Do you float the ground on any components?

doctorcilantro
doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
edited August 2010 in Electronics
Definition - Lifting the ground on at least one side of a power cable (not interconnects) with either a cheater plug, modifying a power cord, or removable ground pin (e.g. PS Audio).

I'll post my findings.

I had a 4th option but not sure why "No" didn't show up, oh well.
For Sale 2019:
Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
Decware EL34 amp
Allnic H-1201 phono
Zu Union Cubes
iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

Post edited by doctorcilantro on
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  • Pycroft
    Pycroft Posts: 1,961
    edited July 2010
    Can you explain what this means?

    I have a stupid plug to make a 3 prong into a 2 prong to avoid the ground buzz. Not sure if that's what you are asking.

    James
    2 Channel/HT:
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    Sony SS-M1CN Center Channel
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  • doctorcilantro
    doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
    edited July 2010
    Pycroft wrote: »
    Can you explain what this means?

    I have a stupid plug to make a 3 prong into a 2 prong to avoid the ground buzz. Not sure if that's what you are asking.

    James


    You got it. Thanks, edited for clarity.
    For Sale 2019:
    Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
    Decware EL34 amp
    Allnic H-1201 phono
    Zu Union Cubes
    iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2010
    I have in the past, fortunately none of my current gear necessitates it.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • kuntasensei
    kuntasensei Posts: 3,263
    edited July 2010
    My Samson 1000 that powers my SVS and Buttkicker gets a 60 cycle hum unless I use a cheater plug. Tried swapping around sockets, running extension to another circuit, etc. Ended up just leaving the damn cheater plug and not worrying about it. :)
    Equipment list:
    Onkyo TX-NR3010 9.2 AVR
    Emotiva XPA-3 amp
    Polk RTi70 mains, CSi40 center, RTi38 surrounds, RTi28 rears and heights
    SVS 20-39CS+ subwoofer powered by Crown XLS1500
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
    DarbeeVision DVP5000 video processor
    Epson 8500UB 1080p projector
    Elite Screens Sable 120" CineWhite screen
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,995
    edited July 2010
    I found a power conditioner gives better results..
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited July 2010
    Had the 60hz hum before, instead of utilizing a cheater plug I tried a different outlet. No luck so I ran it to a power conditioner, sure enough the hum went away though the power conditioner was not hooked up to either outlets that I used for said-component. Could've been the wiring at my last old apartment.

    So my vote would be 'No'

    -Freddy
    Truck setup
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    heiney9 wrote: »
    Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec.
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  • doctorcilantro
    doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
    edited July 2010
    I use an Exactpower EP15 regenerator. I have heard great things about Majik Buss; maybe I will try one.
    For Sale 2019:
    Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
    Decware EL34 amp
    Allnic H-1201 phono
    Zu Union Cubes
    iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited July 2010
    Yes I use one with my pre amp as the ground plug was giving me more buzz than a bee in a bush.
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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited July 2010
    As much as I hate to admit it, I float the ground on my pre-amp. I live in an old building with amazingly crappy power. I am just happy it's the only component I have to use an adapter on. Good clean power is something I have yet to experience.
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
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  • JPSmario
    JPSmario Posts: 142
    edited July 2010
    The only components I have ground lifted are those with no grounding conductor in the power cord. the TT has it's own ground, of course. Happily, no intrusive noise comes through, thinking the power conditioner has a lot to do with the quiet, right? or I could be lucky with the building power?
    Dual 1229/Grado Gold/Rotel RCD1070/RC995/RB980BX/Pioneer 7100/Denon DRM710/Monster HTS3600MKII/PolkAudio SDA2B/TL's
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited July 2010
    Nope, and no problems.
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • richamor
    richamor Posts: 16
    edited July 2010
    TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »
    I found a power conditioner gives better results..

    What he said. And the audio room has a dedicated ground rod and dedicated circuits.
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited July 2010
    Since there is no no, I'm still a no. I run all my gear through a Richard Gray Pole Pig and S600. It is dead quiet even if I run the pre up to 75% Even before the power conditioning, everything plugged into the wall was almost as quiet unless I was using the laptop. It seems the laptop (wireless) had some RF that could be heard through the speakers.

    Gordon
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  • doctorcilantro
    doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
    edited August 2010
    I just floated all grounds and left the EP-15 regenerator grounded, and my noise floor dropped SIGNIFICANTLY, dead quiet except a tiny bit of tube rush at 6"?

    . I'm going to add the ground back one at a time, and see what happens.
    For Sale 2019:
    Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
    Decware EL34 amp
    Allnic H-1201 phono
    Zu Union Cubes
    iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,931
    edited August 2010
    Most of my equipment is two-wire (and non-polarized, to boot).
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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited August 2010
    Living in apartments has it's drawbacks. All the A/C and refrigerators in the building running at peak down hear in the south just kills us with regard to decent power. My lines are just noisy as hell.
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
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  • doctorcilantro
    doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
    edited August 2010
    Yeah, I wonder if it is the power at this complex. I see the line dip to 112 sometimes too.
    For Sale 2019:
    Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
    Decware EL34 amp
    Allnic H-1201 phono
    Zu Union Cubes
    iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited August 2010
    doctorcilantro wrote: »
    Yeah, I wonder if it is the power at this complex. I see the line dip to 112 sometimes too.

    If I actually knew what my line voltage was, I probably wouldn't turn my gear on. :o

    I have an APC pro-grade line conditioner (salvaged from an abandoned server rack) that helps me sleep at night.
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
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  • jakeshields
    jakeshields Posts: 4
    edited August 2010
    I have a Belkin PF60 surge suppressor and even though according to the marketing literature it should remove ground loop hum, it doesn't with my D-Sonic amp. So I have to use the cheater plug to lift the ground on the amp.

    As I understand the Belkin PF60 has a common ground device anyway so it should be fine.
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