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RE: Better to not share a preamp in the same outlet or strip as the amp?

Posted by jea48 (A) on January 16, 2017 at 10:37:11

In Reply to: RE: Better to not share a preamp in the same outlet or strip as the amp? posted by Mechans on January 16, 2017 at 04:50:05:

Just to be clear, I posted Ralph's Agon quoted comments only for voltage drop, as that was the purpose of his post on Agon.

As for your experiences using a single branch circuit to power all your audio you are not alone. Many others do as well.

Could it sound better using a single dedicated branch circuit strictly for your audio system, instead of a shared convenience 120V 15 amp outlet branch circuit?

Could it sound better using at least two dedicated branch circuits, one for the analog equipment and the other for the digital equipment?

All that really matters is you are happy with how your audio system sounds.

//

About 8 years ago a friend of mine that owned a B&M Audio/video store ask me to install some power on a new wall he had built. He said he didn't really care where I fed it from. I talked him into installing 2 new 20 amp dedicated branch circuits to the wall where the audio equipment rack would be located. One for analog the other for digital. (Wiring material used, two solid core 12-2 with ground MC aluminum armor cables)

I happened to stop in his place one day just to talk and look around. I noticed all the equipment on the rack was plugged into one Box Store bought power strip that was plugged into a receptacle of one of the dedicated circuits.

My friend, the owner, was not there at the time but one of his sales guys was there. I should mention the guy has been in the business for many years and has a good ear for hearing differences of audio equipment and speakers.

I asked the guy why is all the equipment plugged into one power stripped plugged into only one dedicated circuit? I reminded him I installed two, one for analog the other for digital. He replied the way he had it was to make his job easier. He then added most the people that walk through the door could not hear the difference.

I then asked him, do you think you could hear any differences? He responded, probably not.... You would be surprised how may audiophiles think the same way. How possibly could the AC mains power have any impact on the sound quality of an audio system?

I asked him if he would like to participate in a quick listening test. He said sure, why not.

Just going from memory the amplifier was a Marantz integrated and the CDP was I believe a Marantz or maybe a Cambridge audio. I don't remember the speakers. They might have been Monitor Audio or Paradigm. I do remember the pair that were hooked up at the time were floor standing and sounded pretty good connected to the Marantz amp.

For the blind test we found a good size piece of cardboard to hide his view from the two dedicated circuit wall duplex receptacles and from seeing what I might be doing. Though there was other equipment on the rack only the CDP and amp was used for the listening test.

The listening test.
I asked the guy to pick out a couple of CDs he was familiar with. CDs of a female artist and maybe some solo piano segments preferred.

I first let him listen to the system as he had it connected to the power strip, plugged into the wall receptacle. I then plugged both the CDP and the amp into the same duplex receptacle, not telling what I had changed. I then said ok I am ready for him to listen to the track again and listen for any differences. Believe it or not I could hear a slight difference for the better right off the bat. The guy listened for only about 30 seconds and then said let him listen to it again the other way. He had me repeat the A/B comparison only a few times and picked the sound that sounded best to ears. I then removed the cardboard so he could see both the CDP and amp plugged directly into the same duplex receptacle.(I should mention here the power strip was not an audio grade power strip by any means. The purpose of test was to set up a level playing field for the next test that would follow.

Test 2.
Could he hear any differences when the CDP and amp was plugged into the same duplex fed from only one branch circuit, and when each were fed from their own dedicated branch circuit.

For this test A/B/X testing was used. Cardboard screen was again used so he could not see what I was doing.

I allowed him to listen to A or B upon request. He then could then ask to listen to X again.

30 seconds or so of listening some times less was all that was needed for him when listening to a song. Just going from memory he picked when I had the CDP fed from one circuit and the amp fed from the other circuit sounding the best to his ears every time. After about 6 to 8 trials he said that's enough. That one sounds the best, remove the piece of cardboard.

I said what do you think? He agreed it definitely sounded better when the CDP was plugged into one circuit and the amp plugged into the other..... But then he added but most of the people that walk through the door won't know the difference. Especially if he doesn't tell them or show them.

When I went back a few weeks later everything was plugged into the single plug strip and fed from one wall outlet circuit.

Edits: 01/16/17

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