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System Upgrades
Already have a system you're happy with? This is where to look next. Power treatment, isolation, grounding, fuses and the upgrades most customers don't know they need — until they try them.
Improve my power supply
Reduce vibration and interference
Try grounding for the first time
What should I upgrade next?
System Upgrades at FutureShop
312
upgrade and treatment products
21+
years of honest upgrade advice
System Upgrades is the most honest section of our site. We explain what each product does, what our customers report, what the sceptics say — and let you decide. No overselling. If something makes a consistent difference, we say so clearly.
1
Stage 1 of 3 · Hardware
The Core
What you already have.
Understanding your current system is the starting point for knowing what to upgrade and in which order.
Before buying any upgrade, map your current signal chain: source → DAC → amplifier → speakers. The upgrade priority follows a consistent pattern: cables first, then power treatment, then isolation, then grounding.
Before buying any upgrade, it's worth mapping your current signal chain — source, DAC, amplifier, speakers — and identifying where each power cable, interconnect and speaker cable run sits. The order of upgrade priority follows a consistent pattern: cables first, then power treatment, then isolation, then grounding. Each stage builds on the last.
Power Treatment
Power conditioners and blocks clean the mains supply reaching your equipment. Most effective on DACs, phono stages and preamplifiers — where the signal level is lowest and noise has the most impact.
Browse Power Treatment →
System Isolation
Mechanical vibration feeds into every analogue component through the shelf or rack. IsoAcoustics feet, isolation platforms and quality rack shelves all reduce this. Most audible under turntables and speakers.
Browse System Isolation →
Grounding
Grounding systems draw electrical noise from equipment inputs, outputs and chassis to a dedicated earth point or grounding box. Entreq and iFi GND Defender are the most tested products in this category.
Browse Grounding →
Hi-Fi Fuses
An audiophile fuse replaces the standard fuse in your equipment with one optimised for lower noise and better dynamic performance. One of the most divisive upgrades in hi-fi — and one of the most consistently reported.
Browse Hi-Fi Fuses →
Power Treatment
Conditioners and blocks clean the mains supply. Most effective on DACs and preamps.
Browse power treatment →
System Isolation
IsoAcoustics feet, platforms and rack shelves reduce mechanical vibration into components.
Browse isolation →
Grounding
Draws electrical noise to a dedicated earth point. Entreq and iFi GND Defender.
Browse grounding →
Hi-Fi Fuses
Replace the standard fuse with one optimised for lower noise and better dynamics.
Browse hi-fi fuses →
2
Stage 2 of 3 · Connect
Cables & Wiring
Where each upgrade product fits in your signal chain.
Where each upgrade product fits in your signal chain — and why it matters.
Upgrade products work at different points in the signal chain. Understanding where noise or vibration enters helps you choose the most impactful upgrade for your specific setup.
Upgrade products work at different points in the signal chain. Understanding where noise or vibration enters the system helps you choose the most impactful upgrade for your specific setup. Two steps: see where each upgrade acts below, then shop each one ranked by reported impact.
AMap your system
Where each upgrade acts — the power path, then the treatments applied to your components.
Signal path
# Matches the cable below
Power path
Mains Supply
Carries noise from other appliances
1Mains Cable
Power Conditioner / Block
Filters mains noise
mains to each
Source / DAC / Phono
Most sensitive to noise & vibration
treatments applied to your components
2
Grounding Box
Drains noise to earth
3
Hi-Fi Fuse
Inside the equipment
4
Isolation Platform
Under each component
BShop the connections
Numbers match the map above — impact shown for each.
1
Mains Power Cables — Amplifier & Source
The power supply to each component is the most accessible and consistently impactful upgrade in most systems. Start with the amplifier, then the DAC or phono stage. Chord Company, Atlas, Tellurium Q and Nordost all offer a clear progression from entry to reference.
