Mains power cables and block.

[tiggs]

It would be also worth looking at the Supra Lo-Rad mains cables, which come in 2 versions - Lo-Rad 1.5 (this is 1.5sq mm cable) and Lo-Rad 2.5 (this is 2.5sq mm cable). This cable can be bought either by the metre off the reel for about £15.00 per metre for the 2.5, altough I am not sure how much the 1.5 version is per metre. Both cables can be bought in ready made versions as well for reasonable money, although neither cable is hard to assemble yourself, although you may have trouble finding a 13amp plug that will fit the 2.5 version although something like the MK toughplug or safety plug would do. I believe both cables are available from: www.divineaudio.co.uk

 

[Ambrose]

i would but i need 2 plugs as i have monoblocs. and the power cable wont reach to the next set of plugs, bit annoying :/.

What was your results with the tacima block?

I agree with Matt as to the best solution.

Re the Tacima, I found it strangled the amp, and the other components sounded better plugged directly into the wall. IMO Conditioning can't be done cheaply and well.

I tried Tacima first and noticed less noise & bit more space but as above sucked out energy out and sounded flat. TV seemed better but suspect our electrics are not very good.

I had home trial with Wireworld block and power cable and this made noticable improvement in my system and I felt well worth the outlay. AMP still directly into mains socket however as found this best.
Try before you buy! Can recommend dealer Signals in Ipswich if by chance you are in this part of the world who are very knowledgable and relaxed about lending equipment before parting with cash.

 

[krish123]

ok looks like its not a gd idea to plug the amps into the mains block. i now have my amps plugged directly into the wall.

I just need a mains block for my cd player and preamp, plus mains cords for each component. iv bin offered 2 merlin tarantulas mk6 for 66 for the two. is this a gd price and has any1 had experience of this cable?

 

[Gazzip]

Hi krish123

The standard mains cables supplied with your components are decent. I'll recommend using these standard mains cables for all of your electronics.

Btw, in the first instance I'll suggest plugging your components directly into wall sockets however if this is not possible then mains blocks from Wilkinson Stores are excellent.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Very bad advice. Don't do this. Always have surge protection between your mains socket and your electronics. Nothing to do with mains surge but everything to do with lightning.

 

[Overdose]

Hi krish123

The standard mains cables supplied with your components are decent. I'll recommend using these standard mains cables for all of your electronics.

Btw, in the first instance I'll suggest plugging your components directly into wall sockets however if this is not possible then mains blocks from Wilkinson Stores are excellent.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Very bad advice. Don't do this. Always have surge protection between your mains socket and your electronics. Nothing to do with mains surge but everything to do with lightning.

Really? Perfectly good advice I'd say. If you are that concerned about lightning strikes, then you should have the surge protection installed at the consumer unit (class I or II), not some plug in device (class III). Class III devices can cause RCD tripping, but you obviously knew this? Also, no plug in class III device (to my knowledge) will protect against a direct strike anyway.

 

[MattSPL]

Hi krish123

The standard mains cables supplied with your components are decent. I'll recommend using these standard mains cables for all of your electronics.

Btw, in the first instance I'll suggest plugging your components directly into wall sockets however if this is not possible then mains blocks from Wilkinson Stores are excellent.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Very bad advice. Don't do this. Always have surge protection between your mains socket and your electronics. Nothing to do with mains surge but everything to do with lightning.

I think you will find that most people on this forum don't use surge protection, and you dont see people complaining of fried electronics on here very often, if at all.
If you know your house is a problem area, then you may need surge protection, but otherwise its not needed.

A good test too see if your house suffers voltage surges is the energy saving light bulb. The compact flourescent type.
These contain electronic components to help them ignite the gas in the lamp, and in an area where surges in power are a problem, these light bulbs blow quite frequently. Saying this, no other electronic components in the house suffer, but the computer is on a ups.

 

[Anonymous]

I bought two cheap Tacima 6 mains conditioner blocks and they are great I think. I used a CD I know well to intepret its influence, and they seemed to work for my humble systems. I wasn't robbed of bass, yet I did get a little more revealed to me in key places on the CD that I always use to test changes because I know it so well.

 

[chebby]

The mains extension block I bought in Wilkinsons (also branded for Sainsburys and B&Q and others, but all made by Masterplug) are surge protected.

 

[krish123]

death in china, how did you find the change in treble sound? i have just bought a tacima blok for my preamp and cd player.

 

[Gazzip]

Hi krish123

The standard mains cables supplied with your components are decent. I'll recommend using these standard mains cables for all of your electronics.

Btw, in the first instance I'll suggest plugging your components directly into wall sockets however if this is not possible then mains blocks from Wilkinson Stores are excellent.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Very bad advice. Don't do this. Always have surge protection between your mains socket and your electronics. Nothing to do with mains surge but everything to do with lightning.

Really? Perfectly good advice I'd say. If you are that concerned about lightning strikes, then you should have the surge protection installed at the consumer unit (class I or II), not some plug in device (class III). Class III devices can cause RCD tripping, but you obviously knew this? Also, no plug in class III device (to my knowledge) will protect against a direct strike anyway.

Agreed, but that wasn't the advice. The advice was to plug straight in to the mains with no mention of adding surge protection to the consumer unit down stream.

I am currently consoling a friend who is the proud owner of what used to be £11k worth AV equipment before there was a lightning strike on the utilities transformer serving his local area. Not a direct strike. People who choose not to take this basic step to protect their electronics are nuts IMO. It is the electrical world's equivalent of cycling without a helmet or driving without a seatbelt on.

