Which and where put dc blocker

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Hi, several discussions on the topic, but this time I would like to discuss:

Which dc blocker is the best and why?
Where do you think it can be used without affecting sound?
I have 2 ifi dc locker, 1 standard on hicap and one + on 250dr, now I should add one to 555ps or take them all away and buy a toroidy or atl to be put before the mains distributor. Would the use of a single big dc locker be better than 3 separates?

In my experience dc locker on power supplies does not effect the sound, on power amp it does, so solution of separate dc blockers has advantage that I can avoid putting dc blocker on power amp when I am having deep listenings.

Does the hum impact overall situation of the system?
This is interesting:

feeling_zen

DiggyGun

Sep 2022

Well hum is movement and that generates heat.

But the other issue with hum isn’t the noise. It is what it signifies. When a core starts to really hum it means it is saturated and the main reason toroidal transformers are chosen is for their confined flux that emits very little EMI to surrounding components and so doesn’t need shielding. Except, when a toroidal core saturates that all falls apart and they emit more EMI under adverse conditions that other transformer types. So the hum is doing more than just bother you from the corner of the room.

Toroidal are very Jekyll and Hyde that way. Brilliant under good conditions. Awful under bad conditions.

If this is true we have an issue and I am wondering why did not naim bring a solution…

2

That I find puzzling - in terms of effect I cannot conceive of a reason why it should be different if the power supply to which DC is being blocked is inside the amp or external.

3

I tried a DC Blocker on a noisy Supercap. It whitened the hum but messed up the timing and blurred the bottom end. Wouldn’t have one near my system now.

4

I don’t know what to tell, I just noticed that the DC blocker does not affect the sound when fitted to PS, instead it reduces width of sound when put to power amp.

5

did you solve the hum issue of your supercap? was it the only component with a hum?

6

I have two Atl, double socket versions. One is on the DR 552/300 main system, the other is on the DRSC/252/250 system. They both work well to reduce hum below sitting down hearing levels and neither seem to affect the sound quality.

1 Like
7

The hum was only at certain times of the day and not heard when playing music.
I’d rather live with the hum than the effect the iFi DC Blocker had on the sound.