Separate mains spur for the server?

The US is just a nas in a posh frock, so putting it on a separate spur seems a bit unnecessary, but doubtless someone has tried it. My Qnap lives on the ring main but is plugged into a UPS. 

When you get the new spur, make sure you specify a separate consumer unit for it, and take the earth back to the meter, rather than piggy backing off the existing unit. 

KRM posted:

I will finally get round to a dedicated spur in July. However, I wonder if I should get a second spur for the Unitiserve which is the opposite end of the room from the hi-fi? The Core seems to benefit from a better power supply so would the Unitiserve (and perhaps eventually a Core) benefit from a separate "clean" mains supply? I could go further and put the Readynas Duo (used for hi res downloads) and the switch on the second spur.

Keith

Keith, you could, but I suspect plugging into a fresh socket on your ring main (as opposed to extension block etc) will be absolutely fine. I think you'll find most noise other than very localised  HF noise actually comes into your mains from outside.. assuming you don't have cursed powerline adapters or a cheap solar panel inverter.

Thanks chaps,

So no need to worry about all those pesky SMPSs on the main ring then.

Any consumer unit recommendations? I have the Naim document from the dealer, but it doesn't say much about them.

There used to be a recommended Memera unit that was popular, but they have been bought out, and when I looked a few months ago, I couldn't find anything equivalent from their new owners, Eaton. I just used an MK 2-way one with a 100A DP switch in it. Seems to do a good job, but please don't ask me for an assessment of it's sound quality characteristics!!

I actually keep mine on a separate mains circuit, but it's more of a convenience issue rather than sound optimisation.

i have NAS and US on a 6mm sq radial circuit. the virgin superhub2 and netgear switch are plugged into a ring shared with outhouse appliances. i found separating the switch/router from US/NAS beneficial. i actually didnt set out to specifically install this radial for the US and NAS -- it was a spare circuit that i decided to re-deploy. i was quite surprised that this had a positive effect -- but i have to be careful this wasnt a controlled change -- there could be other changes that i made in the process that also contributed to the very positive effect. attribution can be quite difficult in this mad hobby of ours.

enjoy...

ken

Thanks folks,

The consensus seems to be not to bother with a separate server spur. Those who have done it have noticed a difference but not night an day?

Keith

Ive done it and noticed the difference, also a friend has too and he also noticed a difference. In both of our systems it was a very worthwhile upgrade for very little money.

My NS01 is plugged into a cheap extension cable from B&Q, albeit in a different room and ring, and the NDS sounds just fine. I suspect the effect of a separate spur on the server would be marginal in the extreme.

Hi Clive,

Mine is too. I will be redoing the living room so if I need to do stuff July would be the time. I just wondered if others have bothered.

ring main are more of a rfi problem . radials are the best solution in todays systems , just don't use high csa cable which is not reqired at all.

KRM posted:

I will finally get round to a dedicated spur in July. However, I wonder if I should get a second spur for the Unitiserve which is the opposite end of the room from the hi-fi? The Core seems to benefit from a better power supply so would the Unitiserve (and perhaps eventually a Core) benefit from a separate "clean" mains supply? I could go further and put the Readynas Duo (used for hi res downloads) and the switch on the second spur.

Keith

i have the unitserve, powered before by a tp ps, which improved a little in smoothness, spaciousness, focus, without loosing dynamics or prat.

Now it is powered by an uptone audio js2, which gave a dramatic improvement. I tried to put the linear ps on my hifi main supply and also on the same main supply as the router, switches, linear ps for switches...but found no differences.

The biggest improvements i had with my nds / serve sound quality were : first the linear ps on the serve, then optical bridge ( or ethernet isolator) and finally linear ps on switches.Finally the lan cable.

These all "tweaks" together made my nds/ serve jump in sound quality like between a cd5x to a cdx2/xps2 ( for the comparaison).

I know that some users on this forum will say that these are just tweaks, it sucks life or any other arguments,  but we are a lot to have these experience, on different forums and with different components( linn forums, devialet chat, computer audiophile, naim forum...).

Try first a big linear ps on your server, if you want of course, like hdplex or uptone ( they can power 2 items).  You will be very surprised.

PS: the linear ps are immune to power cords and for some margin to different mains supplies. 

P