"Grounding" Box Designed for Speakers

[Cellcbern]

Interesting review from Marshall Nack at Positive Feedback of the new Fono Acustica Compas speaker grounding box (link below), which he finds to have a different impact on his system than the "usual suspects" grounding boxes (e.g., Nordost Qkore, Entreq). The only other speaker-specific grounding box I'm aware of is Tripoint's $40K/pr. Empress.

Fono Acustica Compás Speaker Ground System - Positive Feedback

Fono Acustica - Compás Speaker Ground System

positive-feedback.com

Excerpts:

"Audiophiles talk about musical flow, referring to the stream of notes in the temporal domain; the Compás was doing something analogous in the spatial domain. This is the first time I've come across this in reproduction. Of course, in nature it occurs all the livelong day. In audio playback, the usual thing is discrete voices speaking in turn but not connecting to each other".

"The stage has a natural feel, quite unlike the artificial emptiness created by many modern components".

Relatively inexpensive with one unit per pair of speakers.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i agree; and here are other ways you can use grounding boxes on speakers.

the only caution is how you connect the grounding box. in my system i use my Entreq grounding boxes connected to my active MM7 bass towers connected to screws on the bass amps. really helps with bass textures and articulation. at one point i also connected specific isolated sections of the Entreq Poseidon to the negative output terminals on my dart mono's. later i found the negatives (slight smearing of detail) out-weighed the positves (sexier bass).

i also connect my Tripoint Troy Signature to the screws on the cover plate of my passive MM7 towers; i think those are connected to the crossovers. got a nice lift there in presence. the music is more solid.

at one point years ago i was experimenting with grounding; i had these Tara Labs highest model interconnects with all these tiny ground cables and connecting 'keys' that allowed you to ground chassis easily. i sold the cables but still had these extra wires and keys. so i went around and tried things and was able to re-task my unused Entreq boxes on the bass towers, and also find the lift from the Tripoint on the passive towers. i think you need a low system noise floor to find this type of gain, but it's there to be found.

grounding love is where you find it. when my system gets going hot and heavy i think grounding contributes to the overall organization and flow.

if you are messing with the speaker cable connections then you do need to make sure things are isolated properly; and there are specific products targeted at that as you mention.

 

[Cellcbern]

not true. the only caution is how you connect the grounding box. in my system i use my Entreq grounding boxes connected to my active MM7 bass towers connected to screws on the bass amps. really helps with bass textures and articulation. at one point i also connected specific isolated sections of the Entreq Poseidon to the negative output terminals on my dart mono's. later i found the negatives (slight smearing of detail) out-weighed the positves (sexier bass).

i also connect my Tripoint Troy Signature to the screws on the cover plate of my passive MM7 towers; i think those are connected to the crossovers. got a nice lift there in presence. the music is more solid.

at one point years ago i was experimenting with grounding; i had these Tara Labs highest model interconnects with all these tiny ground cables and connecting 'keys' that allowed you to ground chassis easily. i sold the cables but still had these extra wires and keys. so i went around and tried things and was able to re-task my unused Entreq boxes on the bass towers, and also find the lift from the Tripoint on the passive towers. i think you need a low system noise floor to find this type of gain, but it's there to be found.

grounding love is where you find it. when my system gets going hot and heavy i think grounding contributes to the overall organization and flow.

if you are messing with the speaker cable connections then you do need to make sure things are isolated properly; and there are specific products targeted at that as you mention.

You've lost me - what's "not true"?

I didn't say that you couldn't use an Entreq or Tripoint unit to "ground" speakers. I said that I have only seen the Tripoint Empress and now the Fono Acustica Compas described/advertised by the manufacturer as having been designed/tuned specifically to "ground" speakers. Of course I may have missed something.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

You've lost me - what's "not true"?

my bad, i did not say that right. i apologize. my reaction/intention was that those boxes were not the only one's you could use for grounding with speakers. but i did not say that properly.

what i should have said was "i agree, but here are other ways to use grounding boxes on speakers....."

i will correct my post.

