Many audiophiles strive to lower the noise floor of their systems by various means. Many audiophiles install elaborate electrical infrastructures such as dedicated sub-panels and dedicated electrical lines ("circuits") to improve power flow and to reduce the noise in the AC powering their components. Some audiophiles use balanced-power and isolation transformers (e.g., Equi-Tech, Torus) and power regenerators (e.g., PS Audio) and battery storage systems (e.g., Stromtank) to provide pure, noise-free power to their components. Many audiophiles use balanced interconnects in an effort to reduce noise and immunize the signal from sources of noise. Some audiophiles use special after-market grounding box components (e.g., Tripoint, Entreq, Nordost) to minimize ground noise issues and to prevent noise or interference from adulterating the audio signal and for other reasons.
Let's stipulate that these exertions succeed in lowering the noise floors of our systems, in eliminating electrical gremlins, in resisting EMI/RFI, in making "blacker" blacks.
But what have we accomplished musically? Is a cleaner, noise-scrubbed, more sterile signal consonant with reproducing the sounds of the music we hear in the concert hall or in the jazz club?
Is any of the naturalness or the richness or the organic-ness of live music removed, or is any of the visceral, emotional content of the music lost, even as "blacker" backgrounds and quieter systems are gained?
Let's stipulate that these exertions succeed in lowering the noise floors of our systems, in eliminating electrical gremlins, in resisting EMI/RFI, in making "blacker" blacks.
But what have we accomplished musically? Is a cleaner, noise-scrubbed, more sterile signal consonant with reproducing the sounds of the music we hear in the concert hall or in the jazz club?
Is any of the naturalness or the richness or the organic-ness of live music removed, or is any of the visceral, emotional content of the music lost, even as "blacker" backgrounds and quieter systems are gained?