Cheap and effective tweak

[sbo6]

Not true lol it’s cheaper copper is better but it’s more exp

He doesn't want to hear what's been scientifically proven from you, me or anyone. It is what it is. As long as we're all happy with the results.

FWIW - I used the 3M EMI/RFI sheet I stated above + copper in my music server, seemed to work well.

 

[thazeldean]

He doesn't want to hear what's been scientifically proven from you, me or anyone. It is what it is. As long as we're all happy with the results.

FWIW - I used the 3M EMI/RFI sheet I stated above + copper in my music server, seemed to work well.

The advice given to me was to use aluminium foil for the shielding to stop switching noise from affecting my electronics. The foil made a huge difference to the noise floor, which was already low anyway. It also reduced the sibilance on some female vocals. I reported this as an effective tweak. Perhaps copper foil would have been better, but the difference with aluminium foil and aluminium tape was immediately noticeable. It was explained to me that this would stop the power supplies and filtering in the electronics, especially very low voltage phono stages, from being overworked in trying to filter out this type of electronic noise.
Due to all the comments on the beneficial effects of copper for shielding, I have now decided to experiment with a combination of copper foil and aluminium foil in a sandwich arrangement with an intermediate layer of Tygon polymer to act as constrained layer damping. I also have lead sheeting which I will add in another layer with an intermediate layer of woven plated copper/conductive Nylon.
Thank you all so much for your advice.
I will report back on any beneficial effects soon!!!

On another note, I do agree with the notion that interconnect cables should be separated from power cables by as much distance as possible. I have three additional 20 amp dedicated cables that supply power to my system directly from the fuse box. They travel down the wall behind the electronics. I will be looking at some shielding for this wall also and hopefully this will make further improvements.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I only use aluminum foil to make hats.

 

[sbo6]

I only use aluminum foil to make hats.

I was thinking the same thing all along..

 

[thazeldean]

I bet you both look great in them too!!!

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I bet you both look great in them too!!!

 

[thazeldean]

No RFI escaping from that head!!!

 

[Republicoftexas69]

No RFI escaping from that head!!!

Or EMI.

 

[kennyb123]

The one thing I don't get is why with a device like the Altaira that is dumping noise into the house ground via the wall duplex, with (presumably) circuitry that prevents reverse contamination, a "Sigma" grounding cable for example would provide a bigger audible improvement than a "Venom" grounding cable.

Aa you move up their lineup, impedance is lowered. I presume that this allows more noise to be drawn out of the ground plane.

I am also not sure that noise is being dumped into the house ground. The Altaira features their noise isolation chambers (NIC) that use a ferroelectric material to reduce noise. The connection from the Altaira to one of their power conditioners might be there to help establish a lower potential via a connection to the ground on the duplex, but even in that case another NIC is in the path to reduce noise.

My takeaway from this is that the traditional thinking of expecting we can get enough noise out of our system’s ground plane by allowing it be dumped into the house ground is likely incorrect. What is needed instead is an effective means of filtering it out.