On 18 Oct 2004 09:10:33 GMT, ohawker (Andy
Evans) wrote:

Then I wired my whole system through a monster variac which I have (25
amps). Obviously an effective mains cleaner.

No, it has no effect at all (SP)

Now this is where you constantly get into real trouble, Stewart. You are not
present when members of this newsgroup tweak their systems, you are not
listening so you can't possibly hear anything or comment factually, yet you
persist in telling people what they are hearing. Frankly, it's bizarro stuff.

Nope, I'm simply pointing out that a Variac doesn't clean the mains.
What you *really* did to your system may be something entirely
different, which may indeed have had an audible effect. Did you
conveniently ignore my later comments re hum?

That's what a Variac is *for*, it varies AC - Variac, geddit? (SP)
Stewart, you ar not the only person on this ng who knows what a Variac is

Probably true, but not including you. You apparently did not know that
it's not an isolation transformer, and certainly does not 'clean' the
mains.

An isolation transformer is an *entirely* different beast,
An isolation transformer is a toroid with 230v in and 230v out, unless my
electronics catalogues are lying. You may be talking about balanced power lines
here?

BTW, sounds like you may have a hum problem in your system, 50Hz as
opposed to PSU ripple.

Now this is constructive. I've been reading about this on DIY audio, including
how to use probes since in some countries neutral is referenced to earth. I
really know very little about this, since cleaning mains supplies is completely
new to me.

It's a complex subject, involving (shock, horror!) measurements.
Luckily, they're easy to do if you have a even the most basic 'scope.
Me, I use fully isolated supplies and a technical earth. For the
uninitiated, that's a feckin' great copper spike driven into the earth
below my listening room, rather than whatever ****e (technical term)
East Midlands Electricity deigns to call 'earth'.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering