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Reviewer: Marja & Henk
Financial Interests: Click here
Sources: PS Audio PWT; PS Audio PWD; 2 x Thorens TD160; Thorens TD124; Dr. Feickert Blackbird/Zu DL-103; Tent Labs B-DAC [in for review]
Streaming sources: Foobar2000; XXHighEnd
Preamp/integrated/power: Tri TRV EQ3SE phonostage; PS Audio Trio P-200;  Audio Note Meishu with WE 300B (or AVVT, JJ, KR Audio 300B output tubes); Yarland FV 34 CIIISA; Trends Audio TA-10; WLM Duo Amp; NuForce Icon Mobile; RSA Predator; Qables iQube V1
Speakers: Avantgarde Acoustic Duo Omega; WLM Gran Viola Monitor Signature + Duo sub; Podium Sound Podium1
Cables: Complete loom of ASI LiveLine cables; full loom of Crystal Cable cables; Audio Note AN/Vx interconnects; Audio Note AN-L; Siltech Paris interconnects; Gizmo silver interconnect; Nanotec Golden Strada #79 nano 3; Nanotec Golden Strada #79; Nanotec Golden Strada #201
Power line conditioning: Omtec PowerControllers; PS Audio Powerplant Premier; PS Audio Humbuster III;
Equipment racks: Solid Tech Radius amp racks; ASI amplifier and TT shelf
Sundry accessories: Boston Audio Design Mat and Tuneblocks; Furutech DeMag; Nanotec Nespa #1; Exact Audio Copy software; Dell server and laptop w/Windows Server 2008, Vista and XP; iPod; wood, brass, ceramic and aluminum cones and pyramids; Manley Skipjack
Room treatment: Acoustic System International resonators, sugar cubes, diffusers
Room size: Ca. 14.5 x 7.5m with a ceiling height of 3.5m, brick walls, wooden flooring.
Review component retail: €1.000

There must have been a eureka moment when Fritz de With of STS Digital thought of his simple yet clever way to increase the rejection ratio of electrical and electromagnetic interference on power cables. "What if I feed the cable’s ends through a Faraday cage?" or something to that effect probably crossed his mind. It’s these cable ends which in most cases lack shielding. That’s because one has to strip the wires to attach the connectors. No matter how well shielded the overall cable is, the last few inches on either side have to be denuded. They thus form the weakest part of the cable’s defense against unwanted incoming but also outgoing electromagnetic radiation.


Even the most sophisticated audiophile-rated power plug or IEC with 24k gold-plated non-magnetic pure copper or platinum/palladium-plated phosphor bronze connectors lacks shielding. Thus adding a shield that really covers the ends of the cable including the plugs should in theory enhance the shielding capabilities of the cable as a whole and improve its performance as a result.


Fritz started experimenting with the shielding of power cables and eventually came up with what in hindsight is a very simple solution. He took a length of thick copper piping that could slip over the wall plug. Mind you this only works with the round straight type of wall plugs. Now this tube was connected to earth ground. The IEC end was shielded by a similar copper cage connected to the ground of the powered piece of equipment.



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