Power Tx Myth?

M Gregg · 26th August 2010, 07:29 PM

Hi,

I read that if you reverse your mains connections on a power Tx primary it changes the sound of CD players amps etc!

I have tried this and it gives a very slight change in the sound!

In the UK the mains supply has a live and neutral + earth. The neutral is at a very close potential to earth! So this is a possible thought!

The mains transformer has a start and end of the winding, so if you connect the live to the start of the winding as the coil comes to the end you have a shield of neutral connected windings at the end of the coil (shielding the live supply). If you connect the other way around you have the live on the outside of the winding! Ok torroids are self screening?

Is this the same in other countries?

Regards
M. Gregg

bigwill · 26th August 2010, 07:46 PM

Do not do this. There will be no audible difference. You're only opening up the possibility of danger and damage to equipment when messing with these connections.

Put them back as they were originally.

M Gregg · 26th August 2010, 07:50 PM

Some CD players have a figure of 8 plug and you can cannect either way! There is no designated way to connect a mains primary! When we do DIY we can choose which way we connect! We are talking at the primary connection not the mains plug!

Regards
M. Gregg

M Gregg · 08:02 PM

Do you agree that we want to shield mains Tx. The sound difference is very slight, however with valve systems anything that helps shield should be of help! I am refering to standard transformers here! If the Tx has designated connections then go with Those shown!

Regards
M. Gregg

Andrew Eckhardt · 26th August 2010, 08:03 PM

You'll never be able to tell which way it's plugged in unless you already know or someone tells you. Forget about it.

DF96 · 26th August 2010, 08:11 PM

This could be caused by interwinding capacitance and a poorly filtered power supply allowing high frequency noise from the mains to get through to supply rails. The solution is an interwinding electrostatic screen, and better power supplies. As the winding polarity is presumably random between different equipment, some people would find that making this change would make the sound worse rather than better.

Or it could just be the placebo effect. My bet is that it is the placebo effect.

aardvarkash10 · 26th August 2010, 08:50 PM

What part of "sinusoidal alternating current" is confusing to you OP?

aardvarkash10 · 26th August 2010, 08:53 PM

gosh - my bad! I just reversed the wiring on my desk lamp and its brighter - somehow the light moved more to the edges an dmore clearly defines stuff on my desk! Also, the room seems slightly bigger, and I swear teh colour has somehow become deeper.

I'm gonna try it on the washing machine - I've heard my clothes will come out cleaner...

percival007 · 26th August 2010, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aardvarkash10

..................I'm gonna try it on the washing machine - I've heard my clothes will come out cleaner...

Surely they will come out more dirty if the mains is reversed?

danFrank · 26th August 2010, 09:01 PM

I get home from work at 5:30pm. If I turn on my stereo before 6pm it sounds better! Really!
Man , my ears are really screwed when there is unusually heavy traffic and I am late getting home!
I think it has something to do with day electricity rates vs. night rates...

26th August 2010, 07:29 PM	#1
M Gregg diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: UK	Power Tx Myth? Hi, I read that if you reverse your mains connections on a power Tx primary it changes the sound of CD players amps etc! I have tried this and it gives a very slight change in the sound! In the UK the mains supply has a live and neutral + earth. The neutral is at a very close potential to earth! So this is a possible thought! The mains transformer has a start and end of the winding, so if you connect the live to the start of the winding as the coil comes to the end you have a shield of neutral connected windings at the end of the coil (shielding the live supply). If you connect the other way around you have the live on the outside of the winding! Ok torroids are self screening? Is this the same in other countries? Regards M. Gregg

26th August 2010, 07:53 PM	#4
M Gregg diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: UK	Do you agree that we want to shield mains Tx. The sound difference is very slight, however with valve systems anything that helps shield should be of help! I am refering to standard transformers here! If the Tx has designated connections then go with Those shown! Regards M. Gregg Last edited by M Gregg; 26th August 2010 at 08:02 PM.

26th August 2010, 08:50 PM	#7
aardvarkash10 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Auckland, NZ	What part of "sinusoidal alternating current" is confusing to you OP? __________________ Yes, conservatism thrives on low intelligence and poor information. But the liberals in politics... continue to back off, yielding to the supremacy of the stupid. It's turkeys all the way down. - George Monbiot, guardian.co.uk, 6 Feb 2012

26th August 2010, 08:53 PM	#8
aardvarkash10 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Auckland, NZ	gosh - my bad! I just reversed the wiring on my desk lamp and its brighter - somehow the light moved more to the edges an dmore clearly defines stuff on my desk! Also, the room seems slightly bigger, and I swear teh colour has somehow become deeper. I'm gonna try it on the washing machine - I've heard my clothes will come out cleaner... __________________ Yes, conservatism thrives on low intelligence and poor information. But the liberals in politics... continue to back off, yielding to the supremacy of the stupid. It's turkeys all the way down. - George Monbiot, guardian.co.uk, 6 Feb 2012

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26th August 2010, 07:46 PM	#2
bigwill diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UK	Do not do this. There will be no audible difference. You're only opening up the possibility of danger and damage to equipment when messing with these connections. Put them back as they were originally.

26th August 2010, 07:50 PM	#3
M Gregg diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: UK	Some CD players have a figure of 8 plug and you can cannect either way! There is no designated way to connect a mains primary! When we do DIY we can choose which way we connect! We are talking at the primary connection not the mains plug! Regards M. Gregg

26th August 2010, 08:03 PM	#5
Andrew Eckhardt diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: PA	You'll never be able to tell which way it's plugged in unless you already know or someone tells you. Forget about it.

26th August 2010, 08:11 PM	#6
DF96 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007	This could be caused by interwinding capacitance and a poorly filtered power supply allowing high frequency noise from the mains to get through to supply rails. The solution is an interwinding electrostatic screen, and better power supplies. As the winding polarity is presumably random between different equipment, some people would find that making this change would make the sound worse rather than better. Or it could just be the placebo effect. My bet is that it is the placebo effect.

26th August 2010, 09:01 PM	#10
danFrank diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: California	I get home from work at 5:30pm. If I turn on my stereo before 6pm it sounds better! Really! Man , my ears are really screwed when there is unusually heavy traffic and I am late getting home! I think it has something to do with day electricity rates vs. night rates...

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