Entreq ground conditioners - what's the theory?


Entreq and other products boast conditioning the ground to help improve the sound. Being completely clueless about anything electrical, I am very curious what the theory is behind this product and technically how it can improve the quality of the power and thus the music. I am not looking to argue if these products do as they advertise. I just want to learn more about the idea.
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Showing 8 responses by spiritofmusic

I've been using Entreq for a couple of months now, put me down as a total convert. I'm not a tecchie, so my explanation may be off. Don't shoot me.
From what I gather, components are producing copious amounts of RF/EMI. The earth of each component is expected to deal with this, but if the earth to the whole system is not substantial enough or components are not sufficiently grounded to drain to earth, this deleterious energy will remain in the system and be heard as a colouration.
From what I gather, the Entreq Silver Tellus/Apollo i/cs provide an unadulterated and unimpeded conduit for theis RF/EMI to drain totally away from the component/system and be disposed of away from the system.
Discharging these unwanted energies away results in a stabilising of the soundstage, and removing major veils that had been obscuring true transparency.
J, I think you're comparing apples with oranges here. The Shunyata stuff is more down the line of conditioning/filtering ie the system is fed from the Shunyata boxes, whereas the Entreq grounding works in parallel with the system, ie it's not in the signal path, and works alongside, in my case, 4kVA balanced power.
For my part, after the dramatic improvements wrought eliminating my Burmester conditioner and installing balanced/grounding solutions, I'll never go down the conditioning/filtering route again.
Charles, I wasn't actually asking you to explain how Troy grounds at signal plane since it's only attached to the chassis screws, you're too busy getting swept away by it. No, The q was aimed at Agear and Miguel. No sweat.
Agear, I don't believe it's any coincidence that I'm having such good improvements in SQ investigating first balanced power, and now grounding. I live in a semi industrial area with light industrial (transformers/motors), internet booster/mobile phone aerials, and broadband streaming in almost every apartment in my block - all of this pumping out serious hash into the mains, and possibly electromagnetic fields in the atmosphere. So I need all the solutions to corrupted power, and polluting hash going.
I've just connected my SET monoblocks to the Entreq, to add to preamp, cdp and Straingauge energiser (5 ground leads in total). Further improvements being experienced.
Not a tech head so can't discuss too much, but it looks like the old objective (components must be grounded correctly already, so can't on principle sound any better with more grounding) versus subjective (they do, so there must be an explanation beyond simple specs).
From what the UK rep has to say, grounding happens in two planes, the component itself, and the signal itself, and it is the latter where emi/rf is likely a severe limiting factor.
Since the Silver Tellus plugs into spare rca/balanced sockets it works on the level of the signal, unlike Troy which attaches to equipment chassis' which may work more at component ground level.
Just a few words from the UK distributor of Entreq Silver Tellus. It connects directly to the rca/xlr/phono audio signal's ground plane, and has no relation to the mains, unlike Tripoint Troy which works in this latter domain.
However there is an option to ground directly to the distribution block which in effect allows grounding simultaneously to both mains and components' signal ground. And then there is grounding to the rack itself to form a Faraday cage effect.
Agear, can you specify? By misinformation do you mean: Incorrect information, or information meant to deceive?
Thank you, Charles. No issue with me, just feel compelled to extol the virtues of Entreq and have no reason to dispute the claims of the UK rep. Any grey areas are purely non intentional. As I've said, living in the UK, I'm never going to observe Troy in action, happy to settle on Entreq.
Tbh Agear, since Troy is only attached to components via the chassis screws, it's a little confusing to see how it works at the signal plane. Entreq plugs into rca/xlr/phono sockets so is closer to the signal by far. Maybe you or Miguel could explain how it does. Better than denials of Entreq claims with no follow up.
All in good spirit, just robust discussion. As Charles says, we're all ecstatic with our discovery of the phenomenal benefits of grounding, Entreq or Troy.
Sorry Agear, this is really not fair. Don't cast aspersions. If you and Miguel want to refute the Entreq claims, do so. I've asked you to do so, twice now with this request. And you still don't. Until you put a counter theory fwd, I'll stick with the Entreq claim. And now I'm signing off from this thread.