Graham's Wrinkles - Star earthing the ground plane

Star earthing the ground plane

Printed From: Graham Slee Hifi System Components
Category: DIY AUDIO
Forum Name: Graham's Wrinkles
Forum Description: My hints and tips on how to squeeze that little extra from an old
URL: https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4341
Printed Date: 06 Jun 2023 at 7:32am
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Topic: Star earthing the ground plane

Posted By: Graham Slee
Subject: Star earthing the ground plane
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2017 at 6:27am

The ground plane has been hailed as the revelutionary breakthrough in all kinds of noise rejection. By providing one side of a circuit board with a solid copper foil which serves to connect all grounds together by one ultralow impedance connection, there can be no ground impedance to upset the signal at any point in the circuit.

Say anything different to this and you'll be shouted down one way or another by EMC professionals. One way is to criticise your circuit, after all, it must be your circuit because the ground plane is blameless.

After adding star earthing (the proper way) to a ground planed board I could hear an improvement. I could hear a more 'solid' representation of the music. This is obviously impossible so I must be making it up. Either that or I have introduced some variable which is 'doing wrong'. How can I be if the ground plane is blameless? It should simply 'ignore' the addition of wires routing grounds from one place to another on the same plane.

Kirchhoff however seems to have the answer and I could explain it but I found this article which does much better than I'm able:

https://www.scribd.com/document/53251315/Harmonic-Distortion-and-Board-Layout" rel="nofollow - https://www.scribd.com/document/53251315/Harmonic-Distortion-and-Board-Layout

(Kirchhoff explained that currents flow in circles - always back to from where they came)

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That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps

Replies:

Posted By: Ernie
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2017 at 12:12pm

Hi Graham,
Nice to see the lengths you go to for us.

Had a mate around the other night. He was blown away with my set up (Accession, Majestic, Proprii, LP12, Cyrus CDT, Cyrus Stream X Signature). This guy is a musician and works in the audio industry designing software for mixing desks, sampling and visualising sound so I think I can trust his ear.

Keep applying the science to the Hifi industry Graham. You never know it may catch on😁

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There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Posted By: Sylvain
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2020 at 9:48am

Prof

There was a time when I was led by the Shop Saleman to the Upgrade Path every three or more years. Until I began to ring a number at Barnsley S Yorkshire and even better, found no further need to renew my subscription to HIFI magazines.

Yes, there are much sonic benefit in proper earthing of equipment but not practiced because the Commercial slogan is not too readily present as say speaker and interconnect Cables.

However I am please that the Forum discussion repeatedly now hit the subject of electrical power supply or it's purity or pollution effect on musicality and dynamics and is worth developing for the sheer education and benefit and economy and prevention of commercial abuse.

I am now exploring the acoustic effect of the listening room ......I saw a photo of a Roll of insulation material in your workshop and a description of a timber support around the ceiling area some time ago. Appreciate your elaboration of experiment and experience. My gratitude to you for keeping my Hifisalemen at bay. My education and confidence is developing.