Mains Conditioning Systems - Discuss.

[Stu @ M Developments]

Thanks guys, this is all usefull information.

The products I most liked the look of howevere are somewhat more expensive than the units mentioned thus far and I wonder if they are actually any better, or worse. The problem being, not being an electrical engineer, its hard to tell from specifications alone just what sort of a difference these items are going to make, if any.

Damn all this smoke, and these mirrors, at least in my trade I can strap an engine to the dyno and obtain conclusive proof without a hint of placebo. LOL

[Stu @ M Developments]

For reference, these are the products I have been considering.

Isotek Solus
&
Isotek Aquarious

[John]

I think the only way to be certain is hear it in your system

[MartinT]

+1

Find a dealer that will loan you one or do sale or return. If a conditioner doesn't do it for you, then try to loan a regenerator.

[Ali Tait]

Agreed. It's completely pointless, regardless of the retail price, until you try it at home IMHO.

[Nevalti]

Rather than look at the sine wave of the mains and see if you can improve it surely the relevant thing is to look at a sine wave of a pure tone through your equipment, including the speakers, and then see if you can improve that by introducing a conditioner/regenerator etc. If I saw a demonstration of that, I would be tempted to buy even if I could hear no improvement at that time.

The deterioration to sound varies with different equipment and where you live. I once lived near a large bakery (Mr bloody Kipling) and the only time I was totally free of mains interference was on Sundays when they didn't bake. I now live in the countryside and am very rarely aware of any problem but that may be partly due to the isolation characteristics of the Bryston power supply.

[Mr Kipling]

Really sorry about that Martin. If I'd known, I would have put the block on Saturday's production for you.

Hope you don't mind if I add my own query here, which is sort-of related. I was wondering if it's ok to bypass the plug fuses when using a distribution block. The fuse is still in the plug going to the wall socket. And IEC blocks aren't individually fused.

I intend to make my own distribution block and having the thought that the best plug and socket is no plug and socket, I am going to use solid copper busbars and screw the leads direct to them. Not the last word in practicality, but it appeals to me. And if fuses really should be used, thought about using circuit breakers. Will try the Lampizator filter which looks quite basic but is said to help.

Never thought screened mains cables were worth the bother, but after reading this article I'm going to give it a go. Would like to use solid silver but can't justify it. It will have to be OF silver plated single strand, if I can find it.

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/ttse.html

Kind Regards,
Stephen

[Audioman]

Hope you don't mind if I add my own query here, which is sort-of related. I was wondering if it's ok to bypass the plug fuses when using a distribution block. The fuse is still in the plug going to the wall socket. And IEC blocks aren't individually fused.

I intend to make my own distribution block and having the thought that the best plug and socket is no plug and socket, I am going to use solid copper busbars and screw the leads direct to them. Not the last word in practicality, but it appeals to me. And if fuses really should be used, thought about using circuit breakers. Will try the Lampizator filter which looks quite basic but is said to help.

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/ttse.html

Kind Regards,
Stephen

Stephen.

You must use fuses on UK mains systems. There was some know all peddling this idea on the Wigwam forum and he was promptly kicked off. The fuse is there to protect each cable in a ring main system. Continental systems (unfused plugs) use a spur system for which this is safe. You should have trips in a modern fuse box to give overall protection to the ring (replaced fuse wires). You obviously don't want to run the risk of burning your house down and finding you have invalidated your insurance do you? If you want there are some high quality audiophile plug fuses on the market and you could try these to see if they make any real difference.

Regards Paul.

[Mr Kipling]

Thanks for that Paul. I've had the idea for ages but never read about it elsewhere. But what about IEC blocks which only have a fuse in the plug, for UK use?

[Ali Tait]

That is protecting the lead from the block to the wall socket.