Power line conditioners
ExecEdTAS -- Wed, 02/15/2006 - 16:55
Recently, an electronics designer suggested that I might not need a power-line conditioner in my system any longer. I have used one for CD players and other digital gear for ten years, and until last year, I heard significant improvement in performance with a good conditioner in the system. So I stopped checking - I know my power line fluctuates quite a bit, and digital gear is supposed to feed its own distortions into the AC.
On this suggestion, however, I thought, "Well, I haven't tested this in awhile, so why not?" And to my surprise - my reference system sounded cleaner and clearer without the conditioner. I tried this also with the Prima Luna Prologue Three and Five in the system. Same result. Not subtle (of course no amp or preamp was ever plugged into my conditioner).
Reference system: Spendor S8e loudspeakers, Nordost cabling, Musical Fidelity kW500 integrated amplifier, MF A5 CD player.
Any similar, or dissimilar experiences?
Any thoughts on what is going on? Perhaps some digital designers, understanding the problem, now design in circuitry to filter out digital noise that used to be picked up by the AC? Heaven knows my AC itself is no better than it used to be.
Sallie Reynolds
reviewer, TAS
Hi Sallie,
I had similar experiences with various conditioners ... sometimes better, sometimes not, even with the same PC unit, at diffferent points in time, depending on the gear in use. Some conditioners not only reduce noise, but strip away important musical information, especially in the areas of dynamic dexterity, transient response, and image saturation (I want more than just bones in a thin sonic broth).
The exception, in my rig since 2003, has been BP-3.5 Signature. Even with the use of various after-market power cords, I find the benefits of balanced power (using Common Mode Rejection phase cancellation to eliminate hum and noise) to provide consistent benefits, no matter the system d'jour.
Stephæn
http://www.b-p-t.com/
Note: According to 2002/2004 National Electrical Code, Article 647, balanced AC power is to be used solely for electronic equipment [audio, video, home theater, professional sound reinforcement, electronic instrumentation].
Do not connect to lighting equipment!
Sallie,
You raise a great question.
In my experience, power conditioners fall into three (actually four) categories:
1. Those that are pure snake oil and monk sauce (i.e., the ones that basically don't work as advertised).
2. Those that consistently make an audible difference, though not necessarily a difference that constitutes an improvement.
3. Those that consistently improve the sound of most mid-tier digital players, AVRs, integrated amplifiers, and some preamps and power amps, and that help clean up the look of some display products.
A good example, though certainly not the only example, would be the CLS-series conditioners offered by Chang Lightspeed. If I remember correctly, you have also had good experiences with certain Monster conditioners.
The one limitation I've observed in conditioners in this group is that they don't always improve, and sometimes hold back, the sound of integrated or power amplifiers that already have beefy, well-executed power supplies.
I believe you use, as I do, the big Musical Fidelity kW500 integrated amp as one of your references, and it is a perfect example of an amp whose performance is not easily helped, and often hindered, by most power conditioners.
4. Those that improve the sound and/or look of almost any component, even big power amplifiers, and that--in the worst case--can almost always be relied upon to take a "do no harm" approach.
A good example in this category would be the Richard Gray's Power Company 1200S conditioner. Interestingly, you'll hear this conditioner's sonic benefits even if you don't plug associated components through it (provided, of course, it is on the same power feed circuit as the rest of your components). The only catch is that you lose the 1200S's surge suppression benefits if you don't plug components through it.
Another device that I know less well, but that impressed me in a brief listen at CES, is Chang Lightspeed's new Encounter noise sink/audiophile-grade power strip. The Encounter is a "parallel conditioner," so that--as with the RGPC units--you don't have to plug components into it to enjoy its benefits.
Chris Martens
Audio Editor, The Perfect Vision
Senior Writer, The Absolute Sound
Chris Martens
Editor, Avguide.com/Playback/The Perfect Vision
Any observations on PS Audio's Power Harvester or Power Plant?
Engineer Bob,
Actually, I did a "round-up" review of a number of PS Audio components In Playback issue 14, including the Noise Harvester and the Power Plant Premier.
Here's the link: http://playback.avguide.com/issue/14/291
I use Power Plant Premiers as reference components both in the Playback Audio Lab and in my (2-channel-oriented) home listening room.
Best,
Chris Martens
Chris Martens
Editor, Avguide.com/Playback/The Perfect Vision
really good discussion...
I have used Nordosts thor and it did very little to the system...then changed it to the Shunyata V-ray and much better as it was quieter and much more revelaing..however until I tried the Transparent Cables Reference MM i didnt know that shunyatas were creating a soundstage that is forward . transparent did the same effect as shunyata (quieter noise free soundstage ) but also added the depth of the soundstage...
I recently moved into a new house...this time i have carried out a massive ac planning for the dedicated listening room and the home theater room..
I have got 2 dedicated lines coming into the floor then every wall outlet is wired seperately from each other..in other words every component in my system has their own dedicated ac line...even the martin logans on wall motifs for thier 9volt need they have a dedicated power line ...
also i have carried out a seperate project for the earthing...5x 1.5meter very think copper rods have been burried into the ground in a star shape...
the outer rods are connected to each other and separetly to the one in the middle which went into the house with a shielded cable...then the earthing is distributed to all the wall outlets seperately...therefore the components have each separate earthing going to them...
since all my gear is audio research i need the ac to be relatively stable...i have spent a considerable time on planning and building the power line system for the room...finished this week..and i will test the power conditioners in the system with a good chance of figuring out whether they work or not..but for that i need the cables to burn in some time...i.e 2-3 months before critically testing their merits...
i have the whole project documented and will post them with great pleasure if it helps..
