Shunyata Grounding System

Puma Cat

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Feb 20, 2011
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Rabbit holes often provide good answers. I know that I don’t understand it so I just put some comments out figuring that eventually they’ll be confirmed or denied. It’s all good as I don’t really need to understand the why.
They were very informative and helpful, Kenny, so thank you.
 
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stevebythebay

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Oct 21, 2012
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I don't think Alex will have any "issue" with it, but it does make for the most effective connection to chassis ground. I added one to my amp as well.



I'm not f**kin' around here...they should have installed these ground terminals in the first place. ;)
Just tested the JS-2 and find it suitable for the Altaira. The multimeter registers 0.3 ohms across the IEC ground pin and chassis screw. Should prove an interesting test...(got to borrow an Alpha from my dealer).
 
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PYP

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I don't think Alex will have any "issue" with it, but it does make for the most effective connection to chassis ground. I added one to my amp as well.



I'm not f**kin' around here...they should have installed these ground terminals in the first place. ;)
brave man! My gear also lacks grounding terminals...wonder why. Kudos to the early adopters.

Has Shunyata posted a list of the equipment that users have tried with the Altaira? I hope that they include the specific connection tried and subjective statement of the effect. Of course setups are different even if some of the equipment is the same, but it would be a good place to start (I assume dealer knowledge will vary).
 
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Puma Cat

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brave man! My gear also lacks grounding terminals...wonder why. Kudos to the early adopters.

Has Shunyata posted a list of the equipment that users have tried with the Altaira? I hope that they include the specific connection tried and subjective statement of the effect. Of course setups are different even if some of the equipment is the same, but it would be a good place to start (I assume dealer knowledge will vary).
C-J used to put a user-accessible ground terminal on their amps, now there is ony a screw on the rear "panel" that designates a connection to earth ground, and unfortunately, it has a locknut on the back of it, so it can't be loosened to attach a ground cable. So, with that, I just drilled a hole in the back of the chassis and installed a ground post, and checked it made a connection to ground using an ohm meter.
Like I said, I'm not, you know... ;)
 

Puma Cat

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Just tested the JS-2 and find it suitable for the Altaira. The multimeter registers 0.3 ohms across the IEC ground pin and chassis screw. Should prove an interesting test...(got to borrow an Alpha from my dealer).
Cool beans. I have an extra Alpha CGC you can borrow, Steve, no need to go to the dealer. Just ping me to arrange a time to come by.
 

kennyb123

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Nov 30, 2012
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I don’t yet have an Altaira but ordered a Venom ground cable just to experiment with the ground connection on the back of my Denali v1.

Connecting it to the ground connector on my EthetRegen didn’t move the needle as much as I hoped it would. There was an improvement, but it was subtle.

Different story with the ground connector on the back of my REF10 SE120. An obvious improvement there.

I realize that I’m not really going about this the right way as I should do the right planning first, but that’’ll come hopefully next year when the budget allows me to do it right. In the interim l might even snag another ground cable as it’s nice to see that I can get some usefulness out of them even without an Altaira.

8D98D326-BB2B-4B5B-8E00-74C6B109E845.jpeg
 

stevebythebay

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Oct 21, 2012
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Cool beans. I have an extra Alpha CGC you can borrow, Steve, no need to go to the dealer. Just ping me to arrange a time to come by.
Appreciate the offer but I've already requested and received a loaner from Music Lovers. It should prove an interesting test this weekend.
 
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Puma Cat

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Appreciate the offer but I've already requested and received a loaner from Music Lovers. It should prove an interesting test this weekend.
No worries; just thought I'd offer if you needed one. I just happened to have a spare Alpha on-hand, as the Lumin P1 doesn't need as many ground cables as the First Sound preamp.
 

7ryder

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Jan 31, 2015
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I don’t yet have an Altaira but ordered a Venom ground cable just to experiment with the ground connection on the back of my Denali v1.

Connecting it to the ground connector on my EthetRegen didn’t move the needle as much as I hoped it would. There was an improvement, but it was subtle.

Different story with the ground connector on the back of my REF10 SE120. An obvious improvement there.

I realize that I’m not really going about this the right way as I should do the right planning first, but that’’ll come hopefully next year when the budget allows me to do it right. In the interim l might even snag another ground cable as it’s nice to see that I can get some usefulness out of them even without an Altaira.

View attachment 101124
Damn you! Now I'm gonna have to try that!
 

stevebythebay

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Oct 21, 2012
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Weekend testing of both my Uptone JS-2 (powering the etherREGEN switch and Roon Nucleus) and Cybershaft OP21A clock’s companion LPS with the Altaira indicated no noticeably improved noise level changes. Nothing left to test, unless I hear otherwise.
 
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Puma Cat

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Weekend testing of both my Uptone JS-2 (powering the etherREGEN switch and Roon Nucleus) and Cybershaft OP21A clock’s companion LPS with the Altaira indicated no noticeably improved noise level changes. Nothing left to test, unless I hear otherwise.
That may be because John already dealt with any ground-plane "noise issues" that might have arisen.
 

7ryder

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MusicFellow

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Yes, great review! Just noticed that the prices for the ground cables mentioned in the review are way higher than in reality (USD 400 - 1290 vs 250 - 800), which might unnecessarily scare of potential buyers. Could of course be that Robert Harley was referring to longer cables, but still somewhat misleading, even though most probably unintentionally…
 
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oldmustang

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I drilled a hole in the case of my LPS-1.0 and installed a ground terminal.




;)
All you've shown by measuring in this way (chassis screw and your DIY ground post) is that there is low resistance continuity between the two. If you want to ensure that your ground post is indeed a low resistance connection to the ground plane of the internal circuitry you should measure between the ground post and the negative (shell) terminal of either the power input or output socket, or both.

(Edit: I just now read @Zeotrope comment regarding the ground reading and agree)

Steve Z
 
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Puma Cat

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SF East Bay Area
All you've shown by measuring in this way (chassis screw and your DIY ground post) is that there is low resistance continuity between the two. If you want to ensure that your ground post is indeed a low resistance connection to the ground plane of the internal circuitry you should measure between the ground post and the negative (shell) terminal of either the power input or output socket, or both.

(Edit: I just now read @Zeotrope comment regarding the ground reading and agree)

Steve Z
It's of virtually no "practical significance" whatsoever for me anymore because...I'm no longer using that power supply. Now that I have a Lumin P1, the ER has been moved from the main rack to the remote server room, and it's ground terminal (that Eng. John Swenson installed) is now connected using an Alpha CGC.
 

Zeotrope

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It's of virtually no "practical significance" whatsoever for me anymore because...I'm no longer using that power supply. Now that I have a Lumin P1, the ER has been moved from the main rack to the remote server room, and it's ground terminal (that Eng. John Swenson installed) is now connected using an Alpha CGC.
The point that we are trying to make is that grounding a case powered by DC current is not what the Shunyata grounding system is meant for. It’s meant for AC grounds.
Remove that Alpha CGC cord and compare the sound with it on/off. I bet you won’t hear a difference.
 

Puma Cat

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Feb 20, 2011
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SF East Bay Area
The point that we are trying to make is that grounding a case powered by DC current is not what the Shunyata grounding system is meant for. It’s meant for AC grounds.
Remove that Alpha CGC cord and compare the sound with it on/off. I bet you won’t hear a difference.
Actually, connecting a ground cable from ER to the GP-NR of a Shunyata power distributor or Altaira provides a notable improvement in audio quality. Mike Farnsworth, who's a member here, has observed exactly the same thing. And IIRC, stevebythebay has as well.
 

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