My Top 5 Inexpensive Hifi Tweaks for clean power to your amp, preamp, dac, turntable, and more.

[@sacasanova]

As an electrical inspector and hifi enthusiast, I agree with your assessment. I would like to add that you can address these issues, especially if you rent, by using an isolation transformer and a power conditioner with good capacitive filtering. An AC to DC to battery to DC to AC configuration will also achieve similar results. A good quality UPS could achieve that, but I don't know her much noise its internal electronics generate.

[@eLicky]

We're renting atm, would adding just an isolation transformer have any benefits? Thanks,

[@PeterMilanovski]

Absolutely none whatsoever! The AC signal is a 50hz or 60hz signal itself, and it manages to pass through an isolation transformer with no problem! If you can detect any signal other than the frequencies mentioned above, you would have detected them simply because they are all AC signals, and they will all pass right through an isolation transformer.... The only reason you should be using an isolation transformer is when you need to ground lift the equipment that you are working on while it is powered to prevent you from blowing up your oscilloscope or killing yourself by passing current from one end of your body to the other causing heart failure... With an isolation transformer it can only pass through one hand so long as you obey the "keep one hand in your back pocket" to prevent current passing across your chest, you will feel the shock but it's less likely to kill you instantly..... It doesn't isolate noise, it's not what it does.....

[@ericelliott227]

I randomly ran across your video here and want to say thank you Gabby for speaking truth and demonstrating something for me. First of all, looking at the very high-end gear you have in frame I expected to hear the same thing as always: "Oh, you need to buy this $2000 cable or this or that and you need to rewire your place even if you are in an apartment and other junk". Instead you spoke to reality and truth! On top of that you demonstrated! One in particular stood out to me: Power cables. I know that they don't usually make a sizable or detectable difference sonically to the human ear (no such thing as golden ears) as many claim, but you just demonstrated they are important none the less. I have always believed that the power cables that come with the gear, including high-end gear, come with them for a reason and I figured using anything else would void the warranty. Every "audiophile" that has ever said to me that they make a huge sound difference or what have you has NEVER demonstrated that! You just changed my belief in your video here! I'm still correct in stating that the power cables that come with the gear come with it for a reason, but that reason is cost savings to the manufacture! Indeed, power cables won't necessarily make a sonic difference easily detected by ear, but a shielded power cable is far healthier for the gear anyway, whether you hear it or not! Changing out my power cables won't be that easy though as I have four pieces with such cables, (I run separates), so perhaps the best I can do is one at a time. However, the other problem I have is that I use a very good Power Conditioner/surge protector to plug almost everything into and there is not enough room behind it to accommodate the huge terminators (connectors). I rent an apartment and do not have enough outlets to plug everything into the wall directly. (Besides that surge protector has saved me more than once). So I need to figure out how to make shielded power cables work in my system as I am keen on replacing all of them, which I never thought I would hear myself say as I don't believe in the hype about cables generally, but now except power cables, which is not all hype! (Yes, I am going to purchase a tester just to see for myself, which is something I usually do anyway. All it will do is confirm what you just showed).

[@Gabster1]

Thanks Eric glad I was able to show you, still don't expect a huge difference I hate that too when people exaggerate and say the sound collapsed with the old cable .....

[@darylsummer1424]

There is an error in this type of testing. The power cable test only demonstrated that the shielded power cable had reduced noise on the outside of cable. Nothing was tested inside the Amplifier at the transformer. I don't understand the logic in this test.

[@ericelliott227]

@@darylsummer1424 I don't think it matters since there is no sonic improvement to the ear. It is just likely healthier for the gear is all. Is it worth upgrading the power cables? That is up to the individual. It is not a guaranteed sonic improvement, so it is not a "must do". Personally, for me at this time, I'm happy with the power cables that came with the gear even though they are $2 cables or something. If I ever have the extra scratch, I might swap them out, but they are not mission critical nor make any sonic difference, so they may or may never be swapped out for "better" cables. By the way, better power cables can be had for around $35 to $40. One need not spend thousands or even hundreds of dollars on them.

[@russputin6294]

I had an experience that opened my eyes to the influence of mains power supplies. My Naim power amplifier started humming and buzzing on one channel; I took it for service but it wouldn't fault on the test bench. Through a combination of luck and logic I eventually discovered the noise was being caused by a faulty laptop mains adapter (similar to the one highlighted in your video) in the room next door; unplugged the laptop - stereo fine. Plug it back in; buzzing and hum returned. This was a very obvious condition but it does make me wonder how much things are affected on a "subliminal" or consciously imperceptible lower level? Also I live in a semi-rural area in the UK and I suspect the quality of my mains supply is very poor; lights sometimes dim erratically (seems to be heavily impacted by the weather - worse in storms and cold) and transformers in my stereo, radio alarm etc. tend to buzz mechanically. Great video; plenty of food for thought - including the fact that dirty mains and general electro-magnetic radiation has a very negative impact on our general health and well-being as well as the quality of our hi-fi sound! Thank you

[@Wuppie62]

EM waves having impact on your health and well-being? Please, where's the solid scientific evidence for this claim? And I'm not talking about when someone puts their head inside a working microwave oven (hundreds of Watts)..which is normally impossible anyway.

[@RobWhittlestone]

Very nice video. Agree with the points being made. I'm intrigued by your accent: Gabor, Hungarian? In any cas very good content, presented in a very pleasant style. Thank you! All the best, Rob in Switzerland

[@saintfrancisxavier9323]

Wow, I used to poo-hoo any suggestion of using shielded speaker cables, however that Naim amp you have does show how susceptible to noise some items can be. The biggest problem with shielded speaker cables is added capacitance, most amps should be fine, however there is always the exception, like this Naim being effected by something in another room. It definitely sounds to me like it was getting into the speaker lead, otherwise if it was via the power lead then you'd assume it would upset both channels. Normal logic says the speaker cables are the least susceptible as they operate at such low impedances and at high power levels, any crud would be completely crushed - then there is your Naim....

