Chebby mentioned it . . .

[Covenanter]

Open minded as always but not realy seeing any need to retracing steps?

CJSF

That's fine by me, but it would be remiss of me not to pass on my findings. IME. Any circuitry put between the wall socket and the power amp can restrict current......it's why conditioners that can handle high current amps are often so expensive.

But come on hifi equipment isn't high current! Most hifi equipment will be fused at 5 amps whereas mains is 13 amps.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

Open minded as always but not realy seeing any need to retracing steps?

CJSF

That's fine by me, but it would be remiss of me not to pass on my findings. IME. Any circuitry put between the wall socket and the power amp can restrict current......it's why conditioners that can handle high current amps are often so expensive.

But come on hifi equipment isn't high current! Most hifi equipment will be fused at 5 amps whereas mains is 13 amps.

Chris

We're talking Power amps here, not CD players.

My amp is certainly a high current one, as it doubles its power as impedance halves, right down to 2 Ohms. It's why I can get away with 35W driving my speakers.

 

[Covenanter]

Open minded as always but not realy seeing any need to retracing steps?

CJSF

That's fine by me, but it would be remiss of me not to pass on my findings. IME. Any circuitry put between the wall socket and the power amp can restrict current......it's why conditioners that can handle high current amps are often so expensive.

But come on hifi equipment isn't high current! Most hifi equipment will be fused at 5 amps whereas mains is 13 amps.

Chris

We're talking Power amps here, not CD players.

My amp is certainly a high current one, as it doubles its power as impedance halves, right down to 2 Ohms. It's why I can get away with 35W driving my speakers.

So how much current do you think your power amp takes from the mains?

Chris

 

[BigH]

Well now, lots of negative coments . . . to which you are entitled.

I've just spent 3 hours serching for the power amp problem we have been warned against. Thats a couple of hours warming everything up, then three hours of listening at a good volume. Everything from my favourit 50's and 60's Spotify offerings, some very special vinyl I have from the 70's and 80's and some of my favourit CD's ranging from rock through classical to opera.

Spotify has never sounded so good, and I mean 'good', vinyl is simply devine, with control over the base line like I have never experianced befor

Hi CJ, I have too much respect for your ability to understand what you are hearing, so I will pass on my experience......which was that my amp definitely sounded less dynamic through it. That does not mean that the same thing is happening to you.

I would advise letting it sit as is for a couple of weeks, and then try with the power amps plugged into the wall (if that's possible), but leave the rest plugged into it. If the sound is then worse, then you will know for definite. I know of people who thought that it initially sounded better, but on changing back, realized that there was now more "life" injected into the music.

Thanks Cno, just what I am doing, all plugs wiring etc., is laying in place to revert if I feel the need?

Cant see the need but this one is much more complicated, and delicat. The level one is at means that at some points there differances, not better or worse, so one has to be patient, think and listen . . . I cant see the need arising, the changes (dont forget the mods I have been doing to the TT recently) have all gon positive in the way I wanted them. One or two are things I have been changes I have been striving for for a long time and not quite made it, the system was not quite there. I believe it is there now, the next rung on the ladder, making some improvements very meaningful to me. For me now, any further changes are gong to be expensive and radical . . . :?

Open minded as always but not realy seeing any need to retracing steps?

CJSF

What system do you have?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I have a Tacima mains block. It cost me £29. It may improve things (it may not) but at £29 it wasn't the biggest outlay.

I suffer the same OCD affliction as Chebby - so thankfully, all six spots are taken up, and there is not excess wiring!

 

[floyd droid]

H ,see page 2 . This could have a lot to do with CJs positive results.

Dunno , just speculating .

 

[jcbrum]

I don't think I would want a 40" tv, but see nothing wrong with a 30" tv and an Atv3, used in the way you suggest.

JC

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

If I was to start from scratch, I'd go Linn DSM (over the Naim due to HDMI switching) and abandon any surround sound. With a nice big, bezel free, Samsung television.

 

[JamesOK]

I bought one a year or two ago and never noticed any difference. I'm a non believer i'm afraid.

Me too - I didnt notice anything. But its not a massive outlay, and its got plenty of sockets on it, and surge protection. So could be worse I suppose.

 

[CJSF]

What system do you have?

See, coment #7 BigH

 

[Overdose]

Just don't power your amp through it, it will strangle it....................

What a load of cr*p.

Why would a mains extension limit the amount of current an amplifer needs to operate?

 

[CJSF]

May be it worth thinking about the amout of work I have don on my system, rasing its game in sensativity over the years to the point that the minutest change is audable. I'm fortunate (I think?) to have very good hearing, a hearing test last year scored 100%, not bad at 66. I have to have an ear syringe every six months, last one, a couple of weeks ago. All to do with the unusual size and shape of my ear channel to the ear drum, so the medics tell me?

One has a very open mind, no preconceive notions or hang ups . . . I take sound as presented, then workout, why. One also has a 'what if' type of mind which makes life very interesting in all facets of my life . . .

So maybe its the openness and sensativity of my sysytem along with good hearing and no preconceived personal notions . . . who knows?

CJSF

 

[Sospri]

Just don't power your amp through it, it will strangle it....................

What a load of cr*p.

Why would a mains extension limit the amount of current an amplifer needs to operate?

