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Do better ingredients make a better Ground Wire?

We have all heard the slogan "Better ingredients better Pizza". If this is true with Pizza, how about applying this Principal to a DIY Ground wire I pondered. So I set off on a journey to find out if using better ingredients (wire) would make a better ground cable. My finding of course only apply to my system in my listening room using my ears (my wife and my Beagle dog don't count). But they heard the difference as well. To say this was a short trip is an understatement. To say that the two versions I made more than held there own is an even BIGGER understatement. One version uses solid core Silver wire. The other version uses a silver & Palladium mix. I made 4 of each kind, both versions terminated using a pure 8 awg copper spade. Do better ingredients make a better Ground wire. In my system, a very understated YES!!!
jejaudio
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,461 posts
 
Koestner, My equipment has both balanced and single ended input/output. The RCA Ground Controls are used on the RCA's.
jejaudio OP
110 posts
 
Just an update on my DIY Ground Control spades. I have replaced the solid silver DIY Ground Controls spades on both of my speakers with a pair of DIY Ground Control spades made with JPS Power AC In-Wall cables. This is a 10 awg cable used in home wiring to your electrical service panel. It is $18-$20 dollars a foot. I cut a 5" piece, stripped about 1" off both ends. Then twisted the stripped ends together. Then I put the two twisted ends into a Pure copper spade lug (no plating). There was a greater since of spaciousness with the music, but everything was more infocus. But what stood out to me was the noise floor was much lower now with all kinds of musical cues coming out in songs that I knew. Yes I heard them before with the Silver DIY Ground Controls. But now there is a more shimmer in brushes, male and female voice have more throatiness. All this with no edge or harshness, just a flowing ease with full dynamics. I still have the Silver-Palladium mix DIY Ground Controls on my poweramp. I have another set of DIY JPS AC In-Wall Ground Control that I will put on my amp in place of the DIY Silver-Palladium mix Ground Controls. But for now just by replacing the DIY Silver Ground Control spades on my speakers with the DIY JPS AC In-Wall Ground Control spades. There is a very very noticable step up in musical flow and sound across the board. So do better ingredients make a better Ground Wire, once again the answer is yes.
budp
55 posts
 
How did you fix the various combination's together. I have found it unusually important to have similar metals, even if there is a tin/lead solder in the connection. The best so far had been all copper with a tin coating and no lead anywhere.
jejaudio OP
110 posts
 
Hi, Bud. I have the DIY JPS AC In wall cable on both the negative post of both my speakers (spade connections). I also have the DIY JPS AC In wall cable on the negative post of the right and left channel of my power amp( spades). Now back to the speakers, I also have added the Silver-Palladium DIY Ground Control to both speakers negative post using a banana plug. Combining both the JPS wire with the Silver-Palladium wire give me the best of both cables. The JPS wire brings out background sounds betters. Brushes have more shimmer, and the sound stage is wider. The Silver-Palladium is very good with the mid range and has a very solid bottom end. So the sound stage is wider but still in focus. PRAT is very good. The DIY solid silver wire is not as good with the DIY JPS wire. I have even tried PCOCC copper and it seemed a little slow sounding at first listen, maybe needed more time to burn in. TEASER ALERT: I have been working (USING) on a DIY Control wire that can be used on the POSITIVE POSTS of your speakers and power amps. I guess I should have taken the RED pill instead of the BLUE one. (THE Matrix).
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