Does a separate mains spur for hifi make a difference?

[junk01]

I have a dedicated(20a) radial coming from the first upgraded breaker in the consumer unit. I also have a dedicated earth. I felt it made a difference. Last Christmas with time on my hands I plugged an extension into the hall and daisy chained a four gang into it. Plugged the system into that. I really couldn't tell if there was a difference or not. I do live in a very rural area, no heavy power users for over 20 miles and no axe to grind. But there you go.

Well, at least you're open-minded enough to test it and then accept the evidence even though the result might not have been what you hoped.

Do you use Naim kit? I get the impression that the most satisfactory results with dedicated hifi circuits are gained by Naim users?

Anyway, your negative result is in fact a positive one really as it suggests that the mains is not interfering with your listening pleasure...

Junk

 

[Rob400]

Good for you, Rob, but only one supply? Adding an earthing spike can only be done safely if you have a specific type of domestic earth bonding (TT, I believe). Generally this is older properties and rural ones. Fitting one to a PMC bonded house can potentially be lethal to houses sharing your phase, I understand (but I'm no expert). However, yes, it can reduce the impedance somewhat, potentially improving dynamics.

Yes one supply off its own consumer unit. I use a star wired mains block from the wall socket. Anything else is over kill IMO. My experienced qualified electrician understands earthing safety so I leave that with him. I agree that the reduced impedance improved dynamics. Interestingly my Naim system benefited more from a dedicated supply than my present WT/DV/SH.

 

[junk01]

Rob400:

Did you make your star-wired mains block yourself?

If yes, I'd be most interested to hear how you went about it.

Junk

 

[MVV]

Well, at least you're open-minded enough to test it and then accept the evidence even though the result might not have been what you hoped.

Do you use Naim kit? I get the impression that the most satisfactory results with dedicated hifi circuits are gained by Naim users?

Anyway, your negative result is in fact a positive one really as it suggests that the mains is not interfering with your listening pleasure...

Junk

Yes I was a full on card carrying Linn/Naim nut at the time which is why it got put in without even considering 'if' it might be an improvement. I can't emphasise how unusual my setting is. On a Sunday a car may not pass within a mile of the house until lunchtime.

There must be a way of cheaply doing the opposite , make some kind of 20a radial extension just to try it before you start mucking about.

 

[Michael J]

There must be a way of cheaply doing the opposite , make some kind of 20a radial extension.

There is. But I'm taking this post away now.

Michael j (#65)

As I specialise in incompetence this is certainly something that I shan't attempt. Assuming I didn't electrocute myself first, my wife would waste no time braining me. Still, it was interesting to learn how one goes about such interventions

Junk

Post worked then. Job done.

 

[dave]

Well, at least you're open-minded enough to test it and then accept the evidence even though the result might not have been what you hoped.

Do you use Naim kit? I get the impression that the most satisfactory results with dedicated hifi circuits are gained by Naim users?

Anyway, your negative result is in fact a positive one really as it suggests that the mains is not interfering with your listening pleasure...

Junk

Naim will tell you they've run into installations where a dedicated circuit either sounded the same as a standard lighting or appliance circuit or even worse than one. In other words, nothing is written in stone.

Just to add...I've experimented with many different configurations of dedicated AC circuits since the early nineties for hifi systems and found the most important bits that improve sound here in the US are using the largest amperage circuit national code allows for small appliance circuits and making sure all of the connections beginning with the breaker box and ending with the outlets are tight. Nothing else matters to the same degree (outlet brand, wire directionality, dedicated earths, misc mojo). Additionally, good quality commercial or hospital grade outlets (6 dollars US each on average) properly installed in your wall sound better than any powerstrip I've heard including those custom designed by my engineer friends that you'd have thought rolled out of Krell or M. Levinson R&D.

Again though...your mileage may vary.

 

[junk01]

Michael j (#65)

As I specialise in incompetence this is certainly something that I shan't attempt. Assuming I didn't electrocute myself first, my wife would waste no time braining me. Still, it was interesting to learn how one goes about such interventions

Junk

 

[junk01]

Nothing else matters to the same degree

It's dangerous talk like that that brings countries to their knees and betokens the end of capitalism as we know it. How are hi-fi manufacturers going to make an easy buck in the face of such reckless common sense. No wonder china's currency is plunging and world markets are crumbling. I sentence you to uncontained purchasing of hi-fi accessories for a period of not less than 20 years...

 

[dave]

It's dangerous talk like that that brings countries to their knees and betokens the end of capitalism as we know it. How are hi-fi manufacturers going to make an easy buck in the face of such reckless common sense. No wonder china's currency is plunging and world markets are crumbling. I sentence you to uncontained purchasing of hi-fi accessories for a period of not less than 20 years...

<big grin>

 

[Hipper]

Cup of seawater here -no whales inside cup, therefore, whales don't exist.

Dedicated circuit next to standard lighting circuit here. Moving my Naim system back and forth finds less distortion on peaks, greater dynamics and with what appears to be a higher average volume level with no touching the volume control on the dedicated circuit.

Maybe I tested just the right cup of seawater this time and found a whale?

