The true experimental tweak thread

[Cornan]

BTW. Here is a picture of the "mini grounding box/electronic black hole" I ordered.

 

[mozes]

1 hour ago, Cornan said:

BTW. Here is a picture of the "mini grounding box/electronic black hole" I ordered.

 

Thanks for sharing!

A great tweak to test, I really hope it works as the size and cost make it a great combination. The fact that it is so small you can place it next to any device is what interests me. I will wait for your tests

[Cornan]

1 hour ago, mozes said:

Thanks for sharing!

A great tweak to test, I really hope it works as the size and cost make it a great combination. The fact that it is so small you can place it next to any device is what interests me. I will wait for your tests

 

It is the small form factor that interest me as well! ? I just hope that they work good. I am planning to connect two of them to my active speakers and one to the D-Link switch in my low budget setup for starters to see where that ends up sq wise. I will also try them on my AQVOX switch and Brooklyn. If they works as I hope they will I will buy atleast 4-5 pcs more of them. 

I will report back here when I have compared their effects to my Entreq Minimus.

[mozes]

I decided to play a bit with my eBay grounding box so I built an AC plug grounding cable. I grounded the power distribution box of my analogue gear (Naim) and I didn't notice any effect. Then I grounded my power distribution box that powers the power supplies of my digital gear and WAW, unexpectedly  immediate improvement in everything! so happy I made this discovery in my system. Still I want to try grounding the available wall receptacle where the analogue power distribution box is plugged.

For now the grounding box will be kept where it is, digital could be noisier than analogue or it could be more sensitive to clean power, whatever it is, I trust my ears

[Cornan]

1 hour ago, mozes said:

I decided to play a bit with my eBay grounding box so I built an AC plug grounding cable. I grounded the power distribution box of my analogue gear (Naim) and I didn't notice any effect. Then I grounded my power distribution box that powers the power supplies of my digital gear and WAW, unexpectedly  immediate improvement in everything! so happy I made this discovery in my system. Still I want to try grounding the available wall receptacle where the analogue power distribution box is plugged.

For now the grounding box will be kept where it is, digital could be noisier than analogue or it could be more sensitive to clean power, whatever it is, I trust my ears

 

Great work Moussa! Finding the right spot with grounding boxes is crucial. Therefore a lot of experiments usually pays off. Congrats! ?

 

Naim is actually one of the few audio companies that take grounding very seriously in all their cables and equipment.

[Cornan]

One Aucharm Audio grounding box ordered as well. It will be fun to see what could be gained with it and the 3pcs mini grounding boxes in the mix! ?

[mozes]

8 minutes ago, Cornan said:

One Aucharm Audio grounding box ordered as well. It will be fun to see what could be gained with it and the 3pcs mini grounding boxes in the mix! ?

Great stuff.  As I told you one grounding box on my digital dedicated circuit made a difference. I am using a solid core 99.99 silver wire so maybe that also has to do with it. No effect on the analogue circuit, but will keep trying in different places

[Cornan]

12 minutes ago, mozes said:

Great stuff.  As I told you one grounding box on my digital dedicated circuit made a difference. I am using a solid core 99.99 silver wire so maybe that also has to do with it. No effect on the analogue circuit, but will keep trying in different places

 

For sure you'll need to enjoy experimenting to find out the true benefits with these "dirt boxes". Luckily experiments is all "in da hood" for me! ? I trust my ears more than fancy diagrams or complicated explanations. In the end it it is those two on each side of my head who will enjoy it...or not! ?

[austinpop]

22 minutes ago, Cornan said:

One Aucharm Audio grounding box ordered as well. It will be fun to see what could be gained with it and the 3pcs mini grounding boxes in the mix! ?

 

Cool.

 

It'll be interesting to find out what you hear comparing the cheap and cheerful Aucharm compared to the pricey Entreq!

[mozes]

6 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Cool.

 

It'll be interesting to find out what you hear comparing the cheap and cheerful Aucharm compared to the pricey Entreq!

My friend is an Entreq dealer and he told me that most of the benefit comes from the type of wire you use. Hierarchy is something like this:

1- Pure Silver

2-Silver plated copper

3-Copper

[Cornan]

2 hours ago, austinpop said:

 

Cool.

 

It'll be interesting to find out what you hear comparing the cheap and cheerful Aucharm compared to the pricey Entreq!