 

[Cellcbern]

i agree; and here are other ways you can use grounding boxes on speakers.

the only caution is how you connect the grounding box. in my system i use my Entreq grounding boxes connected to my active MM7 bass towers connected to screws on the bass amps. really helps with bass textures and articulation. at one point i also connected specific isolated sections of the Entreq Poseidon to the negative output terminals on my dart mono's. later i found the negatives (slight smearing of detail) out-weighed the positves (sexier bass).

i also connect my Tripoint Troy Signature to the screws on the cover plate of my passive MM7 towers; i think those are connected to the crossovers. got a nice lift there in presence. the music is more solid.

at one point years ago i was experimenting with grounding; i had these Tara Labs highest model interconnects with all these tiny ground cables and connecting 'keys' that allowed you to ground chassis easily. i sold the cables but still had these extra wires and keys. so i went around and tried things and was able to re-task my unused Entreq boxes on the bass towers, and also find the lift from the Tripoint on the passive towers. i think you need a low system noise floor to find this type of gain, but it's there to be found.

grounding love is where you find it. when my system gets going hot and heavy i think grounding contributes to the overall organization and flow.

if you are messing with the speaker cable connections then you do need to make sure things are isolated properly; and there are specific products targeted at that as you mention.

In your experience is there an audible difference between connecting the Entreq units to screws on your passive speakers vs. the negative speaker terminals (as Tripoint and now Fono Acustica recommend)? If I extend my "Cheap Grounding" experiment (via the Puritan Groundmaster City devices) to my speakers I am wondering where (screws vs. negative terminal) it would be better to connect them?

 

[zebo67]

i agree; and here are other ways you can use grounding boxes on speakers.

the only caution is how you connect the grounding box. in my system i use my Entreq grounding boxes connected to my active MM7 bass towers connected to screws on the bass amps. really helps with bass textures and articulation. at one point i also connected specific isolated sections of the Entreq Poseidon to the negative output terminals on my dart mono's. later i found the negatives (slight smearing of detail) out-weighed the positves (sexier bass).

i also connect my Tripoint Troy Signature to the screws on the cover plate of my passive MM7 towers; i think those are connected to the crossovers. got a nice lift there in presence. the music is more solid.

at one point years ago i was experimenting with grounding; i had these Tara Labs highest model interconnects with all these tiny ground cables and connecting 'keys' that allowed you to ground chassis easily. i sold the cables but still had these extra wires and keys. so i went around and tried things and was able to re-task my unused Entreq boxes on the bass towers, and also find the lift from the Tripoint on the passive towers. i think you need a low system noise floor to find this type of gain, but it's there to be found.

grounding love is where you find it. when my system gets going hot and heavy i think grounding contributes to the overall organization and flow.

if you are messing with the speaker cable connections then you do need to make sure things are isolated properly; and there are specific products targeted at that as you mention.

Mike, I find your feedback quite intriguing and encouraging to try Entreq boxes with my Tannoy Canterbury’s which has a dedicated grounding post.

 

[Alrainbow]

Guys while I don’t know Your equipment, I do feel caution on making any connections to any amp or speaker terminals
many amps are isolated at both + and - so to ground them might be ok or might un stabilize devises. ground paths are very complex and many times not what you think.
As an example some amps need output wires in close proximity to pos n neg phase if not wild effects can occur
just my two cents have fun

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, I find your feedback quite intriguing and encouraging to try Entreq boxes with my Tannoy Canterbury’s which has a dedicated grounding post.

as Al mentions, stay clear of the speaker terminals with a grounding box that is not reliably isolated. you can blow up amps.

OTOH speaker crossover chassis is fair game. or anything connected to it. the grounding post should work nicely. good luck with it and hope it gets you some uptic in the music. please report your results.

 

[zebo67]

@Mike Lavigne, point well taken. According to Tannoy manual,
“To optimise performance further, use a shielded or screened loudspeaker cable in order to reduce unwanted radio frequency interference. The screening termination should be connected to the earth or ground (green) terminal on the loudspeaker and to the ground or earth connection on the amplifier. Alternatively, if you are not using a screened loudspeaker cable but wish to utilise the earthing facility, run a single cable between the loudspeaker and amplifier earth terminals.”

I am going to start with a Silver Minimus Infinity Ground Box & Argo Infinity Ground Cable kit. Let’s see how they fair in my system.

Not to take this conversation off-topic but if anyone is interested in component grounding, should check out Acoustic Revive RGC-24K. I am using a pair in my system to great effect.

