Grounding boxes - The real deal

[Marco]

It has everything that is typical hifi fare; an outlandish product (on the face of it), factions for and against, opinions, angry retorts.

If an £800 box of crystals works for you, go for it. It doesn't hurt anyone else. Just as long as prospective buyers can trial this equipment without fear of spunking a lot of money that'll do nothing for them.

No idea, as the product in question is of no interest to me. Best ask Tony. However, that aside, glad you're enjoying the entertainment, as we aim to please!

Marco.

[alphaGT]

Glad to say I do.
If you don't then you are stuck

Perhaps an insert? Some fitting between the cable and the jack, with the ground wire attached? So it could be applied to a jack that’s in use.

Russell

[alphaGT]

I have no dog in this particular race, but the above simply isn't true, certainly in my position (where with the upstairs/downstairs system thing going on, it's very easy to accurately blind-test anything), or in the position of others I know, who've been equally as thorough with their testing, and subsequently concluded that "fancy mains cables" almost certainly *do* make a difference!

Marco.

A high end power cable compared to a stock power cable can make a noticeable difference. But what about a $500 cable compared to a $1500 cable? Will the difference be so pronounced then? So that anyone could tell them apart? The laws of diminishing returns may come into play?

Russell

[struth]

The thing that gets me re these cables or other such is claims that you need a high resolving system to notice the improvements.
To me that's a cop out

[Marco]

A high end power cable compared to a stock power cable can make a noticeable difference. But what about a $500 cable compared to a $1500 cable? Will the difference be so pronounced then? So that anyone could tell them apart? The laws of diminishing returns may come into play?

Most definitely, Russell, as the biggest difference will come from initially upgrading from a cheap, mass-produced 'kettle lead', which simply hasn't been designed for hi-fi purposes, to something that has, and which is available from the likes of Belden, for about £40!

This seller supplies the same mains cable, fitted with an IEC plug, but only appears to have fig 8 currently listed: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fig-8-Bel...frcectupt=true

And that's as 'fancy' as it needs to get!

I use those cables virtually throughout my downstairs music/AV system, and they're superb. I have the fig 8 version on my Virgin V6 TV box. No need to spend 'silly money'. The important thing is using good quality, high-gauge shielded cable, which combined with quality plugs, is competently assembled, using best electrical practice. There is no 'magic' involved!

Marco.

[Marco]

The thing that gets me re these cables or other such is claims that you need a high resolving system to notice the improvements.
To me that's a cop out

Indeed it is. I can hear the difference (improvement) just as much on my downstairs, circa £3k (excluding TV) music/AV system, as I can on my main rig upstairs costing well in excess of ten times that.

It's not about "high resolving" or cost, but simply having a system that's well-matched [from source to speakers] and properly set up, to allow such differences to shine. If all you've done is thrown together a random selection of boxes and speakers, and taken little or no care in setting it all up, then don't expect to hear differences with mains leads, or many other things for that matter!

Marco.

[alphaGT]

Most definitely, Russell, as the biggest difference will come from initially upgrading from a cheap, mass-produced 'kettle lead', which simply hasn't been designed for hi-fi purposes, to something that has, and which is available from the likes of Belden, for about £40!

This seller supplies the same mains cable, fitted with an IEC plug, but only appears to have fig 8 currently listed: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fig-8-Bel...frcectupt=true

And that's as 'fancy' as it needs to get!

I use those cables virtually throughout my downstairs music/AV system, and they're superb. I have the fig 8 version on my Virgin V6 TV box. No need to spend 'silly money'. The important thing is using good quality, high-gauge shielded cable, which combined with quality plugs, is competently assembled, using best electrical practice. There is no 'magic' involved!

Marco.

That’s very much like my experience. I made a power cable for my preamp, I purchased some nicer parts from eBay, and assembled it myself for about $55. When I installed it, (I already have a nicer power cord on the amp), I wasn’t immediately convinced there was a difference. So I left it in for a few days, and when I removed it, I heard the difference. After restoring it I again heard the difference. Was it better? Yes! Was it night and day, make or break? No, it was just noticeable. But that’s how tweaks work, the small improvements add up.

Several months ago, my son in law loaned me a $500 PS Audio power cord. I swapped it into the same place, and can’t say I noticed any difference. After a few days I put the home made one back, and I do believe it sounded better, at least to my ears. But these differences were very slight, I could easily live with either one. And honestly I didn’t hate the sound before I tried the $55 cord, so while I like it, and think it makes a difference, if I had never tried it, I’d be just as happy in the long run.

Russell

[doodoos]

Still don’t understand how you can comment on stuff you haven’t heard in your own system. Otherwise it’s just hot air. I might try a grounding box one day, meanwhile I’m enjoying a Chord Sarum T mains cable on the CD player.......

[Bigman80]

great entertainment, probably more so than the grounding boxy thingy itself!

[MikeMusic]

Have you tried it? What difference does a box with binding posts make?

Might try that
Do I need witnesses ?


The binding posts allow an extra cable with a spade to be connected to the one grounding box.
What for ?
In case not clear from before the sound quality improves the more cables you have connected.
My ears heard the improvement. My brain struggled to believe what I was hearing