[kaitsuburi]

I wonder how useful these ferrite-core thingies you clamp onto cables actually are. I have three overclocked computers not too far away from my listening setup with FSB spread functions disabled (for overclocking stability purposes). I got a couple of those clamp on thingies but can't really evaluate if they help that much or not. Do you have any experience with those?

Also, I have a pretty long TOSLINK cable (2.2m) connecting my soundcard to my DENON mini system and I put a ferrite clamp on it just in case ~ is it absolutely pointless (I have a feeling it probably is).

TIA,

-kaitsuburi

 

[Alereon]

TOSLINK cables are not susceptible to interference for two reasons. First, they're optical, which means ElectroMagnetic Interference can have absolutely no effect. Second, they're digital, which means you either get signal or you don't, no in-between. A signal so noisy that the system can just BARELY distinguish the bits is going to be exactly the same as a totally clean signal.

Remember, a computer's case is a faraday cage that will prevent any significant EMI from extending outside the computer itself. I'm going to bet that you're not going to see any effect from clamping a ferrite core on your cables. You could do a quick test by plugging a cable with a ferrite core into the line-in on some audio equipment, amplifying a null signal by a boatload until you can hear audible noise, then take the ferrite core off. See if the noise changes character or gets louder. I bet it won't.

 

[kaitsuburi]

Thanks for the explanation! I tried what you suggested and there was no perceived difference

So what do you suggest I do with the ferrite clamps? Will there be any beneficial effect putting them on power cables? One of the clamps I actually borrowed from the AC adapter of my Sony MD portable (the thin cord from adapter -> portable was coiled 5-6 times within the clamp).

I am sorry for my complete ignorance

-kaitsuburi

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaitsuburi So what do you suggest I do with the ferrite clamps? Will there be any beneficial effect putting them on power cables? One of the clamps I actually borrowed from the AC adapter of my Sony MD portable (the thin cord from adapter -> portable was coiled 5-6 times within the clamp). -kaitsuburi

Don't be obliged to use them, they usually make things sound slightly worse unless you have a real problem with interference.