interlink Wraps have a more instant effect that is even easier to hear and should even convince critics. The effect is so large in fact that it may become overwhelming in cases where the sound is already very smooth. In my application, having both the interlinks and powercable wrapped proved too much and I prefer the Power Wraps for their more subtle but highly worthwhile effect. Given their modest cost, I'd advise everyone just to go and try them both for yourself!
Christiaan Punter
These Miracle Wraps were supplied to me by Reference Tweaks, the company behind them, following the specially treated cotton sleeves. Like those sleeves, the Miracle Wraps contain a TTL-activated substance. What is TTL you ask? That's as much a mistery to me as it is to you I'm afraid. So, controversial? Yes. Do they work? Read on!
Review samples kindly supplied by Reference Tweaks
Listening
The first thing I did was to attach one of the wraps to the Furutech powercord going into the PS Audio PWD. I only wrapped the schuko connector on the powerblock side. Immediately I had the feeling that the wrap functioned as a filter, much like the filters inside my Transparent cables, in the sense that it made the soundstage wider and deeper as well as adding a silky smoothness. It wasn't taking away any treble but made it more fluid. There was also no loss of dynamics but the bass did become a little less well articulated, more vague if you like. In return, it was also less dry and somehow more musically appealing. That is, if you, like me, like your music slightly relaxed. Linn/Naim lovers may find the resulting presentation lacking attack and drive. But for me, and especially in combination with the already slightly dry PWD, it was just what the doctor ordered.
But when I listened again the next day, still with the wrap attached, I felt that I couldn't hear its effect anymore. I removed it and couldn't really tell a difference. Well, maybe, but it was too small to tell for sure.
At this point what you should know is that the maker warns for this. According to him, the effect builds up over time once applied and also diddipates over time once removed. Apparently it takes a couple of minutes either way and continues to build up over hours. That makes comparative listening a bit difficult. But I'm not one to give up with this sort of challenge. So, to enlargen the effect, I re-attached the wrap and now also applied one to the IEC connector going into the PWD and started listening straight away. I kid you not: again here was the effect that I heard the first time around: a silky smoothness and a rich tonality that is just very seductive and pleasant. It's as if the stage widens and give more space to the instruments in it. That's very nice but what I like even more is that it takes away some grainyness and dryness from the PWD.
Now, to be absolutely sure I wasn't fooling myself, I did various other listening tests with the same tracks and the same volume level every time, with the system well-warmed up but also at various moments throughout the day. I just made myself very well aquainted with the sound with the wraps in place. When I was sure that there was not considering variations elsewhere as affects of the Wraps, I felt it time to remove them both and listened at increasing time intervals.
Of course I started listening straight away and just like the first time I removed the wrap, I felt that the difference was small. Then I listened again 10 minutes later, an hour later and the next day. Now the differences started to be more clear and while I still didn't feel that the removal was as dramatic as the application, now it became more clear that the soundstage was definitely more compact, more pressed together, with apparently more drive and force throughout the entire frequency range. So, there was some mild compression going on after all with the wraps applied. Still, I favour the sound with the wraps in place. It is just more magical that way.
Early prototype versions: the left one was a finished product but the canvas turned out to negate the effect of the TTL-treated substance. The right one was a later nude version and here you can see the sealed pockets containing the mysterious substance.
How the search for audio nirvana led to the creation of this site
Info, Tips, Tricks and Insights
How to optimise your system
Streaming, USB, Firewire,
Computer Audio
Current and Classic CD players, Cables, Accessories and more
Jeff Rowland Info Database, Cool equipment, Classic CDP's
A month has passed and now that I have done more tests, and the wraps have been in my system for a longer time, my feelings are substantiated and I don't want to take them away anymore! Keep in mind that we're talking very subtle differences though, in the order, and very much comparable in effect, to the Harmonix RFA78i Room Tuning Disks. Like those silly "coins" the Wraps are highly controversial but for me they make a large enough repeatable difference to not want to remove them ever again.
On the PS Audio PWD they provide just what I felt that was needed, and in this case applying Wraps at both the Schuko as the IEC connectors provided more of what I wanted. It is felt by the maker that doing so can often lead to too much of a good thing. I'm sure that this is true but not with the PWD in my main system that tends a little to the analytical. However, the effect of the Wraps can be overwhelming on components that are already on the warm, smooth side, such as the various Marantz CD players I have. I also tried the Wraps on the Levinson 390S cd player and in this instance their effect was just a little too much, taking too much expression and dynamic articulation from the already smooth-sounding player.
Update January 2012 - Interlink Wraps
Recently I also received specially sized wraps for interlinks and given that I had such success with the Power Wraps on the PWD, I also tried the Wraps on the PWD's interlinks. I wanted to hear what they did by theirself so I first removed the AC wraps and left the PWD "naked" for more than a week. Then I applied the interlink Wraps and then listening began.
Rightaway I could hear how the Wraps smoothed ragged edges in the treble, enhanced fluidity and made for blacker, more silent backgrounds. With some tracks it was again simply magical. But with other, more rhythmic tracks I found the effect a little too strong, instead preferring the more subtle effect of the Power Wraps. The two types of wraps do essentially the same thing, which is to calm digitalness and instill luxuriousness. While the Power Wraps don't affect dynamics or speed, the Interlink Wraps also don't reduce detailing or speed per se, but they can affect the liveliness and dynamic differentiation.
The large effect they have on the interlinks may also be enlarged by the fact that I use Transparent Ultra interlinks that already have a filter network incorporated. I will also try the wraps on more regular interlinks at a later stage and will report my findings here.
Some visitors don't much like the looks but I think they look super cool in a very feng shui kind of way.