 

Yeah, that will be interesting for me as well. I will report back with my findings! ?

[Cornan]

2 hours ago, mozes said:

My friend is an Entreq dealer and he told me that most of the benefit comes from the type of wire you use. Hierarchy is something like this:

1- Pure Silver

2-Silver plated copper

3-Copper

 

Yes, that match Entreq's info. Surely silver cables sounds better in my setup as well. However, apperently also the connector is crucial for the best result. According to my local dealer the Entreq K2 connector will make Entreq Minimus copper sound like Entreq Minimus silver. I might give it a try! ?

 

[mozes]

46 minutes ago, Cornan said:

 

Yes, that match Entreq's info. Surely silver cables sounds better in my setup as well. However, apperently also the connector is crucial for the best result. According to my local dealer the Entreq K2 connector will make Entreq Minimus copper sound like Entreq Minimus silver. I might give it a try! ?

 

Agree everything makes a difference!

[rickca]

@Cornan here's another ground noise eliminator coming in 3Q.  Scroll down to about mid page.

https://www.audiostream.com/content/sound-galleries-experience

[Cornan]

10 hours ago, rickca said:

@Cornan here's another ground noise eliminator coming in 3Q.  Scroll down to about mid page.

https://www.audiostream.com/content/sound-galleries-experience

 

Interesting! It looks like they are battery grounders using a 9v battery and high value capasitors. I use a DIY one in my low budget setup right now, but it is both a battery grounder and a tourmaline grounder in one.

Thanks for sharing! ?

 

 

[Cornan]

I think I have just started a collective behaviour with vintage 8mm film cameras! ? I bought a Gevaert Automatic some time ago. When I passed a antique shop close by today I was impossible to resist to buy a Camex Reflex 8. I am not going to use it in any way. I just love the looks of great quality craftmanship products!  

I wonder if this is another common thing with audiophiles, just like many of us seem to like the taste of good whiskey? ?

 

[austinpop]

On 5/25/2017 at 10:51 PM, mozes said:

I decided to play a bit with my eBay grounding box so I built an AC plug grounding cable. I grounded the power distribution box of my analogue gear (Naim) and I didn't notice any effect. Then I grounded my power distribution box that powers the power supplies of my digital gear and WAW, unexpectedly  immediate improvement in everything! so happy I made this discovery in my system. Still I want to try grounding the available wall receptacle where the analogue power distribution box is plugged.

For now the grounding box will be kept where it is, digital could be noisier than analogue or it could be more sensitive to clean power, whatever it is, I trust my ears

 

Thanks for reminding me to try this, Moussa! I had received my additional AC pug grounding cables from the eBay seller a while back, but in all the excitement of the Ultra gear, I never tried it.

 

Well, last night, I used these AC plug grounding cables to connect my 2 eBay units to the following locations:

1. I have a PS Audio Dectet strip attached to an outlet on PS Audio P5, into which my Meanwells for the LPS-1s are connected. I attached one grounding cable to an outlet on this Dectet.
2. I attached the second eBay unit to the generic strip into which my Windows 10 bridged Roon Core machine is connected.

It definitely improved the SQ! This is the first time I've heard these eBay grounding boxes to make any SQ impact at all, so this was a very pleasant surprise.

[mozes]

2 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Thanks for reminding me to try this, Moussa! I had received my additional AC pug grounding cables from the eBay seller a while back, but in all the excitement of the Ultra gear, I never tried it.

 

Well, last night, I used these AC plug grounding cables to connect my 2 eBay units to the following locations:

1. I have a PS Audio Dectet strip attached to an outlet on PS Audio P5, into which my Meanwells for the LPS-1s are connected. I attached one grounding cable to an outlet on this Dectet.
2. I attached the second eBay unit to the generic strip into which my Windows 10 bridged Roon Core machine is connected.

It definitely improved the SQ! This is the first time I've heard these eBay grounding boxes to make any SQ impact at all, so this was a very pleasant surprise.

That's great Rajiv! it feels good when something we paid for works

[Cornan]

42 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Thanks for reminding me to try this, Moussa! I had received my additional AC pug grounding cables from the eBay seller a while back, but in all the excitement of the Ultra gear, I never tried it.