Digital….pushing the boundaries! | Virtual Listening Room

lalitk's listening room featuring Reference System Toggle for Details, Power Cables Toggle for Details, Signal Cables Toggle for Details, Anti-Vibration Toggle for Details, Accessories Toggle for Details, Tannoy Canterbury GR, Tannoy TANNOY ST-300Mg, Accuphase E-650, Merging Technologies...

systems.audiogon.com

 

[ozzzy]

I hope I am still on topic,
I have made 3 DIY grounding boxes along with my Entreq Silver Tellus. I use the Entreq with my digital, my large DIY box with 2 separate ground attachments to the main tube amps and sub woofers.

The 2 smaller boxes are dedicated to my speakers. There, I found more improvement connecting them to the amp - output rather than to the speaker -.

ozzy

 

[Alrainbow]

I have a question do we use these grounding boxes / hardware to lower noise alone ? Or beyond just lowering noise ?

 

[zebo67]

I have a question do we use these grounding boxes / hardware to lower noise alone ? Or beyond just lowering noise ?

@Alrainbow, please check out following thread to gain better understanding on how these passive ground boxes works!

Grounding Boxes

...probably because it's not really a ground, in the accepted sense of the concept. I don't want to challenge you but why not? Isn't the point of the ground to dissipate any voltages that don't belong into the ground? (and create a voltage difference to activate the differential protection)...

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[P-O]

I have never heard about this guy, Marshall Nack. Never!
As far as I know, this guy, like many others who write and talk, has never tested anything from us.
But still they claims they knows Entreq well.
Suspect? Pleas tell me what is suspect.

 

[Cellcbern]

I have never heard about this guy, Marshall Nack. Never!
As far as I know, this guy, like many others who write and talk, has never tested anything from us.
But still they claims they knows Entreq well.
Suspect? Pleas tell me what is suspect.

Since you posted this coment on two different forums I'll do the same with my responses:

"Marshall Nack is one of the most respected reviewers in the business. I tend to trust his reviews because I've tried and owned a number of components he's reviewed and what I've heard has matched what he's reported".

"Mr. Nack's review, which is not anti-Entreq, is of a "grounding" box designed specifically for speakers. As far as I know Entreq doesn't offer a comparable device (is that correct?). The review concludes that the Fono Acustica Compas does something in the spatial domain that results in more natural sound, that he has never encountered before from any "grounding" device. As always, comparative listening not attacking the reviewer is the only way to confirm or refute his findings".

Marshall Nack is a senior editor at Positive Feedback Online, one of the leading online audiophile sites:

Marshall Nack, Author at Positive Feedback

positive-feedback.com

 

[LL21]

My read of the article was that it was very positive on grounding generally and the unique benefits it brings. (I personally have found nothing else that does to sound what Tripoint and Entreq do so well.)

His mention of Entreq, etc...may not have been "great" if you were expecting him to say superlatives about them (or Tripoint or any other grounding company for that matter). That said, as a big fan of Entreq, I also did not take the off-hand comments as a 'slight against' Entreq either. If anything, mentioning them alongside Tripoint is kind of like mentioning Coke and Pepsi when reviewing a boutique Cola. Tripoint and Entreq are the two mainstay leaders, both going back it sounds like 15-20 years in this.

 

[Cellcbern]

My read of the article was that it was very positive on grounding generally and the unique benefits it brings. (I personally have found nothing else that does to sound what Tripoint and Entreq do so well.)

His mention of Entreq, etc...may not have been "great" if you were expecting him to say superlatives about them (or Tripoint or any other grounding company for that matter). That said, as a big fan of Entreq, I also did not take the off-hand comments as a 'slight against' Entreq either. If anything, mentioning them alongside Tripoint is kind of like mentioning Coke and Pepsi when reviewing a boutique Cola. Tripoint and Entreq are the two mainstay leaders, both going back it sounds like 15-20 years in this.

Have you tried Entreq products specifically on speakers? If so do you have experiences to share?

 

[LL21]

Have you tried Entreq products specifically on speakers? If so do you have experiences to share?

Hi Cellcbern,

I have not...though I have heard very good things from those who have done so. Tannoy has been adding ground posts to its speakers for many, many years apparently. And Audiocrack I believe has done it with Tripoint. For us, it has been chassis and signal grounding, both of which have worked extremely well.

 

[ozzzy]

I'm supposed to get a Peak 4 this Saturday.

ozzy

 

[LL21]

I'm supposed to get a Peak 4 this Saturday.

ozzy

Great...enjoy. Let us know what you think.

 

[Cellcbern]

Great...enjoy. Let us know what you think.

Are you going to try it on your speakers?