Power Distribution for Devialet

[Confused]

Good thinking! I actually have a couple of those screwdrivers, but kind of forgot all about them.

[Soniclife]

OK - I have to admit Gui has got me interested in this phase stuff (see link)

http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?tid=3648&page=5

However, if a plug is 'neutral' on one pin, and 'live' on another (or phase / AV or whatever), surely there is a simple way to check this? From an electrical point of view it is quite important, otherwise your domestic switches might be switching the neutral, rather than the live wire, which might be problematic when changing a light bulb. Can't this be tested with a multi-meter? To be honest, a collapse in sound stage is bad, but one of your loved ones being electrocuted when changing a light bulb is worse!

I'm not convinced this phase stuff applies to the UK, our wiring regs are very tight, and I've never seen UK based hifi gurus recommending it. Unless the inside of the amps are connected up randomly we should be ok.

[Confused]

Having discovered the 'electric' screwdriver test trick, I have checked the phase on the various mains sockets in my room. Much to surprise, they all correctly show 'live' on the fuse size of the plug. If you are wondering why this is surprising, my house was built in the late 70's, and some of the things that happened in UK house building in the late 70's ('house bashing', as it was known) left a lot to be desired. My own brother was in a team of guys doing electrical installations on new builds in the early 80's, only one guy in the team was a qualified electrician, and I know that a lot of what was done was perhaps a little suspect. However, my own home is fully correctly phased and safe as it should be, oh the joy!

[yabaVR]

Having discovered the 'electric' screwdriver test trick, I have checked the phase on the various mains sockets in my room.  Much to surprise, they all correctly show 'live' on the fuse size of the plug.  If you are wondering why this is surprising, my house was built in the late 70's, and some of the things that happened in UK house building in the late 70's ('house bashing', as it was known) left a lot to be desired.  My own brother was in a team of guys doing electrical installations on new builds in the early 80's, only one guy in the team was a qualified electrician, and I know that a lot of what was done was perhaps a little suspect.  However, my own home is fully correctly phased and safe as it should be, oh the joy!

Good news for you. Here in Germany there is no standard which pole of your powersocket belongs to live/neutral. We bought our house 7y ago and I can see the live-wire on different poles even in one room...sloppy eclectricians.

If Devialet build their amps to british power installations standards you are a lucky guy. But does Devialet believe in sound differences of 'power phase positioning' in the first place    no, no, that can not be 

You've got to test it...with your ears.


gui

[Soniclife]

If Devialet build their amps to british power installations standards you are a lucky guy. But does Devialet believe in sound differences of 'power phase positioning' in the first place    no, no, that can not be 

I'd be very surprised if the amps could be built at random, these aren't man in shed assembled with loads of wire going between the components seemingly at random.

[Pim]

Aren't the discussions above all irrelevant because so many recordings are out of phase as well? And that's why Devialet have the 'invert phase' option so you can change phase on the fly as per recording?

I've played with this option a few times but haven't been able to pinpoint the 'best' setting. Sometimes it sounds a bit fuller (or not), sometimes it's impossible to hear a difference at all.

BTW, the German electricians can be as accurate as they want to be but the fact that a SCHUKO power plug can be turned around anyway really makes the whole thing irrelevant. Consider yourself lucky you have SCHUKO power points. The Australian power points are abysmal compared to SCHUKO power points.

[yabaVR]

Aren't the discussions above all irrelevant because so many recordings are out of phase as well? And that's why Devialet have the 'invert phase' option so you can change phase on the fly as per recording?

Eemhh, no. You mixing up things. The phase you are talking about is the absolute phase of the music signal. Imagine a sine curve. You can start the signal a the first knot or the second hence 180° phase shift.

Phase on the powerline is a different theme. You can actually measure it with a multimeter. Therefore you have to isolate grounding on the powercable of the component you measure (or have youreself an altered measuring-powercabel). You switch on your component and measure the Volts between 'Case-Ground of your component' and the 'Ground of Powersocket'. It can be high amounts of Volt. This current is meant to be even out the 'Grounding Potential' of your component to 'Grounding Potential' of your powerline. The position of your power plug measuring less Volts is the correct phase-position. One more point...you have to unplug EVERY cable from the component you are measuring because of grounding finds even other ways to ground. 
Anfortunately some components can not be measured accurately with a multi because differences are too low. You have to hear them. 
And remember all components have to be pluged with their right phase. Otherwise you will hear minor differences with only one plug reversing.

Phase is just the use of the same term for different tasks.

gui

edit:
I think I've messed it up. With the term component I actually mean something like the Devialet (a hifi-component) and not an electrical component on a circuit board.

[yabaVR]

If Devialet build their amps to british power installations standards you are a lucky guy. But does Devialet believe in sound differences of 'power phase positioning' in the first place    no, no, that can not be 

I'd be very surprised if the amps could be built at random, these aren't man in shed assembled with loads of wire going between the components seemingly at random.

It's not a question of random. All Devialet are the same inside. But as a designer of a component you can not know the power installation of your customers worldwide. Sometimes this Power-Phase is located on one side of the socket and the other time on the other side. There is no standard.

What I meant to be funny is: Are they actually able to distinguish the difference in the music when plugging a powerplug one or the other way to the powersocket because they deny burn-in or warm-up of their amps?


gui

[Soniclife]

But as a designer of a component you can not know the power installation of your customers worldwide.

What components are these, I always assumed it was the transformer, but I'm not sure that would apply to devialets.

What I meant to be funny is: Are they actually able to distinguish the difference in the music when plugging a powerplug one or the other way to the powersocket because they deny burn-in or warm-up of their amps?


gui

Just because their support staff say that doesn't mean they haven't measured a change, probably just that it's within tolerance, and that's their official line.

[Confused]

From IEC 60320-3:2014

13.2 Contact positions

In non-reversible connectors/plug connectors, the contact positions shall be established by

looking at the engagement face of the connectors/plug connectors as shown in the standard

sheets overview in Clause 4 of IEC 60320-3:2014.

Their position shall be as in Table 1.