Russ Andrews X6 block MkII, RF Router, Technical Ground Weave, Evolution-300 Powerkord, Yello Power, DC Blocker
Russ Andrews has long been of the opinion that power delivery and grounding are critical to the potential of any sound system, he introduced an audiophile power cable as far back as 1986 and have a number of useful guides on why such things are important and where to use them first. In recent times it has become apparent that grounding is a major factor in eliminating noise. Now that so many devices are powered by switched mode supplies the amount of high frequency noise on the mains is massive and while power distribution cables and devices go some way to minimising this, grounding adds an extra layer of protection that cannot be achieved by other means.
It is important to note that grounding is not the same as earthing, the latter is a safety system that provides a path to ground for dangerous voltages in the event of a fault. Grounding is the provision of a path or drain for RFI (radio frequency interference) picked by exposed metal parts on a component, essentially parts that act as an aerial. All high voltage components have earthing built in but few are designed for a grounding connection.
Russ Andrews offers a range of components that aim to deliver low noise power and others that provide a low impedance ground path, the aim being to minimise the amount of high frequency noise in each part of a system. The selection of power and grounding devices gathered here are largely from the more affordable end of the spectrum, the company makes more elaborate examples of both such as the BMU 3000 balanced mains unit that we looked at last year.
The X6 MkII distribution block is the largest of Russ Andrews X series and comes in Euro and US socket variants alongside the 13A UK variety tested here. It features what RA call Ultrasockets wired with Kimber Kable TCX and is fitted with a Silencer mains filter and Superclamp surge protection. The difference between the latest and original versions is the addition of a ground terminal and an IEC output so that a second or third block can be daisy chained on. Which means that you can grow power distribution as the system requires. The only thing that I would like to see on a device like this is some means of fixing it to the wall, I understand that not everyone wants to do that but it does make for easier cable management.
The ground point comes into its own when connected to one of the Russ Andrews RF routers, these are available in US, Euro and 13A UK plug variants as well as a simpler version for attaching straight to earth via the ring main or an earth rod. The aim with the RF Router is to separate RF (radio frequency) grounding by providing a conduit for high frequency noise to escape to ground. You can connect it to the casework of any component as well as the earth point on the X6 block using bare wire, spade or banana plug terminated cable. RA provided a Technical Ground Weave Kimber Kable with 4mm banana plugs to make the connection with the block, this cable’s low inductance and impedance makes it well suited to the task and the woven construction should keep external RFI at bay.
Russ Andrews provided an Evolution 300 Powerkord to connect the X6 block to the mains, this cable sits in the middle of RA’s top power cable range and uses 16 insulated Kimber Kable conductors with an earth cable wound helically around the woven conductors. They also go to some lengths to keep noise at bay with the sleeving and use a high quality Wattgate IEC connector. I used Yello Power cables to connect individual components to the block, this is the least expensive mains cable in the catalogue and is constructed using eight woven Kimber conductors with PVC insulation. It has a cryogenically treated 13A fuse in the plug and a fairly standard IEC connector.
The entire power and grounding system cost amounts to £1,278 plus Yello Power cables at £79 each, so is not excessive in the scheme of things but nor is it inexpensive. However the results it delivered in my system indicate that the bang for the buck ratio is very high.
Sound quality
Assessing these pieces was largely a case of contrasting them with alternatives, I started with a old Russ Andrews Powermax cables supplying the streamer, DAC and preamp plus a Living Voice cable feeding the power amplifier, all plugged straight into the wall. Replacing all four with the Yello power cables resulted in increased detail levels, better high frequency resolution, quieter backgrounds and a crisper delivery that brought in air and tension from the recording. The main benefit is better clarity of leading edges and this allowed for greater expression from voice and piano as well as better definition in the bass, which meant that the sound had greater solidity and bass notes were more meaty and substantial; these cables alone cut through quite a lot of blur.
Evolution 300 Powerkord and X6
Adding the Evolution 300 Powerkord and X6 distribution block between the wall and the Yello cables brought forth more of the same enhancement in transparency, it wasn’t quite as big a jump initially but there was a clear increase in crispness, reduction in noise and greater depth of detail. The polish on the recording was more obvious and instruments and voices were better separated, which meant that the nuances of both were easier to enjoy.
