In my experience, a black acoustic background is elusive for all the reasons cited by previous commenters. I have a few years of experience with sound reinforcement as well as an audiophile. From that perspective, I may be able to offer a few practical solutions that can isolate your audio from electrical noise that can creep into any system, no matter how well designed each component. 1. Start with audio components and signal cables that are well shielded against RFI and EMI. I've found that XLR cables resist RFI and EMI as well as premium RCA cables. If you use components that accept XLR plugs, you may find that their greater cost is offset by the relatively lower cost of good quality XLR cables, i.e. Canare. In fact their solder connections are easy enough to use that most persons can customize their cables with a minimum of fuss. 2. Star ground your components to a single and EFFECTIVE grounding point. Any component whose mains plug doesn't include a grounding pin or uses a grounding pin lifter defeats the purpose. I prefer removable IEC plugs because I too often find that the component's cable receptical has no grounding pin. Unless you take this step, your system is susceptible to ground loops which introduce hum into your audio signal. 3. If you can, use a single 110 V. outlet for every component in your system. Homes that have 220 V. electrical service use two of the three "legs" furnished by your electrical utility service. If you can't plug everything into a single outlet, ensure that every outlet you use is on the same "leg". If you skip this step, your system will be susceptible to hum. 4. Plug all your components into an effective power conditioner that can handle the total power your system requires. IIRC, Monster offers three levels of power conditioning to consumers. I use their most comprehensive conditioner in my system. This not only protects your equipment from power spikes, it also isolates the system from electrical noise induced from outside your system. 5. Above all, trust your ears. My most recent experience in this arena was eight years ago; and the suggestions I've offered could be obviated by ongoing advances in technology. Also, please understand that the list of solutions I've offered may not be exhaustive. Happy listening! |
A thought on Noise (the nemesis of silence between notes) starts at the front of the gain stage chain (assuming that all the stages are working right). It has a simple equation from information theory, Noise = f + 1/f + 1/f^2 + 1/f^3 . . . . So look to the beginning of the chain. Resolution in audio focuses on the distortion of the timbre of the sounds to which you are listening. Noise between the notes is the biggest problem, as I have written elsewhere, it is a cascading effect, most pernicious in its nature, one hard to combat, and completely disruptive of the illusion of reproduced music. |
Hello, It all matters, but what is the priority? Power, Power, and Power! It starts from the fuse box. Besides removing things off of the line to your system you have to control the ground. I know MC has done this years ago. OCD Hifi on YouTube has done this. If it didn’t matter in a huge way they would not have done it. It’s not cheep done right if you have to go a large distance or through a lot of complicated walls and floors. The last is if you cannot control the power coming to the room the you need devices. Puritan is the best I have tried. Also it lets you install a separate ground to handle those issues. Puritan PSM156 will filter out the DC garbage on your line and also filter the over the air garbage from cell phones, WIFI, and Bluetooth getting into the power. Most will “condition” and protect the power to the components. Where they lack is what and how they filter. Despite running four 8’ silver coated copper ground rods into the ground for a dedicated ground system the Puritan still helped bring the noise to ZERO. This is how you get the biggest start to a black noise floor. I bought my Puritan PSM156 at https://holmaudio.com/ If you are in the Chicagoland area you can try before you buy. No risk plus it will be broken in so you will know how good it is immediately. |