[@russputin6294]

Definitely coming via the mains as I diagnosed the problem as my Hitachi Mosfet amplifier (in the same room as the faulty lap-top supply) was making similar noises. Too much of a coincidence, I thought, and as soon as I unplugged the laptop wallwart the noises disappeared; from both systems in both rooms. Plug them back in and the noise returned. I take your point, theoretically, that inductive speaker cables could be to blame but different type cables of different lengths in different rooms. The only common denominator to both my systems is the mains supply. Thanks for your interest and thought-provoking comments. All the best for the New Year ;-)@@saintfrancisxavier9323

[@ForbesPhoto]

Excellent low-cost tips for those whose equipment has poor mains noise filtering. A properly designed power supply eliminates all audible noise going to one's gear. All my amps have switching power supplies (Hypex and Topping) and I have lots of dimmers in my home and I have zero audible mains noise.

[@bradt.3555]

That's it, my power is terrible but my system is silent, I have stock power cords, no gizmos between wall and gear. Good gear should have a good pwr supply which does all the filtering needed. I suffer the same affliction as do most all "audiophiles". The need to keep fooling with stuff thinking it's making it better. That's perfectly OK it's fun, as long as you understand that a lot of it is useless.

[@1337sim1]

And ground loop problems... Don't understand why XLR cables aren't more popular in the HiFi world?!?

[@bradt.3555]

@@1337sim1 For xlr to be any better than an rca with a shield connected at just 1 end it has to be a differential input. An xlr on a single ended input is no diff than the rca. Most stuff is single ended unless your talking lotsa $$$.

[@1337sim1]

@@bradt.3555 That's my point exactly! Lots of HiFi equipment costs in the hundreds and thousands of dollars and only have RCAs... 🤑 In my opinion, at that price, they should include the option to use XLR when possible. I mean... Look at cheap studio monitors, they all have XLR/TRS jacks!

[@bradt.3555]

@@1337sim1 I agree when you spend big bucks amps with differential input where you can utilize xlr's as meant should be a given. I myself have never had any kind of ground loop issues using rca's. The reason you'll find xlr's on cheap pa stuff is compatibility with microphones. You'll find they will be single ended inputs so the benefit of separate ground and signal conductors is nill since the ground and signal ground connect anyway, in most cases, there are allway's exceptions.

[@mikecampbell5856]

Now I'm glad that I installed a dedicated line for my main system when my house was being built. I have had no problems. Great info.

[@PeterMilanovski]

Wherever you have an AC line you have noise, the AC signal is a noise itself, 50hz or 60hz depending on where in the world you are! And just as a radio transmitter puts an AC signal on top of the carrier AC signal to reach your AM FM Radio tuner, so too must your AC line carry all sorts of AC signals no matter where you are, you are connected to a grid that will send you all the pulses that someone in your area is generating with their grinder or welder directly from their garage to your fine home! Just stop using electricity altogether and purchase a vintage wind up turntable and you won't have to pay for electricity and it won't be affected by noise presence on the AC line.... It's simple. You are going down a never ending Rabbit hole which has no solutions for anyone in the audio hobby...

[@666dualsport]

Lol

[@davidcross890]

@@PeterMilanovski you make many factual points but I have solved what you state as unsolvable bottomless rabbit hole by applied sciences and material applications and novel advanced technologies

[@bshah4831]

Some great advice. Phono MC cartridge output is very low so I alaways made an effort to keep power (shielded) cables away from signal cables.

[@west3122]

This was a nice change from so many things you hear, I didn’t disagree with anything you had to say and you made it very understandable. There were some clear points I had not realized from other discussions or thought out clearly, thanks for great explanations!

[@Gabster1]

Thank you 🙏

[@mickyd3]

I too noticed that problem several years back, even worse with LED lights. I removed all of them years ago. Even the wifi LEF lights, such as Feit have this issue but to a lessor extent. I utilize Greenwave plugs througout the house and place them on noise circuits such as refrigerator, paper shredders, wifi router, switch and TV compents. I don't place these directly on my audio circuits but by putting these on other noisy circuits, this greatly reduces the noise on my dedicated audio circuits. I will utiluze several audio power conditioners but overal, I am quite please with my results. I also ran a new solid core ground wire to qty-2 8ft copper ground rods, distanced about 18 feet apart and while I do not notice any sound improvements, this seems to have reduced electrical surges but could also be a coincidence. Keep digital sources on one dedicate circuit and analog , amps, etc on a separate circuit has improved my soundstage a bit.

[@kennethneathery3963]

Great info Gaby! One additional step would be an uninterrupted back up power supply that is fully uncoupled. As everything in life, not all UPS's are created equal. Long time fan, KenMann.

[@ChaplainDaveSparks]

A couple of additional thoughts: 1.) This suggestion applies mainly to the USA which typically uses a 120/240 volt 3 wire split phase service (with two _"hot legs")_ on most residences: Go to your breaker box and see which circuits are the noisiest. Try to make sure those _noisy_ circuits are on a different leg of the service from your _sensitive_ ones. 2.) Try clamp-on ferrite cores on your power cords to help cut down on interference - both on your sensitive items as well as your _”noise-making culprits”._ (One notorious one is a plugged in lamp that turns on/off/dims by *touching* it. Those usually use a *triac* to switch the light, which is also the same technology inside most dimmers.) 3.) Consider some higher current ferrites on the branch circuit wires inside your breaker panel. The power cord ferrites are definitely within the realm of a DIYer. The other two are within the skillset of *MANY* DIYers, but if in doubt, call an electrician.

[@jondu-sud274]

Very clearly explained and excellent practical demonstrations. Thank you very much.

[@I.am.KubKab]

Great video. thank you. What do you think about filters and power conditioners and Uninterruptible power supplies (USP's)

[@thechuckster6838]

Balanced power is the only way to go. you wouldn't have any of those hum problems with balanced power. It's not cheap to balance power, but well worth it. I design it into every broadcast and or studio project that I design.

[@davidcross890]

@@thechuckster6838 I know by invented, design, and build fact that what you appear to push is comparatively a minimum level solution that has been seriously outdone in real world performance

[@johnh539]

I second all the positive comments . Thanks ,I have a verry noisy power line I'll let you know once I have a shielded line.

