mains chord improvements?

[stevegwoods]

I already have a Tacima conditioning block which did give noticeable improvements to my low end system. What I am interested to know does anyone think I will benefit further from some Russ Andrews / Clear Audio power chords?

thanks

Steve

Onkyo 506 / Marantz CD6002 / Pioneer DVR440

 

[Messiah]

Try 'em and find out! They let you have them on trial so if you don't like them you can return them and get your money back!

 

[Anonymous]

Messiah:Try 'em and find out! They let you have them on trial so if you don't like them you can return them and get your money back!

Agreed - trial then only keep if you hear a significant improvement.

 

[Anonymous]

If you do hear a difference and can demonstrate it under controlled conditions it will be a world first.

 

[Anonymous]

Grimly is getting boring anyone?

 

[Anonymous]

griffy:Grimly is getting boring anyone?

The prospect of a world first doesn't excite you?

 

[Anonymous]

Lol

 

[ElectroMan]

You could try the Balanced Mains Unit 3000 from Russ Andrews for £60 total carriage both ways, and if you like it then it only costs £2750. And at the time of writing they are out of stock!!!

There's a glowing (possibly literally, for that price!) description of its effect on his website, but it doesn't say who the 'we' is/are.

I did once use a specialised mains lead on an expensive CD player I once owned about 5 years ago (the cable was about £70), but can't say I noticed any difference. And I'm not sure I've ever read a convincing argument why a mains lead could make a real difference. (Anyone still following the once-common advice in Hi-Fi Answers to hardwire all your equipment direct to the ring mains?)

 

[Anonymous]

Aaah Some are calling it audio voodoo;-)

I like this experiment: Monster cable vs coat hanger...ÿhttp://consumerist.com/362926/do-coat-hangers-sound-as-good-monster-cables

ÿAnyway - they have a free trial so I can't see any problems with trying. However paying £2750 for "balanced mains unit" sounds a bit too much Where does it stop? I guess next step is buying a set of cable holders...http://www.audiostereo.pl/Galeria_Audio-Show-2008_p1_g9_f62.htmlÿ

http://www.audiostereo.pl/Galeria_Audio-Show-2008_p1_g9_f58.html

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Have just bought (off Ebay £34) a BT mains conditioning unit.

Houses a big transformer, astounded by the improvement, and that's on top of a dedicated spur, tacima block and Russ Andrews power cables!

 

[Sliced Bread]

Grimly Fiendish:If you do hear a difference and can demonstrate it under controlled conditions it will be a world first.

I'm no expert but surely the WHF tests are controlled conditions as are Clearer Audio's demonstrations at the WHF shows.

I personally found a noticeable lift in the sound from my Amplifier, and also an improvement to my CD player (although the CD player difference was more subtle...but still worth £35 in my opinion).

 

[Anonymous]

JohnNewman:Grimly Fiendish:If you do hear a difference and can demonstrate it under controlled conditions it will be a world first.

I'm no expert but surely the WHF tests are controlled conditions as are Clearer Audio's demonstrations at the WHF shows.

I personally found a noticeable lift in the sound from my Amplifier, and also an improvement to my CD player (although the CD player difference was more subtle...but still worth £35 in my opinion).

No idea about the WHF and Clearer tests but in order to be effective the identity of the cable needs to be hidden from the listener.

Do a google and search for blind test ABX. You'll see that nobody has been able to score better than chance on mains leads, which is what I would expect.

There is science behind the idea that screened signal wires and speaker cables sound different but there is no such rationale for mains leads because they don't carry the signal.

 

[Anonymous]

Grimly Fiendish:
JohnNewman:Grimly Fiendish:If you do hear a difference and can demonstrate it under controlled conditions it will be a world first.

I'm no expert but surely the WHF tests are controlled conditions as are Clearer Audio's demonstrations at the WHF shows.

I personally found a noticeable lift in the sound from my Amplifier, and also an improvement to my CD player (although the CD player difference was more subtle...but still worth £35 in my opinion).

No idea about the WHF and Clearer tests but in order to be effective the identity of the cable needs to be hidden from the listener.

Do a google search for blind test ABX. You'll see that nobody has been able to score better than chance on mains leads, which is what I would expect.

There is a bit of science behind the idea that screened signal wires and speaker cables can sound different but there is no such rationale for mains leads because they don't carry the signal.

 

[professorhat]

Clare's said a number of times WHF run proper blind ABX testing on any cables.

 

[Sliced Bread]

Grimly Fiendish:
JohnNewman:Grimly Fiendish:If you do hear a difference and can demonstrate it under controlled conditions it will be a world first.

I'm no expert but surely the WHF tests are controlled conditions as are Clearer Audio's demonstrations at the WHF shows.

I personally found a noticeable lift in the sound from my Amplifier, and also an improvement to my CD player (although the CD player difference was more subtle...but still worth £35 in my opinion).

No idea about the WHF and Clearer tests but in order to be effective the identity of the cable needs to be hidden from the listener.

Do a google and search for blind test ABX. You'll see that nobody has been able to score better than chance on mains leads, which is what I would expect.

There is science behind the idea that screened signal wires and speaker cables sound different but there is no such rationale for mains leads because they don't carry the signal.

I believe that all of WHF reviews are based on blind tests (can anyone from WHF confirm this?).

 

[Anonymous]

i recently purcased the tacima plug board and some mains cables from mark grant and the results where amasing in MY room which i have had bad mains for years. what you have to remember is that mains cables are like big arials for rfi which is more prevalent in thi digital age mobile phones wi fi conections. i was that impressed with these screened cables i bought 1 for every thing plus a load of interconects etc and can highly recomend these cables.

glyn

 

[Anonymous]

Try one of these and say it makes no difference!

BT MAINS CONDITIONING UNIT MCU 5A 125. (off Ebay)
Its about 6" x 5", heavy as it has a big transformer inside and a couple of large capactors.

Suspect Russ Andrews has made one on similar lines to this.

www.hi-fi-insight.com/bt-mains-conditioning-filters.html is a report on it.

 

[ElectroMan]

glyn21:what you have to remember is that mains cables are like big arials for rfi which is more prevalent in thi digital age mobile phones wi fi conections.

Hmmm, I've also read articles claiming that you'd need much more screening to suppress RFI than you get in even the most expensive cables!

Still, if it works for you ...

 

[Anonymous]

ElectroMan:
glyn21:what you have to remember is that mains cables are like big arials for rfi which is more prevalent in thi digital age mobile phones wi fi conections.

Hmmm, I've also read articles claiming that you'd need much more screening to suppress RFI than you get in even the most expensive cables!

Still, if it works for you ...

I take your point, BUT they make a big improvement. The only way to totally remove RFI is to use a mains transformer set up which means spending hundreds of pounds from the likes of Russ Andrews etc.
A massive upgrade to your system, which macks it sing like its never done before.

 

[Anonymous]

trevor79:ElectroMan:
glyn21:what you have to remember is that mains cables are like big arials for rfi which is more prevalent in thi digital age mobile phones wi fi conections.

Hmmm, I've also read articles claiming that you'd need much more screening to suppress RFI than you get in even the most expensive cables!

Still, if it works for you ...

I take your point, BUT they make a big improvement. The only way to totally remove RFI is to use a mains transformer set up which means spending hundreds of pounds from the likes of Russ Andrews etc.
A massive upgrade to your system, which macks it sing like its never done before.

Just as long as you don't exaggerate, eh Trev?

 

[stevegwoods]

Thanks for all the posts guys! it was quite a hot debate in the end! I think I'll try a cable on trial and keep Trevors BT conditioner in mind.

Steve