Cutting a head of a hydra

You should phone Graham, they'll most probably trade in your 6 head hydra for a 5 head, not a problem really.

cheers,
Edouard

Dave,
It may actually be worth talking to Grahams as I believe if you want to upgrade from, say, 3 to 4 way Hydra, they will trade in the old one against new and only charge a small amount to make up the difference. They may well be supportive of you going from 6 to 5-way.
Tom

quote:

Can I just cut a head off (as near to the join as possible)?!?!

That is dodgy to say the least since the stub will be "live" and could easily short or even zap somebody.

I would'nt worry too much about the "aerial" effect, just string the spare lead away from the kit. I had the same situation once on my do-it-yourself Hydra and could not tell any difference with or without the spare lead in place. I could certainly hear the improvement of using the hydra though.

regards
Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Geoff P:

quote:

Can I just cut a head off (as near to the join as possible)?!?!

That is dodgy to say the least since the stub will be "live" and could easily short or even zap somebody.

"Dodgy" is indeed an understatement !

After a few months/years, you will of course have forgotten that you've done this & so one day when you are groping around with cables at the rear of your rack, you could easily fry yourself !

Try wrapping some insulating tape around the end of the unused one, saves the issue of cutting it off, which could bring problems of its own

quote:

Originally posted by DaveSmith:
I am told you must not have a spare head as it acts as an aerial

Surely if it's going to act as an aerial it will do so regardless of whether it is connected.

Frankly I think there is a lot of unwarranted mysticism surrounding the hydra. I do not believe it matters whether you are using all the leads, nor do I believe it matters if you connect non-Naim equipment to some of the leads. The main benefit from using such devices is that you remove the need for trailing extension blocks, and reduce the number of plug/socket connections between your equipment and the mains to one.

By the way, absolutely do not snip one of the leads. Even if you wrap it in insulating tape there is always the possibility of the bare ends touching one another. If the spare lead bothers you, do as others have suggested and trade it in for a new one.

I learned about live electricity the hard way, at the age of 15 (should have listened harder in those very boring physics lessons...)

Levering out a stiff plug from a socket using a smallish flat-headed screwdriver - without switching off first...

Flash! Bang! Wallop! It sent me quite a long way; the socket and plug were scorched; the flat-headed screwdriver had taken on the profile of a Phillips-deaded.

(Though amazingly both the equipment and house electricity all worked fine - ah, life in the days before circuit breakers!)

James

quote:

nor do I believe it matters if you connect non-Naim equipment to some of the leads

I connected an Arcam tuner to my hydra and the negative impact on the system was incredible. Though it's technically OK, having heard the impact I would not recommend it.

Nigel

quote:

Originally posted by hungryhalibut:
I connected an Arcam tuner to my hydra and the negative impact on the system was incredible.

Fair enough, I'm not going to dispute your findings. However I don't understand how connecting the tuner to one of the hydra leads is any different from plugging the tuner directly into the same double wall socket that the hydra is in.

quote:

Originally posted by paul_g:

quote:

Originally posted by Geoff P:

quote:

Can I just cut a head off (as near to the join as possible)?!?!

That is dodgy to say the least since the stub will be "live" and could easily short or even zap somebody.

"Dodgy" is indeed an understatement !

After a few months/years, you will of course have forgotten that you've done this & so one day when you are groping around with cables at the rear of your rack, you could easily fry yourself !

Absolutely, definitely DO NOT DO IT!

I had a DAC and an LP12 connected to my hydra, it still sounded fantastic. Don't believe the hype.

Also I purchased a 6 head hydra when I only need 3 (forward planning) and again I never heard a negative impact, I kind of just got on with my life.

quote:

Fair enough, I'm not going to dispute your findings. However I don't understand how connecting the tuner to one of the hydra leads is any different from plugging the tuner directly into the same double wall socket that the hydra is in.

You might be right - merely connecting the tuner messed up CD replay. I have no idea why.

Nigel

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Well, I am sat here with only 5 out of 6 used, with the spare head tucked under the furniture.

Sounds fine! I shall not go cutting my head off
I can now go and worry about how to fit my spur cable in a house with solid walls and floors...

quote:

Originally posted by hungryhalibut:

quote:

Fair enough, I'm not going to dispute your findings. However I don't understand how connecting the tuner to one of the hydra leads is any different from plugging the tuner directly into the same double wall socket that the hydra is in.

You might be right - merely connecting the tuner messed up CD replay. I have no idea why.

Nigel

Last night my 3.5/flatcap/72/Hi-cap/160 sounded closed in and un-dynamic, i then realised that i had left my Creek T40 tuner on.
Turned off the tuner and the life and sparkle came back into the music.
Hope this helps
Chris N

quote:

I can now go and worry about how to fit my spur cable in a house with solid walls and floors...

I have that problem. Mine runs round the outside of the house in armoured cable. You can bury it under the flowerbeds.

Nigel

A little light humour appropos the Hydra here for you!

Hifi euphemisms and thesaurus...

Which at least hould make you chuckle!

Fredrik

PS: The actual reference is about a quarter of the way down page two, and posted by someone called Fredrik... Amazing!

Only the mythical ones grow two new heads for existing one you cut off! fredrik [Smiley].