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Power conditioning from the ground up

I am exploring power conditioning for my rig. I have read plenty of threads where the opinions seem to be varied.

I am looking into replacing wall receptacles, adding a power conditioner, upgrading wiring to a thicker gauge and dedicating several breakers for my set-up.  

Some questions I have:

If I had upgrade the wall receptacle but my in-wall wiring is subpar, will the wall receptable be redundant?

If you have a power conditioner but you have a cheap $1 duplex outlet, is the power conditioner redundant?

I am trying to better understand where my focus should be. In regards to what I am looking to achieve, I want the usual (blacker blacks, deeper soundfloor, wider soundstage, less grit, more details, etc.) 

Ultimately, I would like to achieve as close to a holographic image as possible to where the image is suspended or hanging in the air. Maybe the answer to query isn't power conditioning, I would like to hear your ideas for how to achieve what I am seeking within my current set-up if possible:

VPI Scout 1.1
Soundsmith Zephyr MKII (HOMI)
Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum (KT120)
Zu Soul MKII
Zu cables

Thanks,

Aaron


asp307

Showing 7 responses by asp307

asp307 OP
159 posts
 
Thanks jmcgrogan2, are there tests my electrician should run regarding the power supplied to my home (I own so I have flexibility) before looking to upgrade? If so, what trends or metrics should I be looking for in these tests in order to assess if I am receiving clean power?

Regarding the wall receptacle, I've read several reviews ("shootouts") with Oyaide, Furutech, Hubbell, etc. and each seem to have their own characteristics and presentation. The barriers to entry on wall receptable testing is a bit daunting for me as well as time consuming. So I guess I would be looking for a well rounded wall receptacle that does a lot of things well compared to one that may specialize in certain aspects. 

Is there a significant advantage to buying one that is cryoed?


asp307 OP
159 posts
 
Thanks to all for the advice. Met with my electrician yesterday. We are going to run a dedicated line (20amp) from the breaker box to two duplex upgraded outlets (still deciding on outlets) with 12 gauge Romex wire while keeping the run as isolated as possible. he feels confident this is necessary for the improvements I am seeking. Please let me know if you have a differing opinion. I asked about a 10 gauge wire and he said it's overkill. 
asp307 OP
159 posts
 
@lalitk - Thanks, yes this is only for a 2ch setup. I will most likely introduce an external phono stage and possibly a network player (further down the road) but nothing beyond that. 

On another note, I will be purchasing a new TV and the electrician is going to do this work as well (adding outlets, fishing through walls, etc. Is it important to upgrade the wall receptacles for a 4K tv? Will it make a significant impact?
asp307 OP
159 posts
 
@lalitk  - Regarding gauge, why do you recommmend I run 10 awg instead of 12 awg. My amp is 100w, the run is less than 100 ft. and I do not plan on upgrading to an amp with more power. In fact, my speakers are about 98 db so the 100w I have now is a bit much. 

@jmcgrogan2 - that's hilarious. In fact, when discussing wall receptacles with my electrician he said you can go overboard and buy a $16-$17 wall receptacle...So yes, I will be supplying these for him. 
asp307 OP
159 posts
 
Is it important to invest in carbon wall plate covers? If so, why? Does it make that much of a difference?
asp307 OP
159 posts
 
@jmcgrogan2 - thanks for the rec, I will contact him. What are your thoughts on wall plate covers? I am leaning toward the Oyaide R1 for outlets on my 2ch set-up but I can't spend $405 for the quad duplex wall cover...I just can't get there. Do you use the Furutech composite wall cover and will it fit other brands of outlets or have you found another solution with regards to an outlet cover?


asp307 OP
159 posts
 
So i've order several Furutech GTX-D (R) and they will be here Friday. I see that Furutech makes a stainless outlet cover. What is the difference between this and a stainless outlet cover from Home Depot? Will the Furutech GTX-D (R) fit a standard wall outlet cover? I do not want to spend the money on the carbon fiber outlet covers and wall plates. Any recommendations are welcome and as always I appreciate the feedback. 
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