In an increasingly digital world there are more sources of noise and interference than at any time in history. Even in our homes wifi, bluetooth, and cellular signals generate an incredible amount of RF and electrical noise which is detrimental to the performance of a high fidelity audio system. Even high fidelity components themselves generate noise as more rely on computer technology and microprocessor control.
Computer Audio Design has created their Ground Control range to address these sources of noise. They connect to your components' signal ground plane via proprietary cables. While audio engineers take great care to reduce noise and ripple in their voltage supplies, the signal ground plane is often neglected. The CAD Ground Controls offer broadband noise reduction by converting unwanted noise in the signal ground plane into heat via their proprietary materials and construction.
The theory is very interesting, but ultimately performance is what matters. We've used CAD's Ground Controls extensively in our store and tried them on just about everything. The results are remarkable. The overall noise floor is lowered, harmonic density is increased, and bass explodes out of inky black backgrounds with newfound alacrity.
Digital components, with their higher inherent self-noise generation, are unsurprisingly especially affected by the Ground Controls. They become far more analog and natural sounding and it's suddenly easy to completely forget that you're listening to a digital source.
Phono preamplifiers, with their high gain, also derive outsized benefits especially for low-output moving coil cartridges. The noise floor is palpably reduced and the sonic image is brought into tighter focus.
The GC1 features two connections so that up to two components can benefit. The larger GC3 features six connections and an even greater ability to reduce signal ground plane noise due to its more massive construction. In our large sound room we've used the GC1 to great effect on the power amplifiers that sit between the speakers while the GC3 takes care of improving the performance of all our front-end electronics to the left of the listening position.
CAD also manufactures the reference GC-R for their ultimate statement on ground plane noise reduction.
"Due, I'm guessing, to Mikey's rave review in our July issue, this was another landslide. Only the WallyTractor Universal, a distant second, got more than a handful of votes."
Pearl Audio has the GC1 and GC3 on active display. Visit our showroom to hear the benefits yourself or contact us for an in-home demonstration.
You can read more about the technical details of the GC1 and GC3 on CAD's website.