Do I even need a PLC?
 

While I was living in the city showing significant mains noise as measured on either a Entech meter or a Trifield meter, I used a variety of PLCs- AudioMagic, Running Springs Audio, Silver Circle Audio, to name a few. For the most part they offered some improvement to the sound of my system.

Now, I'm in a newer built home in a suburban area. I have the Environmental Potentials EP-2050 in my panel and a dedicated outlet for my system using Shunyata Z1 duplexes and Nordost Red Dawn power cords. My meter measurements often measure in the single digits as opposed to when I was in the city.

My question: Given the low reading on my meters and pretty good sound, would I further benefit from a PLC?

100% yes, I have and use an Entech meter also. Like you, I had very low readings on mine. I added a Shunyata Denali, then later an Everest; the improvements were nothing short of profound, even with the Denali.

Well if you have some already why don't you try them in the system and space you have now?

I sold them along with most of my other gear as I took a break from audio for a few years after we adopted 4 older kids . Now they're grown and on their own and I finally got my man cave so I can start updating my system.

Single digits! Wow I'd love to have readings like that to start with. I wonder if it's possible to completely eliminate emi with a good pc after starting with numbers that low?

Thanks for the input. In that case, can you explain what the PLC would be doing to improve the sound since it wouldn't be filtering incoming noise?

Thanks for the input. In that case, an you explain what the PLC would be doing to improve the sound since it wouldn't be filtering incoming noise?

Do I even need a PLC?
 

It's a common misconception that incoming power line noise is the only reason for a conditioner. I live in a very rural area (we don't even have cable on our street), and have very low incoming noise, but the addition of my Shunyata Denali, and then later the Everest, had a big impact on my system sound. One of the key benefits of a good power conditioner/distributor is the ability to reduce component-to-component noise, i.e. the noise generated by a component's power supply going back into the system and potentially affecting other components. Also a good conditioner can provide a central grounding system to reduce ground-plane noise. Here's a link to Shunyata's website explaining the various technologies in their conditioners.
https://shunyata.com/power-distributor-tech/

Tony is 100% correct. While noise can enter a system from the AC "mains", most of the noise comes from the full-width bridge rectifiers in the power supplies of the components themselves, most notably the amps and preamps....and since it is alternating current, the current as well as the noise, goes BOTH WAYS: INTO the component and OUT of the component*

So, the noise from your amps can enter into the power supplies of much lower current source components e.g. phono stages, DACs, and disc players. Which can add fuzz, buzz, blur and slur as well as significantly impact dynamics of the presentation.

This is why a good power conditioner/distributor is key as well as using noise-reducing power cords for powering the components: to keep the noise from both the AC mains and the noise from the full-width bridge rectifiers in the power supplies themselves from getting out of the component power supplies, only to be distributed to the rest of the components in the system.

*– I'm always surprised at the no. of audiophile friends I have that think that AC "flows" in only one direction: from the wall receptacle into the component's power supply, like water from a hose. Many of these folks also think that signal is carried in the signal cable like water flowing through a hose, or like marbles (i.e., electrons) rolling through a tube. This latter perception is also completely inaccurate, the signal propogates along the conductor as an electromagnetic wave.

Also true, as noted by Caelin Gabriel at Shunyata, is that the Entech, while a nice demo tool, doesn't measure everything on the line that affects our audio.