"Cleaning-up" my ring main
Posted by: Andrew Jackson on 17 September 2007
I've not yet installed a dedicated hifi ring or spur, but am running it of a domestic ring-main with 8 sockets spread over 3 rooms. At the w/e I changed the socket (metal plate) for a dual switched MK logic, and then an MK unswitched. Two things were apparent, an marked drop in hum from the poweramp, and a jump in "sweetness" of music (less muddy, sweeter). This happened when I ditched the metal socket, and again with the unswitched. I went back to metal socket, the hum increased (though not as much), the music decreased...back to unswitched.
Proceeded around the ring and replaced the next socket (unused by hifi) with unswitched (again increased sweetness), went back to original fitting (increased sweetness remained). The next socket I just cleaned the wires, and replaced them in the original switched socket (music got sweeter)...so from now on just disassembled, cleaned and replaced all round the ring.
Having observed consistent improvement, i went back to the original socket fitting on the hifi and heard a clear deterioration. So I concluded that with an unswitched socket, and a good cleaning/tightening of the rest of the ring a significant improvment in sound is achieved. I followed up by cleaning the contacts on the MK consumer unit. I cleaned the whole thing, using cheap contact cleaner and a bit of wire wool ... took ages...end result...no further improvement. So only so much was available for "free".
So what next, how about a relatively cheap and easy change to the ring...simply isolate it in a separate CU taken before the main CU? Anyone any experience of this sort of improvment? I want to do what I can before going to the trouble of a dedicated hifi supply...if I do this what I may also do is assemble a hifi spur "on the surface" and listen to it vs isolated ring, vs existing ring. Thoughts very welcome.
Proceeded around the ring and replaced the next socket (unused by hifi) with unswitched (again increased sweetness), went back to original fitting (increased sweetness remained). The next socket I just cleaned the wires, and replaced them in the original switched socket (music got sweeter)...so from now on just disassembled, cleaned and replaced all round the ring.
Having observed consistent improvement, i went back to the original socket fitting on the hifi and heard a clear deterioration. So I concluded that with an unswitched socket, and a good cleaning/tightening of the rest of the ring a significant improvment in sound is achieved. I followed up by cleaning the contacts on the MK consumer unit. I cleaned the whole thing, using cheap contact cleaner and a bit of wire wool ... took ages...end result...no further improvement. So only so much was available for "free".
So what next, how about a relatively cheap and easy change to the ring...simply isolate it in a separate CU taken before the main CU? Anyone any experience of this sort of improvment? I want to do what I can before going to the trouble of a dedicated hifi supply...if I do this what I may also do is assemble a hifi spur "on the surface" and listen to it vs isolated ring, vs existing ring. Thoughts very welcome.