Power Conditioners

Caelin Gabriel of Shunyata in a recent interview at the 1:00 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=MpAsUgv24jc
said that isolation transformers(like the Torus toroidals) are a huge RF block to the power grid and does not allow noise to travel down the lines and out away from the components. But he uses one at the power into the office near the meter. But he wouldn't want one in his audio room.He has a Denali in his audio room....Between 1:00 and 1:24 is very interesting. I'm rethinking things now.

Does anyone here have any experience with, or has heard about, the 10 outlet Torus RM20 toroidal isolation power transformer(and noise filtering, lightning and surge suppressor)?
I was strongly considering it for my home theater system and due to it's high voltage reserve current, plugging in my Model 12 monoblocks as well.

There is an RM20 balanced model which I was leaning towards. I already have 20A dedicated lines but I'd need an electrician to run a 240V dedicated line to my equipment wall to plug the RM20 into(which will step the voltage down to 120V). Balanced seems to make more sense, esp. that the Torus deals with high voltage and reserve current. Balanced will lower the noise floor even further as well.
Thanks.

mijostyn3,351 posts01-05-2021 9:47amVinylshadow, the power supplies of your amplifiers are power conditioners. If you feel the need to add more power conditioning they are terrible amplifiers and you should get ones that have decent power supplies and make sure they have balanced inputs that you actually use while you are at it. Balanced interconnects running higher voltages is the best way to lower noise.

Hi @mijostyn Thanks for your reply...I need the outlets for my home theater actually. I’m currently using a 12 outlet Richard Gray 1200 for my home theater set up. I got it for surge suppression from S. Fl spikes and it’s transformer quality... But it chokes current at 12A and kills dynamics. I want/need a 20A device that allows for higher amperage transient peaks.
I have 2 Jeff Rowland Model 12 monoblocks(which have very good power switching supplies), a mono and stereo Rowland amp, a Classe SSP-800 processor, Plasma TV, BluRay and analog rig. 10 components. Really 13...I only have 2 dedicated 20A duplexes. And a 30A dedicated line on the other side of the room.
So, I need the right device to plug my amps etc into for surge suppression. Or a lesser outlet device, whole house surge suppressor and plug the Model 12’s into the dedicated duplexes.
Actually, all interconnects from the Classe to all Rowland amps are balanced and I hear no noise when I turn the volume up high in sources in between digital songs or no media playing.
I’m actually at a loss on which unit to buy- Torus RM20 balanced from 240V line(least expensive even with the 240V line expense), Audioquest 5000, Shunyata Sigma 12. I think the only device I’m comfortable plugging my Model 12’s into is the Torus. Balanced or unbalanced. And I don’t have to freak out about super expensive power cords as I would with AQ and Shunyata- as if the performance of their units almost soley rests on how high you go with the power mains...Also, my dealer originally recommended the Gray with my Model 12’s etc and the RM20 is very similar indeed in what it is to the Gray except much better. I look at it as I am amplifying to a higher level the original Gray recommendation.
This power conditioning/transformering/distributing purchase consideration is quite daunting.

Thank you @mijostyn

I was thinking about that today...The question is, is a 12A choke not an issue for my Rowland Model 102 mono and 201 stereo amps used in surround(as far as higher amperage transient peaks), Classe processor and phono stage? Really I'm most concerned about my mono amp for my center speaker as it is a high voltage component and the center speaker is very active.... All else are low voltage. Except my Plasma TV which is the highest current draw of all of my components.

I do have 2 20A dedicated lines to use. One duplex would be for my model 12 and the other would be for the Gray 1200. But, I could plug the mono 102 above the Gray plug.....And the Gray would protect the Mono 102 since it is in the same circuit....


My 30A dedicated line duplex will be where one of my Model 12 monoblocks are plugged into. I believe my dealer in 2009 recommended 30A so I could also plug my powered sub into the same duplex and not adversely affect the current to the model 12. Do you agree with that? Plugging in both components will be ok current-wise to the model 12 and the model 12 will not be limited by the subs "noise"?

Do you happen to have a whole house surge suppressor recommendation?

Someone once recommended the Siemens Pro 140.https://www.amazon.com/Siemens-FS140-Whole-Protection-Device/dp/B013WINMK6
But another suggested a suppressor that I could switch off during critical listening and switch on all other times.
Thanks again. Much appreciated!

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The Gray does not isolate their outlets. I've been corresponding with Garth from AudioQuest as I am considering replacing the 12 outlet Gray 1200 with an AQ 12 outlet Niagara 5000(4 high voltage and 8 low voltage outlets). He was very complimentary towards Richard Gray and the 1200. But the Gray is quite inefficient in their internal Henry chokes and their peak current is only 4A. That is good but not enough. I need more amperes for transient peaks. All of my Classe to amp I.C.'s are balanced. My lines are 2 dedicated 20A and 30A(with a 20A duplex).

And by using the 5000 I will not need a whole house surge suppressor. And I can plug all components into the 5000.
My system is also quiet when I turn up the volume in between songs and in the sources. But, noise rears it's ugly head during music and I've read that you don't know how much noise there is until it's removed.

Yes, there will be significant expense getting an AQ 5000 and a Hurricane power cable for it, but, I feel I need to make a change and the Torus RM20 is very good but I would not plug my amps into it so I need something else that I can.