[@dell177]

I like your point of view, you can get 90+% of the improvement with a $50 cable as you would get with a $1,000 cable. The expensive cable is better but is it 20X better - i don't think so. Another test instrument is a pocket AM radio because they are very sensitive to high frequency noise. If you pick up a high frequeny shine when it's held next to something there is a lot of noise there. i worked in the power supply field for over 30 years, both liniear and switch mode. There two kinds of noise that floats on the DC output of a power supply basic ripple and noise. Basic ripple on a linear power supply is usually pretty benign, noise is a problem because it's usually high frequencies and high frequencies (40,000 hz and up for swiitch mode supplies) travels further than low frequencies (usually 120 hz in the USA). Anythging meant for home use is supposed to designed for lower noise but many time they just use whatever they can get based on price, not noise performance.

[@shaolin95]

If you have a GOOD cable you can get 100% of a $1000 cable. That 10% extra is bias confirmation after someone spends so much money foe nothing lol

[@bradt.3555]

A shielded power cord does not remove the noise from the AC power going thru it. It just reduces the emi from the cord, which dissipates within an inch of the cord. If you keep power and signal cables separated then a shielded power cord is not any help. Power and signal should be kept away from each other anyway. Also that huge shielded cord puts way too much stress on the receptical AND the connector on the gear. If you want clean power get an isolation transformer with filtering after. Guess what, that's exactly what's in most gear, a transformer then filtering, switching supply's are a different story but they have issues of their own. By law tho they have to be heavily filtered as electronic devices cannot cause interference on other devices.

[@KillerKlipsch]

What kind of Isolation Transformer would you suggest?

[@bradt.3555]

@@KillerKlipsch Typically a transformer that just goes from say 120v to 120v and has filtering and will supply the current needs of your equipment. Your not trying to change voltage, just get that "magnetic" separation. Any transformer isolates because the "connection" between line and load is magnetic. The transformer in any piece of gear "isolates" the line from the rest of the circuitry. If it uses a switching type power supply that's different. In reality the power supply in the gear should filter all the crap out. Now if your power is exceptionally dirty, filtering before it's filtered in the piece of gear can't hurt. The transformer at the power pole isolates you from the rest of the grid but there may be 10 houses on that transformer so you get all your neighbors noise. Right now my amp plugs into the wall, my other stuff into a power conditioner and to be honest have tried it all in the conditioner, all in the wall etc. and it's essentially silent all way's I've tried. I find different pieces of gear generate more noise than anything that makes it thru from the wall outlet. You gotta remember "audiophiles" are obsessed with just another tweek to get a little more info, but there's a limit. You can only get all the info that's in a recording, that's it, nothing you do can get a little more than 100%, just something to consider. Sorry for the length, to, to, to, to much time on my hands.

[@KillerKlipsch]

@@bradt.3555 Dude, that was awesome. That was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million.

[@joshua43214]

"By law... heavily filtered..." These certifications are forged or simply ignored. This is especially true with discount items. The only way to know for certain is to buy a reputable brand from an *authorized* dealer. If a medical grade PS is $50.00 at Mouser, and $25.00 on Amazon, then it is probably a fake.

[@bradt.3555]

@@joshua43214 I believe I was referring to the PS in a piece of gear but your correct. Even back when I did residential electric, I saw people get fake UL stickers for stuff like imported light fixtures so they would pass inspection. I got a friend who gets "genuine" brand guitar parts for a super low price for me to install and guess what? They're genuine junk most of the time. So yea, buyer beware.

[@ethimself5064]

Nice to see that you are in Canada👍

[@MrPolyestrine]

Wonderful. I have a Powerquest 707 ultra linear filtering. So I still need the shielded cables? Also do I need them for my Martin Logan speakers, receivers and power amplifiers and TV and 4K player? Thanks in advance

[@Gabster1]

I think the most important is not to mix signal wires specially weak ones like line level with Power cables I would start with those. For amps Or Your Martins if they have a powered sub you need both a very heavy and shielded wire as Amps can draw big power fast a good power socket is very Imp for a Amp or Powered Speakers in your case you can get a very nice shielded cable under $50 anything more your only getting that extra 0.01 %

[@MrPolyestrine]

@@Gabster1 Thank u so much for your quick response..I have the same problem as one of your viewers. The back of my PowerQuest 707 will not accommodate so many of the big cable plugs you suggested (thanks for the Amzn link). In order of importance..I have 2 Martin Logans - ESL 11 and then I have 2 powered amps - Arcam PA240 and then an Arcam AVR10 receiver and also a REL sub woofer. Would that be the order - I think I can only fit 4 of the power plugs. For my speakers I will need 5 feet and for the Amps to my PowerQuest 707 - 3 feet is fine. And if I had space for only 2 big power plugs would I go for speakers OR amplifiers?

[@shaymcquaid]

Ceiling Fan speed switches are equally culpable...Thanks for the great video!

[@deadline7610]

Nicely Done. New Subscriber 2024 :) A do have a few questions if you have a moment. 1) if using the better power supplies that you suggest am I losing a lot if it needs to be plugged into a power strip ? 2) Can you suggest a better cost effective power strip I hear some filter out the high's ? 3) How much extra room behind my power amp do I need to take into consideration with using this better power cable 2'' 4'' ... is the cable very stiff ? I might run out of room before I hit the back wall ? 4) Besides an ifi power supply which I recently purchased I was looking for a moderately priced 12v 3A switching power supply for my cable box ? Thanks in advance

[@Gabster1]

Thanks :) 1) Change your Outlet to a Double Hospital grade receptacles the very least Plug your amp in the wall without extensions and the rest on a sturdy power strip 2)amzn.to/3O0duKW these are used in Pro-audio but I would shorten the cable to the minimum needed 3) they are stiff so a couple inches would help to bend 4) at 3A hard to go linear for cheap the IFI 12V is your best bet amzn.to/3Se4AMv have fun :)

[@deadline7610]

@@Gabster1 Thanks for the quick reply. Sadly my power amp is about 7.5 feet away from the outlet so your suggestion of the WAudio cable won't reach. I don't see a larger version. I did see a D'Addario IEC power cable - IEC to NEMA Plug Power Cable, 10FT but I don't see any info. about it being shielded :( The Furman power conditioner has a very long cable as you stated. Is it just a few screws and a knife to cut and strip the cable or is there a need to solder the connection ? Thanks or helping my journey .

