Theories on optimising mains power, conditioners, balanced etc

[invaderzim]

.... And forget about conditioners and buy a bigger set of speakers instead. Bigger is better most of the time in audio

I agree 100% that people spend a ton of money on the wrong things with audio. And expectation bias makes them think the money was well spent but since it is an imagined improvement the happiness is short lived. It then becomes a loop of:
1. Wish your system sounded better. Like the way people describe theirs online with the latest gadget installed.
2. Buy the item the person or people online raved about in their system.
3. Be blown away by the mostly or completely imagined improvement.
4. Eventually start wishing your system sounded better again as the wow wears off.
5. The last suggestion you tried worked really well (or so you thought) so why not try their next suggestion.
6. Go to step 2

 

[Hypnotoad]

1. Wish your system sounded better. Like the way people describe theirs online with the latest gadget installed.
2. Buy the item the person or people online raved about in their system.
3. Be blown away by the mostly or completely imagined improvement.
4. Eventually start wishing your system sounded better again as the wow wears off.
5. The last suggestion you tried worked really well (or so you thought) so why not try their next suggestion.
6. Go to step 2

Good advice. And I have a way to make your system have that wow factor again that it had when you first listened to it, have two systems, a cheaper inferior one and listen to that for a week. Then fire up your main one and it's like its all new again.

 

[Novak]

Hi all,

Sorry if this is not right place to ask. I am not natural english speaker and I cannot find an answer to my basic question (maybe I dont use the right terms in my search). I will try to be as clear as I can.

Here in Europe, we have 2 possibilities when plugging our power cords to our schuko plugs... Some "audiophiles" say, that equipment must be connected in the right sens, "in phase", with the main/line on the right branch of the power cord and neutral on the other branch. Of course the equipment will work if plugged in the other sens, but they say it is not optimal for audio. Is it true?

 

[solderdude]

As long as you don't hear weird sounds when there is supposed to be silence you need not worry about it.

The easiest way to test for minimal mains leakage (that's basically is what it is all about) is to use a cheap voltage checker with LCD scale.
something like THIS
It's the same I I used in the past.

Put each component on a table completely disconnected from every thing.
Connect it to a wall socket without safety ground.
Switch it on.
Put the screwdriver point on the RCA outer jacket and hold the special pad on the screwdriver.
There will probably a voltage being displayed.
Remember the reading.
Now rotate the mains plug and repeat the measurement.
See if the reading is lower or higher in voltage.
Lowest value is minimal leakage.
When the readings are about the same it doesn't matter how it is in the wall socket.
Below a picture of me doing this

Mark the mains plug where the lowest value is shown.
Check the wall socket with the screwdrivertester to determine what is phase (has mains voltage on it) and neutral (no to low voltage on it)

The procedure is shown here as well.

Do this for all devices.

When done connect all devices to each other and you are done.

What does this do ? Now you have the lowest possible mains leakage. I found that when gear is connected this way you aren't bothered by 'ticks' caused by switches of other devices. When leakage currents aren't on its lowest chances are you can hear 'ticks' when something in the house switches on or off.

You don't have to do this to improve sound quality. It will change NOTHING in this aspect. The only benefit I experienced is better imunity for the mentioned 'ticks'.
When you do not experience this leave it as it is and stop worrying.

 

[Novak]

Put the screwdriver point on the RCA outer jacket
...
Do this for all devices.

Thank you very much.
What if I have a power amp with XLR inputs and banana output for speaker cables? Should I do the same on the banana ouputs?

 

[solderdude]

You can test on a bare piece of metal on the enclosure of the amp for instance.
Either of the banana outputs is also possible.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Some "audiophiles" say, that equipment must be connected in the right sens, "in phase", with the main/line on the right branch of the power cord and neutral on the other branch. Of course the equipment will work if plugged in the other sens, but they say it is not optimal for audio. Is it true?

This is only true with standard IEC wiring in most gears: phase (L) on the left pin of the IEC outlet/male. But some manufacturers (Nuprime, for example) wire the phase on the righ pin...for some reason...

Does it make an electrical difference or not, I don't know. But I see no reason to do not plug my electronics properly, once I may simply check the phase with my electric screwdriver:

Does it make an audible difference? Well, I guess that is still a belief to be proved in measurements.

 

[Sal1950]

You don't have to do this to improve sound quality. It will change NOTHING in this aspect. The only benefit I experienced is better imunity for the mentioned 'ticks'.
When you do not experience this leave it as it is and stop worrying.

Back when I had my tube amps > La Scala 104db sensitive speakers I used to test all the gear in my system like this. With a number of components the difference was definitely audible as a hum level in the speakers. I never actually measured the level of hum at the speaker terminals, but if I had I've sure it would have been easily measurable, this was not any bias induced change.

 

[trl]

This is only true with standard IEC wiring in most gears: phase (L) on the left pin of the IEC outlet/male. But some manufacturers (Nuprime, for example) wire the phase on the righ pin...for some reason...

Does it make an electrical difference or not, I don't know. But I see no reason to do not plug my electronics properly, once I may simply check the phase with my electric screwdriver:

View attachment 39280

Does it make an audible difference? Well, I guess that is still a belief to be proved in measurements.

Get an audiophile cable, one with an arrow that show the current flowing sense, and place it between the screw driver measurement tool and the power outlet (try not to die while doing that!). Placing the cable with the arrow pointing to the outlet should tell the current to "not go there", so the screw driver should not light up the internal light bulb.

P.S.: The above is a pamphlet, so do not try this at home!

 

[trl]

It actually happened to me few times, when inserting subwoofer cable into RCA plug from the power amplifier, to feel a bit of electroshock. Haven't measured the voltage, but after reversing the power plug into the outlet did resolved the issue.

I remember couple of times I had a tiny hum noise on speakers, but after reverting the power plug polarity on the amplifier the him gone away. It's not a general rule, of course, but worth trying if hum noise appears in audio chain.

 

[Thomas savage]

I Measured 240v on amp casework before now, fortunately not much current else the shock might of killed me ha ha

 

[solderdude]

The current is the problem.