Entreq Silver Tellus grounding/earthing system


Hi A'goners, I'd like to tell you all a little about this component which has taken noise elimination in my system to a whole new level.
I run a Trans Fi Salvation/Terminator tt/arm, ESCCo modded Zu 103 cart into a Tom Evans Audio Design Groove Plus SRX phono, Emm Labs CDSA SE, Hovland HP200/Radia pre/pow, and Zu Definitions Mk4 spkrs. This set up is (now) effortlessly dynamic and transparent.
I live in a semi industrial area with broadband on in every apartment, internet booster stations and light engineering nearby.
It became apparent some years ago that apart from the hours of midnight to 5am, I could not rely on a good sound, and research led to conclusion that mains borne noise was likely the culprit.
This led to my first partial success, the installation of the Burmester 948 mains conditioner/filter 7 years ago. This resulted in an immediate reduction in noise and increase in transparency/delicacy ie a major improvement, even in daylight hours. BUT it became apparent over time that dynamics were seriously pinched, and the conclusion I've correctly drawn is that peak current demand was restricted by the unit compromising the power amp output.
This led to my next upgrade, and now real progress: an 8kVA pro studio Westwick 8K balanced power transformer. Now I got all the previous improvements with no current restrictions to the power amp - transparency AND NOW dynamics in spades.
But as with all things audio, the awareness of the Entreq grounding/earthing system piqued my interest further in eliminating mains issues. Entreq are a Swedish audio engineering company with a couple of decades experience, and provide a variety of mains and interconnect products.
The Entreq Silver Tellus is a wooden box, the size and weight of a small power amp. It contains inert minerals and a grounding plate. It's a passive device ie NOT powered from the mains, and sits adjacent to the system. In my system, one Apollo Eartha interconnect runs from one of 4 terminals on the back of the Tellus, to an unused input of my preamp. It is possible to connect another 3 components to a single Tellus.
In effect, it provides an ADDITIONAL earth/ground to the system, NOT replacing the existing protective earth. This then provides an uninterrupted drain for RF/EMI/other hash from the system to the Tellus.
I was expecting a minor improvement at most. What I wasn't expecting was a transformation of the system.
Firstly, soundstage deepens dramatically, so much so that the stage seems totally independent of the spkrs. Phenomenal reduction in noise really enhances the blackness between notes, and brings micro detail to the fore. This reduction in noise has the amazing side benefit of relegating vinyl surface noise way into the background. The overall effect is a fantastic increase in dynamics and transparency, taking what balanced power brings to the party and sending it off the scale.
Vitally, the nature of the system sound hasn't changed, since the Silver Tellus enhances performance, doesn't change it; in many ways is the best system wide upgrade to optimise performance I could make.
My conclusion from the last 7 years is that noise is the major limiting factor in my system, and the installation of Westwick 8k balanced power ($7000) and Entreq Silver Tellus/ Apollo Eartha grounding/earthing ($3000) has led to improvements that even a total overhaul of the system and buying new at 5x the cost could not surpass.
If anyone is getting frustrated with their system, address the mains first before you go down the merry-go-round of endless component upgrades.
In the UK, Kog Audio are the go-to guys for Entreq. I have no affiliation, just an extremely content audiophile, now so much closer to the end point on improving my system.
spiritofmusic
I contacted Entreq directly and they said they do have a money back guarantee. You can keep it for 6 weeks. Not sure if shipping is covered as well but I doubt it.
Just an update, I asked entreq if shipping is also covered and they said yes so seems like there is truly a risk free way to try this product out.
If carriage is covered, then boys, I say 'go for it!'. Entreq has totally transformed my system, but in the most subtle yet demonstrative way possible (if that's not too much of a paradox).
It's not at all similar to eg putting in a new component, where the nature of the sound will dramatically change. It's more like whatever you admire about your system will be enhanced to the max. So I'd mainly recommend it if you've got to a point where you rate your system, and don't feel the need to upgrade components to a radically different sound, or if you feel there is a possible bottleneck in the sound re signal quality that could be removed. But if you want to find out where the sound you've worked all these years to get to can stretch another 50 percent plus, then Entreq grounding, and in my case also overkill balanced power are totally serious options to consider.
If you guys want me to illustrate how we integrated Entreq into my system, and my jaw dropping early experience, and a recent experience that totally cemented Entreq's quality in my rig, I'll be happy to do so in a future post.
Goldeneraguy, I omitted to answer your earlier q. Entreq is applicable in the same way to all-analog or all-digital systems, or those with both sources.
Start off with running an Entreq ground lead from an unused input or output on your preamp to their grounding box. This is still the best bang for your buck in the whole grounding experience. If you want to go a little further, try a grounding lead from the earthing post of your phono stage to the grounding box. Here, YMMV - initially with my Tom Evans Groove Plus SRX phono stage taking a signal from a Zu Denon 103 and Transfiguration Orpheus carts, I didn't get good results. But when I upgraded to a Soundsmith Straingauge cart, a grounding lead from it's SG200 Energizer now really worked, and I find months later both options are irreplaceable.
Tboooe & Spiritofmusic
Thank you for the info
I'll be contacting Entreq.
Spirit,You make no mention of using a Minimus.When,if at all would this be usd??