[@Grue_ni]

I just realized myself what good clean power delivery could do to a very good hifi system. I bought a expensive power conditioner and changed my Cables to very good shielded Power cabes. It was mind blowing, i never ever would have thought that power delivery would make such a huge impact in sound performance. I have the same hi end system for years now, but when i changed the power delivery for the first time i heard the real performance of what my system was able to... I then changed also the remaining power cables of my system i was totaly convinced👍🏻

[@Gabster1]

Glad you discovered the benefits😊

[@specipful]

What did you buy?

[@Grue_ni]

@@specipful Isotek Sigmas V5 and Audioquest Monsoon. I allready had the old Sigmas Evo3 and had good expierience with it. Than i changed my Burmester 038 Power conditioner (wich works more in a way as DC Filter) to the sigmas V5. The difference was night and day! Stereo wise its like, ok now i am there now i reached my destination... But i am using my B&W 803D also as part of a 5.1 System and not only for stereo, my B&W now have such a good warm prescise wide stereo stage, the sound got so spacial the stage so wide that you got to get used to that, if i would only have 2 Stereo speakers it would be no problem but i am using them also as Front L und Front R. Also you now have much more detail in presentation, you ca hear instruments you never heard before on your favorite tracks, but that now also reveals it whe you have a bad recording, there simply is much more detail now in the presentation. But i am still in the break in process, i am gona give the system time to break in an then maybe if its too much i will maybe try different power cables to optimize the system a little bit. But i tell you, and please dont laugh, the first time i heard my favorite music, and i mean emotional music the tears almost ran donw my face it was like what the hell?! is this my system???

[@Antibackgroundnoise]

​@@Grue_niv nice setup. Be surprised if you're surround cables are not shielded.

[@Grue_ni]

@@Antibackgroundnoise Thank you! I have a Pre amp/Monoblock combo. I use 1,5m Hi quality Chinch RCA to connect the monos to the AV Pre amp (Silentwire NF12). For my center and surround chanels i use smaller stereo amps in bi amping mode, also with silentwire RCA chinch. Also for the rest of the system i use very good but not overkill RCA chinch cable (silent wire NF8 for stereo and Audioquest Red River for Surround chanel) My problem is that i have almost no space behind my hifi components, its quite a mess. Its almost impossible that the interconect cables dont come near or cross the power cables. I think thats also why the system sounds so much better now because the Monsoon are much better shielded than the cables i used before. I will have to take some time to sort and route the cables so they dont interfere with each other. Now that i know how important it is but its gona be quite a task. Now i have good cables but are they shielded so good that it would not be a problem if they directly cross each other? I mean if a interconect crosses a chinch cable?

[@roysonparsons3300]

Really interesting. Good info. I have a few questions. First, how about AC filtering devices? I currently use a very expensive Monster brand surge protector. I believe that Monster claims “clean power output.” I’ve ordered a IDEAL 62-164 Amplifier Probe and I’ll be checking to see if it lowers noise or not. Second, it occurs to me that it might be a good idea to run the AC power supply cables inside metal conduit. Not sure if that would shield nearby audio line cables from noise or not. I’ll do some experiments with the ideal probe. Come to think of it, maybe it would help to run audio line cables inside flexible metal conduit for additional shielding? I previously worked in the broadcast industry, where all audio lines are the balanced type, as I understand it, that is done to reduce noise. I have several components that use balanced line connections, and I have not noticed that they are quieter than regular RCA connections. You have peaked my interest and I’ll be testing my setup.

[@Gabster1]

Ac filtering devices are good but limited the best is try to eliminate the noise source specially close by. Ac reconstruction can be a lot better. The monster and a lot of others do very little Also be careful they are full of inductors that create noise in proximity so don’t put a device close to them should be a good few feet away If you pit your sniffer close to one it will go crazy

[@karlos543]

Could always pour a drink and just listen to music, and enjoy. Radical eh!

[@peterking2794]

I agree. Audiophools tend to listen to the equipment and fret about it instead of just enjoying the music. My stereo set up is a Leak Delta amp (cost: £3 from a flea market), Sonab speakers (cost: €4 the pair from a house clearance), Thorens turntable with a Linn Basek tonearm and a Shure M55E cartridge ( Free, as it was destined for the dump). Speaker cables are 10 amp lighting flex and the audio cable is what came with the turntable. That little lot sounds great to my 70 year old ears when playing my well worn Pink Floyd LPs. Pour me a glass of supermarket wine and I'm happy.

[@DarenLee]

Thanks for the info. What and out grounding? :)

[@Cryptoletsgo1]

Excellent work my friend. Thank you for the AB testing, great to see what is truth for once

[@tff40]

Agree 100% The single biggest and most noticeable difference that I have made to my $25,000 dollar setup, was putting in a dedicated 12awg BX line to my system. It was literally jaw dropping how it made the sound so much bigger, wider and uncluttered.

[@karlos543]

Are you for real?

[@PeterMilanovski]

Hahahaha ROFL 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 wow! You clearly have no idea! You really need to get an education in electronics! You will learn more about things like the field effect and how everything that you perceive about how electricity works is wrong.... This is madness! I can't believe that people like this actually exist!

[@ferrograph]

If you spent that much on equipment and the power made a difference then the designers didn't do their job.

[@alexkane84]

Why don't you do a blind AB test ? I heard a huge difference

[@obudaifourty9]

Great video, and I agree to all your points. I have 5 excellent power cables and they DO sound different(s). One I made one from excellent parts including pure copper Viborg connectors another is my own except the another pair of pure copper connectors and the other 3 were ordered online. I don't have this probe (but will get one soon), but have a question. In your estimation would copper foils wrapped around the switching power diminish these noises you demonstrated or lessen them? New subscriber as of today. Thanks for making and posting the video 🙂

[@trendyloca2330]

I like your video it could be cheap and tip to tweak an audio system.

[@jeanclaudelavallee4919]

i enjoy your video sir , i was wondering i live in a very old house in which all wall outlet altough they have the ground hole they are not grounded only 2 wire out the wall so what i did i cut cord 3 wire cord and leave the ground wire much longer and im using the cable tv cable spitter and screw my ground the hence im using cable tv ground as my ground do you think it really is grounded then ?????

