Mains leads optimally located
Posted by: graphoman on 22 May 2003
It’s no secret for long that mains leads must not run parallel to speaker cables. The bad news is that it’s by far not enough. They must run strictly perpendicular to speaker cables. I don’t know the degree of by what things (appearing in my room which is actually a haunted castle) can be generalized but I guess the rule described above is more or less valid in any other room.
In my case, audio equipment is located at one of the short walls, with an outlet in the right corner. This outlet is a specialist’s one but this one gives by far the worst quality sound so I have to use another one. Unfortunately, there is the entrance door inbetween, on the side wall, so I have to direct the cable of the Naim extension block under a rug, preventing my family from stumbling against it. So I can reach the next outlet. Nevetheless, cables of CDPS, SCAP and 250 as well as the plastic block of the Naim extension cord are in the proximity of the equipment. Any movement of them in a 15-20 cm domain is well perceivable but I can’t prefer any situation to the other.
Very recently I tried to direct all the cables run perpendicular (at right angles to the speaker cables), across the room, as long as they can, and the effect was frighteningly good. I knew promptly what I prefer. Any kind of distortions reduced, and as if space would move from hifi into real concert location. LP user know this effect when changing from an MM cartridge to a good moving coil.
All that means that most mains leads should be run across the listening room, where you want it the least. You should not kill the messenger of the bad news, that’s all what I ask for.
graphoman
In my case, audio equipment is located at one of the short walls, with an outlet in the right corner. This outlet is a specialist’s one but this one gives by far the worst quality sound so I have to use another one. Unfortunately, there is the entrance door inbetween, on the side wall, so I have to direct the cable of the Naim extension block under a rug, preventing my family from stumbling against it. So I can reach the next outlet. Nevetheless, cables of CDPS, SCAP and 250 as well as the plastic block of the Naim extension cord are in the proximity of the equipment. Any movement of them in a 15-20 cm domain is well perceivable but I can’t prefer any situation to the other.
Very recently I tried to direct all the cables run perpendicular (at right angles to the speaker cables), across the room, as long as they can, and the effect was frighteningly good. I knew promptly what I prefer. Any kind of distortions reduced, and as if space would move from hifi into real concert location. LP user know this effect when changing from an MM cartridge to a good moving coil.
All that means that most mains leads should be run across the listening room, where you want it the least. You should not kill the messenger of the bad news, that’s all what I ask for.
graphoman