2. cables
  3. 118854-70778

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
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth OP
1,572 posts
 
Huh.   Thank you. 
jea48
4,451 posts
 

I see no reason for the ground wire.

In the case of a piece of audio equipment that does not use the wall receptacle safety equipment ground, if the equipment was designed properly the signal ground of the piece of equipment is connected to the metal chassis of the equipment.


A piece of audio equipment where the equipment is designed to use the wall receptacle safety equipment ground the designer of the equipment may have or not have connected the circuit signal ground to the metal chassis of the equipment. Some designers incorporate a switch so the user can lift the signal ground from the wall safety equipment grounded chassis.

When an interconnect is connected between two pieces of equipment the signal grounds of the equipment is connected together by the signal ground return wire of the interconnect.


Any time a piece of equipment that uses the wall receptacle safety equipment ground, where the circuit signal ground of the equipment is connected to the metal chassis, and then connected to a piece of equipment that does not use the wall receptacle safety equipment ground, that  piece of equipment also then becomes grounded to the wall receptacle safety equipment ground by the signal ground wire of the interconnect.

I suggest you look for another interconnect manufacture.

arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth OP
1,572 posts
 
Thats just it.  I have several pairs of good rca's , none come with this ground wire.  It is strange. Unless for phonograph

. 
jazzonthehudson's avatar
jazzonthehudson
277 posts
 
The fact that you do not hear a hum does not mean that there is no voltage differential between the different devices. Star grounding eliminates in the application of amplifier surgery on preamp level.

This comes from my comment recently on a thread about hum:
Every piece of equipment has at least two ground paths between them; the signal (RCA, XLR, not optical) cables and the power cords, often the speaker cables add another dimension. So star grounding is imperative (to eliminate voltage differences and hence current flow between the grounds of electric connecting devices). You can spend an huge amount on an ultra-high end box like the Troy Tripoint or try a DIY solution a la Audience adept Response or simply a brushed (yes it makes a difference) copper rod with 10ga copper wires to the units. 

The interconnect RCA are mostly only grounded on the source side as the manufacturers know there may be a ground differential so they use use this workaround for, again from the ground differential point of view, possible deficient systems. 

ebm
9,311 posts
 
Never heard of this why would you need it???
More to discover