"The Abyss"

I am glad to highlight another Malaysian designed Malaysian made HiFi device here.

If you are a frequent visitor to our local HiFi sales and discussion forum https://www.hifi4sale.net/, you'd be familiar with DrWho. DrWho is also known within our HiFi circle as Yoong. In addition to doling out HiFi wisdom, he is also into designing and making earthing devices for HiFi nowadays, which is the focus of this write-up.

I'll let Yoong tell you in his own words what his earthing device is meant to do:

"The main purpose of the hifi equipment ground or other electrical appliances ground is to divert the electricity away in case of a short circuit in the equipment. Audiophiles are aware that sharing a common ground with the house ground will deteriorate the sound quality. For that reason, many audiophiles use a separate ground solely for their hifi system. 

RFI and EMR noise from the surrounding environment are picked up by the various exposed metal parts of the hifi equipment. These high frequency signals are noise to the hifi system. The high frequency signals cannot be easily drain via the conventional grounding system due to the very low current they carry. Thus, it necessitates a separate grounding device that can easily dump the RFI and EMR signals in the form of heat. The grounding device works by allowing the signal microcurrent travel through a special medium continuously until it turns into heat. The different frequency signals decay into heat differently. The type of medium in this grounding device is selected to ensure that it is able to decay the noise signals that affect the complete frequency range of the hifi system, from highs, mids to lows.

I want to name the grounding device as 'The Abyss'."

So now you also know where the title of this post comes from. 

Talking about electromagnetic radiation in our surroundings, I noticed that in my listening room, with my handphone, I can not only detect the 4G signal of my mobile service provider (and other service providers' signals must be around too) and the Wifi signal for my own house, I could also detect Wifi signals from half a dozen neighbours or so, and this is before we talk about EMF from other electrical appliances lying around. So yes, I think my environment is electrically noisy and dirty. 

The Abyss is simple and functional. A thin wire leads out from the top of its main body, which is a shiny stainless steel cylinder that is completely sealed, and the wire is terminated with a crocodile clip. The clip is to be clipped onto any protruding bolt or screw head on the equipment that you want to 'earth'. 

Based on Yoong's advice, I tried it on my CD player, preamp and power conditioner. The effect was the same, though I thought the effect on the power conditioner was the least pronounced. 

on my pre-amp

on my CDP

The effect wrought by The Abyss was quite immediate. I didn't have to "run in" the device like for other HiFi equipment. 

The first prominent effect I heard was a cleaner treble that was without grit and any sharpness. The highs became silkier, and sibilance, wherever existing, was greatly reduced. Music could be played louder without heightened harshness. The treble region acquired an added gentleness so to speak.

Secondly, there was a quieter background in between images/instruments, which also improved separation and image specificity. The midrange was also clearer. 

The most surprising effect that I didn't expect at all was in the bass region. Bass notes were more focused and more well defined, like they have shed that little extra fat they have been carrying.  

Overall, system resolution was further improved with reduction of hash in the sonic picture. 

At Yoong’s suggestion again, I hooked the device up to the cover of the MCB box in my living room. Its effect was consistent with before. Using it on the MCB box was amazing as its effect was hardly diminished despite the distance from the ground floor of my house to my listening room on the 2nd floor (the power sockets supplying my system is directly wired from the MCB to my listening room though). Furthermore I noticed an effect on my LED TV In my living room where there was less noise and less hash again with the picture quality (the power socket for my TV is also directly wired from the MCB). 

So, will The Abyss be effective for everyone? I think its effect will depend on the extent of the problem your system is suffering from, the kind of problem that The Abyss is built to cure. Especially if your HiFi sounded noisy or rough or the highs were ear-poking, and you have done all you could to try to cure them but failed, then I think you should give The Abyss a go, it may work wonders for you! 

Subsequent to my test, Yoong told me that he has come up with a MkII version of The Abyss. Now, the earthing wire is detachable and an antenna could be attached instead (see photos below). Yoong said that multiple units with the antenna configuration can be placed at the corners of your listening room for example.

Email Yoong to discuss further if you like to know more about The Abyss or to pry a unit out of him (he has a few units made) to try out yourself. Email address - yoong@yoong.org.