Grounding boxes - The real deal

[jandl100]

I bought a bundle of those ferrite clamp doodads, didn't hear 1 single iota of difference. At all. Deaf as a post, me.

I do take all my hifi leccy from an Airlink 3KVA balanced transformer, maybe that makes a difference?

[Stratmangler]

I do take all my hifi leccy from an Airlink 3KVA balanced transformer, maybe that makes a difference?

The Airlink might well be the difference.

[jandl100]

.... so if any one wants a bundle of ferrite clamps, just PM me your name and address.

[jandl100]

.... so if any one wants a bundle of ferrite clamps, just PM me your name and address.

Whoosh!! - and they are taken.

[Snoopdog]

A big thanks to Tony of Coherent Systems for venturing out on our treacherous roads yesterday with his goodies-laden white van!

After visiting Mike (Mikemusic) and emptying his wallet, he proceeded on to Alresford, deepest Hampshire, to demo his RTZ3 box and various grades of cables (after Mike had severely depleted his stock) and make a comparison with the loan Entreq Silver Tellus box and four Entreq Eartha Apollo (silver) cables that has resided in my system for the past couple of weeks.

Initially, we listened to the system with the Entreq components still connected (two XLR cables from the Silver Tellus box to the Vivaldi DAC analogue outputs, one RCA phono to the Vivaldi transport SPDIF output and one RCA phono to a vacant CJ GAT2 preamp input).

Three well-known tracks were used for reference (1. After the Goldrush, from Natalie Merchant live in concert. 2. Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, a Nimbus recording by William Boughton/English String Orchestra. 3. The Blue - David Gilmour live in Gdansk).

The Enreq Silver Tellus and Apollo cables (£1750 + £540 per cable RRP) was then disconnected and we listened to the system again, concentrating on the Gilmour track.

This confirmed my evaluation over the course of the last fortnight, that I had struggled to hear an improvement in sound with the Enreq kit connected!

We both thought that the system was preferable without the Entreq.

Next up came the all-new silky-black Coherent RTZ3 box. 15Kgs on four Black Ravioli pads, nestling comfortably on one of the shelves of my rack, looking discrete and could even be mistaken for a power supply of some sort!

Using just the same David Gilmour track, Tony proceeded to connect one of his starter cables (£250 a pop) from the RTZ3 to the SPDIF output on the DAC.

Definitely an improvement in palpability, stereo image and reduced system noise floor!

Tony then added more cables, one at a time, until Transport, DAC, Upsampler and preamp were connected to the RTZ3.

I noticed an audible improvement each time a cable was added and the aspects of improvement that I mentioned, increased each time and also when the base model cables were swapped with Tony's CR range (£600 a pop) and finally when a BD cable (£900) was connected to the Vivaldi Transport SPDIF output!

At the end of our listening session (which began about midday and ended at 7pm) we returned to the Natalie Merchant track and wow! This was now sounding more vibrant, with deeper bass, clearer, more focused singing and lower noise - Very impressive for a live recording!

Tony then disconnected his cables, but I stopped him when he laid hands on the RTZ3 box, which I am keeping! Coherent CR grounding cables will follow in due course as soon as Tony has replenished his stock (I just hope he comes back to me without going via Mike, who is feverishly buying up Tony's cables as swiftly as he can make them!

Having heard the RTZ3 box (£2800) at Tony's about three weeks ago, I was impressed enough by what I had heard it do in his demo system to request a further home audition. I didn't expect Tony to give up his valuable time to visit me personally as I was quite prepared to collect the demo RTZ3 box and cables from Gerrards Cross.

However, Tony does provide valuable consultation and critical analysis of customers systems and this is all part of the Coherent package of ensuring which, if any RTZ box is right for you and which grade of Coherent cables will work best with your system.

My investigation of competing grounding boxes has proved to me that they work (some not as well as others) and that they are well-worth adding to one's system.

How do they work? I don't profess to know, nor do I crave an explanation or scientific measurements to support the manufacturers claims! I have used my own ears and what I have heard is a substantial improvement in sound quality and musical enjoyment which has persuaded me to part with my cash (as a pensioner on a fixed income, I will now be eating cat food for the rest of the winter)!

A solid "thumbs up" for Tony Sallis and his marvellous RTZ grounding box!

[Snoopdog]

At home in my system rack and looking ............. black!

fullsizeoutput_1580 by Steve Coward, on Flickr

[Snoopdog]

Looking discrete and for all the world like a power supply, my new silky black Coherent Systems RTZ3 grounding box.

fullsizeoutput_1582 by Steve Coward, on Flickr

[bumpy]

Hi Steve

As you only bought the RTZ box, I guess you are running with your own 'earth' cables. What are they and how much does it compromise the overall performance of the RTZ?

