TNTaudio Powercord

Someone direct my attention to this TNT audio article freely available in the net since 1998. First of all what is the merit of this power cord design? Secondly, how easy is it to built one of this?

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/mains_e.html

 

...I would concentrate on the warnings given first in regard to working with mains electricity. I would also check out any parts quoted for the build of such products as I have seen DIY build sheets on TNT before that list specific parts available from Maplin, parts which are now discontinued because of not meeting suitable fit for purpose criteria.

 

Although I can imagine that this design could sound better than a standard mains cable due to its screening, I feel dubious about it for the following reasons:

1. Safety - I wouldn't trust the total cross-sectional area of the braids to cope with any fault condition currents without self destructing.

2. CSA of coax centre conductors is also modest compared to even 5A mains cable, rendering it unsuitable for anything except low power source components.

3. Coax cables are not as flexible as normal mains cables and the dielectric and braid could be damaged if handled as roughly as mains cables often are.

Check out The Missing Link DIY section
http://www.the-missing-link.net/prod03.htm

You can buy the all ingredients to make DIY versions of their commercial mains cables for about half the price of ready made cables. I speak only as a satisfied customer who has made DIY versions of their 'Orbit' and 'Opus' cables. Replacing my amp's kettle lead with the 'Orbit' is the most cost effective upgrade to my system to date.

 

I've had a TNT TTS running in my system for nearly three years without fault. The Merlino is a no brainer ....no construction other than attaching the plugs.

As to there effctiveness yes I can tell the difference ...greated dynamics and wider sound stage actually no sound stage the sound comes from six foot beyond each speaker and is completely seemless.

I used a shielded CY cable and a double screened mains cable of 20-30 amps in the construction. Its well worth the effort if you live in an area of feeble mains quality.

Oh yes and how can 2m of cable make a difference to the 100km the powers traveled ? well the answer is ............in my view these cables act as a filter against the grunge, peaks and dropouts. This is not the standard view of many, but its my experience of using them.

 

I tried this, and it is effective. But i wouldnt use it long term as i feel it isnt perhaps 100% safe. How can it make a difference - well a lot of power cables used prior to your home are very different in structure to simple 3 core. The major difference is shielding of individual cores and its effect on the magnetic field i believe, personally i have some theories about how this might be improved upon but i dont have the means or the ultimate interest to test it. The structure of this cable is very similar to synergistic research cables, but im not sure what they use internally. There are some others that appear very similar to the structure found on the website if you look.

 

Words like self destructing and not 100% safe are not something I would like to test out.

Are these copy of Synergistic research cables you mentioned? Found a thread here that 7V has tried them back in Oct 2004.

http://www.audiocablesrus.com/powercords.html

 

I agree with Zanash 100%.
I must have made over a dozen TNT Merlino and TNT TTS cables.




For details, parts, sources, links, more photos and review visit
http://www.davewhitter.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tnt_tts_mains_cable_has_been_aro.htm
http://www.davewhitter.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/mains_power_leads_on_test.htm

Note that for Merlino, CY cable or better is required and not the similar looking SY.
Also see my threads here in the DIY section.

 

Nice pics !

I've used tecflex to cover the TTS so looks huge in comparison.

 

These look cool. I think a trip to Maplin this weekend if the lady has no plans for me.

 

Maplins don't do the right cable .....look to RS for there double screened 20 and 30 amp stuff. If your unable to get any contact me.

 

How important are those ferrites clamps? Notice my computer toys have these built along their mains cable but none on standard issue powercords for the hifi toys. I found two ferrites clamps in my cupboard which was given to me for free some time ago. Clamp one to amp standard 'kettle' powercord. Not sure if there is any immeadiate audible difference. Hmmm..... By the way, how do you know when you need them?

Look like of of these http://www.ferrishield.com/html/home.html

 

Audusa-Eupen mains cable has ferrite powder is mixed with a polymer material all along its length that absorbs electromagnetic & radio frequency interference. Ferrite rings recommended for use with TNT Merlino and TTS mains cables do the same.

Ferromagnetic material will go through hysteresis loops whenever it is under the influence of an alternating magnetic field. Consequently magnetising and demagnetising the material will cause considerable losses of high frequency energy. This energy is absorbed in the ferrite grains and converted to heat.

RS Components website has a few .pdf files with attenuation graphs and other data that show the effect of ferrite sleeves used in different ways.

I don't have suitable measuring instruments totest them. But since they are so inexpensive that I fit them on both ends of mains cables.
But not on I/Cs or speaker cables.

