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How it works.

Noise always works from the top down. That is to say, low frequency noise does not really exist, apart from the 50 or 60 Hz fundamental power frequency, without which we can't power our equipment. The harmonics (going up) from 50 or 60 Hz exist because the power encounters non-linear loads, because it goes through transformers with hysteresis, because it was created with generators which have non-perfect flux distribution, not to mention things closer to home which buzz and hum, adding harmonics to the 50 or 60 Hz. These are all harmless to your audio quality, as they are effectively filtered out by the filters built into your audio gear's power input electronics, which is exactly what they are built for. But going from the top down, we have the real source of noisiness which intrudes upon the natural sound of music. This is the non-linear, non-predictable interaction of the audio signal or digital clock and data retrieval system with high frequency radio and even light waves. Not all light is visible, and most of it is in bandwidths which we cannot see, but when you add it all together, the spectrum and energy is enormous and has profound influence on the quality of the resulting audio signal. The reason: in an electromagnetically non-controlled environment, you will always have haphazard electromagnetic ambient fields at all frequencies going in all directions at all times.