Pangea AC14XL removeable ground plug

I'd forgotten about this feature in a PS Audio AC5 power cable I have.  I haven't had to remove the ground prong so I'm afraid I can be of no help.

It is kind of the same thing though ... cheater plug or a power cord with a removable ground pin on the plug.  It is just that mentally how do I use a 49 cent cheater plug with an amp that costs thousands of dollars?

Not preaching.  I am no better.  I did the same with a Prima Luna amp and a PS Audio 3 cord.  It did its job.  

Keep in mind that not all components cooperate.  I had a Stanton turntable with a built in phono preamp and cheater plugs, power cords with removable pins, etc. could not get rid of the hum.  There was a hacker fix to bypass the phono preamp, but I did not want to do surgery.  I just lived with it.


Rich 

Using a cheater plug or removing the ground pin are both a safety hazards and should only be used to identify a ground loop problem.  Removing the safety ground should never be implemented as a solution. 

If your amp draws less than 6 amps and 720 watts of power, you can use an Ebtech HumX to safely eliminate the ground loop on the offending piece of equipment.  They cost less than $100

brf

Using a cheater plug or removing the ground pin are both a safety hazards and should only be used to identify a ground loop problem.  Removing the safety ground should never be implemented as a solution.

+1.  Removing a safety ground treats only the symptom of the problem, rather than addressing its root cause. With proper grounding methods - such as star grounding - there's no reason to limit safety in the interest of reducing noise or hum.

Thank you all for the feedback.  EBtech works for my other amp (a custom made integrated tube) but not perfect with this Passlabs X150 (still have a very low audiable noice).  The other equipments are Passlabs X2.5 preamp and an Audio Technica turntable with build in phono amp, speakers are B&W 805, interconnects are Kimber Kable Silver Steak RCA and KCAG XLR, speaker cable is Kimber Kable 8TC; amp power cords were Cardas now replaced by Pangea (kept the ground pin to preamp) and Audio Prism power foundation.  Yeah, there is really no difference removing the ground pin or using a cheater plug, it’s an ego thing:-).  I used to use Proceed processor and Passlabs X250+X3 for B&W 802, 805 and HTM1, same hum, and started using cheater plugs for many years (followed Passlabs supoport advice, didn’t check all the equipments).

My tube amp is only connected to an Audioengine B1 Bluetooth adapter and B&W CM1 for bed time listening from iPad; Cardas power cord, no hum with EBtech.

There are only two other powered equipments so it would be easy to check if any one or both of them contributing to the hum.

Appreciate all your inputs and help.

Regards

PS:  has anybody connected powered subwoofer to your 2 channel system?  I have a B&W PV1D active subwoofer sitting there doing nothing.  I sold all the multi-channel gears a few years ago, returned to near field 2 channel but kept this brand new subwoofer thinking maybe I will miss the low end base from the 802 I sold and use it to augment the 805.  I recently started to listening more classic rock and was wondering how it would sound if I added that subwoofer.

Possible bingo ... are you using the AT TT's built in pre-amp?  That can be the source of the hum.  Are you using the built-in or outboard pre-amp?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NT67ii04uQ

Rich 

I would really like to learn WHO at Pass suggested you use a cheater plug. They are not safe.

If they were safe, every amp would have a ground lift switch for the power cord.

Oddly enough, Parasound puts a ground lift switch on their Halo amps.  When I had the A21, I never had to use it.  I used to get a very slight hum coming from the amp occasionally, and I chalked it up to flourescent light fixtures that were on the same circuit.  

When I upgraded those fixtures with new ballasts, the noise went away.

In my Cary manual under trouble shooting it states:

Symptom: Hum or “Buzzing” in speakers
Remedy:  Install 2-pin adapter on AC cord to float the ground

Not the best advice. 

Oddly enough, Parasound puts a ground lift switch on their Halo amps.  

These ground lift switches typically just isolate the signal input ground from the chassis ground. 

Tried the following methods this weekend

1. Disconnect the turntable and preamp individually and both
2. Disconnect all other electric items in the room (a light and a small frig), also disconnect all electric items from the room next door and the bathroom nearby (only a night stand light, alarm clock and a LED night light).  I also replaced the ceiling fixture lightbulb with LED.
3. Tried EBtech on preamp and turntable

well, none did any difference, I guess I will continue to live with no ground pin.  I like this Pangea AC14XL cable, the grip is tight, the cable is bendable and I don’t hear sound quality loss from the Cardas it replaced and a lot cheaper than Cardas.  Don’t mean to imply this cable is equal or better than Cardas, just I can’t hear difference in my system with the type of music I tested so far.

thank you all for your suggestion and feedback.

regards

Did you try the Ebtech on the power amp?