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Thread: Mains conditioner - home made as good as Isotek Aquarius

  1. #21
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

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    I'm Martin.

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    star earthed is what is meant I think Andrew
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  2. #22
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

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    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    In my opinion equipment should be designed on the assumption that the mains is noisy rubbish of uncertain voltage. It should take steps to deal with it and make sure it works properly anyway. However, we have to live with things as they are, not things as we would like them to be. Probably the worst offenders for not dealing with poor mains are power amps. Most other things should be a lot more immune to noise on the mains.

    BTW, what's a star wired mains block?
    One in which each outlet socket is wired in a radial fashion to the incoming cable, rather than 'daisy chained' as is more usual with distribution strips.

    I don't think it makes the slighest difference, but it could be argued that star wiring allows each socket to see the same source impedance.
    Barry

  3. #23
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    I don't think it makes the slighest difference...
    No, me neither - the wire lengths and loop areas would be so small as to be insignificant anyway.

  4. #24
    Join Date: Feb 2017

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    I'm Simon.

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    That's what this music works lite devices I borrowed was like, and it didn't offer any improvement.



    It looks like someone saw me coming with a £500 price for no difference to a normal £5.99 block from Jewson.

  5. #25
    Join Date: Feb 2008

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    Hi All,
    please see the link below, they are now being built, and produced by Mark Grant, they have been in use now for many years, I used to build them myself, but Mark has now taken over the production of them.
    Hope this helps.
    Anthony,TD...
    http://tubedistinctions.co.uk/mains-filters/
    "Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
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  6. #26
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    One in which each outlet socket is wired in a radial fashion to the incoming cable, rather than 'daisy chained' as is more usual with distribution strips.

    I don't think it makes the slighest difference, but it could be argued that star wiring allows each socket to see the same source impedance.
    Sorry, Barry, but I have to disagree, as years of experience in experimenting with these things has shown me differently. Don't get me wrong, the sonic improvement gained with star-earthing isn't huge, but it's significant enough to be heard, as indeed is every time lowering mains impedance (via any means) has been achieved.

    Experience has shown me that the ideal mains distribution block (should one be needed) is:

    a) Non-filtered with no neon lights.
    b) Uses high-quality single un-switched sockets and a non-ferrous casing.
    c) Star-earthed, using a good quality wiring loom.
    d) Has a hard-wired, high-quality mains flex and plug.

    Anyone who can't hear the difference between one of the above and your average mass-produced shite, from B&Q, is deaf!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

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  7. #27
    Join Date: Feb 2013

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    I'm Grant.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    Sorry, but I have to disagree, as years of experience in experimenting with these things has shown me differently. Don't get me wrong, the improvement with star-earthing isn't huge, but it's significant enough to be heard, as indeed is any time lowering mains impedance (via any means) has been achieved.

    Experience has shown me that the ideal mains distribution block (should one be needed) is:

    a) Non-filtered, with no neon lights.
    b) Uses high-quality single un-switched sockets and a non-ferrous casing.
    c) Star-earthed, using a good quality wiring loom.
    d) Uses a hard-wired, high-quality mains flex and plug.

    Anyone who can't hear the difference between one of the above and your average mass-produced shite, from B&Q, is deaf!

    Marco.
    What you say sonny?
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  8. #28
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 324
    I'm Simon.

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    I think it's all system and mains dependent as to whether you can hear a difference in one of these star earthed blocks so I don't think it's as simple as saying if you can't hear a difference you must be deaf.

    I should have, in theory and considering the price, heard a difference with the music works mains lite block at £500 (using their power lead at £300 ish) but the combined £800 difference was the same to my ears as a £35 Tacima block. About £15k worth of newish speakers, amps and cables was being used, just to say so you can take a view.

    But at the Bristol show as I think I might have said, I did the isotek test. Sure many others have too! Speakers were Larsen speakers like the neat iota alphas in design. Amps were an exposure intergrated and exposure CD player. In total about £6k worth I think. Using the Ikea block, then going to the isotek Polaris, then the Aquarius and up to their latest most expensive offering, the changes were very marked. The Aquarius versus the Ikea sounded like a different amp. More dynamics, detail, and speed of attack. You'd expect this in a noisy environment but when you've got sensitive hi fi at home, I suspect it still makes a very good difference.

    I reckon this is where the wise money is, if you want an upgrade on using power devices. All these power blocks that are just elaborate powerbars with nothing but a bit of copper in them maybe wired in a different way, and expensive for what they are, are a bit of a con on my experience - but I always accept others have different views. But I've consistently seen people saying they get more from power conditioning and mains regeneration than elaborate non filtered power blocks. You just need the right conditioned ones and decent devices which are sometimes expensive.

    I'm trying a isol-8 minisub axis next week at home from paul at hi fi lounge, and will feed back results. It's expensive but it could take my system up a notch. It has common mode and differential rejection and dc filtering. The isotek Aquarius doesn't have dc filtering I don't think.

    I'd hazard a guess devices like these will do a lot for most decent systems.

  9. #29
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dynamics View Post
    I should have, in theory and considering the price, heard a difference with the music works mains lite block at £500 (using their power lead at £300 ish) but the combined £800 difference was the same to my ears as a £35 Tacima block.
    I should point out that what I outlined earlier shouldn't cost anything like £800!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  10. #30
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,848
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    Sorry, Barry, but I have to disagree, as years of experience in experimenting with these things has shown me differently. Don't get me wrong, the sonic improvement gained with star-earthing isn't huge, but it's significant enough to be heard, as indeed is every time lowering mains impedance (via any means) has been achieved.

    Experience has shown me that the ideal mains distribution block (should one be needed) is:

    a) Non-filtered with no neon lights.
    b) Uses high-quality single un-switched sockets and a non-ferrous casing.
    c) Star-earthed, using a good quality wiring loom.
    d) Uses a hard-wired, high-quality mains flex and plug.

    Anyone who can't hear the difference between one of the above and your average mass-produced shite, from B&Q, is deaf!

    Marco.
    So what about the Mark Grant (or was it made by Anthony?) mains filter unit you use?
    Barry

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