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Why use ground wire from preamp to amp???

I am buying new cables from amplifier surgery guys in downers grove, IL.  

The cables are nice looking, shielded, silver solder, cardas connectors silver plated, all silver solder used, silver tinned strands,Yatta  Yatta  Yatta, ok whatever,  


Their reference rca's come with the third ground wire? They said hook it to the preamp ground?

 This is not for phono connection, why would anyone hook a ground wire to preamp when not using the turntable?  I have never heard of this before, would this be dangerous, if some current or noise is sent down the ground wire directly into the cables at the input of the amp??  

Why even have them?? What is the purpose, or have I been out of the game too long?

shouldnt I just order regular reference rca's without that silly third ground wire which serves no purpose unless hooked up to a turntable???

HELP ME UNDERSTAND, PLEASE



128x128arcticdeth
rcprince
3,073 posts
 
Sonoran cables used this arrangement in the past. I believe it was to eliminate any potential hum or background noise due to interactions between the components hooked up.  But rather than obsess about it, why not just hook it up and see if it makes a difference? 
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth OP
1,572 posts
 
Would any current, or dc pass through, or anything that could cause damage to the amp or preamp, cables?  

 So if I use a turntable, I remove the cable ground?

strange, very strange,,,, 



rcprince
3,073 posts
 
Properly designed, no current should run through it, but you can confirm that with the manufacturer, since you've been speaking with them.  But don't necessarily remove the TT ground (you could experiment with that as well; sometimes a TT actually has less hum when not grounded, in my experience), as that's a different component coming into your preamp. The idea, I believe, is to use the preamp as a common grounding point with all the components that run into it so as to remove any hum or noise due to the different grounds; personally, when I had them years ago I tried my Sonoran cables with and without the grounds connected and noticed no difference, so I ultimately left the ground wires unattached.
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