Lowering the noise floor


I am coming to the conclusion that success in home audio reproduction is largely about lowering the noise floor. There are so many different types of “noise”, from so many different sources, that we only really “hear” by their absence.

Those components, cables, accessories and tweaks that SUCCEED at lowering the noise floor, can, and do, dramatically increase sound quality. Sometimes the type of “noise” dealt with is controversial, or not (yet) widely recognized as being a problem. Sometimes the explanation of how a product works is dubious. Sometimes the way it is marketed reeks of “snake oil”. Sometimes the reviews singing its praises go over the top. While these things will certainly put off some prospective purchasers, they do not negate the audible results that are there for anyone open to hearing them.
tommylion

Showing 1 response by mac48025

I'm not sure what Geoff is referring to either, but I'd like learn. Are you off the grid, Geoff? ( sounds like you did something more than that though). That's something I'd be interested in doing and believe it would greatly lower the noise floor. Adding the battery powered Concert Fidelity DAC to my system greatly lowered the noise floor and as the OP pointed out, that allows the music to really come forth. I'd be very interested in pursuing off the grid solutions for my entire system but don't know much about doing so. Would love to hear people's experiences here.