Am I Killing My Sound?


I am running my system through a monster power HTS 5100 conditioner.    Will the monster power fool me into thinking it sounds better?  

Also, I am in the middle of an upgrade, I ran an 8 AWG four wire copper Romex from the main panel to listening room. Was planning on running 2 120 volt circuits.  So you have 240 volts across both hot wires even though I am not using 240 volts, this splits the current on the neutral.  

  • Do I need to worry about noise because I have 2 separate phases running from the panel to the listening room?  
  • Do I need to be concerned about running mono blocks on separate phases? 
  • If I want to run single phase in the listening room what do I do with four wires in the romex (black, red, white and bare). should I run double ground wires?

System;

Rega P8 with Apheta 3

Audio research LS26 pre

Audio research PH8 phono

Cary CAD-211 mono blocks driving Tyler acoustic D10’s

Lamm M1.1 mono blocks driving Wilson Sophina’s

Also some digital Mcintosh gear for TV and movies and Runco plasma TV

Thanks!

agrogon

Yes. I had a Monster ($600) conditioner . Surge suppressor fail and be informed they are unfixable (on my home theater). I wasn’t able to detect any better sound… unlike every other piece of audio power gear I have bought or used from Shunyata, Isotec, and Cinepro. these  demonstrated marked improvements in sound.
 

I was concerned when I bought my first piece of Monster it was a marketing company with cheap internal construction that would probably provide no function… It has not… my surround processor got fried twice with this surge suppressor / conditioner in place. Why didn’t I listen to inner voice. I know better… what was I thinking.

 

I also tried interconnects… no better than OEM but cost lots more.

You might consider running the 8 ga romex to a sub panel. Then run separate lines from sub panel to your system, all on same phase. You would need a sub panel having 4 spaces to run two lines on the same phase. 

I would only use the power conditioner for your source components. Plug your amps directly into wall outlet.  

I run all hifi off a single phase and have full time motors like HVAC and refrigerator on the other. I would NEVER mix phases with hifi. Just because you installed 4 !egs doesn't be mean you have to use them, unless you are all MC.

Only you can remove the HTS 5100 and decide if there is an audible difference.

IMO, the Monster is not as much worry as the 240V you are planning to split. I am not an electrician but as a carpenter/ Building contractor, I have wired some additions (Yes it’s legal) And I have only seen the instance of splitting a 240V one tim on a bathroom remodel. . It blew many sparks and a hole in my pliers when I cut, what I thought was a 120v.wire.  I suspect there is a good reason WHY this is not standard practice and I would never run the circuit this way. So the answer from my perspective is a yes to question 1 & 2.

#3 IF you had run the wire in conduit you could just add a couple ground wires to make 2 separate circuits. But since you say Romex , I doubt it is in a conduit. I’m not sure if you should run a ground wire outside the romex. Doesn’t sound right to me. The other solution if you have a ground wire + the 4 wires , you can tie onto it in the junction box for the second circuit.

The batter and safer way IMO, is pull it out and start over with 2 separate circuits

 

I have a AC noise meter my power strip which is suppose to filter AC noise but it is 

two to three times noisier then the wall outlet I don't use it   got the meter on Amazon 

 

Enjoy the Music

Tom

Will the monster power fool me into thinking it sounds better?  

I have a built-in prejudice that outboard power supplies are not audible. So I could not tell any difference with or without my Monster Conditioner, I used it mostly for convenience.