Don’t know your current power cables used with your boxes, but have you considered a Graham’s Hydra ? They are rather good 
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Hello
I had some good result with some titan audio last year.
A hydra would be my choice.
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I have a Music Works block for my system, so Richard are you saying that I shouldn’t have any surge protection block elsewhere powering other things?
Clive
Clive, my experience is that they can adversely impact on a Naim system, even when on a different part off the house circuit.
Thanks for the prompt reply Richard my exorcism of said products will begin in earnest tomorrow I know of at least 3 blocks that will need to go.
Clive
Wow Richard, even if you have a dedicated circuit direct from fuse panel ?
Thanks for that answer.
I haven’t conducted exhaustive tests, just relaying some experience (see post above as most recent). I’d imagine a dedicated spur from a dedicated breaker box might ameliorate some if not all of the effects, but without testing it out fully I couldn’t say for absolute certain. Try it for yourself with an anti surge block and see how you go.
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Does Naim mention anywhere that a star-earthing block is best, or have I invented that?
A little more expensive than you mention - probably nearer £ 150 but the Styx mains block made by Titan Audio has been getting good reviews - check out the review in Hi Fi World (I think it was). As with many you will have to budget for a mains cable - so that might make it a little pricey for you at the moment.
Star earthing in Naim is all about signal ground (-ve) not mains. Star or single point grounding is to eliminate multiple signal grounds & earth loop noise.
That said I’ve tried different configs in my own distribution board & I could not detect any audible difference with earths wired in any way.
I also made my own block but using single unswitched MK sockets. It’s not star earthed but chain connected using the thickest multistrand wire I could find in Wickes. I can hear a definite change when changing plug order on it, this has become more pronounced since upgrading everything over the last couple of years. I have a dedicated radial but not a separate breaker box just a separate breaker in the consumer unit.
My dealer keeps trying to sell me a Music Works Lite, a couple of years ago he had a Music Works Ulta in as well and that’s the one I took home. I ended up keeping my home made block and never got round to the Lite. The Heretic Audio Copperstar looks very interesting (and quite similar to my home made block albeit a bit thicker and it’s star wired) but at £400 is, like the Music Works blocks over the stated budget.
Likewise. I got a really good quality one of these from a place called cable
monkey. It’s realy well made and the kind of thing that a hifi specialist cable/psu/extension block supplier would charge a fortune for.
MK double unswitched sockets are not expensive
Heavy duty wire is not expensive ( in the small quantities needed)
It’s not hard to make something 5 times better than a bought item that costs a similar amount
Why use wire within the block when solid copper does a better job?
Re: surge block. My hifi is on a separate circuit and I had a surge block on the house circuit in another room. The surge block affected my hifi 100% without a doubt. It was annoying, but I decided to take the risk and ditch the surge block for my computer.
The Powerigel is the best I’ve heard by quite a margin. Will be auditioning the Powerigel Plus (with Powerline trappings) in the next few weeks, when the ND555 arrives. I’ll post my findings.
I switched from a Graham’s Hydra to a Wireworld Matrix 2 connected to the wall with a PowerLine and much preferred it, though more costly (if you include the PowerLine).
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Hi Clive,
Please report your findings, I would love to hear how you get on.
Will do, but I’ve just counted 7 of the damn things around the house.
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