My home-made signal grounding system
 

After reading some more research, I decided it might be best to make up a dedicated "signal ground" system rather than running a ground cable from an unused RCA, which is a "signal ground" to a "chassis ground" e.g. the ground post on the phono stage or Denali V2.

So, yesterday, I made up a "signal grounding system".

Its wires are connected at the component end to the negative (-) leg of the RCA plug. This plug goes on an unused RCA jack on my pre or DAC (could also be phono stage). The other end is connected to a copper split bolt, and the nut is tightened down on the wires. The bolt just hangs in the air over the edge of my audio rack.

https://photos.imageevent.com/puma_c...ain-Bolt-3.jpg

It took all of seconds to hear the improvement: this grounding "embodiment" seem to makes music sound notably more...natural, lifelike, and involving. There's also increase in "perceived loudness".

Cost? About $6. :D

:thumbsup:

Already a big fan of gear bonding aka signal grounding.

Yup!

Your Esoteric gear sets the standard for that with respect to component's internal grounding system(s).

Is it better to ground all audio components this way or just to a chassis screw, and then all of them to a common ground?
Interested!

If I understand it correctly, Fro, grounding them to a component screw would be the same as grounding to "common" or chassis ground, what the ground pin on a AC plug does, this is not "signal grounding", which provides a "reference plane" for signal voltages.

My understanding is that signal grounding and chassis grounding are fundamentally different types of grounding.

You are correct signal gnd. and chassis (earth) gnd. are two separate plains or levels. You find this often in military or medical applications where there are sensitive, low level signals requiring high levels of isolation/shielding. I have seen the two gnd. plains completely isolated or connected with a small resistor.

I like to measure from chassis to chassis of each component with an AC voltmeter as a precaution, looking for potentially dangerous voltages. Just in case there was some unforeseen error in grounding.

Good advice and suggestion.

I have been testing Signal Grounding as well over past 1.5 weeks as a separate improvement over and above all the chassis grounding I have used for almost 13 years.

Signal grounding performance/audible benefit has been a big surprise and a big performance uptick!

More testing and listening next week!

OK, so I have some questions for the sake of clarification:

1. Stephen-

I see you have two phono plugs. Is one connected to the pre-amp and the other to the DAC or phono stage? Or is one phono plug on an unused pre-amp jack all that is needed?

2. tdelahanty-

Where exactly do you place the volt meter leads on the component to check for "dangerous voltages?"

Thanks

Locate a screw or panel on each component that is attached to the chassis. Place your AC voltmeter there (make sure they are not painted) and set the meter to 120v ac.