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Post by miller65 on Apr 9, 2018 15:48:11 GMT
I bought a dozen or so from China and have put them on all my mains cables and interconnects . I must admit I was skeptical , but they do appear to have got rid of some hash and everything sounds cleaner with more definition . I tried a couple both ends of the s/pdif cable from my transport to DAC and they also made a difference. A great upgrade then for less than a tenner , I don t have the right size but may send for a couple and try on my speaker cables , anyone any thoughts ?
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Post by MikeMusic on May 2, 2018 15:35:15 GMT
Another thought. How about lighting ? Different circuit but mini fluorescents are known to be noisy aren't they ?
Not got around to fitting the ones I have yet, priorities
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Post by Stratmangler on May 2, 2018 19:02:54 GMT
I bought a dozen or so from China and have put them on all my mains cables and interconnects . I must admit I was skeptical , but they do appear to have got rid of some hash and everything sounds cleaner with more definition . I tried a couple both ends of the s/pdif cable from my transport to DAC and they also made a difference. A great upgrade then for less than a tenner , I don t have the right size but may send for a couple and try on my speaker cables , anyone any thoughts ? Do what I did, and stick 'em on everything else but the audio system and cables, and if crappy SMPS have proliferated at your place like they have at mine you'll get a reduction in hash and things will sound cleaner and better defined. That's the headfuck part - I haven't done anything to the system, but everything sounds better than it did before fitting the chokes. I have them on the power leads feeding my audio gear now, but I didn't notice audible gains for this last bit. I don't have any on signal leads or speaker cables.
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Post by Stratmangler on May 2, 2018 19:06:37 GMT
Another thought. How about lighting ? Different circuit but mini fluorescents are known to be noisy aren't they ? Not got around to fitting the ones I have yet, priorities Lighting is going to be difficult to deal with if it's not plugged into a wall socket. I'm not sure, but there may be noise suppression built into fluorescent light fittings.
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Post by MartinT on May 2, 2018 19:41:47 GMT
That's where plug-in filters help to reduce overall house noise.
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Post by MikeMusic on May 3, 2018 8:55:53 GMT
Have both !
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Post by dsjr on May 3, 2018 10:00:27 GMT
I had an interesting time a few years ago comparing a then new Mark Grant HD1500 interconnect with a Klotz MC5000 cable I'd made, both phono to 1/4" jack. One set on the bridged speaker amps and the other on the stereo headphone one, so both carrying the same signals at the same level from the preamp. When new, the MG was brighter and 'leaner' I thought and the Klotz slightly 'plump' sounding. After six months I couldn't really detect any real difference in all honesty and when I found a couple of ferrites the correct size for the MG cables (they are rf spec when all's said and done), I genuinely couldn't tell them apart! I've mentioned this before, but one cable of old that really was an odd one was the Chord Company 'Solid' in both original stiff and later flexible versions. I found this cable incredibly 'directional' at least to start with, but the excesses could be tamed with a ferrite clipped on one end of each conductor. It was the effects of doing this that made me look at ferrites on mains leads and so on as well as double screened cable for interconnects, which wouldn't do any good if sh*t was being fed down the screens I admit, as apparently happened on earlier CD players I was told... Anyway, I use ferrites on mains cables mostly and if it's a CD player with twin core cable, I use an oversize ferrite and wind the mains cable around it once or twice as well. It certainly doesn't make things worse here. Those Isotek plug-in jobbies look cool, but £130 when a few ferrites probably do similar things for two or three quid each? Mike, you shouldn't need both as the 'effect' diminishes the more you add and before too long, you'll possibly make it all worse. OCD and excessive over-treatments of stuff in HiFi is not a good thing I assure you from first hand experience
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Post by zappytheviking on May 3, 2018 12:24:40 GMT
Put 3 ferrites on an extension cord going to all the noisy bits, phone charger, laptop, printer etc. Also on DC leads to DAC and Pi, havent A/B them yet, certainly hasn't damaged the sound in any way. On the other hand, bought an I-Fi AC purifier, sadly squashes dynamics and reduces air noticeably. Not even on an extension cord on the last plug did it work out. Maybe it doesn't play nice with the NC500 SMPS. Apparently cant return since it had pretty plastic on the pretty box therefor not resell-able. Anyone wanna buy a schuko I-Fi purifier . Probably going to plug it next to the ethernet switch or something noisy in the house.