Furthermore any telephone cable, network cable, aerial cable or satellite dish cable should be surge protected before being plugged in to your sensitive and extremely delicate electronics.

 

[the record spot]

Of course, he'll have said £11k's worth of formerly snazzy gear specially covered either in the body of his home insurance, or has a special protection policy taken out for it...?

 

[Anonymous]

ok looks like its not a gd idea to plug the amps into the mains block. i now have my amps plugged directly into the wall.

I have all of my equipment (laptop, hard drive, amp, DAC) plugged into a Tacima mains conditioner and don't find it negatively affects the sound at all, although it's a moot point because the lack of wall sockets in the room doesn't allow for any other set up.

I did try the amp plugged into a normal electrical extension (with everything else still plugged into the Tacima) and didn't notice any difference worth worrying about and running extra power cables everywhere.

Try it either way yourself and see whether it makes a difference to you - I don't doubt others when they say they find it has a negative effect plugging an amp into it but can't hear it myself.

 

[Overdose]

Agreed, but that wasn't the advice. The advice was to plug straight in to the mains with no mention of adding surge protection to the consumer unit down stream.

I am currently consoling a friend who is the proud owner of what used to be £11k worth AV equipment before there was a lightning strike on the utilities transformer serving his local area. Not a direct strike. People who choose not to take this basic step to protect their electronics are nuts IMO. It is the electrical world's equivalent of cycling without a helmet or driving without a seatbelt on.

Furthermore any telephone cable, network cable, aerial cable or satellite dish cable should be surge protected before being plugged in to your sensitive and extremely delicate electronics.

I think MattSPLs reply petty much covers things.

 

[krish123]

yes i will try to plug the amps both directly into the wall and into the tacima.

iv on order a tacima mains condiioner and 2 merlin tarantula mains cables to start my off. providing it makes a difference i may buy more for other components.

 

[Gazzip]

Enjoy your fry up.

 

[krish123]

right guys, just recieved the tacima mains block. i tried first to plug everything through the tacima. the sound was good, increased clarity and seemed more air and space around instruments. the sound seemed less strained to me and in particular the treble was improved.

i think for the money its a worthwhile investment.

 

[CnoEvil]

right guys, just recieved the tacima mains block. i tried first to plug everything through the tacima. the sound was good, increased clarity and seemed more air and space around instruments. the sound seemed less strained to me and in particular the treble was improved.

i think for the money its a worthwhile investment.

If you have the amp plugged in to it, leave it like that for a month, and then plug the amp into the wall.......this is the best way to make sure there has been a definate improvement by plugging the amp into the Tacima.

 

[aliEnRIK]

I'm amazed this is on page 3 with no major fighting involved (Unless its been modded?)

Anyhoo:

With the equipment you have I really recommend NOT using the tacima with your maps. Theyre far too good to be strangled with it. Use the tacima for all low current equipment (cd player etc)

I have quite power hungry equipment and by far the best improvement I have had is by using the balanced mains transformer which splits the voltage from +230 to +115 and -115 which reduces noise on the mains line. Rather than changing mains leads etc, that would be my first port of call (So long as the transformers big enough for what you have)

I believe mains can make a considerable difference to sound quality but depends on quite a few factors. If your equipment has large transformers in them for example then they will reduce the noise to some degree. Obviously the users quality of hearing makes a major difference as to whether or not they would be capable of haring differences. If there is zero mains noise on the line then there is nothing to clean anyways (Although I suspect just about everyones hifi has 'some' noise going through it)

Also make sure the speakers are as solid as you can get them. If theyre moving around at all in use then that will probably negate any positive effect cleaning the mains would do.

I have tried my A5 power amp through the mains direct, through the balanced mains, through my Isotek mains conditioner and through both of them. The sound is definitely 'cleaner' and more detailed through both in my system (Though you must realise the balanced mains cant possibly strangle the amp, and the conditioner is designed with amps in mind and is far more expensive than the tacima)

As a side note, I have also tested the Nordost mains conditioner with a very powerful 2 channel amp, and it strangled that! So dont assume throwing money at something will help.

 

[krish123]

i agree with your comments alienrik. i tried first to plug my amps into the tacima and felt it lost punch, so they now go directly into the wall , leaving my cd player and preamp into the tacima.

is my preamp ok in the tacima, i dont think its very power hungry.

 

[MattSPL]

What make is your balanced transformer, or is a DIY job?

 

[aliEnRIK]

is my preamp ok in the tacima, i dont think its very power hungry.

I would guess it is, but you can only really try for yourself. I recommend leaving as it is for a month so you know how everything sounds, then plug direct into the wall (or do what you can) for another month

 

[aliEnRIK]

What make is your balanced transformer, or is a DIY job?

I contacted Airlink Transformers to make mine (Google them)

 

[michael hoy]

What make is your balanced transformer, or is a DIY job?

I contacted Airlink Transformers to make mine (Google them)

Rik,

Do you know the model number if it was off the shelf.

 

[MattSPL]

What make is your balanced transformer, or is a DIY job?

I contacted Airlink Transformers to make mine (Google them)

Thanks

They look very reasonably priced too.
How would you say it has improved the sound of your system?

Cheers
Matt

 

[idc]

My experience with various Russ Andrews and Tacima is that the effectiveness varies for house to house and between kit. My low powered headphone amp is not strangled at all by a Tacima plug in conditioner. I am sure of the conditioners effectiveness because without playing music I can turn the volume up higher before the background hiss is audible with the conditioner plugged in.