Mains power leads

[Stryder5]

Gary

What cables did you change from and to? How would you describe the 'positive improvements'? What is your cable setup? Did you change the cables from the wall or just from a distribution strip (assuming you use one).

cheers

Hi Edward,

I'm lucky, I have a seperate supply from our substation that is probably less than 50 metres away. Houses that were built much later than ours have a seperate supply.

My vinyl has wall mount power supplies so the improvement was only noted by amp.

I put in a seperate supply from our distribution point to the lounge for the sound equipment.

No distribution strip.

I was using the std cables that came with the equipment. Recently bought (used) Russ Andrews Yello. Hearing the improvement I made a lead myself from 2 lengths of low loss aerial cable using centre conductor for feed and screen for earth.

The difference I heard was when I changed the leads sequentially, starting with the integrated amp. More dynamics, detail, bass depth and definition. Next my CD transport, then my DAC. These added a little more to the party in terms of detail.

The amp showed the most improvement.

[brian2957]

You're not hearing things Gary . The improvements which you have described above have been my experience too . I've been playing around with mains cables for years now and wouldn't be without mine . Make sure you have the following . A good quality unswitched socket . MK Logic or Crabtree . A good quality mains block if you need one , and good quality mains cable and plugs . This Belden mains cable is excellent VFM https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BELDEN-19...kAAOxyJX1TDRbU . If you want to upgrade contact David Brook at MCRU . He'll let you try some very nice cables . He's a very helpful guy .
Above all , use your own ears . If you hear an improvement , then it's an improvement . Your ears , your system , your music

[Edwardlon]

Sounds interesting Gary

So you tried three separate cables? The ones that came with the equipment, the low loss coax cable and the Yello cable? I'm not clear why you introduced the coax cable.

Did you undertake the separate supply from your domestic unit yourself and how? Do you recall if this itself provided much 'positive improvement'? I've often wondered if I should ask my sparky to provide an additional new domestic (separate) unit and run from this to my listening room.

[Stryder5]

You're not hearing things Gary . The improvements which you have described above have been my experience too . I've been playing around with mains cables for years now and wouldn't be without mine . Make sure you have the following . A good quality unswitched socket . MK Logic or Crabtree . A good quality mains block if you need one , and good quality mains cable and plugs . This Belden mains cable is excellent VFM https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BELDEN-19...kAAOxyJX1TDRbU . If you want to upgrade contact David Brook at MCRU . He'll let you try some very nice cables . He's a very helpful guy .
Above all , use your own ears . If you hear an improvement , then it's an improvement . Your ears , your system , your music

It's interesting you mention hearing.

As part of a regular checkup I had a hearing test. I was introduced into a special test room, had headphones installed and the nice specialist started my hearing test. Pressing a button when hearing differing frequency tones.

Just after starting the test I signalled I was not happy. I found the room was not quiet enough, I called in the tester and advised her of my issue. Without headphones she said she couldn't hear anything. Having told her I could she disbelievingly she fetched her SPM. The registered level showed issues.

When they built the "soundproof" room they didn't have the air conditioning working, the noise I heard was from the inlet which was on my right.

The room had been in use for about 18 months with no previous complaints.

The consultants had been using the data from this room to advise patients.

[Stryder5]

Sounds interesting Gary

So you tried three separate cables? The ones that came with the equipment, the low loss coax cable and the Yello cable? I'm not clear why you introduced the coax cable.

Did you undertake the separate supply from your domestic unit yourself and how? Do you recall if this itself provided much 'positive improvement'? I've often wondered if I should ask my sparky to provide an additional new domestic (separate) unit and run from this to my listening room.

Seperate supply was done and certified by a qualified electrician (friend) when we rewired the house some 18 years ago before we moved in, so can't comment on any improvement from before, but having suffered from switching noises from domestic appliances in previous homes I took the opportunity (at little extra cost) to get this done.

I read an article some time ago about making this double coax cable with favourable results so thought I would try it, it replicated the Russ Andrews cable. It was a pain to do with solid copper conductors.

I thought I had saved the link to the article but unfortunately I cannot find it anywhere. It was part of an article on making mains conditioners.


Found it

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

[wee tee cee]

Brian, Gary and myself made numerous mains cables.

Different plugs/cable/fuses we sat down together and swapped them out at my place all hearing similar changes to the sound but not necessarily agreeing on what was best.

Brian has an awful lot of cable building experience and can detect very small sonic differences that different materials bring.

I do sometimes wonder if some folks just cant hear the difference!

[Pharos]

This subject is another 'can of worms' and a concern to me.

I have always used only standard IEC leads, but chosen the best with bronze connectors and if long, a higher current version. I have spent a considerable amount of time in audio both from interest and as a career, and a friend who is an audiologist said to me that he would always trust my ears

I am a sceptic about mains cables, not closed minded, but fearful of foo, and am of the view that power supplies effectively design out the need for special mains cables, pulses of current filling a reservoir negating the effects of the cables with the enormity of their storage capacity.

It is also potentially a very expensive game to get involved in.

[narabdela]

One of the Scottish mafia had a play with a load of cables and wires i loaned him....every element he changed he heard a difference!

trust yer ears....

Which Scotch was he on at the time?

[Marco]

Oi - remember that this is a subjectivist forum, where ears always come first!

Marco [firmly in the camp of mains leads, properly designed for hi-fi purposes, sonically outperforming basic 'kettle leads'].

[Stryder5]

This subject is another 'can of worms' and a concern to me.

I have always used only standard IEC leads, but chosen the best with bronze connectors and if long, a higher current version. I have spent a considerable amount of time in audio both from interest and as a career, and a friend who is an audiologist said to me that he would always trust my ears

I am a sceptic about mains cables, not closed minded, but fearful of foo, and am of the view that power supplies effectively design out the need for special mains cables, pulses of current filling a reservoir negating the effects of the cables with the enormity of their storage capacity.

It is also potentially a very expensive game to get involved in.

I am interested in bronze connectors, I have never seen any.

I thought bronze had lower electrical conductivity than brass or copper, certainly has better corrosion resistance.

Why did you choose bronze connectors and where from please.