A couple of things I read recently made me test my hitherto sceptical approach to the influence of power supply on sound quality.
Firstly, someone on this forum (sorry, I forget where) recently posted that Tacima mains conditioners and their ilk should be discarded because of their effect on SQ. I then read an amp manufacturer's website advising that their product should be plugged directly into the mains, preferably without any TV, computer etc. plugged in nearby.
I won't go into the sordid detail of what goes on behind my hifi / tv stands, but suffice to say it involves a 6 socket Tacima in one wall socket, and a 4 socket surge protection extension strip into the other, which between them support everything from my amplifier to my telephone.
Out of curiosity, I unplugged both spreaders and stuck my amp and DAC into the wall sockets (not possible with deck & phono as that would need 3 spare sockets...), after first listening to a favourite Tidal Hifi track...playing it again direct from the wall sockets, it wasn't exactly a 'wow' moment, but there was a noticeable increase in sound quality, a subtle increase in clarity and resolution.
The thing is, ever since a power surge blew my radio-cassette and phone charger in a hotel room, I've been paranoid about surge protection. I'm not sure I would trust the fuses on my domestic wiring to prevent damage to expensive electronics unaided. Could I retain much of the SQ by ditching the Tacima and getting a simple surge protected spreader socket (this I can test myself)? Do I need to unplug my TV and landline phone when listening to my hifi? Interested to know what others think, particularly anyone with a bit more knowledge of electrical wiring than I have.
Firstly, someone on this forum (sorry, I forget where) recently posted that Tacima mains conditioners and their ilk should be discarded because of their effect on SQ. I then read an amp manufacturer's website advising that their product should be plugged directly into the mains, preferably without any TV, computer etc. plugged in nearby.
I won't go into the sordid detail of what goes on behind my hifi / tv stands, but suffice to say it involves a 6 socket Tacima in one wall socket, and a 4 socket surge protection extension strip into the other, which between them support everything from my amplifier to my telephone.
Out of curiosity, I unplugged both spreaders and stuck my amp and DAC into the wall sockets (not possible with deck & phono as that would need 3 spare sockets...), after first listening to a favourite Tidal Hifi track...playing it again direct from the wall sockets, it wasn't exactly a 'wow' moment, but there was a noticeable increase in sound quality, a subtle increase in clarity and resolution.
The thing is, ever since a power surge blew my radio-cassette and phone charger in a hotel room, I've been paranoid about surge protection. I'm not sure I would trust the fuses on my domestic wiring to prevent damage to expensive electronics unaided. Could I retain much of the SQ by ditching the Tacima and getting a simple surge protected spreader socket (this I can test myself)? Do I need to unplug my TV and landline phone when listening to my hifi? Interested to know what others think, particularly anyone with a bit more knowledge of electrical wiring than I have.