[@Gabster1]

All depends if the cable tv it self is grounded If it is your house I would check the breaker box And get a electrician to connect the ground properly

[@synaesthesia2010]

don't have an expensive hifi, just a modest budget setup with the newest component being my 22 year old B&W speakers, but i am waiting for so Lapp cable to arrive along with a suitable plug and sock just wire on, but before i do that i'm going to smooth down the pins to get rid of the pits and grooves you get with them from the factory to prevent micro arcing. probably won't make any difference but if there's a chance it'll improve things i'll do it

[@Grue_ni]

Hey, nice Video👍🏻 I have got a question and i thought you are a pro so you might know this. I have got a power supply like yours in the video, its for a LCD TV. I Glued some magnets on tve bottom of the PSU an attached it to a metal surface so its out of the way. Now my question.... what about magnetisation? Is it bad for signal quality? Do magnets create noise too? Thx.

[@Gabster1]

Thanks :) You should be Ok where they are but Don't run any signal wires touching or very close to the magnets

[@Grue_ni]

@@Gabster1 Ok thank you!👍🏻

[@Lowkey_nxthxn]

That's crazy how much noise are in the walls this is good to know wow

[@Gabster1]

The noise is being Amplified not as bad as it seems and most equipment can filter it, still best not to have so much noise.

[@Lowkey_nxthxn]

@@Gabster1 makes sense and where did you get that tool from?

[@mauromazzoncini5711]

Has anyone ever connected a rechargeable power station IE a unit that's recharged by the mains in your home and then once charged disconnected from the main then used to power your system with totally clean power ..,Great video thanks

[@Gabster1]

With each component needing a different voltage like 12v 5v 3.3v …. It is hard to implement My streamer uses such a system see video link kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIOTh3V-rN2EbtE

[@gilko61]

What an incredibly informative video! I find myself wondering, if a person were completely sold on the idea of shielded power cables, but has many to replace in a complex system, where would you start: the DAC and other digitalia, the amp with the highest current draw, or perhaps even the preamp at the center?

[@Gabster1]

The Amp would benefit the most The rest if you can keep interconnects away from power cable you are fine The most sensitive interconnect is the phono rca cables as you are amplifying that signal a lot

[@gilko61]

@@Gabster1 Thank you. I'm pretty sure my main amp is very hungry for current. I just ordered my first premium cable two days ago, even before seeing the video. Like you said, a good 12 gauge shielded cable with reasonably decent connectors, but inexpensive. Just couldn't decide where to put it. I always knew noise is the enemy. I just had no idea how much is out there, let alone the effect of dimmers, and the magnitude of the effect of switching power supplies. I suspected it, but was surprised by just how much. Thanks again. I subscribed. Good stuff.

[@gilko61]

So, I have one of your widgets and didn't realize it. Kobalt AC-6H Non-Contact Voltage Detector. Came free with a multimeter. Got an outlet tester with it too. Anyway, I think mine is a low frills model. It only beeps at one rate, and is certainly less sensitive than yours. I mean I have to get right on the wire. Still, I had fun poking about with it. My one discovery: I have always unplugged my phone from its charger while leaving it plugged into the wall. I figured that breaks the circuit. To my surprise, there is still voltage present at the end of the USC-C. Not sure what's going on, but it clearly does, even with this toy tool. I guess that means its SMPS is cooking, even when not charging anything. That surprised me.

[@PeterMilanovski]

Shielded cable won't help you with anything since the noise is already in the wire, it came in from the AC line and no amount of filtering can stop it! The equipment enclosure is a Faraday cage itself, no RF signals should be able to penetrate, you have to unplug the equipment from the power source to stop the noise from getting in... It's the only thing that works!

[@chrisatherton8234]

@@PeterMilanovski He is saying to use a shielded mains cable to stop the mains hum from the cable from radiating to inter-connect leads

[@NickGiordano-zu4em]

when I was pulling 1 20a line up I decided to just make it 2 so now i have 2 20a in a 4 gang box , I plug 2 of my subs into 1 20a and 1 to my 20A Furman conditioner and the forth outlet I use an AC purifier from IFI its pretty good

[@PalaniAcoustic]

i will immediately start tearing all the cables out of my walls and ceiling, leaving only one line left to the system, then i will have to use the camping gas cooker :) ...irony mode off :) Very interesting research

[@Gabster1]

Keep your Cooker on low away from your gear :)

[@PalaniAcoustic]

@@Gabster1 :)

[@cpg8000]

Would love to know what kind of equipment you are running behind you. Great video, thank you!

[@blipco5]

The best outlet you can buy is a Hubble hospital grade receptacle. A 20 amp receptacle has heavier gauge terminals than 15 amp.

[@chimps4gimps]

I lived in a small apartment for a while with a shared kitchen and living space. The fridge was an absolute nightmare when it clicked on!

[@maxtrue9744]

I use constant voltage harmonic neutralized transformers (CVT) to keep power line noise out of the recording equipment in our studio and the listening room. These transformers will keep out surges, over voltage and under voltage conditions. If you look at your line power on an oscilloscope you will see all kinds of garbage. The CVT gives you a nice sine wave.

[@ScottsLifeOffGrid]

Gabster, I have a question for you, what about components that run on 12V s, I assume the thin cable is unshielded. Is there a way to shield these cables to any meaningful degree? often times they are hard connected to the plug in power supply and can not be upgraded with better cables.

[@Gabster1]

Usually these are Dc not Ac so not a big deal just keep them away from the Ac cables

[@MrAudioBill]

I had used an old portable AM radio, tuned tuned to an empty frequency on the short end, I think, to snoop out RFI. I found that the pad' mounted transformer put out a lot of noise.

[@LuxAudio389]

Beautiful system I love that M10-X

[@wilcalint]

Back in the day...While most of my employment I was in Marketing and Sales a couple of the companies I worked for knew of my engineering background in getting consumer products safety and FCC certified. So I'd be the guy taking the unit to the testing lab and getting it tested and passed. If the product used a "wall wart" or external switching power supply I'd always bring a selection of those things to be sure at least one or two would pass the FCC test. And that even if they displayed the FCC cert on the power supply, 2 or 3 out of 5 would always fail the FCC test for emissions.

[@DANVIIL]

New subscriber! Thanks for all of the very useful information.

