Ozzy:
Where did you buy the silver wires and the banana adapters to go from 4mm to 2mm?
Thanks.
Where did you buy the silver wires and the banana adapters to go from 4mm to 2mm?
Thanks.
A New Ground -- Benefits of introducing the Synergistic Research Active Ground Block SE
Dedicated ground solutions are not a novel idea but over the past year it seems everyone has been coming out with their version. For a few months I’ve been thinking about introducing one to my system and had considered Entreq, Telos, Nordost and others. Although I have a bunch of Synergistic Research (SR) kit I had dismissed their older basic ground block as too rinky dink -- however when I heard about the new Active Ground Blocks I thought that could be the way to go. The Active Ground blocks are smallish devices with a mains connection and a plethora of outlets for grounding cables to every component. They incorporate a range of the latest SR UEF tweaks
http://www.synergisticresearch.com/isolation/ground-isolation/active-ground-block-se/
While the blocks alone are quite expensive ($2995) you will also need to lay out for connections to all of your components -- ideally the HD links. In my case as I have two distinct zones in my system I needed two ground blocks and 13 links -- quite an outlay
Question is is it worthwhile? Most certainly yes. The impact of implementing a full grounding solution in my system was one of the most profound changes I’ve experienced. It’s not a change that can be described in the usual audiophile terms of dynamics, frequency response, transparency etc. Instead it’s a shift in the wholeness, the verisimilitude, the gestalt of what you are hearing. Probably this is most obvious in a couple of places. Firstly is in background washes of sound (e.g. classic synth backings, or massed strings, or the whoosh that opens "Private Investigations") -- which now take on a scale, texture and clarity that had previously been completely masked. Secondly in vocals where a whole level of shading, nuance, breathwork, and subtly inflections are now audible. This is not simply more "detail" or a "reduction in the noise floor" it’s as if things which you did not know previously existed are suddenly there, as they had been all along
The effect is enhanced the more things you ground -- obviously all active components but even stands (my GPA stands are conductive so I connect a basic ground link to the bare metal inside the stand posts -- the surface metal is varnished and non conductive).
While I obviously can recommend the SR products I imagine any ground solution will bring similar benefits and would strongly suggest that anyone with a high resolution system explore some form of ground solution
ps For those in the now the music to accompany this review is A New Ground
http://www.synergisticresearch.com/isolation/ground-isolation/active-ground-block-se/
While the blocks alone are quite expensive ($2995) you will also need to lay out for connections to all of your components -- ideally the HD links. In my case as I have two distinct zones in my system I needed two ground blocks and 13 links -- quite an outlay
Question is is it worthwhile? Most certainly yes. The impact of implementing a full grounding solution in my system was one of the most profound changes I’ve experienced. It’s not a change that can be described in the usual audiophile terms of dynamics, frequency response, transparency etc. Instead it’s a shift in the wholeness, the verisimilitude, the gestalt of what you are hearing. Probably this is most obvious in a couple of places. Firstly is in background washes of sound (e.g. classic synth backings, or massed strings, or the whoosh that opens "Private Investigations") -- which now take on a scale, texture and clarity that had previously been completely masked. Secondly in vocals where a whole level of shading, nuance, breathwork, and subtly inflections are now audible. This is not simply more "detail" or a "reduction in the noise floor" it’s as if things which you did not know previously existed are suddenly there, as they had been all along
The effect is enhanced the more things you ground -- obviously all active components but even stands (my GPA stands are conductive so I connect a basic ground link to the bare metal inside the stand posts -- the surface metal is varnished and non conductive).
While I obviously can recommend the SR products I imagine any ground solution will bring similar benefits and would strongly suggest that anyone with a high resolution system explore some form of ground solution
ps For those in the now the music to accompany this review is A New Ground
- ...
- 85 posts total
| Post removed |
folkfreak OP @folkfreak , Not so sure about your statement the AC mains safety equipment ground is not involved in the operation of the grounding block. When I asked ozzy if he would lift the equipment ground from his SR grounding block and then listen for any differences in SQ he did so and then posted back, Jim,So the question then is why was there a difference SQ? One explanation might be with the equipment ground lifted from the SR grounding block system it is then floating above the Main System Ground of the electrical service. With it floating above ground could it then be working as an antenna? If that is the case it would/could introduce any air born RFI through all the ground wires that are connected to the grounding block back to the RCA jack signal ground contact of all the audio equipment. (What is the average length of the ground wires? Is the SR grounding block enclosure made of metal?) Mother earth is not involved, at play, ime. Rather, jmho, the AC mains, main grounding system is though. The electrical service in our homes is a grounded AC power system. What makes it a grounded system is the service entrance neutral conductor is intentionally connected to earth. By electrical safety code the service entrance neutral conductor is also bonded, connected, to the metal enclosure of the electrical service equipment, your electrical panel. As well all safety equipment grounding conductors of branch circuits also must connect to the grounded service entrance neutral conductor. So as you can see the safety equipment grounding conductor connected to the equipment ground contact at the wall receptacle outlet and the neutral conductor at the wall outlet are at the same ground potential. The safety equipment ground conductor is directly connected to the neutral conductor back at the electrical panel. Jmho, it’s the reference, same ground potential, relationship, of the safety equipment ground and neutral conductor that are at play here. Not mother earth. Just an added note. A few years ago I was participating in a discussion on the Audio Asylum forum. Just going from memory I think the subject had something to do with how mother earth improves the SQ of an audio system. Therefore some were arguing the importance of using the safety equipment ground connected to the chassis of audio equipment. Not sure who at the time first pointed out that audio equipment that is class 2 rated, (that uses doubled insulated AC power wiring), doesn’t use or need a safety equipment ground. I do remember me posting that just proves mother earth is not at play. Mother earth does not have some mystical magical power that sucks nasties from an audio system. Somewhere in the back and forth posts I mistakenly said the chassis, enclosure, of audio equipment that uses double insulated AC power wiring is floating above ground. Charles Hansen, (Manufacturer, Ayre Acoustics, Inc.), responded to my post, not true. If the chassis is allowed to float it will act as an antenna. Therefore the chassis, enclosure, of the equipment is connected to the signal ground of the equipment. Jim |
mtseymour, I bought the wire and the adapters on EBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/4pcs-Safety-Gold-2mm-Banana-Plug-Male-to-4mm-Banana-Jack-Female-Probe-Adapt... ozzy |
- 85 posts total