CH Precision Grounding
10-Series Components
In high-end audio design, grounding is often treated as an afterthought—an unseen utility that simply “works.” At CH Precision, we approach it as a core engineering discipline. Every instrument we build provides independent access to both chassis and signal ground planes, available directly from the rear panel. This dual strategy ensures that noisy return currents, shielding leakage, or digital interference never contaminate the delicate signal reference. It also gives installers precise control over how each component is tied into a system’s grounding topology, whether through star-grounding, external networks, or dedicated earthing solutions.
This meticulous approach is unique in high-end audio. Where most designs collapse all grounds into a single point, CH preserves their independence, allowing them to function exactly as intended: the chassis as a shield and drain, the signal ground as a clean, stable reference for conversion and amplification. By eliminating subtle ground-borne interactions that veil detail and blur spatial cues, our components deliver music with greater transparency, coherence, and presence. In protecting the most overlooked link in the chain, CH secures one of the most essential foundations of musical truth.
Preamplifier as Ground Hub
In CH’s 10-Series components, each unit is paired with an external power supply that carries its own chassis ground. Here the grounding scheme follows the same simple but powerful principle: the linestage serves as the system’s single chassis ground, while all other components reference signal ground exclusively through their interconnects. In this configuration, every component other than the linestage should have its ground switch set to Open, disconnecting the link between chassis and signal grounds.
The linestage alone carries the connection, with its ground switch set to Linked, joining the Chassis Earth (yellow) and Signal Ground receptacles. This hub-and-spoke arrangement eliminates competing chassis connections and the loops they create, ensuring that return currents follow a single, controlled path. The result is a grounding topology that is both electrically coherent and musically transparent—reducing noise, avoiding intermodulation, and preserving the micro-dynamics and spatial cues that give music its realism and life.
Grounding Schematic with a Chassis Ground Hub
When using an external grounding hub with 10-Series components, the approach differs slightly due to their architecture. Each 10-Series product features an external power supply with its own chassis ground. Instead of a jumper, the ground reference is managed by a switch located on the main chassis. This switch can be set to Open (disconnecting the link between chassis and signal grounds) or Linked (joining chassis and signal grounds). In this configuration, all components—except the Linestage—should have their switches set to Open, as their signal ground reference is supplied via the interconnects. The Linestage alone should be set to Linked, providing the system’s single connection between chassis and signal ground.
As with the 1-Series, each chassis must be connected to the external Chassis Ground hub via a cable from its yellow Chassis Earth receptacle, and the hub itself must be connected to Earth Ground. This ensures that chassis-borne noise is drained away effectively, while the signal reference remains stable and coherent. By offering independent access to both chassis and signal ground planes, the 10-Series design makes it possible to integrate external networks with precision, enhancing noise control without undermining the system’s inherent integrity.
Grounding Schematic with a Chassis and Signal Ground Hub
When employing a dedicated Signal Ground hub in addition to the Chassis Ground hub with 10-Series products, the configuration is straightforward. All components should have their ground switches set to Open, fully separating chassis and signal ground internally. Each unit’s black Signal Ground receptacle is then connected directly to the Signal Ground hub. The Signal Ground hub itself must be connected to the Chassis Ground hub, establishing the proper reference between the two planes, with the Chassis Ground hub tied directly to Earth Ground.
This arrangement allows the system to isolate chassis noise from the delicate signal reference with even greater effectiveness. By draining interference at the correct plane and stabilizing the signal ground through a centralized hub, the system achieves a lower noise floor, finer spatial definition, and enhanced microdynamic nuance. As always, the essential advantage lies in CH’s independent access to both ground planes, enabling external networks to complement the internal design rather than work against it.