 

Well, last night, I used these AC plug grounding cables to connect my 2 eBay units to the following locations:

1. I have a PS Audio Dectet strip attached to an outlet on PS Audio P5, into which my Meanwells for the LPS-1s are connected. I attached one grounding cable to an outlet on this Dectet.
2. I attached the second eBay unit to the generic strip into which my Windows 10 bridged Roon Core machine is connected.

It definitely improved the SQ! This is the first time I've heard these eBay grounding boxes to make any SQ impact at all, so this was a very pleasant surprise.

 

Awesome Rajiv! I was almost wondering if you have sold them off before realizing their benefits to sq. ?

[austinpop]

8 hours ago, Cornan said:

 

Awesome Rajiv! I was almost wondering if you have sold them off before realizing their benefits to sq. ?

 

Nope I kept them, hoping to continue experimenting. I'm glad I did.

 

The first two spots I tried them yielded no results, but third time's Aucharm.

 

[Cornan]

Still no sign of my rewired Fostex TH900 being sent back. This is torture! ?

 

The good part is that I have used the time to track down an annoying and very occasional crack in my low budget setup plus a random loss of connection between CCA and BubbleUPnP server installed on my tablet. Beleive it or not, it turned out to be the Android location button. I normally have it off but noticed that Chromecast Audio wanted it to be on. I put it off and simply disregard that request. I have tried it for a few days now and no more cracks and no more connection loss! ?

 

[Cornan]

I just saw that Banggood have an offer of USD 45,55/pc incl. freight for the Gophert CPS3205 II https://www.banggood.com/GOPHERT-CPS-3205-0-32V-0-5A-Portable-Adjustable-DC-Power-Supply-110V220V-p-934530.html#_=_

I still have´nt decided, but I am considering to buy 2 pcs Gophert floating psu´s and get another DC terminal and rewire it with Canare 4S6 starquads.

 

 

I can then power my Aries Mini with one Gophert set to 16V/5A and the other Gophert on 5V/5A connected to the DC terminal powering my AQVOX switch, Regen Amber and Brooklyn DAC 5v USB injection.

 

I made a quick hand drawing to give an idea how it will look and to see for myself if my theory will work in practise.

 

 

I think it will be good. As seen on the drawing both AC (Brooklyn) and DC power (Aries Mini, Aqvox, Regen & 5v injection via Teradak Y-split) will be fed with floating ground. My only concern right now is how Brooklyn will react when getting a 5V USB injection with a floating ground? I might need to run a GND wire to ensure handshake between Aries Mini and Brooklyn with my unshielded 3-wire USB cables.

 

[Cornan]

Well, I think the Gophert purchase will have to wait!  

I have started to bid on a nice turntable on eBay. It is a SEE Revolver turntable with Linn tonearm cut-out which could be a fun mod project in addition to the digital mania, especially when Brooklyn have received quite good reviews on their RIAA stage!  

 

If I win the bidding (touch wood) I will have a look around for suitable tonearm to begin with. If I'll loose I will probably order the two Gophert and a DC terminal right away!  

 

[mozes]

1 hour ago, Cornan said:

I just saw that Banggood have an offer of USD 45,55/pc incl. freight for the Gophert CPS3205 II https://www.banggood.com/GOPHERT-CPS-3205-0-32V-0-5A-Portable-Adjustable-DC-Power-Supply-110V220V-p-934530.html#_=_

I still have´nt decided, but I am considering to buy 2 pcs Gophert floating psu´s and get another DC terminal and rewire it with Canare 4S6 starquads.

 

 

I can then power my Aries Mini with one Gophert set to 16V/5A and the other Gophert on 5V/5A connected to the DC terminal powering my AQVOX switch, Regen Amber and Brooklyn DAC 5v USB injection.

 

I made a quick hand drawing to give an idea how it will look and to see for myself if my theory will work in practise.

 

 

I think it will be good. As seen on the drawing both AC (Brooklyn) and DC power (Aries Mini, Aqvox, Regen & 5v injection via Teradak Y-split) will be fed with floating ground. My only concern right now is how Brooklyn will react when getting a 5V USB injection with a floating ground? I might need to run a GND wire to ensure handshake between Aries Mini and Brooklyn with my unshielded 3-wire USB cables.

 

Have you tried to power the Brooklyn via its DC input?

[Cornan]

1 minute ago, mozes said:

Have you tried to power the Brooklyn via its DC input?

 

No, but I will in due time. Before attempting to power it via the DC input I want to optimize the setup I have now for a fair trial.