Get an isolation transformer for your Digital!
Isolating digital and analog
I'm new to audio and have been surfing through the various excellent posts on this site hoping to learn from you all. I have an entry-level system (still to be fully hooked up) consisting of a Cambridge Azur 640C cd player, Parasound 2100/2250 pre-amp and amp - so I can integrate with my AV system - a soon-to-be purchased turntable, into older Mission speakers (with a hope of upgrading in future when my retirement income improves from the economic turmoil) and a subwoofer. I have a dedicated 15 amp power line and will be upgrading the outlets to Porter Ports or similar.
I need additional outlets - only have one duplex - so am thinking of a simple surge suppressor (such as IsoTek or Brick Wall) with some filtering. My first question is: Given my low budget what would you choose? My second question will, undoubtedly, get me a slap on the wrist: I know the turntable is analog and the cd player is digital; would the pre-amp be considered digital or analog when isolating? How about the amp and powered subwoofer?
Thanks.
I need additional outlets - only have one duplex - so am thinking of a simple surge suppressor (such as IsoTek or Brick Wall) with some filtering. My first question is: Given my low budget what would you choose? My second question will, undoubtedly, get me a slap on the wrist: I know the turntable is analog and the cd player is digital; would the pre-amp be considered digital or analog when isolating? How about the amp and powered subwoofer?
Thanks.
3 responses Add your response
For your digital, an entry level item that provides isolation and excellent surge protection is a Tripplite Isobar 4, and I can sell you 2 for $30 each & shipping from 98281(I moved up to the Isobar 8). I for your Cambridge & TT and the other for your preamp. If you are using the TT power off the Cambridge. ATB.Pete |
If you haven't already, please see the following thread for some good discussion and good references about separating ("isolating") the power runs to the different components. There are significant potential downsides, as well as potential upsides, to separating the power runs to different components within the same system. http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1228780109 I would say that the preamp, power amp, and powered subwoofer should be considered to be analog components, because even though they may contain digital circuitry their signal path from input to output is analog. The goal of separating the power runs, should you decide to do that, would be to prevent digital noise generated by digital components from contaminating the analog signal paths. That said, some people prefer to have separate dedicated runs to the power amplifier, because of its high current requirements. The same consideration would probably also apply to a powered subwoofer, due to its built-in power amplifier. Good luck! -- Al |
