Using a hydra multiway plug

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RCA12314
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by RCA12314 »

I have purchased a skytronic 13 Amp Plug to take 4 devices from 1 mains multiway plug. It is very similar to a naim hydra. I have never used one of these devices before, and I wanted to know if it is safe to plug into a 6 way mains extension ? I am thinking it may cause an overload electrically.

Any replies most welcome
Spannko
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by Spannko »

Please don’t be offended, but the way I see it, you’ve got 2 choices.

1. Return it for a refund ASAP, or...
2. Put it straight in the bin and right it off to experience - it could be the best money you’ve spent on your HiFi - seriously!

Mr Lejonklou has tried “hydras” and feels they compromise musicality.

I use a “hydra” arrangement (yes, you’ve just read that correctly!) and feel it works well.

Confused? If not, you will be!

I don’t know exactly what “hydra” arrangements Mr L has tried, so I can’t comment.

I’ve tried the plug you’ve bought and it sounds awful.

I’ve tried wiring multiple mains leads directly into MK and Crabtree plugs and it sounds awful.

My last experiment wiring directly into a plug was only last month. I bought 2 MK ToughPlugs so that, with a bit of jiggery pokery, I could a) dispense with the fuse - don’t worry, it was fused elsewhere! And b) remove some of the plug so the bunch of multiple wires could go directly to the terminal, rather than have to double back on itself - don’t worry, the ToughPlug is a clamshell design and I only removed a part of the inside of the plug, so it was still perfectly safe. I might be mad, but I’m not stupid. Or is that, I might be stupid, but I’m not mad? I’m not really sure! This was my most elaborate “hydra” to date, and guess what? It sounds awful!

So why do I use one then? In principle, it could be a good idea and both Linn and Naim have recommended its use in the past.

Linns recommendation was unofficial, being a recommendation by the electronic design team to Philbo, the Linn speaker designer. Philbo posted a picture on the Linn forum of his system showing his mains cables connected to a short run of 2.5mm t&e (within a 20A junction box) wired into an MK plug. I’ve tried that too. It sounds awful.

However, within all the failures there have been little glimmers of success which indicate a way forward. When trying to find a good mains block I experimented with an MK 4 way block which could be opened to reveal the internal connections. The brass connectors for the plugs to be inserted were friction fitted to a power busbar, so I cannibalised a Linn power lead by removing the IEC plug and replacing the busbar with soldered on flex, wired as a “hydra” and without introducing another join in the cable, right through to the moulded on mains plug. To me, the results were clearly a success, with improvements to both the sound and the musicality.

Next, I cut all the wall plugs off, removed the 4 way block, and soldered directly to the Linn flex going into the moulded on plug. This was better still.

The only difference between this and previous attempts was that I was using the moulded on plugs.

I still don’t know exactly what’s going on, but it appears that the connections are extremely important, and wiring multiple cables into one plug produces a really poor connection.

Also, connections in general are really bad news. My latest “hydra” attempt is only just legal in the U.K. By that, I mean the regs are non too clear, introducing a bit of a grey area. I’m currently using a 16A mcb (to protect the “specialist” circuit, only for the use of “trained and educated persons”). The circuit consists of a 10mm flexible cable with the Linn power cables soldered directly to the 10mm flex in a “hydra” arrangement. The grey area is to do with the IEC plugs being unshrouded (there is a regulation which states that the mains sockets must be shrouded), but the regulations allow the use of iEC plugs with unswitched sockets by untrained members of the public, without the requirement to remove the cable from the wall when not plugged into the electrical appliance. Therefore, IEC plugs are often left in a potentially dangerous situation, all within the remit of the regs. What I’m doing doesn’t change that. The problem is that the IEC plug is intrinsically unsafe, and it could be argued that the way that I’m using the IEC plugs is safer, because they’re only for the use of trained personnel, and big red warning labels on the distribution board and where the power circuit terminates within the dedicated HiFi room reinforce the fact. Phew! Regs violation alert over! The point of all this is that it works extremely well.

So, in my view, there are “hydras”, and then there are ”hydras”. It’s important not to confuse the two!
RCA12314
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by RCA12314 »

Thank you for the reply.

I don't own linn or naim hifi equipment. But I do use the tune method, and currently using longwell mains cables, and a cheap mains extension as recommended. With my own system this has worked very well. I purchased the skytronic to reduce the amount of plugs in the mains extension.

