Tripoint Grounding Boxes

my2sons52

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Feb 11, 2017
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I would love to hear thoughts and opinions from Tripoint owners on this subject.When using Tripoint boxes where did you find the biggest improvements in your system? Did you find a bigger improvement on your Digital side or Analog side? Also has anyone tired them on very large mono amps like the Boulder, Gryphon, or D'Agostino Restless amps & if so please tell me your experience and thoughts. If i was to start with one Box, Which one would you suggest and what components would you suggest i hook up first to it to start? Also which grounding cables would you suggest i start with as well? BTW let me know if someone owned a Tripoint box and decided to switch to another brand and why? I apologize if i'm all over the map here with questions, I'm not use to posting- thanks and look forward hearing your thoughts & opinions.
 

Mike Lavigne

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it's been a few years since i did this compare, but i found that the best effect was on sources, the preamp and dac, especially where i used the Thor grounding cable. i found that the Elite on sources and the Troy on my amps had a greater lift than the reverse.

i could hear benefits in other areas where i used the grounding cables but not as much as those places.

a few months back when i was moving things around to accommodate my Wadax i removed the grounding during compares to know what was causing things. at the end of my compares connecting the Thor to the Wadax was a clear lift. and from time to time the Thor could get bumped off the dac or pre (it's a heavy mother), and i do notice something is missing.

if i had more Thor or higher level Tripoint grounding cables then i might have other comments. i only have 2 Thors.
 
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matakana

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I would love to hear thoughts and opinions from Tripoint owners on this subject.When using Tripoint boxes where did you find the biggest improvements in your system? Did you find a bigger improvement on your Digital side or Analog side? Also has anyone tired them on very large mono amps like the Boulder, Gryphon, or D'Agostino Restless amps & if so please tell me your experience and thoughts. If i was to start with one Box, Which one would you suggest and what components would you suggest i hook up first to it to start? Also which grounding cables would you suggest i start with as well? BTW let me know if someone owned a Tripoint box and decided to switch to another brand and why? I apologize if i'm all over the map here with questions, I'm not use to posting- thanks and look forward hearing your thoughts & opinions.

defride

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Cellcbern said:
Has anyone tried one of the grounding boxes from Signal Ground Solutions? They appear to be the same design as Entreq but relatively inexpensive by comparison.
Have had an SGS1 signature in my system for the past few weeks, very impressed

The story began some years back when I had the opportunity to try a Tripoint Troy SE in my system. I was surprised at the fundamental difference it made, a level of distortion disappeared allowing the system to relax and present in a more natural, realistic manner. It was outside my budget but left an impression.

I dabbled with other systems over the years, Entreq and the like but didn't feel they offered more than tweaks to the sound.

My system has matured over the years and another opportunity arose to try the Troy SE last summer. Again it lifted the system, in particular on the digital side, taking digital from also ran compared to my analog chain to acceptable, enjoyable even. With the Troy in the system I was listening to more digital than I have for years. While outside budget for now I began to contemplate a purchase.

While researching I came across SGS. Modestly priced and at least one favourable comparison with a Tripoint system so I decided to give the 1 signature a try.

Initially, as per Tripoint, I tried chassis grounding, one cable to the dac. There was certainly a difference, greater resolution but perhaps the system seemed a little tipped up, slight emphasis on the higher frequencies but overall a small step in the right direction toward the analogue. This tallied with expectation, I mean it's a vastly less expensive than Tripoint.

There wasn't much to speak of chassis grounding the amp.

SGS were clear that different components react in different ways and it's always worth trying the chassis ground and then signal to see which has the greater effect. Signal ground next, dac first.

Wow, attaching the ground cable to a spare RCA output had an immediate impact. I would contend every bit as much of an effect as running a single ground cable from the dac to the Troy SE (as I remember and of course my system dependent).

Importantly digital now delivers and I now play CDs and stream for pleasure rather than just exploring or playing a disc I don't have on vinyl. The analog is still a step up, a more visceral experience but it benefits from grounding also just not to the same degree as the digital. Given the single connection I use it on the power supply for the phonostage. I notice a greater sense of a vocalists inflexion, more tuneful bass, a slightly more solid sense of presence and energy.

