Power cable upgrade

[NickofWimbledon]

I am a bit surprised by this, and not just because it is a little different from the many threads on the same topic.

I got a qualified electrician (with some experience of doing studios) to fit a new CU and Henly from my meter, plus 2 runs of 6mm around the outside of my house, plus 8 unswitched sockets therefrom. The total bill was a bit more than 1 Powerline, but a lot less than 2. The effect was material, esp in the evening, and 2 X 6mm was easier to fit into sockets and round the corners than 1 X 10mm.

I have also been told many times that those with many Naim boxes should use a star-earthed Hydra for them all (which I do). I asked my trusted dealer about Powerlines and a ‘premium’ audiophile block and was advised that the Hydra would do the job better (given the importance of the earth).

They would happily sell me a Powerline if I wanted one for the Atom upstairs but wouldn’t sell me 6 for downstairs. They also favoured dedicated radial for VFM, but only if the earth is taken back to the meter or one fits a separate ground spike.

It was also pointed out by 2 former Naim staff (one working for a company witch I won’t name) that they used Hydras at home, though one expressed an interest in a Hydra made of Powerlines - if one exists.

Lots of A-B listening of radial versus house mains (using borrowed blocks and multiple listeners) seemed supportive. However, we also got to confirm that those with an LP12 really need to plug that in as far from the Naim boxes as possible - putting it into a mains block with phono-stage, pre-amp PS and power amp (and CD PS and streamer PS) was not good.

Wiring away from the UK gets different recommendations.

Fortunately, apart from a dedicated radial, all this stuff can be tried first and returned if it does not improve the sound. Surely, listening in your own home will give more definitive answers than reading here?

[MoonDrifter]

If you read all my posts in this thread you will have of observed that I have listened in my own home as I have personal experience of positive results using better mains cables than the standard ones that come with the equipment (noting I only have two Naim boxes and my other hifi and av equipment are other brands) and I also have a dedicated mains to.
I have not lived in the UK for 24 years now but electricians must be cheap in the UK now compared to Australia and also 6mm2 Steel Wire Armour cables for outside cable runs I would have thought would of been quite expensive to install but thats not your experience which is ok by me too.
Everybody has different experiences and Im happy with that too all we are trying to do is share our experiences to hopefully help others.

[NickofWimbledon]

My apologies: I was not suggesting that you had not listened yourself, more that doing so is probably the best way to get answers to this question. In that, it looks as if we agree, even if our ears gave different answers - in different rooms on different continents with different boxes.

The total cost of the radial including the work, the required boxes and 2 runs of shielded cable was less than £800. I don’t know what doing the same in Tasmania would cost me, and I hope thst I am given no cause to find out. Thankfully, unlike London, my mains supply there seems pretty clean (probably due to the lack of neighbours) and juice is often coming from my panels anyway.

[MoonDrifter]