[@Gabster1]

Thanks for the sub! 😊

[@GuyMartineau]

VERY INTERESTING video. Therefore, I check my audio line and I found that, besides my audio gear, I have 3 smart dimmers / switches on my audio line. Therefore, knowing that, I was wondering : If I keep these 3 switches / dimmers 'off' while I was listening music, will I have the same results I would have with a dedicated line? Do you know if a switch / dimmer set to 'off' induce noise in the line? Merci...

[@Gabster1]

You can leave it off or fully On just not dimming

[@GuyMartineau]

Super Gaster. Merci beaucoup. It will save me the cost of a dedicated line. PS Your videos are very instructive@@Gabster1

[@Gabster1]

Merci@@GuyMartineau

[@anandshah71]

Gabby hi I don’t know if u find it interesting gap to fill instead of miniDSP for bass a sub Pre amp with 12-24-48db crossover A diy possible

[@voodoosurvivor148]

How about surge protection & its impact on power supply noise? For Texas thunderstorms, a dedicated surge protector doesn’t work. The surge protection output of a UPS *does* protect from lightning but I don’t know what impact it has on noise. I use UPSs that provide a full sine wave output when power is lost.

[@shogo3300]

Thank you Gabster. Very informative video. Much appreciated.

[@Coneman3]

⁠do you think DC blockers can improve SQ?

[@mathtrixmusiclix4248]

If you only have one high quality AC power cord, is it more advantageous to use it on your DAC or your integrated amp?

[@Gabster1]

Amp for sure as it draws a lot of power and you need a good connection

[@Ахриманстоппер]

about 15 years ago i tryed few times to switch oyaide gpx(red connectors) and oyaide gpx-r(white connectors with rhodium plated and some palladium or so). wires were same pcocc-a oyaide power cables 5.5sq. and gpx-r sounded much beter. and gpx were sounded dramatically beter than some stock power cables. so - even conector makes really noticable difference. that is a fact.😊 especially at dac or receiver, whatever.

[@Ахриманстоппер]

and, i allso have maybe 4-5 powercables m1-r1 oyaide, with not white ceramic folks, but with aluminium folks, top of oyaide line - i didnt noticed any difference with gpx-r. but gpx vs gpx-r its really notisable difference, i swear. only folks are different😊

[@Nonamehere1]

What about the use of LED lamps? Do they cause greater degradation of the electrical grid than filament lamps?

[@Gabster1]

They do not only when connected to dimmers They usually run on dc and most self internal dimming is done differently then dimmer switches they dim by reducing voltage not alternating on off

[@alanm.thornton4055]

Incredibly helpful!! I had recently finally upgraded the cable modem and wifi router in my home, (seriously old stuff) and noticed the Switch Mode Power Supplies they came with were TINY compared to previous (normal wall wort). I can't prove it, but I -swear- that I hear a constant like 10khz whistle thru my system (most everything 'streams' thru a Chromecast Ultra puck; also a SMPS). I think I'll get one of the probes and test to see if the various SMPS are adding a lot of hash and EMI/RFI to the router, modem, and streaming puck.

[@tweakerman]

Great video, I've just shared it on my channel, keep up the good work👍

[@profholt82]

@Gabster Is there any benefit to wrapping electrical cables and/or power supplies in electrical tape or cloth conductive tape? Or would that just be a "lipstick on a pig" type of fix?

[@Gabster1]

Not really, just keep power cables away from interconnects

[@StealthParrot]

Very informative Gabby, thank you.

[@bakkerem1967]

Thanks for the down to earth tips !

[@paulk9534]

Can i put another breaker along that dedicated line from my main box into the house, or will that breaker also dirty the direct power?

[@Gabster1]

I would put 1 breaker total as breakers are like a small resistor

[@paulk9534]

@@Gabster1 yes that was my feeling too 👍

[@davidstein9129]

Thanks for posting this informative video

[@Gabster1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DrJum]

Do mains powered smart bulbs with dimming like Philips Hue also have lots of noise when being dimmed?

[@chuckmaddison2924]

I have a Honda EU 20i. Total isolation from mains. Unbeatable.

[@5thlevelweb887]

And the noise from the 2 stroke gas engine?

[@chuckmaddison2924]

@5thlevelweb887 It's not that bad . I run it outside. The fella across the road has a bigger unit in the garage and that is loud. I only power what is needed. He powers everything, even the lights around the house.

[@chuckmatses6803]

Tip #3 is fine bur all equipment doesn't have that female end , so this cord cannot be used here. Any ideas?

[@DanielvanKATWIJK]

Electrical cabinets are much more elaborate in Europe, Light has to be on dedicated lines. You even have to have 2 light lines in each sector of your house. The normally you are not allowed to have more than 6 sockets on a power line breaker. An other thing is that all appliances like fridges, washing machines ovens, cooking plates have to be on a dedicated breaker each. So is every heating element, air-co unit, etc. In my case I have 3 phase grid connection. So not every socket or appliance is on the same phase. Some are 400V 3 phase. Sockets are on 13 AWG wire, ovens and cooking plates on 9 AWG. Only light circuits are on 15 AWG wires. Main supply is coming in with 4 times 3 AWG wiring. I know that in North America it is more common to have 180° 2 phase (in fact mid tap transformer) mains. And you have to have a real big house to have more than 5 breakers. Are Light and socket circuits mixed ? What about safety breakers (30mA leakage breakers or 10mA in humid areas) ?

[@Gabster1]

The new houses are more compliant and do not mix lights and sockets but most houses over 15 years old can have mixed sockets and lights also even with separate circuits you still get a bit of noise as demonstrated

[@DanielvanKATWIJK]

@@Gabster1 I looked with a scope and except some noise from the inverter from my 3 phase water pump I have almost a complete clean system. I have filters and off line UPS systems all over the house. Every important system is on one of those. I have perhaps a bit over engineered the system 😁 but that is the way I work so... Oh and the solar inverters make also a small amount of noise, so I put a big filter on that system also, L-C-L 3 phase. And this is on a separate system with its own cabinet.

[@darkmoon1884]

Would a power conditioner help the dimmer switch issue?

[@brentcollins9727]

Awesome vid, however my older Technics integrated has the thinner cord that doesn’t have the center hole. Do you have an Amazon link for that type of shielded power cord? I’ll order it right now. Lol

[@hiresaudiocosta873]

First time watching your channel. It looks like you have Raal Tweeters, B&W mid range drivers, and ScanSpeak woofer in all custom enclosures...... am I almost correct?