My experience with Shunyata Hydra-6 and Hydra-2 has not been very good.. For past 2 to 3 years i was not getting good sound no clarity and high frequencies will roll over with no impact and sound stage. Sound was very soft. I kept on changing equipment and cables untill recently when some friend told me to take out Shunyata from the system and JUST USE GOOD RECEPTORS FROM WATTGATE AND OYAIDE.
Now I am using wattgate top of the line receptor with a 0.47uF Mundorf Gold/Oil capacitor attached to the receptor for power amplifier and for source I am using Oyaide R-1 receptor ( without capacitor)with very good results.
Actually if you open the Shunyata hydra-6 cover you will find ONLY RECPTOR AND CAPACITOR. I think because of over capacitance the sound becomes very soft with loss in dynamics and soundstage and impact.
Incase using 0.47uF capacitor makes sound soft you can reduce it to 0.22uF or even 0.10uF but use a very good quality capacitor. Of cource there is no protection from surges and voltage fluctuations for which some thing can be used.
i think most power conditioners are useless (not all ), but how do we know which one suits us.. there is a Hype in the audio press and big advetisement with big names recommending them and we poor audiophile suffer as most of them are very expensive.
I have suffered a lot but could never realise the problem was due to power conditioner so highly recommended by high end audio press.
SKR
I'm using a 2.2kVA sine-wave APC UPS as a power back up and power conditioner for my home-theater and high end audio system as I live in India where power outages are common and frequent. My question is specially directed to Mr. Robert Harley regarding the power line conditioning capability of my UPS (It's been functioning flawlessley since I installed it - the cooling fan, however, does come on intermittently and cause some noise). Do I need to install an exclusive power line conditioner from say Audience or Running Springs or Shunyata etc. to get the maximum finesse for my 2 channel audio?
Also, I am using Musical Fidelity 550K supercharger monoblocks to power my Revel speakers and as they are placed closely to the speakers they require different lengths of power cords. Do I need to have EQUAL lengths of power cords to get the best non-distorting response from the 550K's? (as is the case for speaker cables)
Dr. Biren
With regard to my earlier post I should have mentioned that I would be using any power conditioner that I do purchase (if I do) with my existing UPS, in series. Will that be of any further use as far as power cleanup or improvement in the overall sound of the system is concerned?
Dr. Biren
Dr.Biren,
I can understand your concern and need for solution as I am from New Delhi and face similar problems. I also used online UPS for many years but ultimately realised that UPS's are not good solution for good sound. Main purpose has always been to protect costly equipment against power outage and get constant voltage and 50hz frequency. Also these UPS's are designed for computer applications not audio applications.I think APC is having products in US market for HIGH END Audio which protect your equipment and provide power conditioning at very reasonable cost. I checked with them but right now they are selling 110V products only in US market. I hope they come out with these products for Asian markets also.
Till few weeks back I was using a Servo stabiliser feeding Shunyata Hydra-6 and Hydra-2 power conditioners. But lately I have taken out Shunyata from my system on recommendation of a friend dealing in high end audio. Now I am using only WATTGATE power Receptors fed by the servo stabiliser and results are very good. It took me long time to realise that shunyata was not a good option and infact degraded the high frequencies. ofcourse using a Servo doesn't solve power outage problem. Also i use good quality power cables from shunyata and Oyaide.
I think RH can better recommend something along with his opinion about online UPS.
I live in Bangkok Thailand also and here we do not have power outage or fluctuations. Here also I have taken out Shunyata from my system and changed wall receptors and other receptors to connect equipment to Wattgate-381 goldplated Cryo treated and sound is much better. In delhi I have Nagra VPA and PLL amplification feeding Avantgarde Duo's. here in Bangkok I just bought McIntosh MA-6600 integrated amp which connects to Quad 2805 electrostatic speakers.
I am still not very certain about benefits of using power conditioners.Ofcource good power cord definitely helps in upgrading sound quality. Many audiophoile friends here in Bangkok do not use power conditioners. I experimented using Mundorf Gold/silver/oil Capacitors with receptors which Shunyata also does(may be cheaper capacitors I am not sure). Initially it gives you a good feeling as you get more body and smooth sound. But ultimately I reallised it is better to be directly connected to a very good receptor. There definitely must be good power conditioners in the market but how do we know which one suits us ? There is no home audition/demo for these things and not many choices in India. Can't afford to make a wrong decision looking at ever increasing cost of power conditioners.
In India protection of equipment against dirty fluctuating power and outages and getting good sound at the sametime is a challenge. I hope there is a viable solution.
SKR
Since I've never not had power protection on my system, I can't vouch for sonic differences with vs. without, but the protection is invaluable in my view. When auditioning my turntable in the store I did hear a difference, though; it's a VPI, and using a VPI conditioner it was noticeably cleaner-sounding than direct to the wall. I have my system plugged into a Tripplite LCR2400 voltage regulator, which in turn is chained to a Tripplite HT1210ISOCTR. The conditioner shouldn't be plugged into the regulator, though; I forget why, but Tripplite told me that.
Post new comment