Backup Generator transfer switch

I've been reading MF for decades. Wrote the guy a question back when he was at Stereophile, back in the days when you would fax. The man actually called me back, helped me choose my first turntable. He came up with the idea of using digital files to allow audiophiles to hear what some of these ultra-expensive cartridges sound like. The man is as far as I can tell first and foremost a serious listener and audiophile who loves vinyl.  

That said, the story as I know it is he made a good living as a surgeon but really loved audio and so as things evolved along he was able to transition to full-time reviewer/audiophile. Something I can totally relate to, believe you me! 

But life is messy, and complicated, and you'd have to be pretty low to knock a guy for being so determined to have great sound he is willing to do it in his basement- and then has the humility to show people around, put it on video, for the sole purpose of helping others with the same affliction find their way. Again, to knock a guy like that, what a total lowlife.

A manual switch will work. And all the power line and house wires are an antenna bringing EMI into the system. 

Man, that sounds so familiar. Could swear I have heard it all before somewhere. But, where? We only have one Director of Engineering around here. Who else could possibly have such advanced detailed knowledge of electricity and electrical circuits?

If all you do is add a transfer box, essentially nothing more than a box with some switches, one switch per circuit you want to be able to transfer, then no problem. That is what I did. When power cuts out I start up the generator, plug it in and use the transfer box switches to power the few circuits I want to keep running.  

This works great, no impact on SQ, but is manual and limited. The whole thing could be automated for a lot more money and still have no impact on SQ. 

But the reason for the lack of SQ impact is the whole thing is out of the circuit other than when in use. The minute you do anything that is in the circuit- ie connected- then it will degrade SQ no matter what. You might not hear it. From what I can tell a lot of people won't. Or you can imagine and exaggerate, like Fremer. 

Yes folks even Fremer can't get it right. One more example why of all the mountains of bull in audio none even comes close to the Himalayan Range of BS around AC.