Amp is plugged to the wall, why use a conditioner?


I keep hearing how important it is to have a line conditioner if you have higher end equipment. I also hear that I should plug my amp into the wall for best performance. If I get a line conditioner for my CD, DVD, and Control Amp to purify the signal, will it be defeated by the messy signal coming from my amp being plugged into the wall? Here are a few other questions: If I do use a line conditioner, should I get a few to plug into different wall sockets? Which conditioners do not limit my amp? Gray 400? Shunyata 2? Monster 2000 or 7000? When I do not have any music on, I can hear a low hiss or humm from my speakers. Will the conditioner help clean this up?

Thank you very much,
Greg
gdush

Showing 2 responses by dhl93449

There are a lot of GOOD reasons to use a line conditioner. Irrespective of audible effects, a good line conditioner like the Furman products filter a lot of line voltage transients that can damage your equipment. These transients over time can damage sensitive transistors and amplifiers. Not sure if tube equipment is as sensitive, by it only takes a nanosecond transient to destroy solid state devices.

Some products can provide power factor correction, and provide line capacitance that helps the transient response of power amplifiers. I use a Furman Power Factor Pro on all my equipment, particularly the power amps. It reduces line voltage sag when transients hit the power amp. I use another one for the low power stuff like CD players, A/D converters, preamps and the like to isolate them from AC power effects caused by the power amps.

Some line conditioners also can regulate the AC line to smooth out brown outs. I have used the Furman AR-15 which actually has a switched transforment that keeps the output at 110 VAC even if the line drops to 90 VAC or rises to 130 VAC. I have found these can be audible, however, so I only use them on computers and other electronics, not my audio components.
Gdush:

I have one Furman AR-15 for two JC1 mono power amps and a HSU subwoofer; and a second one for the preamp, CD deck, and D/A. The power cords for each AR-15 are connected to the same power outlet. Cannot comment on the products you mention because the AR-15 works differently than all of them (to my knowledge).

In the Furman, the networks (including capacitor storage) are across the ac line, so they do not limit current. Current is limited only by the power cords (and breakers in the extreme).