Mains problem...

Hi All

Basically, may mains supply is dodgy. Get the odd pop thru my hifi when a light switches on, and occassional diming of a table lamp etc, which causes a weird sound thru my amp.

Is there a 'budget' solution to this.
There are many types of mains block, rf filters, voltage regulators, but just checking to see if I would be wasting my money. Spending over 200 quid on a mains block seems a lot of dosh, when my set up is around 1.2k

Any help would be great

cheers
sanj

ps. hope it's ok, I've posted something similiar on HFC, but would also appreciate any further advice

 

Do you have a seperate mains spur for the Hi Fi? If not this should go a long way to solving the problem and will make a large improvement in the sound to boot.

 

This option is also a lot cheaper than people would first imagine .

Why not try a Russ Andrews Silencer or similar product ?
You may be able to pick up a s/h one for around £20/£25.

 

I really appreciate the quick replies!

In terms of the mains spur, this is really embrassing to ask, but what exactly is this? :shame: And how much would it cost?

cheers

 

I'm not sure things like the silencer are intended to remove clicks and pops are they? RA doesn't claim they are anyway, selling much cheaper VDRs and contact suppressors for this:

http://www.russandrews.com/product....&customer_id=PAA0538020304263NGGZRPFOJXESSKES

Martin

 

I've checked on the RA website and they have a whole assortment of offers

Emailed them to try and narrow down options. Some aren't cheap. But they do offer a no quibble 60 day return policy, which can't be bad

 

Sounds like you need an electrician IMHO!

 

IMO if your house wiring is that bad no amount of RA BS plugin shit will sort it out.
Better to get a sparky to check over first and maybe quote for a dedicated spur.

 

I'm thinking of renovating my flat next year, so it makes sense to rewire at the same time, as it is looking dodgy. I guess I was after a short-term solution, as a year seems a long wait.

But just like the debate over speaker cables, interconnects, the "myths" surrounding mains cables/blocks leave me...:newbie:

 

I think there is a lot of merit in the mains optimisation, but in all honesty and my opinion, non of it will make up for dodgy/old wireing

 

Mains probs

Hi,
Trust me Sanj - you will never sort out your problems by treating the symptoms. You need to find a cure: If you are sure you won't electricute yourself then go around every mains connection and make sure your connections are tight. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE GET AN ELECTRICIAN TO DO IT. More safely, you could go around making sure all the earth connections on water and gas pipes are tight - I'm assuming they bothered to fit them; you could clean up the contact area with a fibre based scrubber and squirt in some contact enhancer for good measure and re-tighten. Of course if you have switches that are noisey - like others have said. you need to suppress them and or treat them with a contact enhancer. You really should read " The power and the Glory" a downloadable publication from Russ Andrews. RFI and spikes from arcing contacts cannot be removed by a mains conditioner, period. Nor will an ordinary electrician give a hoot about the clicking/ buzzing that erks you unless he deems it a safety issue.

 

Thanks for the info quark.

Downloaded a few of the RA pdfs. Apart from them pushing their own products, some of it seems v. sensible advice. At least it'll will give me an idea what to do.

 

Trust me brother, just read the info. I was learning about the mains when major publications suggested it was nonsense/ heretical to suggest that a mains cable could make a difference to sound. Now look at the market in mains supply products.
P.S
I still don't see many companies out there that will show you how to cure your problems(for small change), rather than spend a fortune on trying to disguise them.... other than Russ Andrews.