The SGS1 sig is toward the lower tier of their product portfolio, they claim that models further up the range, still modestly priced by comparison to the competition deliver more of the same. One of these days I expect I'll investigate further.

I popped over to UK Paul with the box a couple of weeks back, some of the results were very surprising. Attaching the the ground cable clip to the metal support for a tonearm had an audible effect, there was even a small audible click sound via the speakers as the connection was made.

Perhaps Paul will chime in with his thoughts.

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Audiocrack

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Although not a direct answer to your question please keep in mind that the Tripoint NG line is much, much better than the older Tripoint ‘ground boxes’. The differences for the better are huge when you combine the NG line with the top of the line Tripoint emperor grounding cables. I am employing the Tripoint Elite NG at the moment and it is a magical box.

All components in my set up benefit greatly from Tripoint grounding. My Tidal La Assoluta loudspeakers (with their dedicated grounding terminals) benefitted greatly but also the source components my Kondo preamp as well as Kondo poweramps. In short, I would suggest the following: try it out and you will undoubtedly be amazed how much better your audio system can sound.
 
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LL21

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Hi my2sons52,

We own both the Tripoint Troy SE (12 years old now) and 3 of the brand new Entreq Olympus Tungsten (2 Plutons and 1 Infinity T) with all of the associated Olympus cables. Having heard the original Entreq Silver Tellus in direct comparison with the Tripoint Troy SE and again the latest generation Olympus Tungsten generation, I have some observations...that is all they are, one person's experience.

1. Grounding Overall - Tripoint and Entreq
Both of these designs reduce noise, for lack of a better term 'grunge'. The best way to describe the effect is that listening at lower levels is entirely more understandable, clearer, and also more 'of a whole' where you can still feel an entire performance rather than what happens with a higher noise floor - which is that certain elements of the music remain while others fade as the volume goes to '1'

2. Tripoint
- Miguel its designer is super-passionate, obsessively so and his design's vocabulary is about purity, clarity, clarity and clarity.
- I have noted that the level of clarity particularly delivers string clarity, treble clarity, delineation
- You get a cleaned sense of sound without any kind of sterilization which sometimes comes from stripping harmonics in order to hone in on hearing a particular element of the sound super-clearly
- very very pure, crystalline

3. Entreq
- About purity in a different form - midrange depth, power and purity
- The ability to get a truer sense of dimensionality
- A remarkable (and I mean remarkable) sense of power, propulsion/snap in bass
- very very pure in color terms, air and FLOW...the sense of rhythm is tremendous on deep house

Those are my initial listening notes.
 

gshelley

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These are great comments and very helpful to those of us that have not added grounding devices yet. I wonder if anyone can add commentary and/or comparison to the CAD boxes?
 
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Audiocrack

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Hi my2sons52,

We own both the Tripoint Troy SE (12 years old now) and 3 of the brand new Entreq Olympus Tungsten (2 Plutons and 1 Infinity T) with all of the associated Olympus cables. Having heard the original Entreq Silver Tellus in direct comparison with the Tripoint Troy SE and again the latest generation Olympus Tungsten generation, I have some observations...that is all they are, one person's experience.

1. Grounding Overall - Tripoint and Entreq
Both of these designs reduce noise, for lack of a better term 'grunge'. The best way to describe the effect is that listening at lower levels is entirely more understandable, clearer, and also more 'of a whole' where you can still feel an entire performance rather than what happens with a higher noise floor - which is that certain elements of the music remain while others fade as the volume goes to '1'

2. Tripoint
- Miguel its designer is super-passionate, obsessively so and his design's vocabulary is about purity, clarity, clarity and clarity.
- I have noted that the level of clarity particularly delivers string clarity, treble clarity, delineation
- You get a cleaned sense of sound without any kind of sterilization which sometimes comes from stripping harmonics in order to hone in on hearing a particular element of the sound super-clearly
- very very pure, crystalline

3. Entreq
- About purity in a different form - midrange depth, power and purity
- The ability to get a truer sense of dimensionality
- A remarkable (and I mean remarkable) sense of power, propulsion/snap in bass
- very very pure in color terms, air and FLOW...the sense of rhythm is tremendous on deep house

Those are my initial listening notes.
Please allow me to add one comment to your interesting post, Lloyd: in my view speed is of the utmost importance to Miguel as a designer. In my view all his Tripoint devices (the ‘boxes’ as well as his cables) in particular get the speed / timing of the music right and - as a consequence ? - all other aspects that matters to us as music lovers / audiophiles.
 

