Power Conditioner for your amplifier?


Lately, I've been toying with the idea of trying a power conditioner on my amplifier (ARC VT-100 MkII). I know there has been much written about going straight into the wall with your amp (which is what I am doing currently), but has anyone had any luck with plugging your amplifier into a conditioner? Specifically, I've been thinking of a non-limiting device, such as a PS Audio Ultimate Outlet or a UPC-200.
Has anyone had success using a power conditioner on your amplifier - yes / no? Any thoughts and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. In advance, thanks, and happy listening!
louisl

Showing 3 responses by audphile1

Antoniomachado, let me ask you to please list the power cord you had from the Hydra to the wall and power cord from you DNA-225 into Hydra. Because I had only positive experience with Hydra and DNA-225.
I'm just curious what you've been using for power cords. I'll try the amp again direct into the wall after I receive it from SMc next week. But I'm pretty sure the results wouldn't vary between the upgraded amp and stock.

P.S.
The better power cord should be between Hydra and the wall. That's not sying that you can live with a stock cord on the 225 though. You still need a good one there as well.
Antonio,
somehow I was thinking of the newer Hydra( probably because it's what I have), which uses a regular 20amp plug. My bad. Sorry.

I can tell you that the latest biggest difference on the amp was when I switched from VH Audio Flavor 4 cord from Hydra2 to the wall to Shunyata Typan Alpha. I just couldn't beleive the improvement. Not saying that the VH4 is a bad cord, not at all. It just didn't integrate with Hydra as well as the Typan does. From the Hydra2 to the amp I am using Audience powerChord. My favorite so far on all of the components in my system, including the cd player. I'll be looking for a Taipan Helix for my other Hydra2 that I use for the cd player. But not just yet. Too many changes at once it would be, the amp upgrade and the new cord.

Right now I'm waiting for my amp.
My DNA-225 had Gold rev + ARC2. Got a call today that the amp is going out tomorrow, so it should be here on Friday, so over the weekend and the next few weeks it's goint to be breaking in. I'll let you know what it sounds like.
So for now, I'm just waiting.
Later...
Thanks for the advise Antonio.
About the isolation. I haven't tried anything under the amp yet. I recently bought a new component stand - Solid Steel 5.4 and had few isolation devices laying around. Tried them. Found them to make some difference under my preamp and absolutely no difference under my cd player. I guess the rack is very good in this regard and a cd player is pretty immune to vibration. Under the preamp I use Herbies Mini Isocups and Herbies Hal-O tube damping instruments on the tubes in the pre. Clears up and expands the soundstage a bit, but on my previous rack it made more difference. Basically, the Solid Steel was a nice improvement sonically to all the components, I think.

Once the amp fully breaks in, I'm planning on trying some Herbies ebony domes under it. We'll see how much difference these things will make, but I'm not expecting a big change, again, due to the Solid Steel's ability to control vibration. Besides, the stand itself is on spikes sitting on top of Target spike shoes, which are metal with rubber base.
Also, when I needed power conditioner for the amp, I spoke with Steve and got the Hydra2 recommendation from him. He said that usually, the Hydra2 is a good solution as far as power conditioners go for the amplifiers because it is not limiting current. He also recommended Running Springs Audio, but it is more expensive, so I tried the Hydra2, liked and kept it.