Thanks

[DSJR]

I bought a bundle of those ferrite clamp doodads, didn't hear 1 single iota of difference. At all. Deaf as a post, me.

I do take all my hifi leccy from an Airlink 3KVA balanced transformer, maybe that makes a difference?

You only needed one to start with Jerry. If your mains is great then fantastic and I can vouch for a BMU, although why you need a 3KVA one for a domestic stereo is beyond me (but if you can handle the size, cost, noise potential and weight of a fuggin' huge transformer, that's fine ).. When I started with all this in the early 90's, the mains in Luton was shit of the highest order and all this guff made an audible difference...

[Bigman80]

A big thanks to Tony of Coherent Systems for venturing out on our treacherous roads yesterday with his goodies-laden white van!

After visiting Mike (Mikemusic) and emptying his wallet, he proceeded on to Alresford, deepest Hampshire, to demo his RTZ3 box and various grades of cables (after Mike had severely depleted his stock) and make a comparison with the loan Entreq Silver Tellus box and four Entreq Eartha Apollo (silver) cables that has resided in my system for the past couple of weeks.

Initially, we listened to the system with the Entreq components still connected (two XLR cables from the Silver Tellus box to the Vivaldi DAC analogue outputs, one RCA phono to the Vivaldi transport SPDIF output and one RCA phono to a vacant CJ GAT2 preamp input).

Three well-known tracks were used for reference (1. After the Goldrush, from Natalie Merchant live in concert. 2. Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, a Nimbus recording by William Boughton/English String Orchestra. 3. The Blue - David Gilmour live in Gdansk).

The Enreq Silver Tellus and Apollo cables (£1750 + £540 per cable RRP) was then disconnected and we listened to the system again, concentrating on the Gilmour track.

This confirmed my evaluation over the course of the last fortnight, that I had struggled to hear an improvement in sound with the Enreq kit connected!

We both thought that the system was preferable without the Entreq.

Next up came the all-new silky-black Coherent RTZ3 box. 15Kgs on four Black Ravioli pads, nestling comfortably on one of the shelves of my rack, looking discrete and could even be mistaken for a power supply of some sort!

Using just the same David Gilmour track, Tony proceeded to connect one of his starter cables (£250 a pop) from the RTZ3 to the SPDIF output on the DAC.

Definitely an improvement in palpability, stereo image and reduced system noise floor!

Tony then added more cables, one at a time, until Transport, DAC, Upsampler and preamp were connected to the RTZ3.

I noticed an audible improvement each time a cable was added and the aspects of improvement that I mentioned, increased each time and also when the base model cables were swapped with Tony's CR range (£600 a pop) and finally when a BD cable (£900) was connected to the Vivaldi Transport SPDIF output!

At the end of our listening session (which began about midday and ended at 7pm) we returned to the Natalie Merchant track and wow! This was now sounding more vibrant, with deeper bass, clearer, more focused singing and lower noise - Very impressive for a live recording!

Tony then disconnected his cables, but I stopped him when he laid hands on the RTZ3 box, which I am keeping! Coherent CR grounding cables will follow in due course as soon as Tony has replenished his stock (I just hope he comes back to me without going via Mike, who is feverishly buying up Tony's cables as swiftly as he can make them!

Having heard the RTZ3 box (£2800) at Tony's about three weeks ago, I was impressed enough by what I had heard it do in his demo system to request a further home audition. I didn't expect Tony to give up his valuable time to visit me personally as I was quite prepared to collect the demo RTZ3 box and cables from Gerrards Cross.

However, Tony does provide valuable consultation and critical analysis of customers systems and this is all part of the Coherent package of ensuring which, if any RTZ box is right for you and which grade of Coherent cables will work best with your system.

My investigation of competing grounding boxes has proved to me that they work (some not as well as others) and that they are well-worth adding to one's system.

How do they work? I don't profess to know, nor do I crave an explanation or scientific measurements to support the manufacturers claims! I have used my own ears and what I have heard is a substantial improvement in sound quality and musical enjoyment which has persuaded me to part with my cash (as a pensioner on a fixed income, I will now be eating cat food for the rest of the winter)!

A solid "thumbs up" for Tony Sallis and his marvellous RTZ grounding box!

Very interesting, however I seriously doubt the effect would be as great in an analogue system.

Did you try this?