I don't think I will bother to fit ferrites on the cable for Belkin PureAV Isolator Surge Protector since it has plenty of filters after the cable.

 

Wolfgang,

If you can find a co-ax cable that'll handle mains voltages the advantages are real, and tangible! Connected to a CD player or pre-amp you'll hear better bass and a more detailed sound. But DO NOT try to use ordinary interconnect to build a mains cable. The dielectric will not be rated for this job and could end up in smoke!

Y.

 

Hi,

Well, even using CT-125, which should not be used (but I do of course) because of the solid center conductor the two screens easily passed the test on a standard PAT Meter, in other words they can carry enough fault current, easily more than 1.5mm square mains flex at any account.

If you use RG-214/Mil which is also used in a commercial and very expensive US Made mains cable you will have 6mm square CCA for the screens.

The center conductor in CT-125 is 1.25mm diameter. Typhical in-wall Mains cable (Twin & earth) rated for 13A+ is 1mm diameter, the CT-125 Center conductor is fine for carrying up to 22A. If you use RG214/MIL you have conductors rated at > 40A....

That I readily agree with, but I would hope a very stiff and specialist mains cable supplying thousands of worth of equipment will not be handeled that roughly. I have been using Cables like the ones described in TNT since around 1997, even the oldest which have been around since then still pass PAT Testing.

They admit that mains cable inductance is a real and substantial problem (if for reasons other than they state), yet their mains cables do nothing in terms of geometrical arrangement to minimise it. Funny.

But I agree, my Article in TNT was intended for those who know what they are doing and can accept a not UL & CE rated mains cable that not easy to handle and are mostly interested in optiomising performance and that at modest cost(CT-125 sells at £ 1/m or less so the UBYTE-M/CT-125 weigs in at around £ 2 per meter and the cost for a good IEC and BS Plug.)

Ciao T

 

Hi,

Well, the merits are that the cable is electrically build in a fasion to provide the kind of electrical parameters that optimise performance. To go further would require a great deal of electronic theory.

A simple aside, I have found (and this has been repeatedly confirmed by others) that a good predictor of how mains cables will impact on the sound is their sound when employed as speaker cables and that it appears inductance almost totally dominates what happens in mains cables.

As for difficulty, if you can work with solid core mains cable sensibly and you do not have two left hands, all thumbs and you can apply a modicum of common sense things should be easy enough. If you are the kind of guy who accidentally tears a wall dwon while attempting to hang a picture you might want to consider commercial cables.

Lastly, the cables I presented at TNT are not approved by the VDE or UL or CE approved. You use them at your own risk. However, since publishing the article non of the cables I have made failed, burned down houses or electrocuted people, in fact they all still pass PAT Testing.

And yes, Synergistic Research AC Master Coupler (or whatever they call it) is a pair of RG-214/Mil cables configured as I have been showing.

Ciao T

 

An unsafe assumption to make (tho' I'll refrain from using the word dangerous).

The current capability of a wire is indeed determined by cross-section. However with regard to safety the dielectric strength of the insulation at continuous voltage is of greater concern.

CT-125 was never designed for continuous use at 230VAC – in fact nothing even remotely approaching this – so I would be very cautious for using it at mains voltage / current. What for instance what is the rated breakdown voltage of the dielectric and how does this compare to 1mm PVC?

'nuff said!

 

Hi,

The insulation has no official brakdown rating, but it is Aircell Polyethylene with overall around 2mm accumlated thickness in PE. As PE is actually a considerably better HV capable insulator it will withstand 230V fine. Some large size aerial cable with solid PE insulation of similar thickness has ratings in the KV range. Also note the cable is eclosed in the shield which is connected to earth and thus even IF there was a breakdown of insulation it would be within the cable, not to an outside user. The sheating is around 0.6mm PVC BTW.

So, while not rated at mains voltage use by any official body, the insulation is very capable of withstanding mains voltage and much more.

As for RG-214/MIL, it's insulation rating is 3KV IIRC.

Ciao T

 

All good on paper T and much the same conclusions I would reach with regard to suitability at mains voltage.

The point is mains voltages and current are potentially lethal meaning calculated risk – how ever well informed – is best avoided. Far better to base a design for a hi-fi mains cable on cable that has been tested and approved by an appropriate body for use at or above 230VAC.

If this sounds like I'm being an overly cautious 'knocker' then I'd point out I've also built hi-fi mains cables using non-rated mains cable. The difference being I wouldn't consider publishing details for the consumption of others – the risks taken remain entirely my own. Unless of course the design was based on suitably approved cable.

There's a certain onus of responsibility for safety - and printing a disclaimer really isn't enough.