Are power cables from the power plant to the components critical or only the cable from the wall to the power plant?
The PC from the wall to the PP is the most crucial one since it would make the biggest difference. However, the PCs from there to components definitely matter too. You can try a quality PC on pre or DAC to start because the SQ difference is more likely larger than other components (but not necessarily always true depending on their designs).
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Do some research this topic has many valuable threads that address this very question over and over and over.
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The PP will clean up many of the issues of the power cord connected to it. Get a decent power cord to it, but pay more attention to the upstream power cables.
Welcome!
Welcome to the forum! Now I have to say I disagree. The power cable from the outlet to the regenerator, power conditioner, Powerzone what ever you are using is the most important power cable. It should be the best cable and no less equal to the other cables you use upstream.
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Hey Paul, thanks for your input… I would also use an ‘equal quality’ power cable as well. But I do recall Paul mentioned something similar to this in one of his videos ….
the stereo system is the most noisiest source in the listening room where each component’s power supply emits RFI and EMI. Thus the *best power cables should be used for feeding these components with the purified current from a power regenerator. Even better: chose components with external power supplies allowing to place the noisy power supplies and the power cords as far as possible from the audio circuits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgbkUEyKpak
Just some for food of thought. Thanks!
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I’m talking from personal experience. On my P20 and now the Gryphon Powerzone the better the cable in between the wall outlet and conditioner the better the output leaving the P20 and PZ. Everything connected benefits.
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Many people don’t understand that and I don’t understand how they don’t understand that.
Same goes for a line stage preamp. Rising tide floats all boats.
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Still lots of misunderstandings on power supply emissions.
Here is the AI paragraph on UL’s emissions testing. Notice that the residential requirement is STRICTER than class B commerial as we aren’t as adept at setting up systems to mitigate noise. And yes, noise is usually EGRESS OUT and not INGRESS INTO our stuff. Shielded power cables aren’t much of a benefit if your devices passed (and is required to) the class A limits (there is a sticker that says so).
What are called Variable frequency drives (VFDs): While not directly controlling the voltage of the input power, VFDs control the speed of an AC motor by converting the fixed frequency AC power to a variable frequency and voltage, which is then fed to the motor. These motors are VERY nosiy and do indeed use heavilly shielded cords to pass even the more laxed class B industrial standards. We don’t use those or need the power cords the require.
Even WORSE, people lift the GROUND on shielded power cords and create a RESONANACE ANTENNA that will absolutely FAIL an emissions test. BOTH shield ends HAVE TO BE GROUNDED for a SHIELD to WORK! This is not an argument, it is a FACT. The error assuming lifting the ground (someties called SPG) “works" is because your ground plane is BROKEN and needs to be fixed. The lifted ground injects less noise so it must be “working". No, it is not working, it is just not working as badly. FIX YOUR ground and use a dedicated outlet to the box. I have tech information on this for all you doubters that got the erroneous idea an SPG ground is the way to go. Your better off with NO shield than SPG. If you lift the ground to reduce noise, it tells you your system is busted and you now have RF ingress/egress above the FCC limits.
All out devices that has an “open" IEC socket such that any power cord can be plugged in, were tested with a reference worst case unshielded cord and PASSED the class A emissions test. Things that fail, or are used a “system" use captive and permananent cords and even employ molded special alloy ferrite CHOKES to block egress OUT of the device. Many a PC monitor has captive cords and molded in chokes. Before you go attaching chokes everywhere, it is usually not effective. Why? Not any ferrite will do as the material is specially formulated to resonate at the worst case excitation frequency and turns RF to heat. Chokes are not a guess, but specially selected to work across the worst case frequencies.
As far as AWG goes, it is the CURRENT times the AC cords resistance that determines the cords AC line voltage drop. Good old E = I * R. A power cord is a wire and has a resistance, no getting around it. But, the total current draw (milli amps at best) on a sychronous motor on a turntable doesn’t need a 10 AWG power cord! The current is small, so the product of the current times the cords resistance has near no line voltage drop across it. A P20 running ALL your stuff? Or big amps? Yes, those will need a larger cord, especially to the wall where you should be using 20A rated outlets and 12 AWG ROMEX at a minimum.
The last issue is most homes won’t pass a BONDING ground differential test. The differences in all the legs to the box vary too much and can make nice ground loops. ALWAYS try to use the same circuit to the box! And yes, this means the P20 needs a dedicated line straight to the box to manage the ground and THAT by the way is where most all our noise comes from, and not RF emissions that UL has already tested and passed for you. And ingress is the exact same attenuation as EGRESS so either way a UL certified device is quiet.
Here is a UL FCC CLASS B emissions test graph.
Best all, Galen
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Thank you for again pointing out a shield needs to be connected on both ends.
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