Power Conditioner Helpful?

I would either get a Shunyata Hydra 8 power conditioner or a PS Audio Power Plant which is actually a power regenerator. The rest of the units out there to me are not worth their price.

Yes, I think your system would benefit with some type or types of power conditioning. There are so many products on the market that I don't know what to suggest. Try a search on Audiogon or AA for ideas and /or reports regarding how well they work.
You also might take a look at my system posted on Audiogon for some ideas and different products that are available.
Psychicanimal might be able to suggest some good alternatives for you; he's very knowledgeable along these lines.

Try one that you can re-sell for near what you paid.

I strongly and respectfully disagree with Timo. I'm not a fan of the PS Audio's electric regenerators, but I do love the Shunyata Hydra and the Audio Magic line, even more. The Sound Application line is also wonderful. Watch the 'gon and see if you can pick up a used Mini Stealth. Once you hook that baby up you will be released. I have gone from their Stealth, to the Matrix, and now, the Eclipse. A world class power conditioner with matching power cords = electric nirvana. A significant component of any audio system. peace, warren

I added Audio Magic power conditioners to my system and could not be happier. I think they are a great product and well worth the extra money.

Check out the Running Springs Audio products. They appeared in all the best rooms at CES.

Richard, given the dedicated lines and your comments re a low noise floor and lack of grunge I'd suggest you buy more software, not hardware, and enjoy more music!

A line conditioner should simply remove noise and leave the music intact. Few do. I'm auditioning one now that stands to surprise a lot of folks.

Brian Walsh

That depends, Richard. Just like any other product in this world, there are some to many line conditioners that simply are not worth owning. And for good reason. Some of which include:

1. They induce their own shortcomings by suppressing certain frequencies. Much like some components (expensive ones too).

2. They are current limiting. (Not a good thing for many amplifiers.)

3. They simply don't offer any sonic improvements whatsoever.

4. They actually induce additional noise into the AC.

On the other hand, dedicated lines do nothing to condition or purify the AC. And all AC is dirty to one degree or another. Dedicated lines still carry every last bit of noise on the AC to the components. Only now the noise is dedicated just like the AC. Hence, a seperate line conditioner is now required to purify the AC for each dedicated line installed.

To the best of my knowledge, dedicated lines are advantageous for only two reasons:

1. They help keep other AC noise (generated by household appliances, dimmers, etc., and digital components such as cdp's) from contaminating the other components on their own dedicated circuits/lines.

2. They help ensure that power amplifiers (especially high-powered amps) get all the juice they require for even the smallest of dynamic passages. In my case, even a 30watt preamp on my 20amp dedicated line was just enough to choke my amp. Putting the preamp on it's own dedicated line caused the amp to absolutely come alive.

But it is essential to realize that the dedicated lines do nothing to purify the AC noise coming in from the street.

Back to the line conditioners, besides inducing no sonic harm, a properly designed line conditioner should provide a minimum of the following benefits:

1. Complete or near complete elimination of negative sibilance.

2. Provide ample current to an amplifier.

3. Provide a lowered noise-floor/blacker background. (No matter how low a noise-floor you think you may have right now.)

4. Enhanced 3-dementional soundstaging.

5. More precise/pin-point imaging.

6. Greater transparency.

7. A better defined bass region.

8. Perceived greater dynamics. (musical notes being generated from a blacker background will always give this perception.)

9. Greater resolution. Hearing little nuances that you did not realize were there.

10. Allow you to enjoy the music at more exciting listening levels without inducing listener fatigue.

I'm using the Foundation Research LC-1's and LC-2's passive in-line power conditioners. These are dedicated one per component, and obviously are a natural compliment for those with dedicated lines. Come with their own built-in power cable, and cost about as much as a good power cable.

Marty DeWulf reviewed these in the Aug, 2003 issue of Bound for Sound and rated these the best he's heard and purchased the review samples for his 'Big Rig'. Endorsements don't get much better than that.

Purchasing the right line conditioners will simply allow you to hear more into the recording and thus provide a substantially improved musical presentation that along with the right caliber of equipment, will make it very difficult to get to bed before 3 a.m..

-IMO

I think the above poster who said try a used one on the gon has a goint point , this way you can resell it if it does not produce desireable results in your system. Sometimes I feel filtered cords going into filtered Power conditioners can actually harm the results of your sonics , However I have heard the reverse, some after market cords sound like magic plugged into a P.C.
As an aside there are some that can perform a little magic on a Large Screen television. But as far as should you get one, we dont really know , its voodoo man !

http://www.b-p-t.com

I have a similar power set up to yours: dedicaated 20 AMP circuits, one to my power amp and a separate on to the front end with 10ga wire. The amp goes straight into the wall, but my front end is plugged into a PS Audio P300 PowerPlant. It's worth every penny.

I am running a single dedicated 15A line, Stock power cords and a monster power HTS5100. I have tried different configurations from no power conditioner to the amp pluged into the wall. In my system the conditioner makes a huge difference.