Location: South East Cornwall
Posts: 322
I'm Dominic.
Location: nr. Cambridge
Posts: 23
I'm bob.
All very well, but the OP asked about power blocks, not conditioners.
I use a couple of these and they certainly made and improvement for me. The good bit is they are relatively cheap, and have had great reviews. Obviously a linear transformer maintaining a constant stable clean voltage is likely to be better, but then probably 10-20 times the price and that money might be better spent elsewhere on the system.
https://www.futureshop.co.uk/tacima-...RoCXK0QAvD_BwE
Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.
Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner
Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive
Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp
Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones
Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links
I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.
Location: Forest of Dean
Posts: 643
I'm Gary.
Well yes and no is the correct answer I believe. My mono blocks have a choke(transformer) similar to this but it is part of the design, my understanding is that they are a simple single wound core with the sole purpose to act as a filter. I may have got this wrong but I am sure an electronics engineer on here can give a better explainantion.
So if the transformer is very high end and very well manufactured one may not be needed but it may be better and cheaper to use a choke.
Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.
Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner
Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive
Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp
Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones
Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links
I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.
Best I’ve heard and use two myself is the Wireworld Matrix 2 block.
Comes in at £120ish, bettered the Mark Grant for me.
Avoid the Tacama or any other “conditioning” blocks, they sit on the sound.
Last edited by Gazjam; 26-02-2019 at 18:49.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Location: Chester UK
Posts: 49
I'm Clint.
Thanks for the replies folks, I will look into the Wireworld Matrix (Thanks Gazjam) I will try a power block out on a money back if not satisfied & let you know how I get on. It's just an itch I want to scratch. I'm using a Wilko £9.99 block at the mo so it will be interesting to see what the resulting outcome is.
Location: South East Cornwall
Posts: 322
I'm Dominic.
And why not? I naively thought that a forum was to pass on the little gems that sit below the radar, so I do apologise if I have offended.
Most of the power blocks being suggested in this thread are crap - been through a fair number myself. The Weiduca block is a real honey as it is a sensible price and more importantly, it does not compress the sound at all and you can have some additional fun watching the voltage readout as well. It replaced a £400 MS Audio 6 way block and it was no contest at all.
CD player = Marantz CD6006
DAC/pre = Rotel RC 1572
Power amp = ADA PF201
Speaks = Quadral Chromium Style 6