View Full Version : Wychwood Audionics Mains Block, any users? (Looking for recommendations too)
Simon_LDT
16-05-2016, 11:56
Looking to upgrade mains block for my sources (CD, TT, DAC, RPi) and pre-amp - Power amps are plugged directly into the wall.
I'm not brave enough to go without surge protection (unless I'm convinced otherwise) so looking for a block with Surge protection and minimal/no filtering. Must be hard-wired and ideally star-wired throughout, 6 or 8 sockets.
Anyone ever use a Wychwood F3 block? (http://www.evoaudio.uk/wychwood.htm)
Currently using an APC block which does the job but I know it's the bare basics in there. Not looking to break the bank, ideally under £200 budget.
It had a good review in Hifi World. Wigwam has reviews I believe.
Virtual-Symmetry
16-05-2016, 12:36
:whistle:
Simon_LDT
16-05-2016, 12:55
No good? :scratch:
I've also been looking at a Supra LoRad block. Ideally the Mark Grant looks perfect but I'm worried about the lack of surge protection.
Virtual-Symmetry
16-05-2016, 13:20
Never looked back since using one of these..
https://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/?product=olson+sound+fantastic+-+mains+distribution+block
Agree Andr'e, an industrial mains block is the way to go.
Simon_LDT
16-05-2016, 13:43
I've looked at the Sound Fantastic too but it seems to get mixed reviews. I don't take reviews as gospel but not sure if it'll be worth the £150 odd outlay. What are the internals like? Finding it hard to find solid info on internals on a lot of blocks.
...I use an industrial mains block, but with no filter or surge stuff in it. Just realised the one that Andr'e posted has some extra gubbins in it, I would personally go for something unswitched / unfiltered.
This is what I use: http://www.britishaudiostore.com/metal-clad-mains-distribution-box-6-way/
Virtual-Symmetry
16-05-2016, 17:57
Neil
I stripped everything out of it & rewired.
:D
Simon_LDT
17-05-2016, 08:00
What do you guys do about no surge protection? I'm convinced I don't really need it (never had the fridge, cooker or washing machine go bang and those are on 24/7 and have been for many years - through power cuts too). I've read a lot of conflicting views when researching. Some say that the usual spikes in voltage are fine and that it's only really lightning or severe bad luck (worker hits a wrong line/wire or something like that) that a real damaging surge will harm anything. Others argue that even small spikes can damage equipment and 'best have it to be safe'.
Think the last power cut we had was about 2 years ago (it was a bad one as the workers came out during the night and dug up the pavement to fix something). My amps were plugged in at the time but not switched on - no issues afterwards.
Still, not sure whether I should take the plunge or not...
Get a local electrician to quote for fitting extra sockets in the wall?
Simon_LDT
17-05-2016, 14:50
I'm currently renting so that's not an option. Plus, I need at least 6 sockets ('ve already got 2 near the hi-fi so that would be 7 in total needed!). Maybe one day...
Surge protection... It's like riding a bike without a helmet on an easy, flat road. Eventually someone will fall over and crack their head, but the vast majority of people won't. Also, surges are very location dependent, I've never had an issue, but others will experience frequent brownouts, big surges etc. HiFi equipment is usually safe, it is computer equipment that is more sensitive to it. Having said that HiFi is much more computer-based these days!
Virtual-Symmetry
17-05-2016, 18:44
I personally don't do all that surge stuff, never had an issue over 35+ years..
ijrussell
21-05-2016, 14:56
I have an 8 socket F3. It's well made, offers the extra safety of surge protection and has enough sockets for all of my kit.
I personally don't do all that surge stuff, never had an issue over 35+ years..
Ditto. It's completely unnecessary on audio equipment - that's what fuses are for! ;)
I also agree that with power strips, the best thing to do is K.I.S.S, or hard-wire directly to the mains, where possible, which is even better :)
Marco.
Ditto. It's completely unnecessary on audio equipment - that's what fuses are for! ;)
I also agree that with power strips, the best thing to do is K.I.S.S, or hard-wire directly to the mains, where possible, which is even better :)
Marco.
Fuses are too slow to protect against voltage surges. Agree that most audio gear is immune to mains surges, which can and do occur, depending on your location. I don't use FBA as source, so don't have to worry about that side of things.
Until recently my gear was fed from a 6-way industrial Olsen distribution strip, fitted with a Schaffner filter block and a varistor VDR, The only modification I made was to remove the switch and neon indicator. Whilst having the living/listening room redecorated, I took the opportunity to have a dedicated ring main installed for audio duties only. This is fed by a 32A RCD that is quite separate from the consumer unit.
Can't say I've noticed any difference at all; but the mains supply to my house was always very good, having a lower than normal source impedance, very low earth-neutral loop resistance and a DC component only a few mV.