I will certainly give the skytronic a try. It will be interesting to see if it degrades or improves the sound quality of my system. Which I must say currently sounds very good. The cheapest upgrade to my system was replacing switched sockets for unswitched sockets. I was surprised how much better my system sounded with the unswitched sockets. Would plugging the skytronic into the unswitched socket be better than plugging it directly into the cheap masterplug unswitched mains extension ? The skytronic was cheap, so no loss if it sounds rubbish.
Spannko
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by Spannko »

RCA12314 wrote: 2019-03-18 20:24 Would plugging the skytronic into the unswitched socket be better than plugging it directly into the cheap masterplug unswitched mains extension ?
I’d say that you’re just about to find out.

One thing I didn’t mention was that wiring up “hydra stylie” never guarantees success. Just because I’ve found it to work with my system, it doesn’t mean to say that it’ll work with all systems. If I had to guess (because I’ve never tried to find out for sure), if a system sounds good with all of its components plugged into one mains block, then there’s a good chance a “good hydra” will be an improvement. If it’s found that a system sounds best with its power being fed by more than one mains block (ie sounds “best”, not “most convenient”) then multiple “hydras” may be needed. Or none at all. Tune Dem is your best friend.
RCA12314
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by RCA12314 »

The way you have your systems mains setup is very interesting spannko.
It seems unique. How long did it take you to set it up ?
Spannko
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by Spannko »

RCA12314 wrote: 2019-03-18 22:36 The way you have your systems mains setup is very interesting spannko.
It seems unique. How long did it take you to set it up ?
About 30 years!

I’ve tried rings, single radials, multiple radials, big breakers, little breakers, fuses, rcd’s, rcbo’s, additional earths, and all manner of stuff in three different rooms and two different houses.

Everything makes a difference - some more than others. To try and put things in perspective, I’d probably say that connections do the most harm, and again, some more than others, but reducing the number and increasing the quality of connections really pays dividends.

The difference between rings/radials/spurs is comparatively small but worthwhile and certainly not a deal breaker.

The difference between different type of cables is relatively small too, but I have found one particular cable which is quite a bit better than most for some reason. My guess is that the the Lapp Kabel Classic 110, 3G10 is a well engineered product, whereas all of the “no name” cables I’ve tried are just crap, even though they pass the relavant safety tests.

For me, “hydras” fall into the “small but worthwhile” category, when all other factors have been allowed for - primarily the type, quality and number of connections.
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by RCA12314 »

What are rings, single radials, multiple radials, big breakers, little breakers, rcd’s, rcbo’s, and additional earths spannko ?

I am genuinely interested.
RCA12314
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by RCA12314 »

Well the skytronic arrived in the post today.

I have not even wired it up, and I am already not impressed with it. Why ? I unscrewed the cover to have a look inside to see the wire arrangement which was fine. But when I fitted the cover back on to button it up, the screws would not tighten, they just turned constantly in the thread. I have images of unplugging it, and the cover coming off in my hand. I am disappointed with it, as I can't even use it.
Spannko
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Re: Using a hydra multiway plug

Post by Spannko »

RCA12314 wrote: 2019-03-19 19:53 What are rings, single radials, multiple radials, big breakers, little breakers, rcd’s, rcbo’s, and additional earths spannko ?

I am genuinely interested.
Ring = Final ring circuit, often described as a “Ring main”.

Single radial = Final radial circuit, often described as just a “Radial”

Multiple radial = A final circuit consisting of 2 or more radials. In the past, they were called “Spider Circuits”, but since the introduction of final ring circuits in the U.K. they’re usually only used when it’s the best way to modify an existing circuit, in which case, it’s often referred to as a “botch-up”!

Big breakers = My “lay” term for a circuit protection device (CPD) which is matched to the current carrying capacity of the circuit it is protecting.

Little breakers = My “lay” term for a CPD which has a current rating below that of the current carrying capacity of the circuit it is protecting eg A 16A CPD protecting a circuit rated to accept a 50A current.

NOTE: Please do not ask your electrician to fit either a “big breaker” or a “little breaker”, it’ll only confirm exactly what she thought about you when you asked her to fit a circuit suitable for powering the whole street, just for your HiFi!

RCD = Residual Current Device (a type of CPD)

RCBO = Residual current circuit breaker with over current protection (a type of CPD)

There are also other types of CPD eg. MCB (miniature circuit breaker) and consumer unit fuses, or just plain old “fuses” to you and me!
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