Please if you want to reply to a post have some knowlege of what you are talking about,

Nobody said that the Tacima is merely a mains extension.

Jeez ....................

 

[Sospri]

Taken from Naim amplifier manual.....

where fused plugs are used 13 amp fuses should be

fitted. Fuses of a lower rating will fail after a period

of use. Do not wire voltage dependent resistors or

noise suppressors into mains plugs. They degrade the

mains supply and the sound.

......................

 

[cheeseboy]

Just don't power your amp through it, it will strangle it....................

What a load of cr*p.

Why would a mains extension limit the amount of current an amplifer needs to operate?

Please if you want to reply to a post have some knowlege of what you are talking about,

Nobody said that the Tacima is merely a mains extension.

Jeez ....................

quoting verbatim from an instruction manual isn't really counted as having knowledge about what you are talking about

 

[Sospri]

Just don't power your amp through it, it will strangle it....................

What a load of cr*p.

Why would a mains extension limit the amount of current an amplifer needs to operate?

Please if you want to reply to a post have some knowlege of what you are talking about,

Nobody said that the Tacima is merely a mains extension.

Jeez ....................

quoting verbatim from an instruction manual isn't really counted as having knowledge about what you are talking about

Am I surrounded by idiots,

I was replying to the post that said the Tacima was just a mains extender............

As for me quoting from an instruction manual,

I think that Naim along with many high quality manufacturers say the thing.

Also I use the Tacima myself, BUT NOT TO THE AMPLIFIER...............

 

[CJSF]

Very interesting, about the power drawn, fuse in relation to amps? I'm no electonics boffin so I go by what the manufacturers tell me. My amp is an Icom Stero 40 MkIII. The instructins tell me:

"Trouble shooting . . . Ampifier dead . . . Check the 1.6amp mains fuse in the back of the amplifier, the fuse is in a small draw which forms part of the socket assembly".

. . . 1.6amps dont seem much to worry about in relation to a 13amp rated socket block?

As I say, no boffin, so am I missig somthing?

The manufacturers are wrong???

My ears still tell me my system is sounding better than it has ever done . . . 8)

CJSF

 

[CJSF]

It has been sugested to me that valve amps are different in their power requirement compared to solid state amps? A 1.6amp manufacturers fuse also sugest something different to me . . . ?

CJSF

 

[cheeseboy]

Am I surrounded by idiots,

:boohoo:

no need for that quite frankly. The more you hurl insults about, the less salient the point you are trying to make.

As for me quoting from an instruction manual,

I think that Naim along with many high quality manufacturers say the thing.

Many high quilty manufacturers will say anything and actually outright lie if they feel so inclined, so excuse me if I take what they say with a pinch of salt...

 

[pauln]

GCSE Physics - a transformer (as implemented in a power amplifier) "converts" high voltage low current supply to low voltage high current output to the speakers. That's how CNOevil's amp can deliver a high current to his speakers whilst drawing a small current from the mains.

 

[Sospri]

As I have said, I have the Tacima myself, works fine for the TV, which had the biggest improvement.

I have also tried it with my amplifier and it does lose dynamism particually the highs, now i do mot care what anyone else think they are my findings and results......................

 

[CJSF]

GCSE Physics - a transformer (as implemented in a power amplifier) "converts" high voltage low current supply to low voltage high current output to the speakers. That's how CNOevil's amp can deliver a high current to his speakers whilst drawing a small current from the mains.

GCSE Phisics??? for those that have GCSE's! we aint all brain of Britain . . .

So that means my valve amp is as happy as a pig in ***t working from a 13amp rated, cheapo mains conditioning block and that my ears are not telling me porkies :rofl:

CJSF

 

[CJSF]

Dont wish to labour the point . . . but any of you boffins whish to explain why my valve amp only need 1.6amp mains protection, factory fitted???

You seem to sugest even 13amps might be restrictive???? :?

CJSF

 

[Covenanter]

The power consumption of my Marantz PM6004 is 150 W which from a 250 V supply means a current of 0.6 A. Hard to see that straining any mains supply!

Chris

 

[Covenanter]

I have a Tacima mains block. It cost me £29. It may improve things (it may not) but at £29 it wasn't the biggest outlay.

I suffer the same OCD affliction as Chebby - so thankfully, all six spots are taken up, and there is not excess wiring!

If I could get a combined BDP + PVR (that is as good as the Humax + Sony are individually) I would cheerfully wave goodbye to another 'box'. This sort of kit doesn't deserve as much space as we allow it to occupy. My speakers take up at least 2 square metres if you allow for the - unusable - space behind and around them. More if you (ideally) don't put large furniture between them.

The Rega R3s will probably be my last floorstanders and, maybe, my last traditional seperate box speakers. If I do change to another pair of 'box' speakers then they will be wall mounted.

Right now it's 50/50. Either a better all-in-one + smaller, wall-mounted, infinite baffle, speakers or something like a bigger, better B&W A7 if someone get's around to making it.

Or a radiogram

If I had a spare £5K (and nothing better to spend it on right now) I might even consider just getting a 40" Beovision 11 (and an ATV3) and use it's excellent built-in active audio for everything.

I saw the LG 84" tv in John Lewis this morning and it was very impressive. It was priced at £16,999 (Why do they do that? If you have £17k to splash on a the £1 isn't going to influence your decision is it?) so I think I'll wait until they come down in price.

Chris