[STR-1]

I have a headphone-based system comprising a Chord Dave, HIFIMAN HE1000 and Astell & Kern AK380, and I am still using stock cables with everything. I am just starting to check out some mains improvement options and currently have on loan a PS Audio P3 regenerator and an AudioQuest NRG-10 mains cable. The P3 is showing some benefit (not massive) but I am still to be convinced that the changes the NRG-10 is bringing represents a net improvement. I will run with both products a bit longer, and I will look at some other mains cables, but my question is: can I hope to get a net gain in sound quality by using a very cheap ferrite bead/choke/block with the Dave mains cable? Are there any general rules of thumb with these products in terms of what they can bring by way of improvement, and I guess also what they can lose you? Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[neverdien]

Based on my understanding of electronics, ferrite beads just help filter out "high frequency" signal coming from your power outlet (by increasing the inductive value L, you can search ohm's law and impedance calculation for more information), so they would be no uses because you already have a dedicated power conditioner.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

You can get some that snap on and off, so you can experiment pretty quickly and easily. I found I liked the Kimber USB cable better without them, but for power it's hard to imagine much if any detriment. They're typically used on cables to eliminate noise/interference. Sometimes you see audio cable manufacturers have offerings with ferrite (like PS Audio's power cables several years ago) or the older Cardas Quadlink, As neverdien said, if you already have clean power, probably not worth worrying about.   

 

[Speedskater]

Yes ferrites can reduce high frequency interference entering or exiting a unit. With high frequency being about 100 kHz and up.
 
This is a Jim Brown paper on using ferrites in audio system.  Just skip the math parts.
 
'Understanding How Ferrites Can Prevent and Eliminate RF Interference to Audio Systems'
http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/SAC0305Ferrites.pdf
 
About 50 more Jim Brown papers on noise & interference.
http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/publish.htm

 

[STR-1]

Yes ferrites can reduce high frequency interference entering or exiting a unit. With high frequency being about 100 kHz and up.

This is a Jim Brown paper on using ferrites in audio system.  Just skip the math parts.

'Understanding How Ferrites Can Prevent and Eliminate RF Interference to Audio Systems'
http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/SAC0305Ferrites.pdf

About 50 more Jim Brown papers on noise & interference.
http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/publish.htm

Thank for this. It looks interesting. I won't understand the maths but will read it properly when I've got a few minutes. Their very cheap to buy so I'll get a few and experiment. Cheers

 

[STR-1]

Thanks all for your comments. I'll probably return the regenerator and power cables I've been trying. The regenerator just doesn't make a big enough difference (when I can hear any difference) to justify its price, and neither of the two cables I've tried have introduced a wholly beneficial change. Cheers