Highest Impact
2
Grounding Cable or Kit
If your equipment has a grounding terminal (many Naim, Linn and high-end DACs do) or if your system has a hum that disappears when touching the chassis, a grounding cable or grounding box is the fix. Entreq and iFi GND Defender both address different types of grounding issues.
High Impact
3
Hi-Fi Fuses
Audiophile fuses (QSA, HiFi Tuning, Synergistic Research) replace the standard fuse in your amplifier, DAC or phono stage. They are directional — fitting them the wrong way produces a different (usually worse) result. Try both directions and leave for 50+ hours before judging.
Directional — try both orientations
Moderate Impact
4
Isolation Platforms & Feet
Under turntables, DACs, phono stages and amplifiers — isolation feet and platforms reduce the effect of mechanical vibration on signal performance. IsoAcoustics OREA (for components) and GAIA (for speakers) are the starting points.
High Impact
AMap your system
Where each upgrade acts — power path, then treatments.
Power path
Mains Supply
Wall socket · carries noise
1Mains Cable — Amp, DAC
Power Conditioner
Filters mains noise
mains cable to each component
Source / DAC / Phono
Most sensitive to noise
treatments applied to your components
2Grounding Cable
Grounding Box
Drains noise to earth
3Hi-Fi Fuse — inside equipment
Hi-Fi Fuse
In the IEC fuse holder
4Isolation — under each component
Isolation Platform
Decouples from vibration
BShop the connections
Numbers match the map above.
1
Mains Power Cables — Amp & Source
The most consistently impactful upgrade. Start with the amplifier, then the DAC or phono stage.
Highest Impact
Shop Power Cables
2
Grounding Cable or Kit
If your system has a noise floor — a slight background haze — grounding consistently reduces or eliminates it.
High Impact
Shop Grounding
3
Hi-Fi Fuses
QSA, HiFi Tuning and Synergistic Research fuses are directional — try both orientations and leave for 50+ hours.
DirectionalModerate Impact
Shop Hi-Fi Fuses
4
Isolation Platforms & Feet
Under turntables, DACs, phono stages and amplifiers. IsoAcoustics OREA for components, GAIA for speakers.
High Impact
Shop Isolation
3
Stage 3 of 3 · Improve
Upgrades
Upgrades most customers try next — in honest order of reported impact.
The upgrades most customers try next — in honest order of reported impact.
We've been selling upgrade products since the early 2000s. The honest pattern: power cables make the largest consistent difference; isolation is usually audible and often surprising; grounding is transformative for some systems and subtle for others.
We've been selling upgrade products since the early 2000s. The honest pattern from customer feedback: power cables make the largest and most consistent difference; isolation is usually audible and often surprising; grounding is transformative for some systems and subtle for others; fuses are the most divisive. We explain all of this — not just what we sell.
Most consistent first upgrade
Mains Power Cable Upgrade
Upgrading from the standard figure-8 or kettle lead to a quality power cable is the most consistently reported improvement in system upgrade history. The phono stage and DAC (lowest signal level, most sensitive to noise) show the greatest benefit.
Highest Impact
From
£55
Shop power cables →
Immediately audible in most rooms
Isolation Platform or Feet
IsoAcoustics OREA under a DAC or phono stage, GAIA under loudspeakers — both consistently produce an audible tightening of bass and improvement in image focus. On a suspended wooden floor, the effect can be dramatic.
High Impact
From
£79
Shop isolation →
Transformative for some, subtle for others
Grounding System
Grounding draws signal noise from equipment inputs and outputs to earth. In systems with a perceptible noise floor — a slight haze or grain in the background — grounding consistently reduces or eliminates it. In very quiet systems the improvement is more subtle. Entreq Minimus and iFi GND Defender are the entry points.
High Impact
From
£149
Shop grounding →
Most discussed, most divided
Audiophile Fuse
QSA, HiFi Tuning and Synergistic Research fuses replace the standard fuse in your equipment's IEC fuse holder. The improvement mechanism is debated; the customer reports are consistent. Try one in your amplifier first — they are low cost relative to other upgrades and can be returned if you hear no difference.