[@Gabster1]

100% correct :) Details in my build video kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2XHnWyujNafeqs

[@mikeeygauthier2959]

Great video. Thank you. I unplug everything not needed when listening, specially, those nasty USB chargers! My apartment building uses aluminum wiring. Any thoughts on that?

[@Pete.across.the.street]

Greenwave filters

[@Gabster1]

If you can run a dedicated copper line go for it if not at the very least change your socket outlet with a medical grade one . expose a new layer of aluminum and make sure the wires are very well screwed. as often the connection is poor.

[@mikeeygauthier2959]

@@Gabster1 oh, how I would love to run higrade Copper wire through a conduit with at least four duplex plugs! I don’t think the landlord would approve (or pay). It is not recommended to use HiFi duplex, like PS Audio or Audience with aluminum wire. Thx.

[@samza9622]

Thanks for the tip on usb chargers.

[@lupoal4113]

if you can't use linear psu, that do have quite low efficency so not good for routers etc (in general loads 24/7), then use Meanwell switching psu... are not crazy expensive and do have high quality ;)

[@Nightjar726]

Is it better to get a power conditioner such as furman, or get a shielded power cable? Thank you in advance!

[@Gabster1]

They are 2 different things you can use both but I am not a big fan of power conditioners unless you have a extremely noisy line.

[@sylviarienzo6955]

I why are you not a fan of power conditioners?

[@robertwebster8615]

My biggest offenders are when the Refrigerator turns on and when the Furnace turns on. I have put Audio Filters on the Refrigerator outlet that helps a little. I use Neotech NEP-3002 MK III 7N Copper AC power cable and Furutech FI-28M R Male AC / Furutech FI-28 R IEC connectors on most areas. I built custom Powerstrip using a Furutech FI-28M R Male AC plug on the (FEQ) Ground Wire... Mad Scientist Kegs used on the Line-Neutral-Ground of the custom Powerstrip using Cardas 4181US AC Outlets. I use a lot ( $3K ) of Carbon Fiber Sheets under all gear that drastically lowers the Noise Floor. I own a lot of Mad Scientist Audio cables and other components.

[@Gabster1]

Sounds like you are having fun and enjoying the hifi journey that is the best part :)

[@NeverCryWolf64]

Great info. Thanks!

[@D1N02]

I want a probe, great OCD tool

[@AllHandlesHaveBeenTaken]

I tried a LPS and it sucked the dynamics out especially the bass, but sounded cleaner and more detailed.

[@tedrubinstein2003]

Great video. A company called Green Wave makes a broadband EMI tester that plugs into your outlets and does the digital EMI reading and an audible volume also. You can get on Amazon for about $140 bucks. The gentleman that owns the company also makes filters that plug into wall outlets that took down the EMI drastically in my house about 75%. The owner sure seems like a cool dude and is there to help.

[@dingskydongsky]

high quality audio power cables on AliExpress. good plugs and well shielded around $ 15

[@secularnevrosis]

Is the 10 gauge wire really necessary? Are you expecting to use a stickwelder on the same dedicated line, something up to 16-20A? Most of my old stereo systems have had good power sections. And they have had good shielding, the recievers even more so. The times I have had troubles with my systems (noise) are when some thing breakes down in the powersupply..turning the whole case into a receiver.

[@Gabster1]

12 is fine but a 20 amp breaker and good outlet is a must

[@secularnevrosis]

@@Gabster1 Even if a big huge system or mid PA tops out at less than 20A? Ofc it's always good to have ok outlets.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Great Job Thanks Gabster. Dedicated Circuit 'Home 🏃' 😆

[@Gabster1]

👍😊

[@harrisedgar]

What a wonderful video...!!! I'm subscribing..!!!

[@McCullochMac6]

Nice demo Thanks...

[@Pete.across.the.street]

I just tested my setup. Only getting emi from the transformer in my linear power supply. Should I replace it or just keep it far away from my other equipment? Is the transformer emi filtered out when it exits as DC?

[@Gabster1]

If it is a separate power supply check the output line if it carries lots of noise a bit is fine most transformers have a bit of electro magnetic noise as long as it is not huge it is fine

[@MrAudioBill]

You could replace the powrr receptacles that feed you system with Commercial or Hospital Grade outlets. They employ stronger and thicker copper/brass for a more secure fit. Also, you can replace any other old, worn or loose receptacles in your house. With wear and time, they can loosen, reducing the metal to metal surface area eith equipment plugs. It's posdible for micro-arcs to inject noise into the whole-house wiring. Also, ensure that leads are tightly connected at your breaker box, as they can also loosen since installation. The correct i sulated screwdriver and perhaps insulated gloves are needed to inspect/tighten/replace if done DIY. Im sure an Electrician would charge a modest fee for this service if all work was done in a singlre call. If you DIY, 15A duplexes are about $.55 in bulk; 20A Commercial are around $4 ea, and 20A Hospital Grade are about $8-10 each. Don't forget Ferrite RFI chokes. FYI, i am using the Provant Therapy medical device. It generstes a pulsed electromagnetic field from a transmitter pad for eound healing, pain and edema relief. The 6ft cord/cable from the control unit to the active device/pad has 6 ferrite beads emdedded it it. The powercord itself has one that is about 3/4" diameter and 5" long. Engineering put them there for a purpose. One final thought; I had a Seprrates, with a Dennon DP-47F. Items were in two DIY cabinets, with a CRT TV between them. At the time, I used @monstercable@ interconnects. After I changed the layouts of the components,there was a very loud hum from the turntable interconnect as it traversed behind the TV. Through research, I came upon Blue Jeans Cables (ebay?). I bought their Belden/Canare in 6ft. Problem Solved. The shielding was so effective that when plugged into the phono stage and open at the other end; wrapping the BJC cable around the TV produced no hum. Of course, when I pointed the open Canare RCAs at the TV, i got hum. I yanked all the mOnStErS a d whent Belden/Canare. I bulk purchased Canare RCAs snd Belden cable and rolled my own. Really cleaned things up, even with microphonics, which is real- just turn up the volume to a source thay is not playing and thump the interconnect with a thumb/foreginger action. With the mentioned Canare/Belden and a decent crimper, one can get $$$ sound for $. Sources include Mouser or ebay. On ebay you can find Belden cable on whole or partial spools. Always buy extra length on the cable. Hope this helps someone.