RF Router
Adding the RF Router to this and connecting it to the X6 block with the Technical Ground Weave cable brought forth a more substantial leap in sound quality. Now the sound was distinctly more three dimensional and the various instruments and voices in the mix had a much stronger presence in the room thanks to greater image depth. Now we had immediacy and vitality in abundance, so much so that the air drums hadto be ‘played’. This last step proved to be much more than icing on the cake, it was more like magic and proves just how critical grounding is to achieving the potential of a good system, it really puts the musicians in the room. This is because background noise is much lower and this allows the finest details to be resolved into notes or the harmonics thereof, making it easy to appreciate who is playing what and just how well they are doing it.
Yello Power
Adding Yello cables from the X6 to the Network Acoustics Tempus network switch and Melco N10 server further enhanced results, making Joni Mitchell’s Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow that much more vivid and articulate. The extreme spatial manipulation of electronic sounds on Gryphon Rue’s 4n_Objx seems more even handed and less brash than usual. While the bass weight is clearly very powerful thanks to the extra definition that the Russ Andrews components allow the system to deliver. In fact it gets pretty damn intense with some high density material from Erland Apneseth, sounds apparently coming from the door two metres to the left of one channel. I also contrasted digital versions of the killer track Subway Station #5 from Patricia Barber’s A Distortion of Love and found that the MFSL version timed better than the standard CD, a sure sign that a system is revealing the details that really matter.
DC Blocker
The most recent addition to the Russ Andrews power product range is the DC Blocker, a simple looking device with a difficult job. It has to filter out the DC power that gets leaked onto the AC power by household devices such as fridges, TVs etc. Its presence is often made obvious by a buzzing or humming from toroidal transformers in audio components with linear power supplies. Filtering out the DC isn’t the challenging part, it’s maintaining the current without raising impedance, in other words delivering the required power without making it harder for a component to draw that power. Typically amplifiers, which require the greatest current, are also the most sensitive to DC, even a tiny amount can saturate the core and create mechanical vibration that produces the audible buzz. The DC Blocker is designed to eliminate DC without reducing the impedance of the power, it does this with large 10,000uF capacitors, Kimber Kaps to smooth the mains supply and six high current diodes to provide DC filtering up to 1.5V.
Last year Russ Andrews leant me a pre-produciton version of the DC Blocker because my Moor Amps power amplifier was buzzing more often than it wasn’t, it worked extremely well. The buzzing stopped and the amplifier retained its dynamics, previous DC blockers had also stopped the noise but had squashed the amp’s ability to deliver bursts of power when required. When the finalised version arrived my amp was no longer having this problem, presumably whatever was causing it was no longer in use (this does not have to be within the same building but can be in any property that shares the same spur from the substation). But I tried the DC Blocker anyway to see if there would be a benefit. There was and quite an obvious one too, essentially it allowed the amp to produce cleaner highs which resulted in a more open and larger soundstage. This was blindingly obvious with orchestral music where massed strings and horns became less aggressive and really opened up the image. With a rock track it was still clear with cymbals and electric guitar being the main beneficiaries.
While the Moor Amps Angel 6 was no longer buzzing the Longdog Audio linear power supply on my Lumin U2 Mini streamer was not so happy. Trying the DC Blocker on this had a different effect, it made the sound more engaging by bringing everything into focus, it caused me to close my eyes and become thoroughly involved. The next test will be to see if I can run both devices from the same Blocker via a distribution device like the X6.
Conclusion
ConclusionThis collection of mains devices made a significant impact on the sound quality of my system and prove that any system will be limited that relies on standard power supply systems. Even the entry level Yello Power cables proved worthwhile and things really took off when the X6 Block and RF Router were combined with them. The DC Blocker will be a godsend to anyone who has a buzzing power supply in their system and can even improve products where the DC effect is less obvious. For the money these Russ Andrews components offer remarkably good results and prove that when it comes to keeping the AC clean the chaps from Russ Andrews have got the power.