2. cables
  3. 1181919608

Why are there no high end cheater plugs?

Yes, I know there are safety reasons for not using such ground lifting devices; but as many audio magazines have suggested, the benefits from lifting all grounds except the preamp are quite substantial. But the 79 cent cheater plug covers much of the improvement. I made some cheater plugs using silver wire but Eagle plugs. They are better than the grey guys. Why does no one make a quality plug? I understand that at one time Siltech did make such a plug.

Please no "educate" me of the safety reasons for not using cheater plugs. I think the success that our immediate ancestors had in surviving two plug ac, suggest that chassis shorts must be quite rare.
tbg
tbg OP
5,263 posts
 
Dazzdax, I cannot tell you relative to being totally floating, but a system having only one ground, removes multiple routes to ground. One way is through the interconnects and the other is through the ground pin on the ac cord. While I did not have any problems with hum as a result of these ground loops, especially with the H-Cat, it was reducing the clarity of the sound, most notably in the bass. I guess with no ground anywhere you have no current to ground. I don't know what happens to the leakage currents from your transformers.

Imin2u, I think this is an urban myth and fortunately so. Many components, in particular cd players and dvd players have either have two pin connectors, no ground pin on their IEC, or no wire connected to it internally. No ground also affords no protection whatsoever. My home insurance agent did not know what I was talking about, saying that many of the homes he insures have no ground wiring as both Al and I experienced in home built in the 40s and 50s.
carl109
134 posts
 
At the risk of sounding naiive, surely the potential improvement in sound by removing the earth is well and truly overshadowed by the risk of killing yourself or a family member from a live chassis or case, should a mains fault develop?
Just my 2CW.
tbg OP
5,263 posts
 
Carl109, if I thought there was such a risk, I would not do it. This is an urban myth.
rex
245 posts
 
I thought there was such a risk, I would not do it. This is an urban myth.

This guy says you are wrong:

http://www.prosoundweb.com/studyhall/sr/whitlock/grounding.php

I'll take his opinion over yours.
tbg OP
5,263 posts
 
Rex, I am not asking you to ignore this. He basically tells you to live with the problems of ground loops. He ignores the fact that many component have no ground connection. And he ignore that many home presently lack three wire electrical supplies. He also ignores that most faults will result in tripping the breaker. All I can say is that my city's electrical department was unconcerned and my insurance company expressed no concern. Thanks for your concern, however.
More to discover