Which components to isolate


Need help deciding which components are best isolated. I have three dedicated duplexes and want to minimize distortions put back into the system. I have a Running Springs Dmitri plugged into one outlet leaving two unused. I have a very good dac, pre, amp and transport. Also have a digital "room perfect" component.I can only isolate two units unless I double up on the duplexes.What would be a best guess as to how to plug it all in. My rack situation makes it hard to simply unplug and listen. I am going to try dac to one outlet and digital eq into the other outlet.Anyone with experience on this?
4425
First you have to know some things about the characteristics of the current.

Current goes trugh the easier way: 1.- gold, 2.- silver, 3.-cupper in this order if the gauge or caliber are the same. The current goes easier in thick cable than a thin. Consider to power your gear in the easier way.

The components that need more current go in this order:

1.- Amplifier Mono or Stereo
2.- Preamplifier
3.- DAC and Transport

Use one outlet isolated for your stereo amplifier. Use two isolated outlet if your amps are mono.

If you can isolate the preapmplifier too, just do it.

Then you can use the Spring Dmitri for your Transport-DAC and maybe the preamplifier. Do not conect any heavy consumer of current in the same place of the DAC and Transport.

The rule is to trying to isolate the amps, they need or demand more current.

It's very important the instalation about earth ground in your electrical system.

I guess you have good cables in all your system.
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Gold is third best conductor after silver and copper. gold is used for connections where oxidation is problematic.
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/t-conductors-and-insulators.aspx
"I have three dedicated duplexes and want to minimize distortions put back into the system."

I'm assuming that by "three dedicated duplexes" you mean each of them is on it's own branch circuit from the main panel, each protected by it's own breaker. If so, I would recommend they all be on the same phase.

Generally, residential power comes into the house on 3 wires, hot1-neutral-hot2 (H1-N-H2)

H1 to N = 110 vac
H2 to N = 110 vac
H1 to H2 = 220 vac

Inside your main panel and after the main breaker are two buss bars (H1 and H2) that have tabs on them for the breakers to plug on to. The breakers are grouped on a left side and right side. Every other breaker going from top to bottom on either side alternates phase.
Looking at the left side from top to bottom
1-H1
2-H2
3-H1
4-H2
5-H1
6-H2

This arrangement allows a 220 breaker, which is simply two 110 breakers slapped together and controlled by one paddle switch to occupy adjacent slots on either side of the panel. H1-H2 = 220V

So if your three dedicated duplexes are on three separate breakers, I would recommend that each breaker be on the same phase of power, or every other breaker from top to bottom (1-3-5).

Regardless of whether the 3 duplexes are coming from 3 separate branch circuits or are 3 duplexes parallel from a single branch circuit, I would ideally suggest individual surge suppression/filtration for each outlet to protect each component from any spurious surges (pops) that may occur either from switching on the turntable motor or the bathroom fan. Noise can come from within the system as well as externally.

As recommended above, I would group components based on current draw, keeping the most sensitive components (preamps) away from the most current disturbing components (power amplifiers).

Personally, I would run one dedicated branch circuit using 10G or 12G conductors to a single duplex outlet. Into that outlet I would plug in a power conditioner that has each outlet individually suppressed and filtered. I would do this to minimize the potential for developing ground loop hum.

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Heyraz wrote "I would group components based on current draw, keeping the most sensitive components (preamps) away from the most current disturbing components (power amplifiers)".

Interesting. I was thinking along the same lines, but thought the most disturbing components were the digital units, so I'm keeping the DAC on one dedicated circuit and tube pre and tube amp on another dedicated circuit, and the computer an a non-dedicated line. Will try pre and amp on different circuits and DAC with either option and see if I hear differences.

How are others connecting/separating pre, amp, and digital?
I think amplifiers draw the most current and the amount varies by demand. I think digital devices are noisier, broadcasting artifacts as they rapidly switch on and off.

I'm basing this opinion on ground noise. A nice way to picture ground current is to view it as the flow of water down a river, it's current. Any stream that enters the river disturbs the current, the stronger the stream, the more disturbance to the current.
When you lay out the ground points in an amplifier, you group the most sensitive sections (input) away from the noisiest sections (power supply/rectifier).

If you're using three dedicated branch circuits from the main panel, you may experience ground loop hum. That's why I don't "electrically" connect my computer to my stereo anymore. Very noisy, hum.

Every component on my audio system is on the same line, absolutely zero hum. But every component is filtered from each other so when I switch on one component, I don't hear a "pop" in the background.
I've found that isolating the cd player or anything didgital on a separate line always made for better, more relaxed sound.

I run four dedicated lines-one for the cd player,-one each for the power amps and a fourth line fot the phono stage, turntable, pre.

I tried the cd player into a Hydra 8 on a dedicated line with the rest of the front end gear, but prefer now to isolate it completely.

I once had a friend whose cd player distorted the picture of a tv used elsewhere in home only when he was playing his cds.
Every component with Symposium roller block HDSE wonderful great bass,stage imaging etc.
The ideal solution is very simple; regardless what type of isolation you are using. 1. Isolate your digital from all else. Then experiment. Try isolating the preamp and then the amp. Most likely you will be able to decide very easily. Have fun. Happy listening.
The ideal solution is very simple; regardless what type of isolation you are using. 1. Isolate your digital from all else. Then experiment. Try isolating the preamp and then the amp. Most likely you will be able to decide very easily. Have fun. Happy listening.