[@Gabster1]

Lots of great info Thank you for sharing 🙏

[@PerSkeles]

Bestest would be to have your own audiophile grade power plant.

[@mrronenza]

Regarding dedicated line: Even if you make one , Still if there is other noisy components in the same electric phase , The dedicated line is almost useless.

[@jiyadas]

Nice Video Gabby as usual, I am running 3 dedicated 20A lines and I thought it was good enough! BTW how many hours a day is your C1100 on for?

[@Gabster1]

Got some very expensive tubes in it so it shuts down 30 min after no sign of use, it is in the setup menu

[@jiyadas]

@@Gabster1 thanks, care to share which make tubes mine are still all stock.

[@audiononsense1611]

Great advice!!

[@joshua43214]

You missed talking about wallwarts and LED lighting. Walwarts are mostly made in China, and the certifications are often forged even when they are included with stuff from major brands. I had one I used for charging my tablet that made a huge impact on sound quality when plugged in. LED lights are the other big culprit, they use a switching power supplies, and the strip versions have one at every light. My girl friend had a strip lamp in her basement that would cause her thermostat to emit a sound like it was shorting out.

[@iampuzzleman282]

Wonderful video. Very interested about noise coming from other sources through the dedicated Line. Dedicated lines don't mean noise free. Dedicated only really good too furnish dedicated power via a 10 gauge wire. Hopefully they'll be a part two that discusses Power conditioners, etc. I like the way you test things. I use aTransparent Power isolator, which is sold with a 10 gauge Power cord. I think it's helpful. I'm gonna buy that noise testing device you have. I am told his power isolator it's OK to plug an amp into as it doesn't restrict Power. But I'm hopeful it reduces noise.

[@bradt.3555]

All your circuits connect together at your panel, that's why. Even your neighbors circuits are connected to yours. Everybody on the load side of the utility's transformer are connected together. Could be from 1 to even 10 houses.Dedicated cir. are mainly for hi draw stuff that if combined with other loads would trip the breaker. A lot of people in the audio world have grabbed ideas not fully understanding how electricity works or interacts and just run with it. Not critisizing this vid, he seems very knowlegable.

[@iampuzzleman282]

@@bradt.3555 I agree with your excellent points. So we get back to a good power isolator/conditioner or possibly regeneration of the electronic signal coming out of the outlet. Dedicated circuits really don't reduce noise and they need something Beyond just increased electrical power. They can be helpful but don't really resolve the issue to reduce noise. Lots of common sense stuff obscured by all this technological gibberish.

[@bradt.3555]

@@iampuzzleman282 Also if you have a decent piece of gear the power supply has a isolation transformer, ( any trans isolates) and a good filtration system. SS has to step voltage down, tube steps it up. This is why some don't like switching pwr supplies. They're noisy and don't have a trans for isolation.

[@robertwoodward9231]

Some power conditioners suck to much power from your system, so I've heard. I had just a cheap 8 line and changed back to the wall and noticed the difference. Now some may operate on a different dynamic that could actually improve. Just sayin..

[@bradt.3555]

@@robertwoodward9231 That's an interesting take. No conditioner should actually "suck" power from the devices as they don't really use power so to speak. I think I get what you mean tho. In reality audio equipment doesn't draw a lot of current. Yea that's generalizing, lot's of stuff or 3000 watt amps, etc. can start to add up. Many of these exotic systems you see on utube ,plug into a standard 20amp recpt. That's 2400 watts draw at 120 volts, not amp output Measure the current draw of a large power amp and be surprised how little current it draws I have a little Furman, (pretty much a glorified power strip, maybe a bit better), really absolute zero difference in sound quality with or without. And our power is pretty dirty. The power supply in most gear is one of the best filters you can have, Putting stuff in front of it doesn't do much.

[@stevemably579]

So you believe that, the noise gets pass the AC to DC sophisticated power supply of modern audio equipment, have you seen the schematic of a modern power amplifier power amplifier

[@CosmicKnight1]

Helpful, thank you

[@ethimself5064]

Curious as to the kinds of shielding is used in cables. Great info and thanks👍👍

[@darylsummer1424]

Just search for VSD cables. They are used for motor frequency controllers to reduce noise coming out. Not cheap!

[@ethimself5064]

@@darylsummer1424 I bet, not cheap👍

[@jasonc331]

So when you touched the transformer with the prove at 15:07 why did it shut off the device?

[@Gabster1]

It was on a short 15s timer for other testing not related to probe touching

[@paulpavlou9294]

Good practical and useful advice that can improve the critical listening experience, for us fastidious audiophiles.

[@mjot2360]

Good advice except for shielded power cables. It's proven that they negatively impact and dull the sound. Proper cable routing is suggested. Keep at least 3 inches from interconnects or cross at 90-degree angle if that's not possible.

[@chrisatherton8234]

How? How can putting a metal tube around a mains cable possibly impact the sound in any way, other than reducing electro-magnetic radiation around it?

[@peterrichard3706]

I got a Emotiva power conditioner. No more noise.

[@fredzep01]

Those dimmers are a nightmare, I can't have the overhead lights on while using a guitar amp. Although my HIFI is untouched by the dimmers interference ?

[@jeromelang6413]

What is this noise probe thing you were using to detect noise? Where can we buy this?

[@Gabster1]

Links in the description :)

[@Gez492]

Isn't it the case that the US mix switched lighting on the same line as power outlet receptacles. It's unsurprising that this is a recipe for noise. By law the UK has a ring mains for power sockets and separate circuits for switched lighting. With 230V working voltage and Standard 4% volt drop the max length of 2.5mm ring with 32A breaker which is fully loaded at the midpoint is 78 meters end to end. There is no limit on the number of Sockets on it. In my view the US system is inferior is aluminum cable still used?

[@Gabster1]

they do not now but in old houses they did

[@davidcross890]

What is your response?

[@diegocanale1124]

I have a Marantz class D amplifier. The Power supply Is inside, so not sure these tweaks would apply