Aren't whales a bit big to get in a cup?

 

[junk01]

Aren't whales a bit big to get in a cup?

Depends how big the cup is...

 

[Mike Reed]

I'm with you now. I think that it was the word "circuit" which confused me. It made me think of a loop radiating from the CU rather than just a single run of cable.

Junk.

Ah, yes ! It IS a circuit because juice flows down the live core and back down the neutral core even though it's just ONE twin and earth cable.

(or something like that.....)

 

[Barry williams]

junk,
If you live in the UK?
Just run a extension cable from your kitchen cooker box socket to your system.
If your system sounds better? You know what you have to do.
PS, Keep anything computer and TV based plugged into your normal mains.

 

[junk01]

junk,
If you live in the UK?
Just run a extension cable from your kitchen cooker box socket to your system.
If your system sounds better? You know what you have to do.
PS, Keep anything computer and TV based plugged into your normal mains.

Hi Barry,

Yep, I do live in the UK, but unfortunately I don't have a socket on my cooker circuit just a fused switch although it's possible that there's an inaccessible socket hidden behind the built-in oven.

Instead I think I'll have to do the less tidy test of switching off/unplugging everything from the appropriate ring main then try using the hifi to see if I can detect any change.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Junk

 

[Rob400]

Rob400:

Did you make your star-wired mains block yourself?

If yes, I'd be most interested to hear how you went about it.

Junk

Yes I did Junk and my friend who is a qualified sparky gave it a thumbs up.

I use an Atlas mains cable to feed the box which is long enough to fit six sockets and deep enough to allow cables to run inside its length. I made it from solid oak in three sections. The inlet fitted to one end is a Furutech IEC 20A. Internally that feeds a 45A cooker connection unit (it looks like a blank single socket) which is fitted 1st in line, as it were with the other 5 Crabtree switchless sockets . The terminals on the connection unit are big enough to allow the inlet live and neutral plus 5 live and neutral cables to feed the 5 sockets. Earth wise I fitted a 50 mm copper bolt to the inside bottom corner of the box. It firstly receives the earth from the inlet and then all 5 sockets are earthed back to it using crimped washers and then a nut to tighten. The first box I built was star wired earth wise but with daisy chained live and neutral looped back to connection unit from last socket to create a ring. The star configuration is better. No idea why.

 

[AudioAl]

I like to know that my separate mains spur is all new
I have 60amp armoured cable running under the floor entering a dedicated RCD feeding 24 new double plugs .
When not in use I can switch off everything at the RCD
It was all meter tested by a qualified sparky as I installed it myself

 

[Mike Reed]

I like to know that my separate mains spur is all new
I have 60amp armoured cable running under the floor entering a dedicated RCD feeding 24 new double plugs .
When not in use I can switch off everything at the RCD
It was all meter tested by a qualified sparky as I installed it myself

Strange ! 'Dedicated RCD'? Dou you mean MCB or RCBO (combo of MCB/RCD)? The RCD is an earth fault trip and not a 'fuse'. Or do you mean dedicated consumer unit? You've also installed a RADIAL circuit, NOT a spur, which is entirely different.

 

[Rob400]

Strange ! 'Dedicated RCD'? Dou you mean MCB or RCBO (combo of MCB/RCD)? The RCD is an earth fault trip and not a 'fuse'. Or do you mean dedicated consumer unit? You've also installed a RADIAL circuit, NOT a spur, which is entirely different.

I think some members are confused with the terminology Mike. Why not refer to it as a dedicated supply from its own consumer unit? IMO it's either that or just stick to feeding off existing sockets.

 

[junk01]

Yes I did Junk and my friend who is a qualified sparky gave it a thumbs up.

I use an Atlas mains cable to feed the box which is long enough to fit six sockets and deep enough to allow cables to run inside its length. I made it from solid oak in three sections. The inlet fitted to one end is a Furutech IEC 20A. Internally that feeds a 45A cooker connection unit (it looks like a blank single socket) which is fitted 1st in line, as it were with the other 5 Crabtree switchless sockets . The terminals on the connection unit are big enough to allow the inlet live and neutral plus 5 live and neutral cables to feed the 5 sockets. Earth wise I fitted a 50 mm copper bolt to the inside bottom corner of the box. It firstly receives the earth from the inlet and then all 5 sockets are earthed back to it using crimped washers and then a nut to tighten. The first box I built was star wired earth wise but with daisy chained live and neutral looped back to connection unit from last socket to create a ring. The star configuration is better. No idea why.

If there was ever a rolls Royce solution for a mains block, this must be it. Not cheap to make, I imagine but cheap compared to commercial products and no doubt superior.

Thanks for the description, I must have a go at this myself.

Cheers. Junk.

 

[Rob400]

If there was ever a rolls Royce solution for a mains block, this must be it. Not cheap to make, I imagine but cheap compared to commercial products and no doubt superior.

Thanks for the description, I must have a go at this myself.

Cheers. Junk.

Thanks Junk.

The total cost in materials per block was 75GBP. If you fancy making one send me a PM for more detailed advise.

Rob