2. misc-audio
  3. 193545-178608

AC Power

I have a relatively nice system, but have done nothing with my AC power, with the exception of upgraded PC’s and a cheap iFi plug in power conditioner. My question is multi fold… do I need to do something, and if so what? Dedicated line (15A or 20?)? Quality power conditioner? Both? Which one first? How do you tell?

My system is a combination of HT & 2 channel & I tend to use both simultaneously as I like to watch sports while listening to music.
My amp is (I think) a relatively low draw… Moon 330A, Rythmik sub, BHK pre, Aurender, Qutest w/Sbooster, R11’s. No high power amps are in my future & never listen above 75db. I do currently plug my amp directly into the wall. All my wall warts are gone. For my HT, add a 75” Sony TV, Marantz 7015 AVR & a Klipsch sub (although at zero volume the AVR & sub should not come into play).

I am considering buying the Furman IT-Reference 15i or 20i first as they are well reviewed & are priced very well on Amazon ($1,400 / $1,900). Before I pull the trigger, should I go dedicated power & at what amperage (my nephew, an EE & audiophile thinks I am drawing no more than 5 amps) as that will dictate the Furman model?

Interesting, my nephew thinks neither are worth the investment. His statement: “Do you have appliances on the circuit now? What kind of interference can they inject?...voltage drops would come from current draws...which trip breakers.
Not steady 60hz a good power supply handles. So it all comes back to was the power supply engineer dropped on his head as a child.”

”Personally I think it’s something audio people do when they have run out of gear to buy.”

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

signaforce

Showing 3 responses by mitch2

mitch2
4,215 posts
 

@erik_squires - Speaking of voltage regulation, any difference between this and this, other than $1,400?  It seems 15A should mostly be enough for digital front end, if not all front end components.

mitch2
4,215 posts
 

@erik_squires - Thank you.

@jea48 - I actually have four 20A dedicated lines powering my system.

  • One circuit located in a separate room away from my system that is dedicated to my internet modem, router, music server, and associated peripherals
  • One circuit powering the digital front end equipment in my system room, including peripherals, with all power cords coming from an Isoclean 60A3 II filter
  • One circuit powering my passive volume control (with display/remote) and SMc Audio unity-gain buffer, each of which have their own outboard linear power supplies plugged into the wall, and 
  • One for my SMc 650wpc monoblock amplifiers also plugged into the wall.  I recently replaced the 10A SR input fuses in those amps with copper rods and incorporated in-line magnetic circuit breakers provided by SMc Audio, and as they began using in their equipment shortly after they completed my amps in 2020 (see 2nd and 3rd pics on my system page).

I don't perceive any noise issues whatsoever but was curious about the potential effect of voltage fluctuations, primarily on my front-end equipment.

mitch2
4,215 posts
 

@erik_squires

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