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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 12:22:59 GMT
Just for interest, the Tacima filter reads about 5%, the Neoplug about the same and the ifi active filter is extraordinarily bad, adding much more noise into the mains than it removes. I can't even give you a read as it overloads and makes a huge din on the meter's speaker.
None of them generate the eerie silence of the Kemp and Sercal filters.
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Post by julesd68 on Oct 17, 2024 12:26:01 GMT
Your test with the ifi filter exactly mirrors my experience with it!
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Post by julesd68 on Oct 17, 2024 13:19:48 GMT
Interesting to me to see that this is a case in which measurements confirmed subjective findings.
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Post by mattspl on Oct 17, 2024 13:20:12 GMT
Might have to remove my ifi this evening and see if it improves anything.
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Post by julesd68 on Oct 17, 2024 13:22:25 GMT
"YMMV" as they say Matt!
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 14:59:44 GMT
Might have to remove my ifi this evening and see if it improves anything. Could be the best upgrade ever! |
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Post by MikeMusic on Oct 17, 2024 15:14:49 GMT
Might have to remove my ifi this evening and see if it improves anything. They do say it is "ifi"  Not a good choice of brand in GB |
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Post by mattspl on Oct 17, 2024 15:16:25 GMT
Might have to remove my ifi this evening and see if it improves anything. Could be the best upgrade ever! It’s currently plugged into the regenerator, rather than the wall. I did try with/without before and there wasn’t much difference, but it seemed to add some width to the image |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 15:43:42 GMT
If your regenerator has zones like my two, it won't even 'help' anything other than the socket it's plugged into, i.e. itself!
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Post by mattspl on Oct 17, 2024 16:15:54 GMT
If your regenerator has zones like my two, it won't even 'help' anything other than the socket it's plugged into, i.e. itself! Mine just has 6 IEC outputs all looped together |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 17:48:58 GMT
I really would try it without the ifi. That thing is a noise generator.
Or maybe order one of these noise meters to see for yourself?
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Post by mattspl on Oct 17, 2024 18:47:03 GMT
I’ll see if I get a chance to unplug the ifi tonight and will definitely look at ordering one of the noise meters so I can see what’s happening.
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Post by MikeMusic on Oct 17, 2024 19:16:05 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 19:36:41 GMT
That's the one, Mike (the 2nd link).
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 19:45:13 GMT
I've found the ideal setup for me as follows:
Incoming power to closest socket: Kemp SNS
Ring main in music room (3): Sercal, Isoplug, Tacima spread around the room.
Total noise on the ring, same scale as above: 0.2%
Result! Music really does sound insightful with tremendous soundstage.
I feel like I was just fishing in the dark before.
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Post by MikeMusic on Oct 17, 2024 20:09:16 GMT
There is logic there. Not sure I would have worked it out
Kemp off to the kitchen for a test tomorrow !
Coincidentally just below where I have grounding boxes croc clipped to the earth block
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Post by mattspl on Oct 17, 2024 20:21:59 GMT
I've found the ideal setup for me as follows: Incoming power to closest socket: Kemp SNS Ring main in music room (3): Sercal, Isoplug, Tacima spread around the room. Total noise on the ring, same scale as above: 0.2% Result! Music really does sound insightful with tremendous soundstage. I feel like I was just fishing in the dark before. That sounds like a great result |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2024 21:15:20 GMT
General Process for Maximum Noise Reduction
1. Unplug every noise filter (not grounding box) from around the house. This is to set a base level for the noise. Find a socket, preferably double, that is closest to where the mains power comes into the house. This may be in a garage, the kitchen or utility room and is likely to be where the comsumer unit with breakers is located.
2. Use the LHY meter in that socket. It should make some noise unless you are very lucky. Set the Sensitivity knob to read as close to 100 as you can. It will vary a bit. Now leave that setting alone.
3. Now start systematically plugging each filter, one at a time, into the socket next to the meter and take a reading, noting it down. This will give you a table of merit, the lower the reading the better.
4. Plug your best filter into the test socket and leave it there.
5. Now choose your best two or three of the rest and plug them into the ring main (or radial) powering the room with the hi-fi system, spread around the room.
6. Leaving the Sensitivity setting untouched, plug the LHY into a socket in the room. Hopefully, the noise will be lower than any single filter.
Job done!
You can, of course, spread other filters elsewhere around the house, but you've done the most important work. If you have an ifi active filter, do yourself a favour and throw it in the bin.
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Post by MikeMusic on Oct 18, 2024 8:44:48 GMT
Do we only need your recent purchase or does the original meter with the squawking still serve a purpose ?
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Post by MartinT on Oct 18, 2024 8:52:47 GMT
Do we only need your recent purchase or does the original meter with the squawking still serve a purpose ? The newer LHY meter is much better and strongly recommended. I find, by comparison, the old one only gives a very rough idea and is not as consistent. I think the wideband nature of the new one picks up a lot more noise across different frequencies and differentiates between plug-ins very nice. It goes absolutely crazy with the terrible ifi active filter! |
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