Will a Mains Cable Make a Difference Plugged Into an Extension Lead?

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I know that upgrading to a mains power cable such as the Chord Company Superscreen etc does work but what if it’s plugged into an extension lead and not into the wall socket itself?

The same question to if you plug a extension lead such as Lindy 6-way etc then plug the better power cable into it will it make the same difference as if its plugged right into the wall socket?

I know it’s an odd question as it should give a better performance but does the performance drop with it being placed not into the main wall socket itself!

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, they work fine doing the same job of cleaning up the Mains supply.

I have my Tacima hard wired in at the end of a 40A dedicated spur which run off it 2 BT Mains conditioning units and a Classic Powerkord to the TV.

Outstanding results!

 

[pwiles1968]

trevor79: which run off it 2 BT Mains conditioning units

Are they the telecoms units for use in exchanges? I saw one on a popular auction site and wondered about buying it, if it is how well do they work.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Clickety-boo

 

[pwiles1968]

Thank you Andrew

some interesting threads.

 

[clearer_audio]

jackandy:I know that upgrading to a mains power cable such as the Chord Company Superscreen etc does work but what if it's plugged into an extension lead and not into the wall socket itself?

The same question to if you plug a extension lead such as Lindy 6-way etc then plug the better power cable into it will it make the same difference as if its plugged right into the wall socket?

I know it's an odd question as it should give a better performance but does the performance drop with it being placed not into the main wall socket itself!

Hello

If you are using a filtered block then performance will depend upon the quality of your mains in the first instance. If you have a good clean mains supply then you may find that the performance is actually better when plugged directly into the wall as this provides a lower impedance and thus better power transfer (components that draw high currents such as multichannel amplifiers tend to benefit more than components that draw minimal currents such as CD players). However, if your mains supply is quite noisy (indicative by a significant improvement when using a filtered block) then performance would be best when plugged into a filtered block. Ultimately it is worth trying both solutions (at different times of the day to assess impact of mains noise) to see what works best for you.

It is also worth noting that if you are using a filtered block it is important to use shielded power cables from it to your components; unshielded power cables can pick up airborne noise which can be transferred to your components thereby undoing the good work done.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Darren

 

[pwiles1968]

clearer_audio:jackandy:I know that upgrading to a mains power cable such as the Chord Company Superscreen etc does work but what if it's plugged into an extension lead and not into the wall socket itself? The same question to if you plug a extension lead such as Lindy 6-way etc then plug the better power cable into it will it make the same difference as if its plugged right into the wall socket? I know it's an odd question as it should give a better performance but does the performance drop with it being placed not into the main wall socket itself! Hello If you are using a filtered block then performance will depend upon the quality of your mains in the first instance. If you have a good clean mains supply then you may find that the performance is actually better when plugged directly into the wall as this provides a lower impedance and thus better power transfer (components that draw high currents such as multichannel amplifiers tend to benefit more than components that draw minimal currents such as CD players). However, if your mains supply is quite noisy (indicative by a significant improvement when using a filtered block) then performance would be best when plugged into a filtered block. Ultimately it is worth trying both solutions (at different times of the day to assess impact of mains noise) to see what works best for you. It is also worth noting that if you are using a filtered block it is important to use shielded power cables from it to your components; unshielded power cables can pick up airborne noise which can be transferred to your components thereby undoing the good work done. Hope this helps. Best regards, Darren

Darren any suggestions on what to do if you filtered mains Block but have hard wired Mains Cables on your units? Other than re-wiring the units of course. Unfortunately my Mono-Block's and CDP are hard wired 2 core.

I would have thought that good cable management will help, keeping them away from other cables which are not on filtered blocks, can Ferrites make a difference, the broadband clip on units can be found quite cheaply, would reducing the cable length help as moving the plug is a simple enough job.

 

[clearer_audio]

pwiles1968:Darren any suggestions on what to do if you filtered mains Block but have hard wired Mains Cables on your units? Other than re-wiring the units of course. Unfortunately my Mono-Block's and CDP are hard wired 2 core.

I would have thought that good cable management will help, keeping them away from other cables which are not on filtered blocks, can Ferrites make a difference, the broadband clip on units can be found quite cheaply, would reducing the cable length help as moving the plug is a simple enough job.

Hello Paul

You have three options (in order of performance):

1.) Have a high performance power cable hard-wired
2.) Have an IEC socket installed to the back panel
3.) Wire on an IEC adaptor to the existing cable (about 3-4 inches from the back panel)

Points 1 and 2 can be done at most electrical workshops (many hi-fi shops have good workshops where such work can be done). Point 3 is the cheapest option and is the solution that most of our customers opt for. It can be done by yourself as it is a very simple procedure (as easy - if not easier - as wiring a mains plug). The downside is that you still have some of the existing cable present, although the benefits of being able to have a high performance shielded power cable usually outweigh any small increase in impedance that the solution causes. Please bear in mind that if your components are still within warranty, the manufacturer may deem any of the above as modification which could invalidate any warranty or claim.

With regards to cable management, keeping mains cables away from audio cables (especially interconnects) is a very good idea. This will limit any interactions such as the mains cables inducing currents into the interconnects which can degrade the audio signal. Reducing the length of the power cables will not necessarily yield gains unless there is excess cable which results in close promximity to audio cables. Carefully placing ferrites on household appliances that are noisy (e.g., dishwashers, washing machines, fridges, freezers etc) can reduce noise feedback and thus can be worthwhile. Ferrites vary in quality (the vast majority are mass produced to low tolerances) and performance can therefore vary. General clip on types are fine to use on household appliances but I would not recommend using them on your actual hi-fi equipment unless the ferrites are known to be first class quality (made with the best materials to tight tolerances).

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Darren