Cheap and effective tweak

[thazeldean]

I recently had a conversation with a couple of industry luminaries about managing interference from home electrical installations. Following this enlightening conversation, I have reduced any electrical interference with my hi-fi components by shielding several of my home electrical installations with aluminium foil and aluminium tape.

I have added a couple of photos to show what I have done. The first shows the house alarm system and the aluminium tape that I have applied, behind that I have taped alfoil. The alarm is in another room that backs onto the HiFi system.

The second photo shows the fuse box for the house. You can see the aluminium tape on the switching gear. Behind this I have also taped aluminium foil.

I also shielded a couple of other electronic devices in the home.

I am amazed at the difference this cheap tweak has made, the system is noticeably quieter, the instruments are better separated in the sound stage and sibilance has been reduced.

I wouldn't have believed this unless I had experienced it myself. A couple of dollars for an amazing improvement.

 

[Kingrex]

One of the first people I met in WA state as a client had crystals all over his gear. He also had copper foil adhered to every inch of his equipment. Same for cables. Sleeved everything. He even got RF pain and painted the NM-B cables from his garage crossing from his panel to the house. He also had aluminum and RF paper adhered around his panels. Also had chokes on the ground. I was there to solve for a hum when his heater turned on. I was never really able to do anything as every inch of his gear was covered with something. I think he was a physics professor at a university. His install is in the US.

thazeldean is in Europe or some 230 volt 50 hertz system. Your breakers are in a steel enclosure. Your RF shield is on the face of the meters, yet your open branch wiring going to the house is behind the equipment where it is not shielded.

I have no idea what happens when you shield a wifi antenna. The antenna are obviously exposed so they can broadcast. Xymox has shown good Wifi that is in a heavy metal enclosure. I think its more about protecting the internal components from noise. Possibly internally generated. But also from the outside.

I wonder how effective aluminum is. I though the thicker the better. I am lead to believe copper is a good shield against RF and EMF. Steel is a fair to poor shield to RF. Steel is a good shield to EMF. Aluminum tubing or plate is a ok shield to some RF. I don't think it does a lot to EMF.

Why don't you tell us more how you set up the test. How did you make a baseline.
How did you account for outside variables that may have influenced your impressions.
How did you measure before and after,
Have you removed it all, listened, then put it all back and listened again.

 

[thazeldean]

I did not measure either before or after, except with my ears. I live in Australia where the voltage is 230 volts 50Hz. I made a baseline from listening to my system for the past 3 or 4 years.
I have a very high-end phono stage which had to go to Melbourne for repair. The Melbourne repairer believed he had successfully completed the repair, but the phono stage was being burnt in and tested at a high-end store in Melbourne prior to it being returned. The system it was being tested on was worth probably in the vicinity of $600k and it was noisy when using the repaired phono stage. The manufacturer of the phono stage happened to be visiting Melbourne and was asked for assistance to get rid of the noise. Eventually they tracked the issue down to an electronic device in the fuse box in the showroom. Once shielded the phono stage worked silently.
The phono stage manufacturer suggested that I shield electrically operated switches at my home and that the best material to do it with was aluminium foil. I have now done this but am still waiting for the return of the phono stage. I am currently using a Coincident Phono.
My observations were based on what I heard before and after the treatment.
Unfortunately, I will not be taking it off and on again to confirm my observations. I know it has made considerable improvement without necessitating repeating the experiment. My ears tell me the improvements.
My own system is fairly high-end, consisting of the following components:
Clearaudio Master Reference TT on a minus K platform, Reed 5A arm with Etsuro Urushi Cart. Coincident phono into an Allnic L10,000 OTL/OCL preamplifier, this feeds two Ayon Audio Orthos II monoblocks for the mid treble ribbons. It also feeds a JL Audio CR-1 active subwoofer crossover which feeds a pair of JL Audio Gotham subs and splits the remainder of the bass signal to the Boulder 1160 which powers the Apogee bass panels on Graz made Apogee Acoustics Diva Advanced 9 speakers.

 

[pmiller]

I am not a metallurgist but I believe aluminum can react to other metals. Has that been considered?

 

[thazeldean]

It isn't really touching other metals. The sticky part of the tape is but the aluminium foil is away from other metals.

 

[pmiller]

Good. I have been at this electronics hobby thing for a few years and I have always tried to be on the conservative side with electricity - it is just so unforgiving.

 

[thazeldean]

One of the first people I met in WA state as a client had crystals all over his gear. He also had copper foil adhered to every inch of his equipment. Same for cables. Sleeved everything. He even got RF pain and painted the NM-B cables from his garage crossing from his panel to the house. He also had aluminum and RF paper adhered around his panels. Also had chokes on the ground. I was there to solve for a hum when his heater turned on. I was never really able to do anything as every inch of his gear was covered with something. I think he was a physics professor at a university. His install is in the US.

thazeldean is in Europe or some 230 volt 50 hertz system. Your breakers are in a steel enclosure. Your RF shield is on the face of the meters, yet your open branch wiring going to the house is behind the equipment where it is not shielded.

I have no idea what happens when you shield a wifi antenna. The antenna are obviously exposed so they can broadcast. Xymox has shown good Wifi that is in a heavy metal enclosure. I think its more about protecting the internal components from noise. Possibly internally generated. But also from the outside.

I wonder how effective aluminum is. I though the thicker the better. I am lead to believe copper is a good shield against RF and EMF. Steel is a fair to poor shield to RF. Steel is a good shield to EMF. Aluminum tubing or plate is a ok shield to some RF. I don't think it does a lot to EMF.

Why don't you tell us more how you set up the test. How did you make a baseline.
How did you account for outside variables that may have influenced your impressions.
How did you measure before and after,
Have you removed it all, listened, then put it all back and listened again.

