Entreq Silver Tellus grounding/earthing system


Hi A'goners, I'd like to tell you all a little about this component which has taken noise elimination in my system to a whole new level.
I run a Trans Fi Salvation/Terminator tt/arm, ESCCo modded Zu 103 cart into a Tom Evans Audio Design Groove Plus SRX phono, Emm Labs CDSA SE, Hovland HP200/Radia pre/pow, and Zu Definitions Mk4 spkrs. This set up is (now) effortlessly dynamic and transparent.
I live in a semi industrial area with broadband on in every apartment, internet booster stations and light engineering nearby.
It became apparent some years ago that apart from the hours of midnight to 5am, I could not rely on a good sound, and research led to conclusion that mains borne noise was likely the culprit.
This led to my first partial success, the installation of the Burmester 948 mains conditioner/filter 7 years ago. This resulted in an immediate reduction in noise and increase in transparency/delicacy ie a major improvement, even in daylight hours. BUT it became apparent over time that dynamics were seriously pinched, and the conclusion I've correctly drawn is that peak current demand was restricted by the unit compromising the power amp output.
This led to my next upgrade, and now real progress: an 8kVA pro studio Westwick 8K balanced power transformer. Now I got all the previous improvements with no current restrictions to the power amp - transparency AND NOW dynamics in spades.
But as with all things audio, the awareness of the Entreq grounding/earthing system piqued my interest further in eliminating mains issues. Entreq are a Swedish audio engineering company with a couple of decades experience, and provide a variety of mains and interconnect products.
The Entreq Silver Tellus is a wooden box, the size and weight of a small power amp. It contains inert minerals and a grounding plate. It's a passive device ie NOT powered from the mains, and sits adjacent to the system. In my system, one Apollo Eartha interconnect runs from one of 4 terminals on the back of the Tellus, to an unused input of my preamp. it is possible to connect another 3 components to a single Tellus.
In effect, it provides an ADDITIONAL earth/ground to the system, NOT replacing the existing protective earth. This then provides an uninterrupted drain for RF/EMI/other hash from the system to the Tellus.
I was expecting a minor improvement at most. What i wasn't expecting was a transformation of the system.
Firstly, soundstage deepens dramatically, so much so that the stage seems totally independent of the spkrs. Phenomenal reduction in noise really enhances the blackness between notes, and brings micro detail to the fore. This reduction in noise has the amazing side benefit of relegating vinyl surface noise way into the background. the overall effect is a fantastic incraese in dynamics and transparency, taking what balanced power brings to the party and sending it off the scale.
Vitally, the nature of the system sound hasn't changed, since the Silver Tellus enhances performance, doesn't change it; in many ways is the best system wide upgrade to optimise performance I could make.
My conclusion from the last 7 years is that noise is the major limiting factor in my system, and the installation of Westwick 8k balanced power ($7000) and Entreq Silver Tellus/ Apollo Eartha grounding/earthing ($3000)
spiritofmusic
Well, my Silver Minimus just arrived. I got it from a Canadian exporter. I can't test it out as I had it sent to the West Coast, where I'm vacationing. Thought I'd try it out in a friend's system, but I'm not going back to San Francisco, so, so much for that. I'm very curious about the effect it will have, but confident at the same time, as Roy Gregory has tested it extensively with and without his star grounded system and has gotten excellent results in all cases!
Another week and I'll be checking in!
Gbmcloed...i am very curious to hear your thoughts as I was thinking about getting one as well. I understand there is a money back guarantee so I may just pull the trigger anyway.
Tboooe, it's been interesting.
I put the Silver Minimus into the system and it worked. The noise floor dropped and it was better…
HOWEVER, there are a variable that I need to revisit to be sure of my results, so I'm only saying the sound was noticeably better.
The variable was a Walker Audio disc that sat atop my CD player (still using the Arcam FMJ 23).
For some time now, I've been unhappy with the sonics. The spectacular noiseless - and realism - of the Stillpoints Ultra Minis was considerably diminished for over six months, beginning with a malfunction in the Nola Contenders (a long story with an unhappy ending, meaning I had to buy another pair. Not fixable by Nola, according to policy and so…new ones. I should point out that I had tried to return them to the person who sold them to me, but that did not go in my favor, although the issue was noticeable when I got them). This is the background.
Having gotten new Contenders, I was unable to reproduce the sound. I had everything checked out: interconnects, speaker cable (and, new speakers). Nothing brought it to that dazzling, truly jaw-dropping introduction I got back in November when the first Contenders arrived.
So, back to the Walker disc.
I have always found that positioning of ANY isolation device, footer, Dark Elevator, Shakti Online stabilizer or Hallograph, you name it, can make or break the sound.
It was only today that I realized the walker disc was not precisely positioned and therefore, Ella no longer "materialized" out of the ether of the disc to stand directly in front of me. She was disembodied and imaged vaguely (Cole Porter songbook). Moving the Walker disc so that it was more directly over the CD tray has caused her to re-materialize, BUT, I had loaned my Stillpoints to a friend in California (I live in Connecticut now. WAS a Californian for 30 years) and haven't gotten them back under the CD player. So, my "control" of the system is not exact. For all that, it sounds good, and when Fed Ex shows up again to deliver the new box of Sillpoints for me (I'm letting my friend keep them because he truly loves music and he needs a pick-me-up right now. Things are tough for him), I will be able to have 4 under the PS Audio Power Plant. Wow, serendipity. As I was typing the last sentence, I heard a sound echo off the house next door, meaning someone was in the driveway. It was the Fed Ex man. Again. Didn't ring the doorbell the first time, so I didn't hear him and called to complain, so they sent him again. I'll be in business after I finish this post…)
Now, another variable. I ALSO bought the Audio Prism ground controls ($75) and put one on an unused outlet of the Arcam, and it got noticeably better. So, I'd suggest maybe trying one of them. Cheaper, but perhaps not as good. Don't know (I'm trying to make this an adventure, so I hope you're not annoyed by the length of the post).
So, I'm sending this off and will post again by tomorrow with the results. If you've gotten one by now, please post your thoughts. I'm going in to put the Stillpoints under the players, and one more under the PS Audio, thereby restoring the "control."
Wish me success!
Thank you gbmcleod! I havent pulled the trigger yet on the Minimus. I also use Stillpoints in my system. I found that they only improved the sound when placed under my PS Audio P3 ac regenerator. The Stillpoints did nothing when placed under my Luxman CDP or Accustic Arts integrated. I guess thats a good thing, saving me money!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!