There is an awful lot of hype with some specialised "audio" mains distribution strips. Just buy an industrial standard Olsen strip, which you can rewire as you see fit.
I'm not keen on the use of any sort of filtration and would choose a hydra lead which is a bunch of mains lead terminating in a single lead and a 13A mains plug.
Fuses are too slow to protect against voltage surges. Agree that most audio gear is immune to mains surges, which can and do occur, depending on your location.
Yeah, although I'm talking about the low-amperage internal case fuses, not the much bigger variety in mains leads. Anyway, if if a fuse blows, it blows. If it's properly designed, there is very little danger of your gear being damaged by a mains surge.
Surge protection is more to protect computers, or computer-related audio devices (as you refer to), which can crash and/or become fatally corrupted by mains surges, or simply by the power going off suddenly.
Marco.
Yeah, although I'm talking about the low-amperage internal case fuses, not the much bigger variety in mains leads. Anyway, if if a fuse blows, it blows - there is very little danger of your gear being damaged with a mains surge.
Surge protection is more to protect computers, or computer-related audio devices (as you refer to), which can crash and/or become fatally corrupted by mains surges.
Marco.
They are still too slow. A fuse needs at least double, and more like ten times the rated current to blow. Only voltage dependant resistors (VDR) can respond quickly enough.
I'm not keen on the use of any sort of filtration and would choose a hydra lead which is a bunch of mains lead terminating in a single lead and a 13A mains plug.
Yes, I quite like those. My only issue is everything subsequently sharing one 13A fuse.
When I had Naim gear, and used a hydra, it never ceased to amaze me how much better my whole system sounded, after replacing the 13A plug with a (fuseless) 15A amp one, and then plugging the hydra into a single 15A (round-pinned) wall socket... ;)
Marco.
They are still to slow. A fuse needs at least double, and more like ten times the rated current to blow. Only voltage dependant resistors (VDR) can respond quickly enough.
Ok, but I've still known internal fuses to blow after a mains surge, so obviously it *can* happen.... Otherwise, why do such fuses blow sometimes when equipment is switched on?
Marco.
:popcorn:
Marco.
Is that directed at me? I didn't comment as I've never had a fuse blow whilst the equipment was switched on. At switch on - yes, once, but that was due to a transformer fault, not due a mains spike.
Yesh it was directed at you, daftee; hence why I quoted you and asked the question ;)
Ok, so the fact is it can happen (fuses can blow due to a power surge), despite your earlier claim to the contrary. It's happened to me many times, when gear was switched on from cold. Naim equipment used be notorious for it.
Marco.
Well a fuse is a current device so the surge would have to produce sufficient current overload, for long enough as to melt the wire which is unlikely, but I guess may be possible. It is more likely the surge caused a temp fault that caused the overcurrent.
but thats just a guess lol
Lol - whatever is responsible, it happens, as I've pulled out the blown fuses and seen it!
Marco.
Lol - whatever is responsible, it happens, as I've pulled out the blown fuses and seen it!
Marco.
dont doubt it mate. may have been a protection circuit in the unit flipped to earth and caused it because of the spike. Ive seen that many times. when you put a fuse in and spike etc is away all will just continue as nothing happened.
been called crowbars
Simon_LDT
02-06-2016, 15:21
Update re original post: Ended up doing the sensible thing and contacting Mark Grant. He wired an 8-way slim for me and added surge protection, done in such a way where no choking is involved. No filters or anything else. Arrived today along with 4x DSP 2.5 power cables so looking forward to hooking everything up and having a good session of listening tonight!
Nice one, Simon. No doubt it'll sound great, as Mark sells quality stuff... Enjoy! :cool:
Marco.
Simon_LDT
03-06-2016, 13:06
Yep, been using MG interconnects since my very first 'serious' hi-fi set-up in 2010. I have quite a few sets of the Canare 75ohm versions, which I still use. I've also got some of the G1000HD which are superb, currently still using those on the main 2-channel hi-fi. Looking forward to the v2 coming out soon!
Anyhow, the block and cables I received yesterday are superbly made and it didn't take me long to get everything conencted up and cables routed nicely. First impressions are good. I'm not going to exaggerate and make claims about big differences or night/day comparisons. However, even by saying that I do find that sometimes it can take time to hear the nuances which may change/improve/worsen when making changes to cables. I've been playing a couple of albums pretty much non-stop (well, they are in heavy rotation) for a while now so I thougt it best to use those as comparisons because I know how those discs sound and it's fresh in my mind. What I can hear is a definite tightening up of the bass/lower freq. Less bloated, easier to follow and it just sounds more 'right'. I'm not hearing any degradation to the sound and the clarity and detail is still there.
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