bastard mains block project

[Dannish]

I have a spare screened lead with an IEC plug.Currentely using 3 screened leads intoa £5.99 4 gang block. If I remove the standard lead from the block and fit the screened one I think i should have a better 4 gang block. Is this worth doing or am i missing something?

 

[mosfet]

It would make sense if you decide to use screened mains cables back to the wall socket andi to use a screened metal distribution block also.

If however you want to apply audiophile thinking things get a little confused and contradictory. Some people say unscreened plastic blocks sound better than screened metal ones. Although by the same score screened cables sound better than unscreened cables!

My advice would be not to worry about the cable from the block to the wall socket. Remember the ten or so of meters of cable (possibly) in the ring main back to your consumer unit isn’t screened either. And to use a good quality MK distribution block and some twin and earth cable back to the wall socket with the screened equipment leads you have.

 

[supercapman]

IMO it would make a slight difference, might as well do it if you already have the cable, nothing to lose and all that.

 

[Dannish]

supercapman wrote:

IMO it would make a slight difference, might as well do it if you already have the cable, nothing to lose and all that.

Hi Chris. Nearly the same line of thinking as me. Only difference i guess is that i am not convinced if it will make any difference:? but have an open mind that it might. Will try it later on and see if i can tell any difference.

 

[Biscuit]

I think you should fashion a carbon fibre mainsblock andi

 

[Dannish]

Hi Biccy. This i feel, is beyond what i can justify. If i knew that it would improve the performance over a standard one, then maybe. Trouble is the time required and carbon conducts quite nicely so it would have to very well engineered and made.

 

[Biscuit]

lol - yes, I wasn't entirely serious, I'm sure you could sell it for lots of money as an audiophile mains solution though

 

[Dannish]

Yes i understood that. Suppose if it was a bit dodgy, i could use an online hifi dealer to take the flak for thiose mysterious electricutions. Bet we would get:whitter2n our case:minikiev:

 

[Biscuit]

NB: the reports of so called 'mysterious electricution like events' are infact buyer reactions to the mindblowing sonic improvements made the mains-block.

 

[Davewhityetagain]

andi wrote:

Yes i understood that

. Suppose if it was a bit dodgy, i could use an online hifi dealer to take the flak for thiose mysterious electricutions. Bet we would get:whitter2n our case:minikiev:

A "special" mains lead on a power block is a good idea, the problem is do you have a socket on the mains block to make it easier to connect and to also up grade or do you make the block with upgraded lead connected frank and a few others do them connected russ andrews and a few others do the not connected type giving them the chance to sell more up grades later

they both have problems connected like franks are hard to wire up in some cases and in russ andrew type blocks your adding connections to the system ie the lead has a plug and the block a socket

i think for a few reasons the plug and socket is the better way to go I have used many makes of both types over the years

 

[Umberto]

Wiring up a mains block is pretty easy (about as easy as wiring a plug). I have done it a number of times, although Dave's suggestion of a mains block with a socket is easier to implement.

 

[Kiang]

Agree

Stick a socket in the mains block and use a good quality mains lead.

Most blocks are wired with star earthing in some form , if not this could be an additional thing to contemplate.

Apart from that a screened enclosure is one you could consider, can only help improve things.

There is also a lot of talk about keeping the block stable and vibration free - how useful this is or whether it is any use at all - I don't know.

If it is a project to kill some time - try and incorporate all possible tweaks , good fun.

http://www.auricles.com/new_page_18.htm

 

[Dannish]

From this:

using this as a doner

to make this

and in use

How does it sound? There seems to be a tad more tune to the bass and on Jack Johnson there are some bits where the bass and acoustic play the same notes and i can understand this if that makes sense. Note to self: Need to dust and clean

 

[Dannish]

Cheers Marco,

Never noticed a fuse in the block but i only had the end cap offf where the cable goes in. Maybe i will have the whole thing open another day. I have a pair of unswitched sockets so i can do this "upgrade"

 

[Marco]

Andi, the socket thing isn't a massive upgrade, but it makes a subtle improvement. The fuse I was referring to incidentally was the one in the mains plug attatched to your block.

If you want a really noticable improvement, take the neutral pin out of a spare plug,and replace the live pin in the plug on your block with this, then wire up the plug as normal. You have just bypassed the fuse, so that now all your gear will not be drawing off of a single 13A fuse, and you will no longer hearthe sonic degradation that occurs. Your gear will now have a new release of life!

Oh, and in case you ask, I don't believe plug fuses in hi-fi equipment are necessary. The rest of the world manages just fine without them

 

[Dannish]

What about the equipment that plugs into the block. Can i do the fuse bypass here to with good effect? To be honest, my interest in hifi is probably a lot less than most here. Amps and TT are coming up to 20 years old but i am really quite content with my music. ButI dolike to tinker from time to time. BTW whilst typing this i had to look over my shoulder:shock: as there was whispering on a certain unmentionable CD that i had never been aware of.

 

[Biscuit]

andi - your rack really is the bollocks

 

[Dannish]

Biscuit wrote:

andi - your rack really is bollocks

Well i will pull me trolleys up then

 

[Strider]

I made the same mains blocks for my gear using some 1.5mmSY cable from RS. I put the braiding with the earth at the plug end and just taped the braiding at the plug end. For the 4 way mains block I used a quality MK Jobie from me local electrical wholesaler. I also made up leads for me amps and CD player using MK plugs and re-wire-able IEC plugs.

It does help that I put in a new mains feed several years ago using the same cable but in 4mm core, 2 runs for 2x 2 gang sockets. It made a huge difference in the pops and clicks department with the re-wire and the block/leads seemed to make the whole lot even quieter and more dynamic.