Pop Medley

Today I connected the digital and analogue sources in my hifi setup to an AC regenerator. This takes polluted AC from the grid, turns it into a DC signal and then back into a much cleaner sine wave. The result ought to be increased 'blackness' of the musical background, greater soundstage, and smoother and more relaxed sound. After a first listening round I wasn't totally convinced. Sure, I noticed how the soundstage widened and how the music became more distant and relaxed. The drawback, I found, was that it seemed marginally less involving. The whole sonic experience snapped into focus, however, when I isolated the regenerator from the rack with three spare Boston Audio Design TuneBlocks. Suddenly I had soundstage and focus. Over dinner then we briefly came to speak about Joy Division and so I proceeded to listen to two of the band's favourite tracks. From one thing came the other and 2,5 hours later I emerged dazed but re-energised from my listening session. If the proof of a new audio component's worth lies in the extent to which it is able to persuade you to put on that next CD, the Power Plant has passed the test with flying colours. Honestly, the sound from my system is at this point heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

This was my playlist of the evening:

Joy Division - The Eternal (from Closer)
Joy Division - Decades (from Closer)
The Blue Nile - Happiness (from Peace at Last)
The Blue NIle - Tomorrow Morning (from Peace at Last)
The Blue Nile - Over The Hillside (from Blue)
The Blue Nile - Headlights on the Parade (from Blue)
The Blue Nile - A Walk Across the Rooftops (from A Walk Across the Rooftops)
The Blue Nile - Tinseltown In The Rain (from A Walk Across the Rooftops)
Burial - Untrue (from Untrue)
Sigur Ros - I Gaer (from Heim)
Sigur Ros - Von (from Heim)
Scott Matthew - Black Bird (from Gallantry's Favorite Son)
Scott Matthew - True Sting (from Gallantry's Favorite Son)
The XX - Crystalised (from The XX)
The XX - Night Time (from The XX)
The XX - Stars (from The XX)
Wild Beasts - Invisible (from Smother)
Wild Beasts - Albatross (from Smother)
Johnny Cash - If You Could Read My Mind (from American V - A Hundred Highways)
Johnny Cash - I'm Free From The Chain Gang Now (from American V - A Hundred Highways)
Max Richter - Maria, The Poet (1913) (from Memoryhouse)
Max Richter - Laika's Journey (from Memoryhouse)
Elbow - The Birds (from Build A Rocket Boys)
Elbow - The River (from Build A Rocket Boys)
Elbow - The Birds (reprise) (from Build A Rocket Boys)
Elbow - Dear Friends (from Build A Rocket Boys)
PJ Harvey - Beautiful Feeling (from Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea)
PJ Harvey - The Wind (from Is This Desire?)
Anthony and the Johnsons - Hope There's Someone (from I Am A Bird Now)
The Blue Nile - God Bless You Kid (from Peace at Last)
The Blue Nile - Soon (from Peace at Last)