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Post by MikeMusic on May 3, 2018 13:37:24 GMT
I had an interesting time a few years ago comparing a then new Mark Grant HD1500 interconnect with a Klotz MC5000 cable I'd made, both phono to 1/4" jack. One set on the bridged speaker amps and the other on the stereo headphone one, so both carrying the same signals at the same level from the preamp. When new, the MG was brighter and 'leaner' I thought and the Klotz slightly 'plump' sounding. After six months I couldn't really detect any real difference in all honesty and when I found a couple of ferrites the correct size for the MG cables (they are rf spec when all's said and done), I genuinely couldn't tell them apart! I've mentioned this before, but one cable of old that really was an odd one was the Chord Company 'Solid' in both original stiff and later flexible versions. I found this cable incredibly 'directional' at least to start with, but the excesses could be tamed with a ferrite clipped on one end of each conductor. It was the effects of doing this that made me look at ferrites on mains leads and so on as well as double screened cable for interconnects, which wouldn't do any good if sh*t was being fed down the screens I admit, as apparently happened on earlier CD players I was told... Anyway, I use ferrites on mains cables mostly and if it's a CD player with twin core cable, I use an oversize ferrite and wind the mains cable around it once or twice as well. It certainly doesn't make things worse here. Those Isotek plug-in jobbies look cool, but £130 when a few ferrites probably do similar things for two or three quid each? Mike, you shouldn't need both as the 'effect' diminishes the more you add and before too long, you'll possibly make it all worse. OCD and excessive over-treatments of stuff in HiFi is not a good thing I assure you from first hand experience Thanks Dave Good info there
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Post by MartinT on May 3, 2018 16:16:45 GMT
I've put some ferrite snap chokes judiciously around my interconnects (and the S/PDIF co-ax) cables, always at the destination end. It helps.
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Post by MikeMusic on May 3, 2018 19:01:27 GMT
Need to get some bigger diameter for interconnects and some mains
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Post by dsjr on May 4, 2018 8:29:05 GMT
Like I said Mike, how many do you use already? Just my old experiences here, but the first one on the 'master' mains cable made the largest difference, then one each on the active ATC mains cables. Each subsequently added one made increasingly little difference to me. I use them 'everywhere' through force of habit and the fact I have them and nothing to do with any perceived or imagined sonic changes....
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Post by yomanze on May 4, 2018 13:26:25 GMT
The best place if you are going to use them is on the IEC / inlet end of a power lead. Loads of RFI rides on the mains so this is the best chance to stop it.
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Post by MikeMusic on May 4, 2018 15:19:00 GMT
Like I said Mike, how many do you use already? Just my old experiences here, but the first one on the 'master' mains cable made the largest difference, then one each on the active ATC mains cables. Each subsequently added one made increasingly little difference to me. I use them 'everywhere' through force of habit and the fact I have them and nothing to do with any perceived or imagined sonic changes.... Negligible. Only those that were already there. I will get onto it. Need to order some bigger ones for the mains cables. It's almost masochism not doing it I know
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 15, 2024 13:28:10 GMT
Chokes on the cable from the Router was not a place I had thought of until Tobias mentioned it I have a load that are too small, currently trying out 2 that are too big. New cable arriving soon and then maybe more chokes after that
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Post by Tobias on Mar 15, 2024 14:45:14 GMT
Chokes on the cable from the Router was not a place I had thought of until Tobias mentioned it I have a load that are too small, currently trying out 2 that are too big. New cable arriving soon and then maybe more chokes after that It might be so that it is the ferrit core that is the important part, in the ethernet streamer cable. I haven´t tested with the chokes only.
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Post by palace on Mar 15, 2024 17:09:51 GMT
Chokes on the cable from the Router was not a place I had thought of until Tobias mentioned it I have a load that are too small, currently trying out 2 that are too big. New cable arriving soon and then maybe more chokes after that It might be so that it is the ferrit core that is the important part, in the ethernet streamer cable. I haven´t tested with the chokes only. As you may have read in one of my posts re my battle with electrical noise, I use now 180 plus clip on ferrites on my system to combat the vast amount of RFI/EMI & radiated 50 hz noise that I suffer due to the position of our flat surrounded by multiple radio, phone & radar sources together with neighbours who are working from home on their computers oh nearly forgot the other mains connected devices with Switching PSU's + dimmer switches. Thankfully we have a 3 phase supply so I only have to deal with 3 out of 9 flats in our block. We are only 120m as the crow flies from the local Power Distribution Transformer though near to the feed or return I do not know I have ferrites on all non phono leads as I found ferrites attached to phono leads squashed/sat on the sound my phono leads are simply screened & grounded. All of the digital co-ax cables have clip on ferrites, included is the CAT 8 ethernet cable from Virgin Hub 4 to the Virgin HD Tivo box even though CAT 8 cable is screened, unlike CAT 5/6, it improved the signal after fitting 6 clip on ferrites. Ferrites are also effective on triple screened Tivo box & DVD player HDMI cables. I also have clip on ferrites on all power leads even though they are screened & grounded via the 13 amp plug earth pin in case in the unlikely event the 240v(244v usually) cables are penetrated & could give rise to an electric shock. I also found that screening worked on my 3m TNT UBYTE 2 speaker cables though they are not grounded the Faradic effect provided does not require it to work & there is little chance of an electric shock. I also have found that looping power leads in a circle then clipping on the ferrite so that effectively 2 cables go through the ferrite seems to reduce lower frequency noise.
