BMU 3000 Balanced Mains Unit mk II
5 out of 5
The Balanced Mains 3000
The BMU3000 mkII™ is our largest balanced mains unit, offering the best performance and is suitable for all sizes of systems. The new 'mkII' version has a completely new design which we can confidently say is our best performing Balanced Mains Unit ever.
The BMU 3000 mkII is capable of powering the largest of Hi-Fi and Home Cinema systems (Russ uses one in his own set up) and can deliver a massive 3kVA - 3000 watts - of pure power via its twin-transformer technology. The new model features re-designed internal transformers and the resulting unit is quieter in operation and more efficient than the previous model... what's more, each BMU is now tailored to your individual set up for the best performance. 
The rear of the BMU 3000 mkII is fitted with five UltraSocket™ mains outlets. They are inverted to make plugging in your cables straight forward. Mains input is via a high current, 20A IEC socket and is filtered for additional mains purification. The BMU 3000 mkII is mounted in an equipment-sized fire-resistant ABS case, making it perfect for housing in an equipment rack. It’s heavy, so we recommend sitting it on the bottom shelf.What is balanced mains?
Electricity delivered to your home is naturally unbalanced; in other words there’s on average 230V on live and 0V on neutral. To ‘balance’ it, you need to split the mains supply and put 115V on live and 115V on neutral. These are 180 degrees out of phase to each other with respect to ground. Any differences between them is zeroed to ground (phase cancellation). The differences essentially being unwanted electrical noise. A lower noise floor is a resultant factor of the balanced power.
Because there’s still a 230V difference between live and neutral at the sockets you don’t need to make any modifications to equipment to work on a balanced mains supply.
What are the benefits?
If you are familiar with balanced audio circuits in Hi-Fi systems, you’ll be aware of the benefits of balanced systems. A Hi-Fi system with a balanced circuit (usually connected together with ‘XLR’ type interconnects) splits the audio signal into two halves – negative and positive. The benefit of this is that ‘noise’ on the positive half of the signal is cancelled out by ‘noise’ on the negative half of the signal. If done correctly, the resulting sound can be of higher quality than an unbalanced circuit. Many recording studios use a balanced mains supply because it is so very effective at reducing the level of buzzes, hums and induced noise into the audio signal from the mains.The benefit of a balanced mains supply is that both 115V ‘legs’ are of different polarity – so that noise on the live legs is effectively cancelled out by noise on the neutral. It’s this noise cancellation that’s essentially the same as balanced audio.
In our opinion, feeding your system with balanced mains is the very best way to reduce mains noise and get the best performance from your system.
Matching your voltage
Before despatch, each Balanced Mains Unit is factory-adjusted to your specific domestic mains voltage for best performance and efficiency. To do this, on receipt of your order we will send you a voltage meter which you should use to monitor your mains voltage over a 48 hour period. Once you have an average figure, we will use this to match the Balanced Mains Unit before shipping.
This is not user-adjustable but can be adjusted free of charge back at the factory if the need arises – for example, if you move house.
Safety
Safety is of paramount importance with any electrical item and our BMUs are no different. For your security, all our Balanced Mains Units feature two stage magnetic and thermal protection. The main on/off switch is integrated with a fast acting MCB (magnetic circuit breaker) which immediately cuts power in the event of a fault on the mains wiring. The second stage is thermal protection; an internal cut off switch is fitted to the transformer that will cut power in the event of excessive heat build up.Which PowerKord?
The BMU 3000 does not come with a mains cable, allowing you to choose our own; we recommend the Evolution-300 PowerKord or better, fitted with the 16A IEC.
Specifications
Getting the best from your BMU
To maximize performance from your Balanced Mains Unit, we recommend that any additional, plug-in filters you have (from any brand) are connected 'before' the BMU. Do not plug them into the output sockets of the BMU. While this isn't a safety issue, our extensive listening tests showed that they worked best before the BMU. Indeed cleaning up the power before it goes into the BMU has the potential to sound even better!
"without doubt, the sound quality from the system whilst using the BMU 3000 MKII improved palpably. One is tempted to say that it is 'transformative'".
Read more about the Hi-Fi+ review here
"an uplift of the kind of magnitude that might be expected from a swap to a higher quality more revealing source and much more powerful amplification".
Read more about the-ear.net review here
60 Day Money Back Guarantee
Balanced Mains Units are covered by our 60 Day Money Back Guarantee: audition them in your own system for two months. Find out more.
25 Year Warranty
Balanced Mains Units come with a Lifetime Guarantee - this means we will cover against manufacturing faults and defects for a minimum of 25 years. Find out more
Customer Reviews
Overall product rating
5 / 5
5 / 5
reviewed by Nick Boot
13 Jul 2022
Yes, I recommend this product.
"My Amps Have Stopped Humming Along"
I have had a par of Mark Levinson ML 33 hs for 4 years...they were on my bucket list and after a spell with the servise dept they returned and worked fine...except they hummed along with the music and 1 of them kept falling over, which if you know these amps if not physically possible.Now 2 months in the humming jas topped, the soundstage is starting to expand and my enjoyment has increased where Ive decided ro shelve my plans to change the Levinsons.
System is ML amps Townshend Allegri ref..vivaldi dac and upsampler and roon.
Very recommended
5 / 5
reviewed by Rupert Robertson
17 May 2019
Yes, I recommend this product.
"Excellent"
The BMU3000 arrived, in my case the 'install version'. It's excellent and in my experience if I were upgrading my HiFi or buying from scratch I'd start with one of these as it really sets the scene for equipment to perform well. Now that the BMU has run in for a few weeks it's even better and compared to the cost of some retail HiFi products it does represent good value and unlike a CD player or Streamer it won't go out of date! I have been careful to use Kimber Powerkords and other RA Conditioners where appropriate as I had those already in place. Essentially the noise floor is lower, the sound is clearer, wider, deeper and the whole listening experience is more enjoyable and I certainly wouldn't be without it! Highly recommended.
