Powerline upgrades: which box first?

Well Mike I was intrigued, but you may remember that one such spike killed the burglar alarm and the DVXXII! So I rang for advice, tried it and loved it. But I know in my heart that it's not infallible. Silencer on the AV cleans things up a bit, although that's not on a dedicated spur.

That are you trying to protect against, lightning, or just other mains spikes? 

Mains spikes. Lightning is pretty much a totalizer, unless you unplug everything. 

Loki posted:

Mains spikes. Lightning is pretty much a totalizer, unless you unplug everything. 

 

It sure is. Killed my Unitiserve stone dead a couple of years ago. 

It killed my entire house some years back,  or at least anything & everything that was electrical.

Mike-B posted:

It killed my entire house some years back,  or at least anything & everything that was electrical.

Our strike was actually through the phone line, not the mains - it's surprising how much energy can be carried through such a thin bit of wire. I now keep the expensive stuff behind an optical connection (aka shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted!)

Massimo Bertola posted:

MDS posted:

For what's it's worth, the first PL I had went on the Naspc powering the control section of the 282. But then I always ready to try unconventional things. 

Others have tried, and suggested, this: but considering that the purpose of the NAPSC is (or so I believed) to isolate the display and logic card's power supply from the audio circuit as much as possible, a PL's influence on sound, used on the NAPSC, is still something bordering on miracle for me...

Max - your argument makes sense, and I think I would have been sceptical of using a PL in this way had I not heard the resultant significant performance uplift in my own system. Some on here have tried it and been unconvinced.  As for an explanation, I was told that the Napsc plays a key role in the 282's relays and stability there affects the signal path.  I also seem to recall Mr Meredith suggesting something like that. Anyway, if you've got a PL and a Napsc it's easy and cost-free to give it a try.

Mike 

What on earth is the NAPSC doing to the system if it's not PLd?! Is the dreaded RFI getting in through the non PLd NAPSC? 

When Powerlines first became available I did a fair bit of experimentation around where they sounded better. Surprisingly, one made the most difference to my then 'geddon. SWMBO, who thought I was bonkers paying all that for a mains lead, was convinced by a blind testing using the 'geddon. The next in line was the 500 amps, followed by the 552. Putting one on the Supercap powering my SNAXO had no discernible effect.

Following on from Tony's comment. i actually use a PowerLine on a Linn Radikal, plugged into a separate mains circuit.

The result was initially quite funny. I thought something broke - it sounded slower and fatter, untill I realised how nice and unrushed the whole music became

Indeed Adam. The Powerline works a treat on my Radikal, in fact I'd say you're not hearing one anywhere near its best without a Powerline fitted.

MDS posted:

Massimo Bertola posted:

MDS posted:

For what's it's worth, the first PL I had went on the Naspc powering the control section of the 282. But then I always ready to try unconventional things. 

Others have tried, and suggested, this: but considering that the purpose of the NAPSC is (or so I believed) to isolate the display and logic card's power supply from the audio circuit as much as possible, a PL's influence on sound, used on the NAPSC, is still something bordering on miracle for me...

Max - your argument makes sense, and I think I would have been sceptical of using a PL in this way had I not heard the resultant significant performance uplift in my own system. Some on here have tried it and been unconvinced.  As for an explanation, I was told that the Napsc plays a key role in the 282's relays and stability there affects the signal path.  I also seem to recall Mr Meredith suggesting something like that. Anyway, if you've got a PL and a Napsc it's easy and cost-free to give it a try.

Mike 

Indeed the NAPSC role is to provide a separate DC power supply for control electronics and keeping the ground plane away from the audio ground plane.

The NAPSC is a simple quality  regulated DC power supply. I did try a Powerline on my NAPSC when I ran my 202 and 282 and heard no difference what so ever - not even a subtle sonic change . Absolutely not doubting those that do - but I suspect the difference in connected component SQ is down to the users mains earthing arrangements.

Powerline on a HiCapDR, SuperCapDR and NAP250 is a different story all together - bringing very clear advantages to my ears

MDS posted:

Massimo Bertola posted:

MDS posted:

For what's it's worth, the first PL I had went on the Naspc powering the control section of the 282. But then I always ready to try unconventional things. 

Others have tried, and suggested, this: but considering that the purpose of the NAPSC is (or so I believed) to isolate the display and logic card's power supply from the audio circuit as much as possible, a PL's influence on sound, used on the NAPSC, is still something bordering on miracle for me...

Max - your argument makes sense, and I think I would have been sceptical of using a PL in this way had I not heard the resultant significant performance uplift in my own system. Some on here have tried it and been unconvinced.  As for an explanation, I was told that the Napsc plays a key role in the 282's relays and stability there affects the signal path.  I also seem to recall Mr Meredith suggesting something like that. Anyway, if you've got a PL and a Napsc it's easy and cost-free to give it a try.

Mike 

WHy is there no NAPSC DR ?

tonym posted:

When Powerlines first became available I did a fair bit of experimentation around where they sounded better. Surprisingly, one made the most difference to my then 'geddon. SWMBO, who thought I was bonkers paying all that for a mains lead, was convinced by a blind testing using the 'geddon. The next in line was the 500 amps, followed by the 552. Putting one on the Supercap powering my SNAXO had no discernible effect.

Yup, crazy as it may seem, I have found that a Powerline on my Loricraft/Garrard makes for an appreciable upgrade over either a dedicated lead or one of the tails of the system Hydra.

Surely Hydras have heads rather than tails?

Hungryhalibut posted:

Surely Hydras have heads rather than tails?

Heads you win, tails I lose...

Mike,

I am always ready to believe – or at least to take into serious consideration – things that look unlikely to me, if I am given a decently reasonable explanation. Unfortunately I have no spare PL (no PL at all, actually) presently, so I can't try. My NAPSC is plugged into a different wall outlet than the rest of the system, and so far I haven't experienced any issue. 

Simon,

I am a strong believer in the Powerline, I used to have three, now I have none. I still haven't learn to put unused (or should I say temporarily untrusted), costly accessories in a cupboard, for future frames of mind. My strongest impressions of the PL's effect are on a CEC CD transport (where it 'outperformed' a Shunyata Taipan), and on a NaitXS.

BANANAHEAD,

a DR wouldn't even fit into the NAPSC's box..

Just trying an upgrade to the NAC HiCap. Better sense of integration, initially although needs to settle post switch off/on. Will try on 'geddon' later.

Massimo Bertola posted:

 

I am a strong believer in the Powerline, I used to have three, now I have none. I still haven't learn to put unused (or should I say temporarily untrusted), costly accessories in a cupboard, for future frames of mind. My strongest impressions of the PL's effect are on a CEC CD transport (where it 'outperformed' a Shunyata Taipan), and on a NaitXS.

BANANAHEAD,

 

Unless it's too painful, how did you go from being  a believer-owner to a believer-bereft? Whimsy or forced action?

Loki,

no, it's not too painful..   I googled whimsy; it comes closer to describing my actions than most other words I know. No forced action, thanks god. I simply thought that they were too expensive mains cords, and although I already had them, I sold them. When I notice that I might be regretting them I think of a typical household electric system (wiring, junctions, loops, noisy appliances, RF pollution, mice eating cables, loose screws at meters, careless jobs by the many who have serviced the house before I arrived, the poor quality of the tenths or hundreds of meters of wire that reach flats) and I get over it.

Best

M 

And yet the experience (pace the cost) was pleasurable? An improvement noticed?

Phase 2, trying an upgrade on Prefix and 32.5 HiCap. Initially more revealing than with one on the 'geddon.