@lewm That is why I said, "well designed". Sure, there is a lot of equipment that cut corners to keep the price down. However, I once thought the very basic bias supplies on our ESLs would benefit from refined power. I tried it and it made no difference. I moved the transformer to my line level equipment and it made no difference, so I sold it. The most sensitive piece of equipment, my phono stage, is powered by batteries and is isolated from the line during play.
Isolation transformer question
I know people who say they have bad power, and want to buy an isolation transformer.
When it comes to audio improvements, what will an isolation transformer do that all of the transformers in your gear aren't already doing?
(I'm not talking about "power conditioners" which include many things like filter capacitors, inductors, and so on)
Showing 3 responses by mijostyn
You guys crack me up. @sns If any of that stuff makes your system sound better then you have some seriously poor equipment. More likely than not a formal AB comparison would show that it did not make any difference at all. I use to think it was just expectation bias, but now, given my own feelings when I have gone down the wrong path, it is avoidance of buyer's remorse. "I just spent all that money. It's got to sound better!" My last mistake cost me $13,000 and three months wiring, rewiring, resistors, no resistors, more resistors, two transformers and finally one transformer. Not isolation transformers, step up transformers. |
@jasonbourne71 1+ This is exactly the case with well designed, regulated power supplies. The best equipment even has multiple power supplies, one for each section or stage to keep them from interfering with each other. People would be much better off investing in better equipment than in transformers and power conditioners or regenerators. |