Lowering the noise floor


I am coming to the conclusion that success in home audio reproduction is largely about lowering the noise floor. There are so many different types of “noise”, from so many different sources, that we only really “hear” by their absence.

Those components, cables, accessories and tweaks that SUCCEED at lowering the noise floor, can, and do, dramatically increase sound quality. Sometimes the type of “noise” dealt with is controversial, or not (yet) widely recognized as being a problem. Sometimes the explanation of how a product works is dubious. Sometimes the way it is marketed reeks of “snake oil”. Sometimes the reviews singing its praises go over the top. While these things will certainly put off some prospective purchasers, they do not negate the audible results that are there for anyone open to hearing them.
tommylion
also, look at the parts of the chain that are most susceptible to noise causing SQ decrements

electrical noise isn't just something you hear on super quiet passages, it can also reduce spatial and transient aspects of sound reproduction

- whether it is doing that in your system is hard to determine - a star-quad style DC power cable is cheap ($10 to $50, DIY vs. bought); an LPS can cost a lot more but might be worthwhile

eliminating ground loops and providing galv. isolation may cost up to $100

wasting huge amounts of money on snake oil AC power cords when you SHOULD get an isolation transformer for $300 to $700 is idiocy
@noble100, wishing you great success on your upcoming procedure and please keep us posted.
@randy-11,   Spot on about LPS and using a good starquad DC power cable. I made two of these for use on my LPS units and they did indeed improve my overall sound quality. 
@randy-11 stated: "wasting huge amounts of money on snake oil AC power cords when you SHOULD get an isolation transformer for $300 to $700 is idiocy"
I've done both of what you've stated above with wonderful results. Much lower noise floor after "wasting huge amounts of money on snake oil AC power cords". In fact (word used intentionally even though it can't be measured because science simply hasn't caught up to our hobby [or apparently a lot of audiophiles ears] yet) as I've stated above, the largest noise floor reduction was had AFTER I put the "snake oil AC power cords" in my system.  
Ok then, let's talk specs. 

Alan Maher Designs:

"AQUA EMI Wrap Specifications:
Filter Frequency: 0Hz to 200+ GHz (max frequency of our test equipment)
Noise Suppression: 95% to 98% based on 120/240v incoming electrical service
Noise Floor Reduction: Greater than -200db max suppression of the entire frequency range (max of our test equipment)
Power Factor Correction Stabilization: 72 Hours (the fastest EMR correction to date from this product line – normally its 200 hours). 

Installed at the meter, AQUA is capable of neutralizing magnetic frequency below earth all the way down to 0Hz. What makes AQUA special compared to the other models we have offered in the past, AQUA is the first of its kind to extend frequency past the 5G wireless band. In actuality, AQUA extends the frequency band more than 2.5x the max FCC approved 5G spectrum past in 2014 (radio: both outdoor and indoor scenarios in the 28, 38, 60 and 72–73 GHz bands were published in 2014; multimeter: up to 90 GHz)." - Alan Maher  

Application: a thin paper-like material (roughly 24" x 6") that is wrapped around the pvc pipe at the incoming power path a few inches below the meter...a legal app in all 50 states. Weatherproof and seals with electrical tape. About $200.
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Fuses: 

"The Quantum TDT Fuse is the first of its kind to be released for the audio / video market. The Quantum TDT Fuse is essentially a miniature power conditioner built into a fuse application. Check out the specs:

Volume resistivity of 0.0001 Ohm per cm
Temperature Extreme: -58 to 257 degrees Fahrenheit

RF/EMI Attenuation:
10 to 100 kHz - 84 dB to 89 dB
100 kHz to 1 MHz - 82 dB to 93 dB
1 MHz to 10 MHz - 56 dB to 79 dB
10 MHz to 100 MHz - 51 dB to 70 dB
100 MHz to 1 GHz - 70 dB to 81 dB
1 GHz to 10 GHz - 62 dB to 83 dB
10 GHz to 18 GHz - 48 dB to 70 dB
18 GHz to 50 GHz – 70 dB to 45 dB

As you can see you’ll have a hard time finding a power conditioner with better noise suppression specifications." - Alan Maher

About $150 ea.

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Platforms (18" x 12" x 2.25"):

"The AQUA Active Platform is a marvel of creation. For the first time we have been able to extend the filtering bandwidth above 100 GHz with a noise suppression level below 200db across the entire frequency spectrum. The AQUA Platform is a game changer for the entire industry.

AQUA lowers the ground impedance for the entire circuit down to .001 ohms of resistance – The low impedance acts as a turbo charge for all installed AM Designs products throughout the home." Alan Maher

About $3000 ea.

I have 2 of these which I snagged on a promotional sale. Tremendous sound quality improvements.

=======================================================Alan has perhaps a hundred different products at different price levels and different apps for tackling different A/V problems, so these here are just the tip of the iceberg.

Regards,

John