J, this has been covered several times in the A-gon forum archives. Try doing a search there and see what comes up. If your specific questions aren't answered, try posting them here. Sean
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No experience with Equi=Tech, but one thing you should know about the PS Audio Power Plants is that they do output balanced power. I think Equi=Tech has argued in some forums that the balanced power is what works the magic, but I have to believe that the regeneration (and the multiwave technology) has a signifiacnt impact as well. |
I've been curious and researching the very same topic. Besides Equi-Tech for the balanced power approach, check out the Furman IT series. It appears that they do the same thing for less dinero.
I was reading a magazine today (Nuts & Volts, Poptronic or ? I looked at several...) and they discuss different noise cancellation electrical schemes and pros/cons of each. They included balanced power and power regeneration.
The power regeneration scheme that they showed included a balanced power front-end stage, which indeed appears to be superior. Whether PS Audio or Richard Gray includes a balanced power front-end in their products, I don't know.
Good luck! |
I have never installed a piece of equipment in my system that had a more noticeable positive effect than an Equi=Tech 1.5. P. S. audio units also balance the power in addition to regenerating it. My only complaint with the P.S. units is you have to spend serious coin to cover anything more than a basic front end. Larry W |
I have tried both Equi=Tech and PS Audio PP600. Both have balanced power and can be be hooked up to a 220 volt line ( tried the larger Equi=tech which requires 220volt line and plug) PS Audio you have a choice.
I found that there was no comparison between the Equi=Tech and the PP600. The PP600 had much more depth, wider sound stage and realness to sound. Plus you can use great power cords with the PP600 such as PS LabII cable, the Equi=Tech doesn't have a detachable power cord. If you have power flucuation such as I do, only the Power Plant will keep power steady. Needless to say I bought the power plant 600.
The best way is to try each out in your system both ccompanies have 30 day try out period. George2 |
I use a Equi=Tech Q2, and highly recommend it! |
As George2 states,the best way to know for sure is with experimentation.As he states,they both offer return policies.PS Audio,Equitech and BPT all offer balanced power.
This in itself is a very effective technology.The differences are this.The BPT products offer a no bells and whistle approach.Still a very good product and cheaper than the Equitech, just much simpler.The Equitech products offer a transformer that they call a "Q" version that is supposed to be better for a/v products.Nicer chassis,on/off switch,etc.,that raises the price.Once again,another great product.Last but not least,by any means,there is PS Audio.
PS Audio offers balanced power out,but also have complete ac regeneration,to completely clean the line.The only drawback to this is that they are only about 50-60% efficient.They also offer a Multiwave option that allows you to change the frequency and waveform that your equipment sees.They also have voltage stabilization,that the others do not.These products have received rave reviews from a lot of people.The only problem being the bang for the buck.These are by far the most expensive,but they also offer a lot more,and as they say...."you get what you pay for"! |
J,
I own an Equi=Tech 2Q and will never sell it. When I brought it home to audition it on my 2-channel system, its improvement was obvious. No A/Bing required. It improved the entire frequency spectrum, not just the 60Hz line hum as what I was expecting. I didn't have any hum to start with, so I didn't know what it would do. I actually expected it wouldn't do anything, but I was pleasantly supprised to find my assumptions were incorrect. I called up the dealer and told him he wasn't going to see it again.
When my wife walked in the house, the first thing out of her mouth was, "What did you do to the stereo?". She didn't even know I had been to the stereo store, thus her assessment was truely unbiased. She immediately heard the improvement as she was walking through the hallway from the front door.
Audition the unit for yourself, I highly recommend it. It uses very little power, unlike other units which act more like an amplifier.
Good Luck,
Tim
Also, if you like to do your homework, read up on its history. These guys actually ammended the National Electric Code, NEC to accomodate Technical Power (Balanced Power) in 1996. This is a feat in of itself. Their solution treats noise at the cause using the natural laws of physics and doesn't invent a new high-tech band-aide to cover it up. |
Check out http://tnt-audio.com/accessories/platinum-pp1_e.html. |
I just purchased the equi-tech 10w wall mount and it is truly amazing. You can certainly get something smaller. This has 10 20amp circuits. It is a dedicated power system to which you run a 220 line. I am wiring all a/v equipment separate from normal house wiring. It provides totally separate clean biamped power. It does add or detract from your system. It simply lets nothing get in the way. This equipment is used by recording studios. Widescreen review used a larger unit in their reference theater. Go to their web site for the review.
In my research I talked to numerous dealers in high gear throughout the country and most were not high on PS Audio as far as putting preamps or amps into their equipment feeling it detracted. Similar opinions were expressed about Richard Gray. Ok for video, not for audio. |
George2 is incorrect. The EquiTech DOES have a detachable power cord.
I've owned and used the following, with Synergistic Designer's Reference Squared power cords:
ExactPower 2000
PowerPlant 600
EquiTech 2Q
MIT Z Stabilizer II and Z-Iso Duo.
I've kept the MIT products. All of the others have their pluses and minuses, but the MIT (though not balanced) sounded the best in my system. "Balanced" is not the only silver bullet to providing clean AC. |
there appears to be another sock-puppet in our midst. what's your game, ksales? -cfb |
I use an after-market 20amp PC on my 2Q. It comes with a good sturdy heavy duty PC, however the after market cords do improve performance even on this product. |
As I continue to browse forums and sites to find out about still more line conditioners, I ran across one manufactured by SMART Theater Systems of Norcross, GA called the GC-120. The engineering looks good, the claims relatively free of hyperbole, and the price ($1,995) attractive.
Has anyone heard it or have some knowledge of this balanced power line conditoner? |
Cornfedboy I don't know what a sockpuppet means to you, but if the implication is that I work for some company and am posting a thread to help them out then you have made a mistake. I am a tech enthusiast who has two home theater apllications and with a significant investment in this equipment have done what anyone spending this much should and researched the market. I don't know if the equitech stuff is the greatest thing since sliced bread, I am merely conveying my impressions. I went to cedia in Indianapolis and listened to the PS audio and was fairly impressed. I was moving in that direction, but went to the equitech when many people in the business who had tested the equipment on their personal home audio systems steered away from it feeling that while it eliminated some problems with power it added problems by handling the current to such an extent that it took away from their high end amps.
Widescreen used Richard Gray on their system in conjuction with equitech, which the equitech guys felt was unnecessary. I believe widescreen only put it on the video side, but I am not sure. |
Why did Cornfedboy's post disappear from the thread? Lawyers are like cops, never one around when you need one!
]:-)... |
Ksales - I wouldn't put too much stock in high-end dealers lack of enthusiasm for the PS Audio units...since the P300 got rave reviews and established such a great reputation early on, and PS Audio offers them for direct sale with a 30-day return, I can see why dealers are not too enthusiastic! |