Hello Kingrex,

You state "Your breakers are in a steel enclosure. Your RF shield is on the face of the meters, yet your open branch wiring going to the house is behind the equipment where it is not shielded."

I didn't show any photos, but the aluminium foil is also behind what you can see, where the open branch wiring goes to the house. The enclosure has a hinged panel which I opened and completely covered the rear with aluminium foil and tape. It would be pointless doing the front and not the back.

I am considering using some lead sheeting that I have in a roll in my shed to test if there is any further benefit. On discussion with some local electrical engineers, I am also considering making layers of lead, copper and aluminium foil to see if any further benefits can be had.

 

[Kingrex]

Is the utility meter and utility wifi in the metal enclosure? If its not outdoor, can you put the 2 antenna outside the metal enclosure. If you have a bunch of wifi inches from your power, you very well may be injecting noise into the system.

I don't think your doing anything gor noise from outside. I had a friend who let me mess with his power when I started. I put a panel in his room. He wrapped the entire panel in RF fabric. Heard nothing. He heard more from bundeling his cables and reducing vibrations. But in the US, the meter is outside the house. Not in my panel.

 

[sbo6]

I recently had a conversation with a couple of industry luminaries about managing interference from home electrical installations. Following this enlightening conversation, I have reduced any electrical interference with my hi-fi components by shielding several of my home electrical installations with aluminium foil and aluminium tape.

I have added a couple of photos to show what I have done. The first shows the house alarm system and the aluminium tape that I have applied, behind that I have taped alfoil. The alarm is in another room that backs onto the HiFi system.

The second photo shows the fuse box for the house. You can see the aluminium tape on the switching gear. Behind this I have also taped aluminium foil.

I also shielded a couple of other electronic devices in the home.

I am amazed at the difference this cheap tweak has made, the system is noticeably quieter, the instruments are better separated in the sound stage and sibilance has been reduced.

I wouldn't have believed this unless I had experienced it myself. A couple of dollars for an amazing improvement.

View attachment 115959 View attachment 115958

But the boxes are metal, so how much difference would foil over metal make?

 

[sbo6]

I wonder how effective aluminum is. I though the thicker the better. I am lead to believe copper is a good shield against RF and EMF. Steel is a fair to poor shield to RF. Steel is a good shield to EMF. Aluminum tubing or plate is a ok shield to some RF. I don't think it does a lot to EMF.

Copper, Mu metal.

 

[thazeldean]

But the boxes are metal, so how much difference would foil over metal make?

Look at your cables, the majority of them are shielded using aluminium, that is because it is the most efficient shield for electrical noise.

 

[thazeldean]

Is the utility meter and utility wifi in the metal enclosure? If its not outdoor, can you put the 2 antenna outside the metal enclosure. If you have a bunch of wifi inches from your power, you very well may be injecting noise into the system.

I don't think your doing anything gor noise from outside. I had a friend who let me mess with his power when I started. I put a panel in his room. He wrapped the entire panel in RF fabric. Heard nothing. He heard more from bundeling his cables and reducing vibrations. But in the US, the meter is outside the house. Not in my panel.

The utility meter is cut into the brick wall on the outside of the house so there are no bricks on the house side of the electrical enclosure. On the house side of the brick wall are timber joists with plasterboard sheeting. That room houses the Hi-Fi equipment. Steel is a terrible electrical noise shield. Aluminium is an excellent electrical noise shield. I can only say that I was not surprised that there was an improvement, but I was surprised at how much of an improvement there was.
I don't doubt that some of you doubt what I am saying, all I can say is look around your house for sources of electrical noise, especially remotely controlled electrical switches, wrap some aluminium foil around the boxes and try for yourself. What have you got to lose except a couple of metres of Alfoil.
The antenna you see in the picture are not for a WiFi router, they receive signals from motion sensors in the house for the detection of burglars.

 

[sbo6]

Look at your cables, the majority of them are shielded using aluminium, that is because it is the most efficient shield for electrical noise.

Actually it's copper.

 

[thazeldean]

Actually it's copper.

Have another look. Aluminium is the preferred shield.

 

[sbo6]

Have another look. Aluminium is the preferred shield.

Three Most Popular Shielding Metals - EMI Shield | Leader Tech (leadertechinc.com)

 

[thazeldean]

Three Most Popular Shielding Metals - EMI Shield | Leader Tech (leadertechinc.com)

I'll let Jim White and Mark Dohmann know that they don't know what they are talking about then!!
I trust my ears.
If you don't want to try it, that is not my problem!!!
I know what it did for my system, but obviously you have tried copper foil on your electrical components and can report a better outcome than aluminium. Please enlighten me with the results of your observations and listening with both types of shielding material???

 

[sbo6]

I'll let Jim White and Mark Dohmann know that they don't know what they are talking about then!!
I trust my ears.
If you don't want to try it, that is not my problem!!!
I know what it did for my system, but obviously you have tried copper foil on your electrical components and can report a better outcome than aluminium. Please enlighten me with the results of your observations and listening with both types of shielding material???

Hey friend, don't shoot the messenger of science. I'm glad you feel you are hearing a benefit, enjoy!

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I am not a metallurgist but I believe aluminum can react to other metals. Has that been considered?

Dielectric would be minimal and galvanic corrosion should be considered and what the sulfur content of the furious metals adjacent to or in contact with the Al shielding material.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Look at your cables, the majority of them are shielded using aluminium, that is because it is the most efficient shield for electrical noise.

No it is because it is inexpensive.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Three Most Popular Shielding Metals - EMI Shield | Leader Tech (leadertechinc.com)

Thank you for posting. Enjoying other articles also.