HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

With all the talk about mains, fuses etc about at the moment i am interested to know if HFS members

1)have a dedicated radial circuit to the hifi
2)use any aftermarket mains accessories e.g bmu, regenerator, dc blocker, mains cables, fuses
3)use plugs like schuko, 15A round pin
4)have removed plug fuses if using nva electronics

No axe to grind, just interested.

I have a dedicated radial which is only 2 metres long. I have a bmu, use bog standard 13A plugs and have no special fuses or cables.

Stu

My system is just plugged into a row of eight unswitched sockets I wired onto the downstairs ring around 1987.
All mains leads are bog standard, all plugs are fused, no spikes, no racks, no speaker stands, no turntable isolation, interconnects and speaker leads were plugged in the way I happened to pick them up.

Given this terrible revelation, I am obviously in no position to make any comments whatsoever about sound quality as my audiophile credibility is shot to pieces. Any view I have on hi-fi cannot possibly be taken seriously.....not now.

Mind you why should anyone listen to me. Everyone has an opinion, but it doesn't mean other people have to take any notice of it.

I have a BUM the rest is bog standard. The BMU was the first Item of NVA equipment I bought and it made a big difference, especially at certain times of the day. I think the mains is quite poor where I am.

I have a balanced mains unit wot I made. Thats it.
Im not inclined to try expensive leads or fuses. Mains cables and fuses are a step too far for me.
I understand how the bmu does what it does, it can be seen on a scope. Same for an ac regenerator. It can be measured. Point me at something tangible and I will accept it, tell me its magic, some pseudo obvious marketing claptrap and cant be measured and I wont.
Personally id rather tweak and play around with an amp/turntable /cd player/et cetera than start arsing about with mains.
Only reason the bmu was put in a box is that i could tell a difference, and could understand why I could tell a difference. Bmu and regenerators are logical, to me, cables and fuses simply arent.
Perhaps this is due to building things myself for the last 15 years rather than simply chucking money at a system hoping the next tweak...will be the tweak home.
But there again, I someone hears a difference with a fancy mains lead or fuse or whatever, who am I to tell them they are wrong? Not my place to do so

I have a dedicated radial run to my room where I use an 8 way Olson distribution block. I'll soon be converting to 15 amp BS 546 plug an socket feeding the distribution block.

All my equipments transformers hum like hell. I'll trialling Docs BMU to see if that helps reduce it so here's hoping?

I'm getting 244V on average where I am, the lowest Voltage I've seen is 240V. I may also have some DC on it too?

Alfi.

Alfi wrote: ↑Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:15 pm I have a dedicated radial run to my room where I use an 8 way Olson distribution block. I'll soon be converting to 15 amp BS 546 plug an socket feeding the distribution block.

All my equipments transformers hum like hell. I'll trialling Docs BMU to see if that helps reduce it so here's hoping?

I'm getting 244V on average where I am, the lowest Voltage I've seen is 240V. I may also have some DC on it too?

Alfi.

Probably some dc on the mains where ever you are ? My bmu hums sometimes and sometimes is completely silent. Same for one or two of the toroids i have (nuvotem from long since pulled apart naim stuff). The frame (EI) transformers i have never hum ever ever ever. My power amp toroids that i had custom made from canterbury windings with over sized core, unrestricted height, interwinding shield and gauss band never hum either.

That reminds me of a funny thing LesW posted about naim having to hammer down their transformers to be flatter and so able to fit in the cases Some people actually believed him

My bmu does not always stop my old naim transformers from humming but it does improve the sound enough to keep it.

Stu

My EI trannies were also noisy when I was running Avondale amps and power supplies? I just worry the it's not doing them much good humming away like billio!

I remember that story Stu. Les is a wicked ol' sod


Alfi.

My mains is divine as I found when I investigated a Regenerator. It made little difference.

Unlike gullible wishful thinkers if something is told as being an amazing improvement and does read as possibly worth trying my approach is.

Obtain one. Fit it, Say to it - I am told you make an improvement, show me. Sceptical open minded.

Then read others claims to miracles and smile.

I have never had an EI hum so far, maybe i am just lucky. My mains is also usually just above 240V and there is some light industry near here (and plenty of bloody farmers ).

I dont know if humming will do anything bad like weaken the insulation etc but it is annoying when it happens. I agree i would rather not have it happen. The naim nuvotem transformers are by far the worst i have come across.

Stu

SteveTheShadow wrote: ↑Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:48 am My system is just plugged into a row of eight unswitched sockets I wired onto the downstairs ring around 1987.
All mains leads are bog standard, all plugs are fused, no spikes, no racks, no speaker stands, no turntable isolation, interconnects and speaker leads were plugged in the way I happened to pick them up.

Given this terrible revelation, I am obviously in no position to make any comments whatsoever about sound quality as my audiophile credibility is shot to pieces. Any view I have on hi-fi cannot possibly be taken seriously.....not now.

Mind you why should anyone listen to me. Everyone has an opinion, but it doesn't mean other people have to take any notice of it.

Dont wory Steve, the people who have an open mind listen to what you have to say (including me). As with everything it is experience that matters and you seem to have a considerable amount.

Stu