Dedicated mains for hifi system.

[Scoby_Beasley]

I can vouch he has stereo as when he looks out the window the sound comes from the other side of the room !

 

[arcamalpha2003]

Another tweak as hifi buffs call it is cryogenic freezing.
Where cables are cryogenically frozen for a period of time then returned to their normal temperature before being used, people who have done this comment on the vast sounstage improvements.
Also, wait for it, whole hifi pieces are put through the same paces with the same outcome!
What I have done is I have put a cd in the freezer for 36 hours, placed it in the fridge for 24 hours, played it and in my opinion wow!
The thing is you need an understanding other half, who doesnt serve you chips and the best of dire straits
Bill

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Is that where Coldplay got their name from then ?

 

[biggaz]

I read all your comments with interest, and would agree that, within reason, the better the quality of cabling (interconnect and speaker) the better the quality of sound. Coincidently (or not) the better quality cables are usually thicker, stranded cable also has an effect (although I don't know the physics behind why (I skimmed an article in an industry mag about it)).
As for installing a dedicated consumer unit, or a spur, for a hifi would have little effect as residual noise on electical/electronc systems is usually a result of poor earth, and there is not much you can do about that. Personally I would go with the PC surge protector suggestion as the capacitance used to smooth spikes will also serve to earth any noise from the mains supply.

 

[arcamalpha2003]

I read all your comments with interest, and would agree that, within reason, the better the quality of cabling (interconnect and speaker) the better the quality of sound. Coincidently (or not) the better quality cables are usually thicker, stranded cable also has an effect (although I don't know the physics behind why (I skimmed an article in an industry mag about it)).
As for installing a dedicated consumer unit, or a spur, for a hifi would have little effect as residual noise on electical/electronc systems is usually a result of poor earth, and there is not much you can do about that. Personally I would go with the PC surge protector suggestion as the capacitance used to smooth spikes will also serve to earth any noise from the mains supply.

Hi Biggaz,
I agree with what you say about cables, the thicker they are the better sound wise, also, twisted or braided cables have been shown to have an effect in cancelling out rfi.
However, having read articles in which tests have been carried out using standard consumer units that are fitted as normal in a house, using a socket off this to power the hifi, and also, having a dedicated cu fitted with its own wires and unswitched sockets, totally independent of the standard cu, the testers have come firmly down in favour of the dedicated cu avenue.
Because you are giving the hifi relatively cleaner juice than it is getting from conventional means.
If you were only wanting to power a transistor radio or toaster, using the conventional wiring in place is fine by me, but having spent over £2000.00 on hifi equipment, I know what I think about dedicated mains, including people who have already gone down the avenue and commented onthe difference they have achieved.
But at the end of the day, its all about opinion.
Bill

 

[Gees]

Why not go the whole hog and get a one of these

No noise spikes at all
Pure sine wave output
Loads of POWER

Seriosly they work great on all sorts of gear, not only computers.
I have a 1500 VA one on here at the moment so I dont care if the mains goes off

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Cables, be they speaker or interconnect, do affect the sound.

Absolutely.

No question.

Not an "opinion" - a fact confirmed by auditioning different cables on my system at home.

Different cables- different sound.

 

[AdamW]

Frozen CDs? hmmmm...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And condensation forming on it, at best misting up and at worst dripping into the works of the CD player, that won't be a problem, will it.....

 

[securespark]

FWIW, I did a sterile supply for a friend's system.

As he said, it is worth going the whole hog. If the rest of the system uses o2 free cable and GP contacts etcetera, there's no point just plugging it in to a bog standard socket. You need a completely seperate supply - seperate tails and sep cu (gold plated busbar - why not? But then all the connections/contacts would have to be.....), radial supply to non-standard socket, with cable kept away from all others when running under the floor (to reduce interference....) Must admit (as I did to him) that I couldn't find O2free 2.5 T&E cable!!!

Anybody??

 

[Gees]

I really think its all a load of twaddle..... After decent bits of wire and toppish end gear who? can tell the difference... NOT me cos i'm and old G*t......................

 

[breezer]

i think that its a case of "i spent all this money on O2 free, monster, extra large, cool looking, big fat cables, with ups and dedicated supply" so it must sound better (or at least i will say it does after spending all that money)

I think the o2 bit is a "gimmick" all it does is stop the cable from oxyenating /discolouring.

Granted a bigger cable has less resistance, but O2 free, no thanks (thatis unless you want to buy some from me, bargin £55/ foot, and its been pre cooled

(just put it in my freezer, course i did)

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

Frozen Cd's????

Yes, a much clearer digital signal.

Wait a moment....

 

[AdamW]

Frozen Cd's????

Yes, a much clearer digital signal.

Wait a moment....

lol I did have to wonder about that!

Seeing as the most expensive component inside a hi-fi amplifier is usually the power supply, and seeing as it is designed to produce a very stable DC power source then installing a dedicated mains circuit wouldn't really give much benefit other than giving an excuse to install some speaker cable conduits whilst you have the angle-grinder/chisels out. And also it is something to point at when showing the hi-fi to mates!

Freezing cable to -200 celsius would reduce its resistance and thus might offer some benefit WHILST AT -200 CELSIUS. Returning it to room temperature as suggested would do nothing other than give you cable with cracked and broken insulation!

There have been some recent developments in high-temperature superconductors, so its only a matter of time until I can buy some superconducting speaker cables down in the high-street!

I'm off to paint some go-faster stripes on my amp and get some woven spider-silk to wrap around my speaker cables.

 

[AdamW]

I mentioned this to a colleague today and he reminisced about how he was once told that it would improve the sound quality of his amp if he were to remove the fuse on the plug and replace it with a section of nail or similar piece of thick conductor! Thankfully not being a loony he never took this "advice"!

Oh, and some users of older PA systems disconnect the earth terminal in order to eliminate ground loop problems. Luckily balanced line systems seems to have limited this practice to people who are helping us all by reducing their chances of staying alive long enough to breed!