LL21

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Hi Audiocrack...yes, I completely agree with your observation. He really does focus on that.
 

jerrybj

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I have a Signal Ground Solutions SG1 since March 2019.
Notes at the time:
"Smooth is one way of describing it. Can I call it organic?
At the very least, my system has lost its digital sound, with the grounding box moving it even further from that."

Have since bought a Silent Point Box One.
 
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Elliot G.

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www.bendingwaveusa.com
 

thastum

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Hi LL21
very intresting expiriences you are sharing regarding the grounding bokses in your system
could you tell us how you have combined the Troy and the Entreqs.
Also how much focus have you put into connecting the bokses to a outside groundrod as how low is the impedance to the earth it order to be good enough.
thanks
 

Cellcbern

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Hi my2sons52,

We own both the Tripoint Troy SE (12 years old now) and 3 of the brand new Entreq Olympus Tungsten (2 Plutons and 1 Infinity T) with all of the associated Olympus cables. Having heard the original Entreq Silver Tellus in direct comparison with the Tripoint Troy SE and again the latest generation Olympus Tungsten generation, I have some observations...that is all they are, one person's experience.

1. Grounding Overall - Tripoint and Entreq
Both of these designs reduce noise, for lack of a better term 'grunge'. The best way to describe the effect is that listening at lower levels is entirely more understandable, clearer, and also more 'of a whole' where you can still feel an entire performance rather than what happens with a higher noise floor - which is that certain elements of the music remain while others fade as the volume goes to '1'

2. Tripoint
- Miguel its designer is super-passionate, obsessively so and his design's vocabulary is about purity, clarity, clarity and clarity.
- I have noted that the level of clarity particularly delivers string clarity, treble clarity, delineation
- You get a cleaned sense of sound without any kind of sterilization which sometimes comes from stripping harmonics in order to hone in on hearing a particular element of the sound super-clearly
- very very pure, crystalline

3. Entreq
- About purity in a different form - midrange depth, power and purity
- The ability to get a truer sense of dimensionality
- A remarkable (and I mean remarkable) sense of power, propulsion/snap in bass
- very very pure in color terms, air and FLOW...the sense of rhythm is tremendous on deep house

Those are my initial listening notes.
Am I misunderstanding or are you comparing the latest Entreq devices with a 12 year old Tripoint box? Have you done any comparisons of Entreq with the current Tripoint offerings?
 
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Cellcbern

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These are great comments and very helpful to those of us that have not added grounding devices yet. I wonder if anyone can add commentary and/or comparison to the CAD boxes?
Many posters on this forum dismiss inexpensive solutions out of hand. But if you haven't tried grounding devices yet note that I am getting great results (comparable to what I've heard in others' systems using CAD, Nordost Qkore, and Entreq grounding boxes) with the much cheaper Puritan Audio Labs Groundmaster City devices and Russ Andrews ground cables. They are attached to unused rca plugs on my integrated amp and sacd player, and to chassis screws on my power conditioner and separate power supply for the sacd player. The result is a further reduction in electronic artifacts, increased clarity, and more natural sound overall - a big enough improvement that I will not bother with the more expensive grounding boxes. Note that with only two connections to each of two Groundmaster City devices I did not need the Routemaster.

See:


Note that Russ Andrews makes a similar device which is comparably priced and reviewed:


I suspect that if Puritan and Russ Andrews increased the price of these devices by 10x - 20x there might be interest in trying them among the Entreq cheerleading crowd.
 

