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Lowering the noise floor

I am coming to the conclusion that success in home audio reproduction is largely about lowering the noise floor. There are so many different types of “noise”, from so many different sources, that we only really “hear” by their absence.

Those components, cables, accessories and tweaks that SUCCEED at lowering the noise floor, can, and do, dramatically increase sound quality. Sometimes the type of “noise” dealt with is controversial, or not (yet) widely recognized as being a problem. Sometimes the explanation of how a product works is dubious. Sometimes the way it is marketed reeks of “snake oil”. Sometimes the reviews singing its praises go over the top. While these things will certainly put off some prospective purchasers, they do not negate the audible results that are there for anyone open to hearing them.
tommylion

Showing 2 responses by randy-11

randy-11
1,913 posts
 
I have come to the conclusion that success in home audio reproduction is largely about speakers & room treatments.

Lowering the noise floor (EMF noise) can be very useful for digital audio - the most critical issue is to ensure galvanic isolation.

An isolation transformer for the whole thing is usually a good idea.  Dedicated lines are costly unless you are doing new construction anyway.
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
also, look at the parts of the chain that are most susceptible to noise causing SQ decrements

electrical noise isn't just something you hear on super quiet passages, it can also reduce spatial and transient aspects of sound reproduction

- whether it is doing that in your system is hard to determine - a star-quad style DC power cable is cheap ($10 to $50, DIY vs. bought); an LPS can cost a lot more but might be worthwhile

eliminating ground loops and providing galv. isolation may cost up to $100

wasting huge amounts of money on snake oil AC power cords when you SHOULD get an isolation transformer for $300 to $700 is idiocy
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