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AC mains noise Borrowed noise sniffer and tested my AC lines...

I borrowed this AC line noise sniffing device (Blue Horizon Mains Noise Analyser) today. (Do not ask from where, I do not feel at ease saying.)
This device sniffs out noise and has a range of "000" to "999" and over that it just is "MAX".
So first test was kitchen light with wall plug. "784"
Kitchen outlet tied to refrigerator (frig ON) "MAX"
Bedroom wall nothing around in use "220" wow good number.

Furutech Duplex at amplifier "013*" WHAT!!!! yes "013". That is on a direct 44 ft extension cord from 20 amp wall outlet (also Furutech) * with the C7 to the noise sniffer one way, it is 13, other way it is 20. ALL the measurements change with reversing the noise sniffer AC plug, about the same amount each time)
That extension does have an additional Furutech duplex on the cord, six feet back of amp Furutech plugs end, and that duplex has two PS Audio Noise Harvesters. The wiring is a quad twist. and each side or pair is connected to one out side. so each Noise Harvester is on one half of the quad.
So I can say the PS Audio Noise Harvesters really DO a fantastic job!!!

The other similar line (from he same 20 amp outlet) does not have any Noise Harvesters on it. And with the stereo running, it has "297" noise level. However IF I do stick one PS Audio Noise harvester in an out 3 feet back ot the one the sniffer is in. The noise drops to "143". (I cannot leave the Noise Harvester or a pair in there due to it being in use, normally, plus adding them in where the noise sniffer is, seems to make the sound go too thin.)

Another major discovery is just HOW NOISY Digital equipment really is!!! I have my two CD changers plugged into a separate power conditioner. A PS Audio P-600.
Testing the PS Audio P-600 I own (tested at 60Hz) With nothing turned on plugged into the P-600 the baseline noise is "040" With one five disc CD changer turned on the noise level jumps up to "740" With the other one only on the nose is also "740" with both on the noise jumps over "MAX" This is with a PS Audio Noise Harvester plugged into the same duplex (on the back of the P-600) as the CD changer!
On the other hand.. The Marantz SA-10 is pugged into the Furman (also with a PS Audio Noise Harvester in same duplex and that area is "032". So SOME equipment is not spewing, and some is.

This is all I have learned in a half hour of fooling around.
elizabeth
elizabeth OP
6,726 posts
 
Another day. Very glad I borrowed the Noise Sniffer! Mainly adding the two PS Audio Noise Harvesters I had sitting unused on the 34’ line gave me some more detail. Also a little lean. pushed me to finally fix the tweaks to the Magnepan 20.7 midrange resistors.Sadly I did not realize the Duelund CAST resistor leads are very fragile. Bend then at the root more than a few times and they break off, no repair I can see. Lucky I had spares. So I also made the gizmo to hold them keep the leads straight, and no stress on them. I hope that solves them breaking . Sadly I had no idea they are so fragile.
Also the gizmos have coils on the 1/4" dowel to bring the 3/4" apart from speaker back to the 4.5" apart of the resistors. So they have no lateral pull. I used the space from the hole in dowel to the hole to the resistor to wind the 18g wire 27 times to make two chokes on the dowel. This to be like the ones I made for the tweeter. Seems to be helping. The detail now is striking!  So it works whatever it is doing...
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
While researching Noise Harvesters and using a meter to measure the noise on line, I came across this video for the LAB12 Gordian:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O8QMNO0J9w&frags=pl%2Cwn

It’s in German but you can see the read outs from the meter (which is sold as a Blue Horizon meter elsewhere). They get very similar results using the LAB12 Gordian (which constantly adjusts to suppress noise and gives you a readout for various functions measured and has 6 outlets) as @elizabeth experienced.

I’ve always been interested in it but aside from HiFi Pig (they bought one), 6moons, and Mono & Stereo, I’ve yet to read anything else about it.
The price is reasonable compared to what else is out there so if anyone here has tried it, can they chime in?

All the best,
Nonoise
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
As I mentioned above.....the Noise Harvester reduced width and depth, and "fuzzed" up the mids.  There was another product maybe from Audioquest with the same claims, without the annoying light that did similar things to my system. Don't know where they are now, but not using them.  An enlightenment when they (and the PS) were removed.
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twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
1,457 posts
 
There are also videos on youtube of Isotek with before and after measurements with noise sniffers.  I was seriously tempted by the Gordian, but eventually went Isotek.
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