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LL21

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Hi LL21
very intresting expiriences you are sharing regarding the grounding bokses in your system
could you tell us how you have combined the Troy and the Entreqs.
Also how much focus have you put into connecting the bokses to a outside groundrod as how low is the impedance to the earth it order to be good enough.
thanks
Hi Thastum,

First, the ground rod is not an option living in dense London…unless you want to dig a rod through the Fiber optic, sewer lines and possibly subway lines if you are just in that location!
So dedicated lines are the most bespoke other than the room…which is also not so easy on historically listed houses and the sheer cost. So the Torus and the grounding boxes work well.

the Tripoint is for chassis ground of the source and power conditioners as well as the source for the video.

the Entreq grounds the signal and amplification as well as the sub. Hope that makes sense.
 

Cellcbern

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I have a Signal Ground Solutions SG1 since March 2019.
Notes at the time:
"Smooth is one way of describing it. Can I call it organic?
At the very least, my system has lost its digital sound, with the grounding box moving it even further from that."

Have since bought a Silent Point Box One.
Did you happen to try the SG1 or the Silent Point on speakers? I was thinking of getting two SG1's and connecting one to each negative speaker terminal - an inexpensive approximation of a Tripoint Empress or Fono Acustica Compas.
 
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Cellcbern

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Hi my2sons52,

We own both the Tripoint Troy SE (12 years old now) and 3 of the brand new Entreq Olympus Tungsten (2 Plutons and 1 Infinity T) with all of the associated Olympus cables. Having heard the original Entreq Silver Tellus in direct comparison with the Tripoint Troy SE and again the latest generation Olympus Tungsten generation, I have some observations...that is all they are, one person's experience.

1. Grounding Overall - Tripoint and Entreq
Both of these designs reduce noise, for lack of a better term 'grunge'. The best way to describe the effect is that listening at lower levels is entirely more understandable, clearer, and also more 'of a whole' where you can still feel an entire performance rather than what happens with a higher noise floor - which is that certain elements of the music remain while others fade as the volume goes to '1'

2. Tripoint
- Miguel its designer is super-passionate, obsessively so and his design's vocabulary is about purity, clarity, clarity and clarity.
- I have noted that the level of clarity particularly delivers string clarity, treble clarity, delineation
- You get a cleaned sense of sound without any kind of sterilization which sometimes comes from stripping harmonics in order to hone in on hearing a particular element of the sound super-clearly
- very very pure, crystalline

3. Entreq
- About purity in a different form - midrange depth, power and purity
- The ability to get a truer sense of dimensionality
- A remarkable (and I mean remarkable) sense of power, propulsion/snap in bass
- very very pure in color terms, air and FLOW...the sense of rhythm is tremendous on deep house

Those are my initial listening notes.
FYI - Mike Lavigne, who also uses both Tripoint and Entreq commented on this forum:

"....so far i've not found a piece of gear including passive speakers (very slight) that does not get some lift from the Tripoint Troy Signature or Elite; the Entreq a more subtle effect that is not always audible (will every system get the same benefit?). and the cable used matters too. the Tripoint Thor or above being more effective"....
 
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Cellcbern

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Interesting that in the Mono and Stereo interview with Tripoint's Miguel Alvarez (link below) he say's the following:

".....Through thorough research, I was able to figure out that the key to music realism was the correct implementation use of magnetic propulsion.....".

Not sure what that means but it makes me wonder if Tripoint is using some sort of magnetic conduction (like High Fidelity Cables did) in addition to grounding, in their boxes.

 

SuperDave

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May 12, 2017
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As Mike mentioned, whenever a cable comes off, there is a noticeable difference, reduced dynamics and clarity with a less engaging sound. I'm using the Elite and have not heard the NG but have no doubt it offers more. I use all Thor SE and one Emperor cable to my pre. IME, the cable used makes a significant difference!

Dave
 
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thastum

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Feb 14, 2013
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Hi Mike Lavigne
Do you know If a Tripoint Troy s.e. or a Entreq will be the best to Ground the signal.
I already have one Troy s.e for chassis Ground and also want to move on with signal Ground.

Do you also attach the Troy/Entreq to a Earth Ground rod and If so How low does the impedance to this rod need to be.


Anyone tried the Gutwire signal Ground direct to a good ground rod without Troy/Entreq

Thanks for sharing.
 

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