A Tacima 929 beater?

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I'm posting because I may have stumbled upon a bargain mains block/conditioner combination from the same supplier which and I think others considering the Tacima 929 may be interested in.

I've just placed an order for the following.


Brennestuhl Premium-Alu-Line multi-way 8 extension socket

and a

Tacima TC5720 combined Mains Interference Conditioner & Surge Protector

The mains block is that used in the Merlin Tarantula blocks. The Merlin is 6 way not 8 though, and Merlin use a better cable too of course.

I'm hoping this combination will yield better results than the Tacima 929 block as the conditioning is done off line. I think it's better looking too, though it probably won't be seen behind my rack anyway.

Cost is little over £40 for the two delivered tomorrow. I'm all eager anticipation.

I'm expecting big things because my system is large and complex with a pre amp that suffers from major RFI susceptibility. I've contacted Acoustic Energy and they suggested that it might reduce transformer hum on my subs plate amps too. Also my mains wiring is old, and I suspect done by a cowboy or my landlord's son. So I might get to kill a few gremlins. If I get any other sonic improvements too I'll be more than delighted.

I'll update when I've got them and had a listen.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting, although I read on the Tacima website that a neon switch can introduce noise into the system and that is perhaps why their CS929 doesn't have any neon lights, but the Brennestuhl block does?? Hmmm

 

[Anonymous]

AKL:Interesting, although I read on the Tacima website that a neon switch can introduce noise into the system and that is perhaps why their CS929 doesn't have any neon lights, but the Brennestuhl block does??ÿ Hmmm

Oh dear.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

I know, I read too much..... and probably believe too much too!

 

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Yes, I'd noticed that. They're not too difficult to bypass though. I'm sure Merlin will bypass theirs too.

 

[Anonymous]

How can plugging something in next to the equipment help?

 

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To be homest it mystifies me a little too. The Russ Andrews product the Clarity mains silencer also works offline using the designs of a company called Coheence Technology. See here for detail of this product. Now, claims made for this being snake oil aren't helped when I read the man behind Coherence Technology

'is finding is that when he applies his Natural Coherence TechnologyT to electrical currents, and electronic devices, it not only improves the performance of the electrical currents and devices, it also has a good effect on the people using those electrical currents and devices. They say they feel happier, and their minds are clearer and more alert and so they can get more done with less effort.'

Quote taken from here.

I've read enough on such products to believe there are good scientific reasons why such products do clean the mains and help equipment susceptible to poor supply sound a little better, I just don't really understand what they are. If I feel any happier it'll be because the music sounds better. Outlandish claims like those above only fuel the ckaims of those who cry 'snake oil'.

 

[Anonymous]

Crikey, sounds like a Harry Enfield sketch in the making.

 

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Okay.
So Watt Power had no Tacima conditioners in stock and I'm still waiting for delivery. So I can't report on how the Tacima 5723 sounds. I fired a quick EMail to the Patrick brothers who make the Tacima. They reckon the 929 is much better than the 5723 off line conditioner, as the 5723 is a capacitor only product. So it looks like the 929 would have been better after all. I do though get to use a good 8 way block to which I can add better conditioning later if required. That's something you can't do as easily with a 929. Also I have 1 extra plug socket, which I do need. Yeah, I know, I'm looking on the bright side.

The Brennestuhl 8 way block has arived. It's very good looking for a mains extension block and appears well made and is solid. I really like it. If Merlin and TCI use them, they can't be bad. That said I've not been inside yet. None of my screwdrivers are small enough. Thinking about it, I'm going to leave it unmodded for a few months. Then I'll bypass that illuminated switch and maybe swap for a better cable. There's little to go wrong really, but I don't want to waste my 10 year warranty by modifying it only to find a manufacturing fault soon appears.

Still, I can answer the question of do mains cables make a difference already. Yes, potentially a massive difference. I think though that my problems are very particular. Most people are buying blocks and mains leads for sonic improvement and have no readily apparent mains problem, whereas my primary purpose is to cure a problem. My massive problem has been my Exposure amps being fussy and prone to pickup any available noise, especially the preamp. I've just built a new rack to house my gear properly and move it from between a TV and subwoofer.

On my old rack the cables were something akin to a pile of spaghetti. I measured a 71dB hum just inside my speaker ports with the volume at zero. That's very bad. Once in the new rack still relying on stock cables for all gear and my existing mains block bundled neatly inside the rack I still measured 68dB. I figure I got some loss through EMI reduction in the new location.

Now, this bundling all the cables inside the rack business meant there were still 7 mains leads in there, all near my amps. Next I put the mains block in the middle of the floor and ran the cables from there across the floor. I seperated them so far as possible. Now the minimum amount of my poor quality cable was in the vicinity of my amps. The hum measured under 40dB (40dB is as low as my meter will go). Hum was still audible, but now almost tolerable. Certainly in comparison to 68 or 71dB.

Unfortunately having cables draped across the living room like this does not make for domestic bliss. My solution is to place my lovely new Brennestuhl block vertically on the back of my rack. Then I need some decent shielded half metre cables to connect everything to the block.

So far then, I can't say that better cables sound better. Or advise whether to get solid silver core twists with fancy Wattage IECs or a better pair of speakers. I suspect the speakers would win out though. I am fairly confident that shielded cables will be better at keeping noise from the amps. I can definitely say that poor quality cables can be made to work better much with some tidying. If I get further benefits from conditioning so much the better.

The obvious sonic benefit so far has been in quiet passages, especially at low volume. I just have a lower noise floor now. It's difficult to say much more than that while the room looks something like a woodwork shop that's had half a ton of cables thrown at it.

When the Tacima 5723 arives and all the recabling and DIY nonsense stops I'll give it a serious AB comparison. If anybody can point me in the direction of a dozen or so cheap half metre cables and a few longer ones for subs and PC monitor etc that would be great. I want a bulk discount or a damn good stating price.

Anyway, I've got a silent power supply for my PC to put in now so I'd better stop this and switch the PC off.

Also, this is an edit of an earlier post rather than a fresh one, as I think my last post could have inflamed the cable wars. So here's my take. I think cables can affect sound. I don't know how much, I've not really experimented. I think also that there is an element of snake oil and marketing hype over mains (and other) cables to justify massive markups and product exclusivity.