I've been largely absent from the forum over the past week or so.
Here's why: The almost obligatory bank holiday decorating chore.

However, as always, results are pleasing once the dust sheets are folded away (please see photo below). This year the front room (also my listening room) was top of the list. Anyone who has seen my posted photos of the room prior to last weekend will see why the lounge was the priority!

As well as emulsioning walls and satining woodwork, I turned my hands to adding a mains spur for my hifi. I want to point out that this was driven largely by practical motivations (rather than by claimed improvements to sonic performance). The consumer unit for my house happens to be right behind my left speaker (a metre or so from the main hifi - see photo below), yet the nearest socket is several metres away, on the other side of the gas fire. This meant a long (and ugly) run of extension cable across the front of the fire.

So in went the new trip switch (10A - it's powering hifi and DLP projector) and (unswitched) socket (see photo - the new trip is the one sitting proudly to the right of the pannel). Also please note the (very short) run of Isotek cable linking the new socket to the consumer unit. This was a length of cable I cut off an Isotek 'Mainline' conditioner some time ago. It's been sitting in the shed for a while, so I thought I'd put it to good use.

So far the new electrics are working fine and (touch wood) no one in the house has been electrocuted.
Most importantly, everyone in the house is happy that there's one less length of cabling from "that stereo" "cluttering" up the lounge.

I don't want to make any comments on whether the new spur has improved sonic performance. I've only recently acquired that NVA passive preamp and cabling, and so hadn't really had time to learn the new sound of my system prior to the new spur. Add to that the 36 hours when I did no listening at all (due to the lounge being cleared for decorating) and I'm not in a position to honestly say what, if any effect, the new spur has had.
I can say that I am very happy that my hifi is sounding better than ever (especially with CD) following recent (relatively inexpensive) changes to passive preamp, NVA cables and mains spur.

I think it's the kitchen next time...

DF

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