Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Mains Cable Alternatives?

…and the third one will chime in soon.

Proviso: I do believe that ensuring good mains is important; I'm not prescribing how or with what 3rd party kit (if any), but I do adhere to a "do no harm" principle.

I have to say that "straw man arguments" was EXACTLY my reaction to reading the first few items in that Shunyata (marketing) piece. In my opinion, it's gobbledygook which is nothing more than a feel-good purchase softener, and it reeks of pseudo-science, not least the "appearance of being scientific" without the necessary rigor of following the scientific method. I've seen other pseudo-science-y claims elsewhere on Shunyata's website.

I'm not going to tell people what they can or cannot buy -- and there are people I trust who swear by the improvements that Shunyata products have made in their system -- but as someone who cares an awful lot about good science, I have never and will never buy anything from Shunyata. On principle.

It’s all kind of strange and lots of marketing woven into a story if you ask me. The skineffect remark made me laugh and doubting my technical education but hey, that was a long time ago.
I was kind of curious just like some others in what the Entech really measures.
The meter's speaker projects the amplified demodulated AM FM noise present on the power line under test. A very handy and capable meter designed to show the end user if the power supplied or generated is "clean" or "dirty". Dirty or noisy is undesirable for ANY home or business with amplified systems. This unit tests the cleanliness of the power being used. Clean power is what you'd want in your entertainment system for optimal sound clarity. Before you buy an expensive system make sure it's power line is clean as can be for the best sound quality with this meter."

It’s used here in combination with Shunyata in which Shunyata does make a difrence.

But

It also is used here on ASR post 38 with similar results but might be worth to look into.

I’m not saying that everything written over mains-power is BS but there is al lot of marketing.surrounding it

So trying it would be the only sollution when in doubt.

In an earlier post, I stated that a given brand of dirty mains analyser was available to buy in the UK and USA.

I have since watched a comparative video of this product with one manufactured by Entech.

In the video, the Entech mains analyser registers a reduction in mains noise when a Shunyata NR mains cable is added to the wall outlet, but no such noise reduction is indicated on the other type of dirty mains analyser.

So, ignore my previous suggestion if you’re thinking about buying one. Buy the Entech model if you can find one, otherwise you will be wasting your hard-earned money.

A recent posting by Darko (highlighting an online conversation between 2 ‘audiophiles’) reminded me so much about the negativity by some on deploying better mains cables…

Here are some results using an ENTECH device mentioned above:

1) ENTECH device registering the noise just on the mains circuit



2) Adding a Denali to the socket next to the ENTECH

https://youtube.com/shorts/-txqi0nlxT4

3) Finally, adding the ENTECH to the output of the Denali.

https://youtube.com/shorts/8sJ8OTOkNpI

Same cable to the ENTECH. Same sensitivity.

My room, my sockets, my videos.

Not everyone with a different opinion or experience does so without some objective evidence.

I don’t think anyone is denying there is noise on a typical domestic ring main. The question is where filtering takes place. The point that Bob Stuart has made is that it takes place inside the speaker and before any power gets to the electronics in there.
So the question is: can this ENTECH device measure at that point? I think the answer is no.

Just shift the goal posts then.

Power products are snake oil and the marketing is all bllx. That is the gist of the posts above.

When you see some objective evidence that they are doing what they say they are doing you move the argument. It gets very thin indeed just to defend a position despite being presented with some object evidence.

When a difference can be heard you just rely on hearsay that a difference could not be heard because the designer said so.

That designer built to a budget. Over the years that budget and designs got better. XE ripped up many of those designs and got better.

So a better input power signal can be delivered but makes no difference. That is your belief and you’re sticking to it.

You’re not being consistent in your need to see objective evidence by others, but willingly accept without question what Bob Stuart claims without equally demanding the exact same burden of proof on him as you demand from others.

Umm, no. My argument has always been that there is noise on the mains and that a power cable isn’t going to be a very efficient filter, and that there are better ways of filtering - like a regenerator or power conditioner or a balanced mains supply, which is the best way, I think.
But I have also maintained that filtering takes place in the power supply of the actual product - in my case some 7200SE speakers.

I don’t have £8000 to spend on a mains conditioner. And I don’t have £4000 to spend on an ‘audiophile’ fuse. Or £16000 to spend on a ground box that is full of sand. Or a few thousand on several power cables. I don’t have such money because I’d choose to spend it on other ways of improving things that can be really heard - like room correction software and hardware.

I lost count of how many times you move the argument here. Now that you see noise reduction is actually happening you claim there are better ways, there is lots of really expensive snake oil products out there and you choose not to buy them.

Good for you.

I am a big advocate for choice.

You didn’t seem to read my last post or several I have made before.
I have always said there is noise on mains power supply. I have always said there are better ways to remove noise than a power cable. I have always said the most efficient way to do it is in the power supply that actual delivers volts and current to the amplifiers etc.

Please do check back. I haven’t shifted any goal posts.