Must Haves: Mains Power Blocks for Optimal Performance

FutureShop is an authorised dealer for Tacima, Wireworld, IsoTek, and Supra Cables. All four products below are available from stock.

Must-Have Mains Power Blocks

The mains power distributed around UK homes is not the clean, stable supply that hi-fi and home cinema equipment needs. Every appliance on the same ring main feeds interference back into the supply: washing machines, microwaves, wi-fi routers, and mobile phone chargers all contribute RFI and EMI that can degrade sound and picture quality. A quality power block addresses this at the input to your system, before it reaches any component. Here are four of our most recommended options, covering conditioned, passive, and surge-protected approaches.

1. Tacima CS947 6-Way Mains Conditioner

The Tacima CS947 is a What Hi-Fi Award-winning mains conditioner and one of the most widely recommended entry-level upgrades in FutureShop's power range. It actively smooths the mains supply and filters out RFI from household electronics (washing machines, wi-fi routers, mobile phones, and microwaves) that would otherwise reach your hi-fi or home cinema system. The CS947 also includes 3-channel surge protection to absorb mains spikes and a test button that confirms the filter is functioning correctly, a practical touch for ongoing peace of mind.

The unit connects to the wall via a hard-wired 2m mains cable and provides six cleaned power sockets. The improvements in detail, clarity, and reduced background noise are typically noticeable immediately, particularly on systems that have never had mains conditioning. It is the most cost-effective starting point for anyone wanting to address mains quality without a large initial outlay.

View the Tacima CS947 at FutureShop.

2. Wireworld Matrix V2 6-Way Power Hub

The Wireworld Matrix V2 is a passive six-way power distribution hub rather than a filtered conditioner. It does not apply active noise filtering; instead it provides a quality, star-wired distribution point for multiple components, with Wireworld's characteristic build standard and a heavy chassis that reduces mechanical noise. This approach preserves the full current delivery that power amplifiers and subwoofers need, which can be restricted by some filtering conditioners.

The Matrix V2 is particularly well-suited to home theatre installations where the number of power outlets is the primary problem, and where a passive, unrestricted distribution block is the preferred approach. It pairs naturally with Wireworld power cables, particularly the Series 7 range, and customer feedback at FutureShop consistently reports significant improvements when replacing a basic extension block with the Matrix V2 and matched power cables. Also available in a EU version for mainland European systems.

View the Wireworld Matrix V2 at FutureShop.

3. IsoTek V5 Sirius 6-Way Mains Distribution Block

The IsoTek V5 Sirius is the step into IsoTek's award-winning V5 power range and the most capable conditioner in this guide. Each of the six outlets is individually wired and references back to a central power cleaning network, which means no two components share a noise path. This arrangement reduces Differential Mode cross-contamination between components and achieves up to 45dB of RFI reduction. A System Link output on the rear allows multiple IsoTek units to be connected together while maintaining a star-earth reference, making it the foundation of a scalable power management system.

IsoTek is a UK-based company formed in 2001, and the V5 Sirius is hand-built in the UK with every component tested for quality and reliability. The current bundle pairs the V5 Sirius with a Premier power cable (the bundled cable has been updated from the earlier EVO3 version). For audio-visual systems where picture quality matters as much as sound, IsoTek's filtering consistently delivers improvements to both.

View the IsoTek V5 Sirius at FutureShop.

Honourable Mention: Supra LoRad MK3 Surge-Protected Mains Distribution Block

The Supra LoRad MK3 takes a distinct approach to power distribution. Its aluminium chassis is connected to safety ground, draining internal interference directly to earth and preventing adjacent RFI from entering the distribution block. This chassis grounding means the block is effectively shielded as long as it is connected to a properly earthed wall socket: a practical advantage that requires no active filtering circuitry. The NIF (Non-Intrusive Filtering) it applies is specifically designed to reduce noise without limiting the dynamic range of connected equipment, which makes it a natural choice for systems where power amplifiers are plugged in alongside source components.

Supra's 3-way surge protection covers Live to Earth, Neutral to Earth, and Live to Neutral. These are the three vectors through which a mains surge can travel. Most basic surge protectors only address Live to Neutral, leaving the other two paths unprotected. Available in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10-socket configurations, and recommended by Supra for use with their LoRad mains flex cables for maximum shielding performance.

View the Supra LoRad MK3 at FutureShop.

Which Power Block Suits Your System?

The four products above take different approaches to power distribution. The right choice depends on your system type, whether you have power amplifiers in the chain, and whether active filtering or passive distribution is the better fit. The table below maps each to its optimal use case.

Product	Approach	Best suited to	Avoid if
Tacima CS947	Active RFI filtering and surge protection. Hard-wired 2m cable.	Source-only systems (streamer, DAC, CD player, TV). First mains upgrade on a budget. Noisy mains supply where immediate improvement is the priority.	Systems with a power amplifier that the manufacturer recommends connecting direct to the mains.
Wireworld Matrix V2	Passive distribution. No filtering. Full unrestricted current delivery.	Home theatre setups short on wall outlets. Systems with power amplifiers or subwoofers that need unrestricted current. Pairs well with quality Wireworld power cables to provide the noise management.	Systems on a very noisy mains supply that need active filtering.
IsoTek V5 Sirius	Active power cleaning, individually wired outlets, up to 45dB RFI reduction. System Link for expansion.	Mid to high-level hi-fi and AV systems. Particularly strong where both audio and video quality matter. Scalable if you plan to add more IsoTek units. The best all-round conditioner in this group.	Power amplifiers with very high instantaneous current demands. Check with your amplifier manufacturer.
Supra LoRad MK3	Passive chassis grounding, NIF non-dynamic-limiting filtering, comprehensive 3-way surge protection.	Systems including power amplifiers where dynamics must not be limited. Locations exposed to surge risk (rural areas, older wiring). Best paired with Supra LoRad mains cables for full shielding.	Systems needing significant active noise reduction rather than surge protection.

For a deeper understanding of the principles behind power conditioning and distribution block design, our power distribution and conditioners guide covers star-wired vs series circuits, linear filtering, and earth noise in full. And for a look at what a reference-level passive power distribution block delivers on a high-end system, our Chord PowerHAUS S6 review covers the ARAY-equipped block on our Ayre/B&W reference system.

Browse the full power distribution range at FutureShop, or go directly to Tacima, IsoTek, or Supra. Not sure which block or conditioner suits your system? Get in touch with our team for free expert advice.