ASR Active mainscable

[Jarno]

Hello all,

Does anybody know more about the active mains cable made by the German manufacturer ASR?
The description sounds interesting, it's more than just a filter for mains "noise". They claim that there's also active components inside.
Does anybody have a clue as to what circuit could be inside?

Greetings,

Jarno.

[MikeB]

According to their site, it's a shielded cable, and the box contains
a DC-Filter and HF-suppresion.

http://www.asraudio.de/technik/asr_t_nk.html

Mike

[Jarno]

Hello Mike,

Yes, I've read all the articles on this cable so I know that there's a DC block and HF suppression in the box. The HF suppression could be a rather straightforward affair with some caps and inductance, oversized as well because it's rated at 2000VA. Now for the DC blocking stuff, how is this implemented? They say that there are active components inside, could they use these for the blocking of DC?
Does anybody have a possible schematic of this circuit?

Regards,

Jarno.

[Stocker]

capacitors block DC eh?

maybe a capacitance multiplier, with a moderately sized cap. and a decent HV transistor...?

[Eva]

Are diodes or transils/trisils considered active components?

Most DC blocking circuits include these components to clamp the voltage drop across the blocking capacitor and prevent its destruction in case of overload

In the other hand, if 1 meter of shielded wire with two plastic-molded connectors, a 2KW EMI filter and a 2KW DC filter costs more than 30 euro then it's pure snake oil...

Also, this box is by far too small to have enough room for a decent 2KW EMI filter including common-mode filtering and differential-mode filtering, and a 2KW DC filter, so everything may be just a fairy tale

[audio-kraut]

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...s-12-2004.html

Something to consider

[Stocker]

Originally posted by audio-kraut
Something to consider [/B]

Indeed.

[Jarno]

That's a very interesting article indeed. I don't believe in the audible superiority of expensive mains cables either, but I do believe that you can equip mains cables with extra functionality such as the suppression of mains borne nasties.
This is why I was wondering if somebody's got a clue as to what could be inside the box.

[ThorstenL]

Konnichiwa,

Originally posted by Jarno
Now for the DC blocking stuff, how is this implemented? They say that there are active components inside, could they use these for the blocking of DC?

Typhically the DC blocker circuit is a pair of Electrolytic Capacitors of large value (but fairly low voltage, ripple current must be high though) back to back with some form of protection diodes (most often found are simple bridge blocks with shorted +/- connections, AC connections across the capacitors.

BTW, in my view such DC protection is required for all torroidal transformers. The noise filter is also a good idea with these, as their superb HF coupling means any high frequency junk riding on the mains rides straight through the transformer.

So, ASR's "active" mainscable actually compensates for basic design flaws in the equipment, sadly design flaws that apply to 99.9% of all audio gear.

Sayonara

[lohk]

I just fount that on a www.audiomap.de forum

A circuit like this seems to be build in in any Bryston amp...
Interestingly on the neutral side...