Might be a stupid question, but I'm going to ask anyway: I've got my RR2150, NAD 521BEE CD player and Sony WEGA hooked up to a 6 port Isobar strip. It's a big ol' block... Anyway, each 2 ports has a dB rating on them starting at 50 dB, then 75, and finally, 100dB.

My question is, does it matter which one of them I use for each of those components I listed ? Will plugging in the 2150 to the 100 dB one affect the noise floor compared to the other ones, or is that not what it is in relation to ?

Doug

Plug the most sensitive, lowest line level components (preamps, players etc) into the outlets with the most EMI/RFI attenuation (the 100dB outlets). Less sensitive components like projectors can go into the outlets with the least attenuation (the 50dB ones).

Thanks Altec. Curious to know what the science behind it is, or the theory at least. I'm also curious to know if the higher attenuation outlets will cause the sound of the RR2150 to darken in any way.. I live in an apartment, and as far as I know, the power is relatively clean...

Doug

While I don't have a schematic of the filters in the Isobar, my assumption would be that the filters are cascaded, with the attenuation of one bank being added to the next.

The sound quality from your 2150 won't be effected by whichever outlet bank you use, but I'd plug it into the bank with the least attenuation of EMI/RFI. This is because the current capability of that bank is likely to be higher because of the simpler filtering (series inductor especially).

One very important thing to note is that most people, most of the time, have very little or no EMI/RFI on their power lines, so there is nothing for the Isobar to filter out. Sometimes people believe that EMI/RFI is an all-present, all-the-time danger which is causing subtle degredation of sound quality, but that is not necessairly so. The primary source of these pollutants is from your own home, and your neighbors who share the pole transformer servicing your homes. Even when it is present, it is usually transient in nature - a buzz which comes and goes for instance. Some interference, such as distortion on the power line, cannot be filtered out by any means short of outright regeneration of the AC power - a very expensive and usually unnecessary option.

Sounds good. Thanks for the helpful info. So the 100 dB slots for the 2150 and NAD it is.

Doug