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More advice and opinion please this time it's power.

@Filian - there is more factual info and less sneering on the Naim site, where i have asked the same question, but people here (even some pretty sceptical ones) have made some useful comments here too.

I agree that, biased though we are, that ears are the arbiter of what I am hearing, even if not of what a perfect ear would be hearing. Fortunately, there are entire threads available to discuss all aspects of the Subjectivist/ Objectivist debate.

The most specific suggestion so far is to sort a dedicated mains sure before considering changing the Hydra and 6-way power block from Grahams with anything else and before considering Powerlines. I am advised to call a decent engineer and ask about: -
  • 10mm SWA Armoured Cable T+E (Stranded) to be run from front of house (living room), to side of house (Kitchen). May need trenching
  • Going to a double socket flush mounted (MK Logic Plus, Un-switched) - A deep wall box may help here
  • Separate Hager or MK Metal Consumer Unit with C curve 32Amp 30mA RCBO, getting power from splitting tails as they come in from the meter via Henley Block. (C curve because of toroidal transformers)
  • Earth is extremely important, so must go back to incoming house earth block from the new CU.
  • SWA Steel outer wire not to be connected at remote Socket end
  • New CU to be fed from a Henley Block off the main house input (not from the old CU)
  • Minor Works test and completion certificate
It looks as if that could cost little more than one Powerline or a new & half-decent 8-way power block.
 
Of course, try anything and see. But I strongly advise all to stay within regs for their location. I went the full RKR in my studio (installed by Roy himself): big mains fuse, big wires, big everything, hardwired into the gear or copper blanks in the plugs if I used them, Bussmann whatevers in the equipment.

I can't tell you how much better my system sounded when I removed it all, since I was no longer a nervous wreck.

A Naim system of old does seem improved by this stuff. Everything else I've used, zilch.
 
Thanks @Alex S - old Naim system is dead right!

Unlike most boxes, I can't get a mains spur built with a 30-day trial period. Perhaps the strongest message so far is not to bother with cables or blocks (or fuses of course), either (a) until after getting a new supply or (b) ever ever.
 
Nick, I just looked at your system - well worth a separate spur and consumer unit I'd think.
 
Paul Hindle said:
But this project will only happen after I’ve re-painted my motorbike helmet the same colour as my bike (you needed to know that :)).
Click to expand...
Just bear in mind that if it is a polycarbonate helmet (the lower end of the price range) you will need to use water based paint or a blocker if using solvent based paint. Just saying. ;)
 
NickofWimbledon said:
@Filian - there is more factual info and less sneering on the Naim site, where i have asked the same question, but people here (even some pretty sceptical ones) have made some useful comments here too.

I agree that, biased though we are, that ears are the arbiter of what I am hearing, even if not of what a perfect ear would be hearing. Fortunately, there are entire threads available to discuss all aspects of the Subjectivist/ Objectivist debate.

The most specific suggestion so far is to sort a dedicated mains sure before considering changing the Hydra and 6-way power block from Grahams with anything else and before considering Powerlines. I am advised to call a decent engineer and ask about: -
  • 10mm SWA Armoured Cable T+E (Stranded) to be run from front of house (living room), to side of house (Kitchen). May need trenching
  • Going to a double socket flush mounted (MK Logic Plus, Un-switched) - A deep wall box may help here
  • Separate Hager or MK Metal Consumer Unit with C curve 32Amp 30mA RCBO, getting power from splitting tails as they come in from the meter via Henley Block. (C curve because of toroidal transformers)
  • Earth is extremely important, so must go back to incoming house earth block from the new CU.
  • SWA Steel outer wire not to be connected at remote Socket end
  • New CU to be fed from a Henley Block off the main house input (not from the old CU)
  • Minor Works test and completion certificate
It looks as if that could cost little more than one Powerline or a new & half-decent 8-way power block.
Click to expand...

That's not a minor works certificate.

Unsure if you've possibly missed some punctuation, but SWA isn't T& E, you would require 3 core SWA if you aren't using the armour as your earth (cpc)

Don't go for MK consumer unit, and 'Fusebox' is much better value than Hager. Don't forget your SPD in the board.
 
Ian G said:
That's not a minor works certificate.

Unsure if you've possibly missed some punctuation, but SWA isn't T& E, you would require 3 core SWA if you aren't using the armour as your earth (cpc)

Don't go for MK consumer unit, and 'Fusebox' is much better value than Hager. Don't forget your SPD in the board.
Click to expand...

I was taking it all at face value until I know better, so this is very helpful. I think I have some reading of specs and the like to do.
 
Sorry to hijack the thread but I could do with a two socket mains distribution block, no foo, just well made & some DC protection would be welcome. Looked at Olson, can’t work out why they have a separate earth cable?
 
Woodface said:
Sorry to hijack the thread but I could do with a two socket mains distribution block, no foo, just well made & some DC protection would be welcome. Looked at Olson, can’t work out why they have a separate earth cable?
Click to expand...

Some commercial applications may require them to be earth bonded to the cabinet they are installed in.
 
Opinions seem mixed here and on the Naim site about which is best -
1. 10mm to twin socket, feeding 3 more sockets via narrower but very short wires. All except Lingo 4 and tape powered from that.

2. As above, but one twin socket only, fed by 10mm cable. One socket on that has a 6-way power block from it, such as those mentioned above.

The electrician seems to be leaning toward option 1. Is there a consensus that that is wrong?
 
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More advice!

I spoke to Paul at Grahams. He agrees that a dedicated spur is the No.1 priority.

In his view, the problem with Powerlines and Hydras is that there in no Hydra made of Powerlines - to him, the more connected the supplies for pre/PS/ power are the better.

He suggests plugging my existing 4-way Hydra into one hole in the new twin socket (the one receiving 10mm cable), powering CDS2 PS, XPSDR (for NDX2), Supercap (for 52 and hence Superline) and 250.

He also suggests plugging my existing power block (or any decent one) into the other socket (or perhaps the existing ring main) to power ethernet switch and Nak tape deck. Finally, the Lingo 4 plugs into the existing ring main, as that keeps it electrically as far as poss from the supply to the Naim kit.

If I want to go further after getting the new spur, that means replacing the Hydra. To Paul, that requires a very good cable to a very good powerblock with very good cables to the above 4 Naim boxes. If using Powerlines, which he unsurprisingly rates, that means getting 5 and a flash power block. He is not convinced that I will need to do that after I have the new spur, but that is something to investigate only after I have got used to the new spur with existing cables.
 
JimDog said:
Hi Nick
I used a Furutech socket on one of my 2 radials and it took 10mm sq Lapp cable no problem.
There is a (rather bolshy) thread on it on here and one or two on the green forum.
Jim
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Things have moved on. I did as the electrician wanted - he was very convincing - and that worked well.

We did have a problem because I recently got the opportunity to park my LP12 (for sale early 2023 with Lingo 4,Kore and Krystal) and get a s/h Stiletto. The tale is on other threads, but getting rid of a ground loop involved taking off an existing earth and adding a wire from LP12 directly to pre-amp earth.

While trying to sort ou the hum, we also retested how to plug in the turntable now that it has a Radikal. Contrary to expectation and conventional wisdom, it was & remains undeniably better when everything (Hydra from Naim and the Radikal) were all powered from the new radial sockets. That may say something about teh state of my old ring main as a supply of course...
 
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