Do the iec.Don't do the direct wire.#1,a neater job is possible,#2 you wouldn't be able to change power cords.That means if you hard wired one that wasn't to your liking;you're back to square 1.Once there is an iec;the choices are all yours/as in MANY. |
I'd be careful about adding a three-prong connection where the manufacturer used a two-prong. As a matter of fact, when the power cords of my Meitner MTR-101 monoblocks were damaged in transit (still don't know how), the manufacturer recommended using two-prong for a quieter background -- and it worked. It may be worth speaking to the manufacturer of your preamp or at least a knowledgeable technician who has worked on your model. Hope this helps. |
Tatelman is on the right track, but I'm getting ready to do the same thing, and here's some good advice I got: whether you do the IEC or direct-wire, use a SHIELDED 3-prong power cord, but don't attach the ground-wire (green wire) to anything within the device OR to the IEC plug. These shielded cables usually have the shield connected on the 3rd (grounding) prong of the plug, and will do the trick for shielding the power lines, which definitely improves the audio. Good luck! |
I forgot to mention this was advice for when your device originally only had 2 prongs for power. Of course, for 2 or 3 prong devices, you can experiment with attaching or not attaching the ground wire with the device, and see what differences there are. By the way, could I get some direction as to how to install an IEC port onto a chassis? I understand wiring, but the hardware end of things...I could use some help. Thanks! (email jtlusty@crosslink.net) |
John, in your first post, did you mean the green wire that comes with the IEC socket? I could understand not "grounding" a component that wasn't previously grounded. However, if you meant the green wire in the power cord itself, I'm a little confused. Since I'll be using an IEC, I will not be using a hard wired wire. Please clear up what you mean in both of your posts. It sounds like good advise, I just dont understand when you are talking about the wire within the component, or the wires as in the power cable |
JohnT: I believe a chassis punch for IEC's, and IEC's too, are available from Parts Express. Others here may know of alternative sources? G13: I'm thinking he meant to NOT connect the ground (usually green wire inside the component) to the IEC's ground prong. May or may not be a good idea sound-wise; definitely not recommended from a safety point-of-view. You could even experiment by installing a toggle switch on rear chassis-panel, to make or lift that ground connection. But then again, that too could affect sonics vs. a probably-better hardwire ground connection. |
IF the component has a 2 prong plug now, why would I want to connect a ground wire if I decide to add an IEC INPUT to the chassis? I'm no electician, but what I suspect would be ok is to connect the positive and negative to the IEC INPUT, dont connect the ground connector of the IEC input to anything, and use a regular power cord (one that has ground plug). If there's nothing in the chassis connected to ground, the ground line inside the power cord isnt doing anything, bad or good, right?? It would be just the same as using a high end power cord that only has 2 conductors and a shield, right? (besides the fact that there arent any of these) I suppose that I COULD ask my technician to ground it, but the way I see it, WHY??? EXPERTS, PLEASE COMMENT. |
I am having mine done by an expert. However, If I were to do th ecutting, I think a Dremel, or some similar hand held cutting tool that is really easy to handle, would be good. As in most of my do it yourself projects, it sounds cheap and easy in theory, until you have to buy a piece of machinery to make a $0.05 cut. Snoogans. |
There is a DIY article in Soundstage at www.sstage.com/maxdb/maxdb.htm I installed a male IEC in my DVD player using this article and I had no problems. I had a difficult time finding a quality male IEC. The female plugs are abundant but males arent. I ended up with a $2 plug from Michael Percy Audio. You can pick up the chassis nibbler at Radio Shack for about $10. Marc |
G13 your perception is correct ("IF the component has a 2 prong plug now - what I suspect would be ok is to connect the positive and negative to the IEC INPUT, dont connect the ground connector of the IEC input to anything"). With an upgrade/shielded AC cord, the grounding at the Plug-end would still shield your cord up to the IEC-end. No ground is REQUIRED inside the component, but it may or may not sound better grounded (probably not). It will definitely be SAFER grounded, though it wasn't built that way. I wouldn;t lose any sleep over it though; the probability of an internal component failure causing the chassis to become AC hot is extremely low. It could happen, but even so the ground of interconnects would take the lethal voltage to another component which may be grounded. |