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 15, 2024 17:15:09 GMT
It might be so that it is the ferrit core that is the important part, in the ethernet streamer cable. I haven´t tested with the chokes only. As you may have read in one of my posts re my battle with electrical noise, I use now 180 plus clip on ferrites on my system to combat the vast amount of RFI/EMI & radiated 50 hz noise that I suffer due to the position of our flat surrounded by multiple radio, phone & radar sources together with neighbours who are working from home on their computers oh nearly forgot the other mains connected devices with Switching PSU's + dimmer switches. Thankfully we have a 3 phase supply so I only have to deal with 3 out of 9 flats in our block. We are only 120m as the crow flies from the local Power Distribution Transformer though near to the feed or return I do not know I have ferrites on all non phono leads as I found ferrites attached to phono leads squashed/sat on the sound my phono leads are simply screened & grounded. All of the digital co-ax cables have clip on ferrites, included is the CAT 8 ethernet cable from Virgin Hub 4 to the Virgin HD Tivo box even though CAT 8 cable is screened, unlike CAT 5/6, it improved the signal after fitting 6 clip on ferrites. Ferrites are also effective on triple screened Tivo box & DVD player HDMI cables. I also have clip on ferrites on all power leads even though they are screened & grounded via the 13 amp plug earth pin in case in the unlikely event the 240v(244v usually) cables are penetrated & could give rise to an electric shock. I also found that screening worked on my 3m TNT UBYTE 2 speaker cables though they are not grounded the Faradic effect provided does not require it to work & there is little chance of an electric shock. I also have found that looping power leads in a circle then clipping on the ferrite so that effectively 2 cables go through the ferrite seems to reduce lower frequency noise. Thought most recommend to keep chokes off the system, but your power situation sounds very different to most of us
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Post by palace on Mar 15, 2024 17:22:52 GMT
As you may have read in one of my posts re my battle with electrical noise, I use now 180 plus clip on ferrites on my system to combat the vast amount of RFI/EMI & radiated 50 hz noise that I suffer due to the position of our flat surrounded by multiple radio, phone & radar sources together with neighbours who are working from home on their computers oh nearly forgot the other mains connected devices with Switching PSU's + dimmer switches. Thankfully we have a 3 phase supply so I only have to deal with 3 out of 9 flats in our block. We are only 120m as the crow flies from the local Power Distribution Transformer though near to the feed or return I do not know I have ferrites on all non phono leads as I found ferrites attached to phono leads squashed/sat on the sound my phono leads are simply screened & grounded. All of the digital co-ax cables have clip on ferrites, included is the CAT 8 ethernet cable from Virgin Hub 4 to the Virgin HD Tivo box even though CAT 8 cable is screened, unlike CAT 5/6, it improved the signal after fitting 6 clip on ferrites. Ferrites are also effective on triple screened Tivo box & DVD player HDMI cables. I also have clip on ferrites on all power leads even though they are screened & grounded via the 13 amp plug earth pin in case in the unlikely event the 240v(244v usually) cables are penetrated & could give rise to an electric shock. I also found that screening worked on my 3m TNT UBYTE 2 speaker cables though they are not grounded the Faradic effect provided does not require it to work & there is little chance of an electric shock. I also have found that looping power leads in a circle then clipping on the ferrite so that effectively 2 cables go through the ferrite seems to reduce lower frequency noise. Thought most recommend to keep chokes off the system, but your power situation sounds very different to most of us It is indeed dire. I have several times run an insulated wire with an in line capacitor from any part of the systems chassis to the grounded central heating pipe the capacitor will charge. though I have not tried since my screening machinations.
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 15, 2024 17:27:01 GMT
Dire indeed !
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