Moderate Impact
From
£25
Shop hi-fi fuses →
Most consistent first upgrade
Mains Power Cable Upgrade
The most consistently reported upgrade. Phono stages and DACs — lowest signal level, most sensitive to noise — show the greatest benefit.
Highest Impact
From
£55
Shop power cables →
Immediately audible in most rooms
Isolation Platform or Feet
IsoAcoustics OREA under a DAC, GAIA under loudspeakers — consistently audible. Dramatic on suspended wooden floors.
High Impact
From
£79
Shop isolation →
Transformative for some, subtle for others
Grounding System
In systems with a perceptible noise floor — a slight haze in the background — grounding consistently reduces or eliminates it. Entreq Minimus and iFi GND Defender are the entry points.
High Impact
From
£149
Shop grounding →
Most discussed, most divided
Audiophile Fuse
QSA, HiFi Tuning and Synergistic Research fuses replace the standard fuse in your equipment. Reports are consistent. Try one in your amplifier first.
Moderate Impact
From
£25
Shop hi-fi fuses →
Ask an upgrade expert
Not sure which upgrade to try first? We'll ask the right questions and give you an honest recommendation — not the most expensive option.
0800 772 3688Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm
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Common Questions
System Upgrades FAQ
What should I upgrade first — cables or power treatment?+−
Cables first, always. The interconnects and speaker cables in your system are the primary signal path — improving them is a cleaner and more direct improvement than treating the power supply before the signal chain is optimised. Once your cables are at the level where the system sounds as good as the components allow, power treatment and isolation become the next logical step.
Grounding boxes — is this real or audiophile mythology?+−
It's real, but the effect varies significantly by system. Grounding works by providing a low-impedance path for high-frequency noise to drain to earth — reducing the noise that rides on signal cables. In systems with a perceptible background noise floor (a slight grain or hash in quiet passages), grounding consistently and clearly reduces it. In very quiet reference systems, the improvement is more subtle. Entreq Minimus is the entry point we recommend for a first test — it's also the product we most often see customers upgrade from rather than return.
Does speaker isolation work with floor-standing speakers?+−
Yes, and the mechanism is different from standmount isolation. Floor-standing speakers in direct contact with a suspended wooden floor can experience significant bass bloom — floor resonance excites the bass reflex port and obscures bass definition. IsoAcoustics GAIA feet under floor-standers are specifically designed to address this, and the improvement in bass clarity on resonant floors can be dramatic. On concrete or very solid floors, the effect is smaller but usually still worthwhile.
What does a power conditioner actually do?+−
A power conditioner filters the mains supply before it reaches your equipment. Mains power contains noise from other appliances, dimmers, LED lighting and the wider grid — at frequencies between 50Hz and several hundred kHz. A conditioner attenuates these frequencies before they reach your amplifier or DAC. The result is typically a quieter noise floor, better bass definition and improved dynamic contrast — most noticeable on DACs and phono stages.
Are audiophile fuses genuinely worth the price?+−
The mechanism by which hi-fi fuses improve sound is disputed — some argue it's signal path resistance reduction, others suggest it's vibration or material differences. What is less disputed is that customer reports are consistent and positive across a wide range of systems. QSA Yellow fuses are the most commonly reported improvement. The directional nature of the improvement (fitting them 'backwards' produces a different result) is one of the more difficult aspects to explain, but it is consistently observed. We recommend trying one fuse in your amplifier before buying for multiple components.
What is the difference between a power block and a power conditioner?+−
A power block is primarily a distribution device — multiple sockets with quality internal wiring and a main switch. It provides no filtering of the mains supply. A power conditioner adds active or passive filtering to reduce mains noise before it reaches your equipment. Many products combine both functions. The distinction matters when budgeting — a quality power block with no conditioning is still worthwhile for correct IEC termination and consistent internal wiring, but a conditioner provides measurably cleaner power.