[jtwrace]

Does ERS Cloth really do anything or is it....???

http://www.stillpoints.us/Stillponts/ers_specs.html

[Speedskater]

It's a solution in search of a problem!

I suppose that if you had a problem from a near-by cell phone, you could with some work find a place that it stops the interference.

[*Scotty*]

In my experience ERS paper's effect requires a certain minimum system resolution in order for its positive effects to be apparent. If you are using unshielded interconnects it can sop up some of the HF noise that the ICs can pick up out of the air.
 RFI will come in via the AC power lines and over the air and and it appears to sit on the exterior of the chassis. in many cases there does not seem to be a low impedance path to ground for this type of noise.
 ERS paper properly placed gives you a blacker background and a little less grain. If you have good AC filtering in place its effect is much smaller. At the price it's worth experimenting with but I would not call it a transformative tweak by any means.
 At least this product is real and actually has a measurable effect on RFI.
Scotty

[jtwrace]

Scotty

Thanks for the tips.  Maybe I'll get a few sheets to play with.  Sounds like the breaker box may be a good place too.   

[lag0a]

From what I've read about ERS paper it sounds like you need to be an expert to use it effectively. Just placing a big piece of ERS paper covering the inside of electronic parts isn't using it effectively. I have read the most effect way to use it is wrapping it around cables and grounding it to the chassis so it could be a mess.

Don't wrap it so that it makes contact with the cable too but leave like 2mm space between it and the cable or it will suck the life out of the music. This is from what I've read about it.

[*Scotty*]

lag0a,what you have read is wrong. People are generalizing about the effects possible from ERS paper. The amount of change or improvement heard will be system dependent and will vary accordingly.
 For example, if the interconnects are shielded and an effective AC power filter is in place the effects heard from applying ERS paper will be greatly lessened and may in fact be inaudible. In addition to this the if the system resolution is poor enough, using the ERS paper in the system may yield no results at all.
 Speaking from personal experience within the context of my system, I have had positive results from placing a 3in.x 5in. piece inside the class D amplifier I used use. I also used pieces 1/2in. wide by 3in. long wrapped directly around my unshielded interconnects that connect my preamp to my poweramp. Currently I use a 4in.x 4in. piece on my preamp and an 5in.by 8in. piece on my poweramp.
 The key is to start with 1/8 to 1/4 of a sheet of ERS paper and work your way up to larger pieces as needed. There is also a warning issued regarding the possibility of shorting out circuitry if the paper is used inside a component and it comes in contact with electrically active circuitry.
The paper is electrically conductive at its edge and should be secured in such a manner that it will not become loose inside the component.
Scotty
 

[Æ]

Scotty

Thanks for the tips.  Maybe I'll get a few sheets to play with.  Sounds like the breaker box may be a good place too.   

Don't "paper" your breaker box only, while you are at it there are hundreds of feet of Romex in your walls that radiate EMF too.

[jtwrace]

Don't "paper" your breaker box only, while you are at it there are hundreds of feet of Romex in your walls that radiate EMF too.

Maybe I'll put a small piece on each one of them too.   

[Big Red Machine]

JT, I have a sheet of it on top of my conductive foam inside my dac.  Making sure to not short anything out.  PW does not recommend any with power cabling.  I also have a 50 foot roll of conductive foam if you would like to try a piece.

[Hap]

I've played with ERS cloth over the years and agree with Scotty...
ERS contains little pieces of carbon fiber like "stuff" that is laid throughout the cloth, and is conductive to an extent.
As noted, it could short AC/DC voltages; one trick the seller shared with me is to tape the edges of the ERS cloth with masking tape or some other tape to prevent this.
Some people thread a small guage wire into the cloth and attach it to chassis ground; as drain path.
Around and/or inside audio equipment; ERS can make a positive difference, and suggest you use the "less is better" approach.

I've used it on walls and windows to ward off RF signals from radio and cell phone towers with good results too.

Cheers

[jameshuls]

I put half a sheet inside the case of my Parasound Z-Phono Stage and it noticeably reduced hum and also made the sound smoother. It was quite an improvement actually.

[Don_S]

Hap,  Masking tape is a    It is not heat tolerant. It gets brittle with age and leaves "crumbs".   I have used electrical tape on ERS cloth and it worked well.

[viggen]

I bought a few sheets about 10 yrs ago.  Placed some in my speakers and in my DAC.  Put some in my bulletplugs RCA connectors and powercable connectors as well. 

I think the sound characteristics tilts towards higher frequency range as well as a more "clean" sound.  The sound does get "bleached" if I use too much in the same place.