Have you got the Matrix 2?
No, Eros Titan.
I think it’s individual for every different system
or room size and how anyone like to ear his music
Probably you are right. I have no idea, but feel that some components need a more direct power, like big ps and the power amp. It’s also the reason why a lot observed better results with the power amp direct to the wall.
My 500 ps is direct to wall and the rest in my strip…2x555 first starting analog…after them comes 552 and at the end is Melco
So finally not so different, power amp to the wall or near the wall for me, big ps first on the power strip. Melco on last.
This is what I’m using (1200) and it’s a big improvement over anything I’ve used.
+1
I changed the connections now in my Matrix…all the NAIM ps on the Matrix when the 555 analog sourse first after comes the digital 555,at the end 552/500…Melco to wall
And ?
500 power into strip is more dynamic but can also sound aggressive at times … I have no conclusion what is better
Darkebear,
Interesting about your comments plugging the power amp diretly into the wall. I’ve experimented in the past and have always found that although plugging the amp directly to the wall is better in some ways, giving tighter more controlled bass for example, the musical coherence seems to suffer. Plugging everything into the same block seems to make the music hang together better and just make more musical sense. I’ve tried this a number of times with exactly the same results. It’s counter-intuitive perhaps because one would assume that a high current device like a power amp should be plugged directly into the wall.
I always found that the Graham’s Hydra was by far the best option when I had Naim kit. I now use an Olson block which is well made and sounds fine. Fed by a Chord Shawline power cable. The Olson as you may know is just an industrial standard block (I don’t use their ‘Sounds Fantastic’ block as it has filtering). Ive tried a few hi-fi blocks and was unimpressed. A very expensive Nordost block (over £1000) sounded no better than the Olson in my system, although it looked lovely. I also tried a Musicworks acrylic block but never connected it up as it arrived with all the sockets loose. Also tried a Titan Audio Styx block but again never connected it as it arrived with a damaged socket. At that point I totally lost confidence in h-fi blocks and decided to stick with the Olson. Still have an open mind though…
I have the olsen hospital grade and it clamps the plugs very tightly indeed and its very well constructed internally. I am at some point going to rewire all internals with neoteck up occ and remove the iec and go directly to the fuse, neutral and ground points to remove all bottlenecks, it will take a lot of patence though.
I don’t doubt that you and others get different and better results for you and your system using other configurations of managing power distribution - my postings on this was to just report what I found works well for me and my system. If you read my posts I never favor pushing a ‘one solution’ thing on anything as I have found things are generally more complex and have contexts.
There are definitely bad ways to doing things and I think several good or better ways of doing things toward getting a good sounding end-result.
You can also consider I have three Power Amps feeding a full-range Active system - meaning it reproduces Bass very accurately and the topology of wiring is different and has different demands and compromises on it.
All I can say is that I’ve never yet heard a system that handles deep bass very well powered with the Power Amp on any Block - It can sound very good then the bass happens and people are complaining of ‘room resonances’ - which disappear when the Amp is not on the block and instead on the wall.
Also I found it very important that the system be on a dedicated HiFi mains circuit - and that the block for the Pre and sources was right next to the one feeding the Power Amps - nothing else ‘in-between’ so to speak.
So mine are bunched - a double-socket feeding the block (S1Pre and two 555PS for ND555) and Snaxo Supercap.
Then either-side of this mains double-socket with wiring very short (the sockets are next to each other) I have one side both Bass Amps and the other side the BMR Amp (mid-hf).
So I form an mains star connection of the Amps to Snaxo/Pre was my aim - and it sounds fabulous to me.
Other configurations I have tried introduce wallowing tuneless bass or spitting HF glare - but this is silky-quiet and the music just happens. The system is very demanding and does not suffer a poor configuration - this is both bad and good in that it really sings when I hit the right one - and stays right thereafter.
So it is what I do here - not intended to be the only solution for all.
Try things and settle on what you enjoy seems like a good idea.
…also as afterthought - my wall mains sockets are mounted somewhat unusually in that they are essentially on a panel isolated from the wall itself. Wall sockets that are bedded-into the wall fabric do sound different - mine was a happy accident as it was just easier to implement that way for the HiFi.
DB.
Darkebear,
Thanks for your thoughts. I agree that there probably isn’t a one-for-all solution and particularly with big active systems things can get very complex and require a good deal of patience to optimise. Ultimately one has to draw a sensible line in the sand somewhere or else go on experimenting ad infinitum.
Interesting about your sockets being isolated from the wall. This makes perfect sense to me as an obvious way of reducing microphony in the sockets/wiring. I might consider loosening the face plate screws on my Crabtree socket to decouple it slightly. What wall sockets are you using and are they switched or unswitched? I know there is a school of thought that maintains that MK switched sockets sound superior to unswitched ones - something to do with the earthing I believe?
Henryski,
I don’t think I’m brave enough to attempt that with my Olson but certainly improving the internal wiring should bring benefits. I found that isolating my block from the floor on bamboo chopping boards bought a worthwhile improvement.
They are MK non-switched double sockets.
I originally has a block of six double-sockets (12 outlets) - but reduced it to four double-sockets (8 outlets) - and that did to me seem to sound better - cleaner and more immediate.
Since I require 8 for 3xNAP500, Snaxo SC, 2x 555PS, S1 Pre, Melco - and I presently run three of these from my block I have all the sockets I require.
I have another separate mains spur to another pair of double-sockets which presently is just powering my Ethernet Regenerater switch. All other items are on normal house mains.
No special thick mains wire - just 2.5mm standard house mains stuff.
My thinking is that it is more getting a ‘tight’ solution of all items plugging-in very close and not subtending a large cross-section to RF between mains and the powered equipment.
It seems to work well.
DB.
I am not sure if we are allowed to post links to YouTube videos or not here. I recently demoed a Saturn Dac,which was very impressive and designed by Gilbert Yeung,formerly of Blue Circle.
Anyway,he also designs power line filter products that my local dealer swears by.
There are a few YouTube videos that he demonstrates his products in use,he has some kind of device connected that measures noise,he also plugs in noisy lamps etc. that are clearly audible.His products basically eliminate noise,and he proves it on these videos.
If interested,punch in YouTube:
Power line noise explain with Rene Evans of Saturn Audio,Part 1.Noise comes from everywhere.
There are 2 parts to the video.
If links are ok, maybe someone can provide the link,I am at work.
Well worth watching if you thinks mains noise is all BS.
I think the lose plug face plates DB speaks of were something Musicwork blocks had in their earlier iterations. I think they later changed the face plates to a different material?
Funny that Pete01 mentioned switched MK sockets. I had switched MK sockets for a longtime - all on a dedicated supply - but the shear weight of consensus in the belief that unswitched sockets were better forced me to change them. I personally didn’t think that the unswitched were better. The sound lost some of its detail and sweetness to my ears.
I must add that I haven’t changed back (too many system changes) but in an attempt to understand what was going on I did notice that this was the about time that MK were having their products made abroad and not in England anymore. Also, the earth point was central on the switched socket and made of copper. In the unswitched socket it was off-set and made of what looks like tin.
When I next do a major system/Fraim strip down I may go back and try them as I still have the switched (UK made) variety stashed safely away.
That change was made as a product improvement. Yes I know it seems like a retrograde, but the original copper earth link connected to a zink plated metal pattress box combined with the lime in plaster can set off a dissimilar metals corrosive bad earth connection. The MK made zink plated link joint interfacing to copper can be assembled under control on the MK production line & will be less liable to become a corrosive problem. The new zink plate link interfacing with a zink plate pattress box will be a better electrical connection over time.