Too many ovens, deep fat fryers and electric showers.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I've been having some very extended listening sessions lately and a couple of weeks ago I noticed something that I thought was my imagination but now I'm certain I'm actually hearing it.

Basically my system sounds great on a morning, great all afternoon and great until about 5-30 - 6pm when there is a definite degradation in sound. Slightly harsh top end. Once it gets to about 7.30pm it reverts back to sounding good. I never get to hear it late at night because I'm usually up very early so I'm knackered by about 9.30pm.

The only cause of this I can think of is mains. I could understand it if we lived in a densely populated area but we live out in the sticks and there are probably only a dozen houses within a mile.

So, is it just a hike in electricity demand? I can't think what else it could be.

And if its that what can I do about it?

I'd always thought that my mains were pretty good even though the house was built in 1930 but maybe not. On the other hand, the system sounds sweet most of the time.

All help gratefully received as its pissing me off so much I'm actually thinking of watching Hollyoaks and Emmerdale ir worse still, getting a job.

[Stratmangler]

Any dairy farms near you?
Milking time maybe?

[AlanS]

Evening meals and returning from work tasks?

[StanleyB]

Microwave ovens or even compact fluorescent lamps whilst they warm up.

I live right next to an industrial estate and can only listen to music in a critical manner after about 8:00PM. Mind you the bakery in that estate works 24 hours a day, which does affect the mains even at night. There is a benefit to all of that noise though. It gives me a chance to judge whether filters and linear power supplies make any difference and to what extent.

[realysm42]

That's assuming the 'noise' in the line remains at a constant.

[John]

I have very similar issues to Stan so use Balanced mains and a dedicated spur and Earth

[Sonority]

You are not 'hearing things' you are hearing reality!

Noises on the grid becomes more and more apparent the more transparent your system / setup is.

I also use balanced mains on all components except for the power amp (that would take an eyewateringly large traffo ) and this helps a fair amount, but will not eradicate everything.

I have a very low impedance path to earth (.04ohms) and the earth is also a reasonably clean one

A separate distribution board / radial supplies for the hi fi also helps.

A very big subject with no quick fix or overall panacea i'm affraid - bit like room acoustic treatment!

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I'm a bit of a dummy. Balanced mains?

[theriskdude]

+1 :scratch:


I'm a bit of a dummy. Balanced mains?

[Sonority]

Simply put balanced mains use a transformer with its centre tap to earth thus giving 240V input and a 120V +ve and a 120V -ve output. When these are summed the equipment 'sees' 240V
Common mode rejection = all (most) of the crud gets dumped to earth.

It's not re-generation, but can work very well.
Note - you cannot wire these directly to a house main, equipment must be fed directly from them.
They are great at stopping transformers from buzzing, but they then buzz instead. I keep mine on the opposite side of a wall outside the listening room :-)

If you want to have a look at some then AIRLINK transformers sell them.

Virtually all recording studios (and the BBC) use balanced mains to help reduce mains noise.

[WOStantonCS100]

My serious listening is only done at night after midnight when the grid is quieter. In addition, I've already pulled the doorbell transformer out of the wall. I turn off the ceiling fans and unplug the water cooler. At times, I've been tempted to unplug the frig... It's amazing how much seemingly innocuous everyday house noise veils the sound and how much clearer the system sounds when these external intrusions are eliminated. It's early autumn, which also means neither the A/C or the heat runs very much; a bonus. :)

Balanced mains certainly sounds interesting. I'm still in want of an AVS2000; but, I keep going after other upgrades first.

[Sonority]

Biff,
In the States you have a firm that totally specialise in just that - Google EQUITECH balanced power and you will find them.
They do complete kits including the transformer and fuseboard all encased.

I just so wish we could use them here, but IEE regs = no!

They do work, having visited friends in LA who have them.
Properly wired and earthed they can produce the goods.
On my last visit there we also installed a 'CHEM ROD' earth system. That was an amusing day.
Again, not something we can play with here in the UK unfortunately, or I would have a couple of those as well for certain.

[awkwardbydesign]

It's amazing how much seemingly innocuous everyday house noise veils the sound and how much clearer the system sounds when these external intrusions are eliminated.
My damn cat snores. I may have to eliminate it.

[bobbasrah]

My damn cat snores. I may have to eliminate it.

Balanced or unbalanced mains then ?

[WOStantonCS100]

My damn cat snores. I may have to eliminate it.

:eek: Blimey! Not the cat! :lol:

Though we're cat-less at the moment :( , my last cat snored, meowed and made running motions with his paws when he was sleeping. We had him on some dang good nip. :eyebrows:

[Macca]

My cat sits on my lap sometimes when I am listening. If it is vinyl as soon as the sound of the out groove is heard he jumps up and waits while I change the record then settles back down again.

[WOStantonCS100]

My cat sits on my lap sometimes when I am listening. If it is vinyl as soon as the sound of the out groove is heard he jumps up and waits while I change the record then settles back down again.

Does he tap his paw or get pissed off if you take too long? :lol: Cat's gotta have his tunes.

[Macca]

Does he tap his paw or get pissed off if you take too long? :lol: Cat's gotta have his tunes.

If anything is not entirely safisfactory for him he gets pissed off. I am essentially his butler. If he wants my attention he taps my face. Never heard him meow.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I've just seen a graph on t'internet which suggests my ears are not playing tricks. The consumption graph starts to rise at about 4.30pm and starts to fall at about 7pm. I now need to find a Sunday one because I noticed a dip in SQ yesterday between about 12 and 2.

[daytona600]

good mains cables help , especially ones with built in filters or separate ring main for the hifi

...

cats and speakers

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

OK. it's now 7.04 and there's been a marked improvement. Not that I'm getting obsessive about it.

[trio leo]

SIMPLY PUT!!!!!
some of us don't know an Ohm from a Watt!:scratch:
enjoy your music
Al
Simply put balanced mains use a transformer with its centre tap to earth thus giving 240V input and a 120V +ve and a 120V -ve output. When these are summed the equipment 'sees' 240V
Common mode rejection = all (most) of the crud gets dumped to earth.

It's not re-generation, but can work very well.
Note - you cannot wire these directly to a house main, equipment must be fed directly from them.
They are great at stopping transformers from buzzing, but they then buzz instead. I keep mine on the opposite side of a wall outside the listening room :-)

If you want to have a look at some then AIRLINK transformers sell them.

Virtually all recording studios (and the BBC) use balanced mains to help reduce mains noise.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I'm happy to confess that I don't know an Ohm from a watt. At least when it comes to electricity. I fully understand watts when it's related to cycling or rowing but I don't suppose that will do much good.