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Post by MikeMusic on Feb 3, 2016 8:19:04 GMT
It's that label, "BT" Take that off and it will be really good Painting it black will also help !
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Post by Stratmangler on Feb 3, 2016 9:28:25 GMT
It's that label, "BT" Take that off and it will be really good Painting it black will also help ! It's not the BT label that's the problem. The box provides what a PaBX wants to have delivered to its power input - a suppressed power supply, which means that the PaBX won't get killed by mains spikes. Nowadays it's more common to have telephone systems hanging off a UPS. I have yet to encounter a phone system where sound quality (in a musical sense) was a primary consideration. Speech clarity is the only that matters. Telephones are very narrow bandwidth, and digital electronics has improved transmission quality. With digital PaBX equipment your speech will be processed at something like ADPCM at 4 bits and 8kHz sample rate - remember that CD is PCM at 16 bits and 44.1 kHz sample rate. I'm a telephone engineer, which is why my head is full of such sad and "interesting" information. If you want to find out what recorded music sounds like with all the life sucked out of it then the BT power conditioner is your first port of call. My own experience bears that up.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 3, 2016 10:01:44 GMT
Indeed - this is a good example of what NOT to do with mains treatment.
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Post by AlanS on Feb 3, 2016 12:37:55 GMT
My journey was I heard via forums that one can suffer with mains borne problems that affected ones sound. Hadn't noticed anything untoward but being of a curious nature I got a Tacima extension supposed to reduced interference. It affected sound OK, it stifled it!
Then encountered the concept of regenerators and had experienced these care of work with IT making servers resilient. They ensure a consistent power regardless of what was coming from the mains. I indulged in a Power Inspired AG1500. That I think ensured the system sounded the same, i.e. not better late at night effect. It taught me how lucky I was with my power supply how lacking in the problems that others try to fight. I think I could get along without it but now it's there it stays.
I have a substation nearby feeding just homes as best I can tell. My neighbours don't have noisy devices, my thermostats and other items, boilers, fridges and the like just never make themselves known. So luckily I have no journey to travel. Yippee
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Post by Chris on Feb 3, 2016 16:49:16 GMT
Many thanks for that excellent explanation there Stratmangler. That's the best laugh I've had all day!
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Post by Stratmangler on Feb 3, 2016 20:55:52 GMT
You're welcome
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Post by MartinT on Sept 12, 2018 17:26:25 GMT
I've today added an ifi Audio AC iPurifer to my collection of noise filters. This one is active so I've plugged it into the socket right next to my regenerator's plug. It creates an inverse of the incoming mains noise on the fly and adds it back in, thus negating it. Clever. It works, too. I sense a slightly lower noise floor and darker stage, this despite my having lots of mains treatment dotted around the house. Not cheap but highly recommended, especially if you have no noise treatment at all.
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Post by speedysteve on Dec 1, 2018 13:13:17 GMT
Late to the party as usual.. Unless that is, I'm starting the party I have experience of the Vertex AQ Jaya. They make RF EMI vibration drain thingies that plug into the mains or phono sockets etc.. They put their vibration drain stuff all over the place in kit as well. I got a Jaya and a couple of the phono boxes ones as a thing to get me interested / courtesy when we did some work together on a speaker project. Each phono box had two inputs. I got to keep the Jaya. Can't say I really miss the phono boxes. The material was developed by the two main people in the company from a sonar energy background. It absorbs and dampens is my understanding. We listened to my kit with and without. I obviously wasn't listening for the right things.. the vertex guy wanted to add more and more boxes. Thought it was getting there with what was plugged in.. The Jayer I'm not sure about.. I've had it in so long I'd forgotten about it..
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Post by MartinT on Dec 1, 2018 13:37:07 GMT
The Vertex AQ Jaya is one of many plug-in filters I have scattered around the house. I can no longer hear the effect of one very much, but the sum effect is considerable.
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Post by speedysteve on Dec 1, 2018 13:46:39 GMT
Have you recently tried an all out, all in, comparison Martin?
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Post by MartinT on Dec 1, 2018 15:00:25 GMT
I did a couple of years ago. They didn't stay all out for long!
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Post by brettj on Dec 2, 2018 7:47:42 GMT
My system has a dedicated line from the mains board. All I could afford at the time was oven cable.
Amp using Mad Scientist Nitro power cable directly into the power socket. Other equipment will plug into my new purchase; a short Mad Scientist hard wired into an Eichmann power strip, into the other outlet. iFi AC iPurifier plugged into the strip.
Russ Andrews 'The Silencer' plugged into the computer/modem/wifi router power board. MCRU Mains Filtration plug used into the fridge socket.
Ferrite chokes on all cables with SMPS power supplies. Throw in an Akiko Audio Fuse Box tuning chip on the fuse box.
Noticed an improvement with the chokes, 1st Mad Scientist Nitro, iFi AC iPurifier, Akiko Audio Fuse Box chip. Haven't got a chance to evaluate the Russ Andrews 'The Silencer' and MCRU Mains Filtration plug, but they are in. Waiting for the 2nd Mad Scientist Nitro to come.
Most of these purchases have been after discussion on TAS. And have lifted my system to being quite good (to my ears). Super grateful to you guys for all of your thoughts, advice etc.
Wondered about a grounding cable for the iFi AC iPurifier? Is there anything else I can add? Can't afford or find room for a big unit/conditioner. All needs to be small.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 2, 2018 9:05:11 GMT
Try a grounding cable from ifi to SEG. It works for me.
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 2, 2018 10:02:44 GMT
My RTZ grounding box plus the 4 cables each to Pre Amp has given a huge improvement. Cables tried one at a time and a step up each time.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 2, 2018 13:01:08 GMT
We're talking about grounding to mains earth, Mike. Grounding boxes are in addition to that.
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 2, 2018 16:39:20 GMT
Ah right How does that work ? Apologies if I missed it elsewhere
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Post by MartinT on Dec 2, 2018 21:57:22 GMT
I take mains earth from the ifi to the SEG's earthing post. I also connect the grounding box to it. So the DAC is the centre of my earthing arrangement.
I also have my preamp connected to the grounding box.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 22:22:02 GMT
Taking that one step further if you use the spdif then connect your USB inlet of the SEGy to a grounding box, quite scary especially with the lower price equipment where ground planes are not at the top if the designers criteria. Also the SEG is not directly connected to earth but via a psu it is receiving a + 12/15vdc rail the psu is the earth connection
You can also ground the cases out if you wish to grounding box via loosening a case screw//bolt and connect via a small spade. If I were doing the Earth grounding I would use any other pathway imho
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Post by MartinT on Dec 3, 2018 6:47:50 GMT
I think you're saying something important, Tony, but I've parsed your comment several times and have come up puzzled.
Are you saying that the SEG's ground post is not the ideal connection but to use the USB ground for the grounding box? Or the mains ground?
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Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2018 16:05:36 GMT
I managed to get two large snap chokes (13mm) to fit around the tails feeding the dedicated power to my music room (seen here on the right). I heard a small improvement doing these, so well worth the small cost.
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