Darren - Clearer Audio, Question for you :)

[Thaiman]

If I have a dedicate main ring installed for Hifi/home cinema use, Could I justify spending XX on main cables and power conditioning unit?

Your comment please, Dee.

regards

TM

 

[clearer_audio]

Hi Thaiman

Hope you are well.

Having a dedicated ring main or spur with separate consumer unit for your system can be very worthwhile. I recommend that you go for 10mm Twin and Earth from a high quality consumer unit to a high quality unswitched socket.

You can then run a high performance power distribution block and shielded power cables from the unswitched wall socket to your system. This ensures the best power transfer and will minimise cable interactions behind your system. Having the dedicated ring main or spur should significantly reduce the amount of mains noise present but unfortunately it can still be conducted through the main inlet to your house. The level of conditioning required will depend upon the quality of the mains. Our research and testing has shown that a high quality conditioning filter will remove most noise (both differntial and common-mode); when the noise gets very significant (usually of common-mode type) where it is negatively affecting music reproduction then further conditioning (e.g., through isolation transformers) may be required.

Hope this helps!

Best regards,

Darren

 

[Thaiman]

Thanks

So even with a dedicated ring main, the interference can still creep in! Would I then be better just buy a good (possibly battery operated) main conditioners without take half of my floorboards up then?

 

[clearer_audio]

Hi Thaiman

The benefits of a dedicated ring main or spur are not only a reduction in noise but also lower impedance (thus better power transfer). So just having a very high performance mains conditioner (on a shared ring main) will not provide the same benefits. It is best to have the dedicated ring main or spur installed and then assess mains conditioning requirements afterwards. You may find that you need minimal mains conditioning and a high performance distribution block with high quality filter will offer the best results. It is worth bearing in mind that it can actually be counterproductive to have a very sophisticated mains conditioner (which by design will always impede power transfer) when the quality of the mains supply is good in the first instance.

With regards to the floorboards; many electricians can work around them without having to pull them all up. It would be worthwhile getting an electrician round for a quote to see what work would need to be done.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Darren

 

[Thaiman]

Thanks for that Dee, that does help a lot

regards

TM