The Great Mains Supply Mystery

Posted by: P on 29 October 2000

Guys , I have a problem, a really BIG problem with my system. It sounds so bad at times that I literally cannot bear to listen to any music at all,it feels like all the life has been sucked out of everything I try to listen to at times.

I took to thinking that there's got to be a problem with my my mains supply beecause it's such a sporadic problem - first thing in the morning my system soundds sublime so I know how good it can sound and I want that level of performance at all times.

I don't have a dedicated spur or earth yet because I think I should address the mains supply quality first.

I have made some enquiries and now I'm really worried.

Apparently the Supplying Company in this country only have to legally provide a supply based on - 230 volts +10% -6% so that's 216 -253 volts and that's a pretty wide range yes?
Now get this - a very well respected audiophile (who shall remain Naimless because he doesn't like Naim much) has stated that a "Nap 160 delivers exactly half its rated power with a mains voltage of 219 volts"!! even worse - he also reckons that when he monitored his own domestic supply he recorded a low of 203 volts over a given period.

Now this I find extremely bloody worrying if this is true - any comments Naim?!

What to do?

I have sourced a piece of kit made by Sontay - the LM21 Power Disturbance Monitor.
Apparently all you have to do is plug this thing into a mains socket and let it run. "It background monitors voltages for highs,lows,spikes,brownouts and surges as well as frequency and DC deviations. All events are recorded onto an inbuilt printer to give an easy to read and interpret real time summary" - sounds good yes?


My question is - has anybody out there used anything like this and if so what did you do with the results?

This thing is not cheap to hire and I would appreciate any help or advice before I take the plunge.

Thanks P.

Posted on: 30 October 2000 by Laxton
Sometime ago, Vuk and some others brought up the topic of the effect of PS audio's power plants on naim systems. Does anyone know whether does it work in the context of a naim system?

Regards
Laxton

Posted on: 30 October 2000 by Greg Beatty
quote:

But I think the only real solution to crappy mains is to only play music very late at night and then again before dawn.

I don't mean to start anything here, but with your level of system (DS2/52/Snaxo/2x250), that is a compromise I would find very hard to live with. Hope you get better mains soon.

- GregB
Freedom is not in finding the Holy Grail but in stopping the search for it

Posted on: 30 October 2000 by Mark Dunn
Hi Jon and Laxton:

Re:

>I wouldn't bother with the PS Audio stuff. I
>tried the PS Audio PS300 in my system (CDS2/52
>Snaxo/2x250) recently but I'm sending it back
>before the 30-day free trial runs out.

It was me that previously posted regarding PS Au dio Power Plants. I have the PS600 and it was a no-brainer to decide to keep it. For reference, my system is Armageddon/ARO/Dynavector XV-1/LP12(Cirkus)/102/NAPSC/Hi-Cap/250/A5/Credos. Here are some points worth noting:

1. Jon, did you plug all your comp onents into the PP300 or just the XPS/Supercap? The PP300 is designed for sources only and attaching the power amps will certainly cause musical issues. In fact, to power your system correctly would need a PP1200 AND another PP too!

2. With respect to Da ve Dever, he most likely hasn't heard a production version of the PP1200 as it's only just been announced to be shipping in the next few weeks.

3. My PP600 resulted in a FUNDAMENTAL change in the musicality and tonal qualities of the system. So much s o that, at first I wasn't happy with the results as it sounded too 'treacly'. I persevered and ended up changing many aspects of the system supports and now it's sublime. Before you ask, I didn't purchase new supports or change speaker positioning, I simp ly adjusted the existing supports to better handle the large amount of extra detail and energy the system is producing.

3. The Power Plants react well to better supports, as with other equipment.

4. I have a dedicated ground for my system and this is ve ry important. Code in the U.S. says that manufacturers mustn't fiddle with the standard grounding schemes so a lousy ground with a Power Plant has the same effects as a normal poor ground. I tried the PP600 with the standard house wiring and the differences were obvious.

5. The PP600 took all of the 30 day trial period to break in.


>Think of it as a plug-in Round-Earth Converter
>box. Bass does seem to go deeper with the PS300
>and I was suddenly getting a wid e 3-D soundstage >out of my SBLs. But PR&T all went down the
>toilet. As Dave Dever at NANA (who's tested the
>PS Audio products, all the way up to the PS1200) >put it: 'No music'.

I have noticed a little better soundstage and depth but the main diff erences have been a monumental increase in speed, dynamics and PR&T. Also, a sort of subconcious feeling that the system isn't having to work as hard to produce great results, - in fact I haven't shut down the 250 since I added the PP600 and I regularly p lay at 2 O'clock on the dial.

As I've posted before, the Power Plants (IMHO) are great for getting the best out of small to mid-size systems but for a set-up like Jon's it gets pricey. I would recommend trying them giving that caveat and the necessity to twiddle with the system set-up.

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn

PS. Obviously, the biggest advantage is having consistent musical quality irrespective of the time of day or night.P

Posted on: 30 October 2000 by Martin Payne
A low-voltage 'test' an a NAP160 was recently reported in the Russ Andrews catalogue - so it must be true!

If your friend is receiving less than the legal minimum 216 volts then the supply company must fix it! That's the whole point of having a legal minimum.

cheers, Martin

Posted on: 30 October 2000 by P
Well spottted Martin!

Yeah that's where I initially read about this stuff. Can't understand why you seem to think he is my friend though?

I do not consider the word of Russ Andrews to be WHAT IT IS so to speak - he IS in the business of selling cables after all. I do think he has made a very interesting (and worrying) point here though.

I have already requested my PES to check my local supply sub station, they will not consider conducting the internal monitoring of individual supplies unless more than 3 seperate householders lodge a complaint though.

I think you've all failed to grasp what I'm asking in my post - Has anybody conducted their own mains monitoring? That's all really.

Incidentally - some of what RA says is really quite interesting but, I have absolutely no intention whatsoever of buying one of his mains super purifiers or any other type of conditioning gizmo from him or anyone else- well not just yet anyway!

Regards P.

PS - anyone else spot Dev Banerjis CDS2 for sale on loot at the moment

[This message was edited by Pierre on TUESDAY 31 October 2000 at 21:44.]