Power Conditioning on the Cheap

FWIW, I’ve tried and researched a number of solutions... even opening them up (or looking at photos of various internals) to see what they’re made of. I don’t have any insane demands from a home theater perspective, Marantz pre-pro, Rotel amp, phono stage, turntable, BD player, sub, and Martin Logans. The APC H10 (which I have used with past incarnations of my home theater) has been an absolute champ. For a shade over $200, it’s feels like an absolute steal. I’ve cracked open alternatives in a similar (and sometimes considerably higher) price range and laughed at the wool companies like Furman are pulling over people’s eyes thanks in part to the fancy chassis and LED displays. One Furman unit I bought (and subsequently returned) was costlier than this particular APC and the chassis was barren and the contents looked like little more than a budget surge strip inside. The H10 may not be much of a looker on the outside, but it’s got it where it counts. https://www.apc.com/shop/us/en/products/APC-AV-1kVA-H-Type-Power-Conditioner-120V/P-H10

Furman makes a lot of units at different price points. The key features that step them up from just a couple of MOV’s in a box:

• LiFT
• SMP

If they don't have this you are right, they are really basic.

I’ll add APC (H15) to your list for consideration.
 

I got mine used. It’s a long story, suffices to say it save my previous pre/pro at a rental w/“ISSUEs” even a dedicated 20A wasn’t enough.  

On the cheap you can get a nice Topaz, Xentek, ECA, MGE, Daitron, Elgar, etc. extreme/ultra isolation transformer, then just pop a nice passive power strip or two into the duplex. You can get a 0.005 pF 120v 1 KvA Topaz model on eBay fright now for a little over $200, but it needs a good cleaning (I'd use 91% or higher isopropyl alcohol or De-Oxit), which may mean a new duplex as cleaning in there can be a son of a gun. Just something extra to consider.

These Ultra/Extreme isolation transformers massively reduce noise, more than power conditioners and regenerators and such that cost over $10,000. There's a large thread about them on HeadFi, and the original poster measured common mode noise attenuation of over 150 dB at a pretty wide frequency range (up to roughly 9 kHz, 140 dB up to over 1MHz and transverse/normal mode mode attenuation of up to 65 dB) on a common model (not even one of the super low pF models).

Make sure you get one with voltage in and out that's compatible with your house and equipment (120v, 240v or one that can do both). I accidentally bought one about 6 years ago that didn't have the voltages listed and in my then naivete tried to make it work but it was 240-250v only.

These units weigh 40-60 pounds though and are shielded like a tank, so be careful.

From what I can recall Xentek and Elgar have models with the lowest listed capacitance out of all of them (0.00001 pF models exist), but they are super rare to see. Topaz has some slightly more common models at 0.0005 pF. ECA doesn't list their capacitance, but it's under the Extreme nomenclature that Xentek uses (most of these transformers use the Ultra naming). The nice thing about ECA's is that is comes (at least my two have) with balanced wiring on the output duplex and has a capacitor wired into the duplex as well (the capacitor on the transformer that I added a new outlet to was a 7uF 250v 50-60Hz polypropelyene film capacitor from Aerovox). I actually want to see if I could add an even nicer capacitor to it but my capacitor knowlege is limited so I don't know what to replace it with aside from one with the same rating and 7uF capacitors are rare today.

While I value power conditioners for surge protection and lightning protection including such lightning protection for FM and TV antennas (to which I add lightning arresters where the cable enters the house) I am skeptical of their ability to do anything the amplifier and preamplifier ripple filters do not do better. With a good ripple filter such as a pi network with an indictor the components filter full wave rectified 60 Hz (typically by two diodes, sometimes vacuum tube, and a center-tap transformer winding output). Double that frequency and they are twice as effective because capacative reactance is inversely proportional to frequency and inductive reactance is proportional to frequency. At frequencies higher than auditable, say, 20 kHz, this factor is 500/6 for a reduced fraction of 20,000/120, the fundamental frequency of a Fourier series of full wave rectified 60 Hz. I admit at radio frequencies capacitance between inductor windings begin to occur, but vacuum tubes used in audio are not likely to amplify these frequencies. The 833A which a very few people use for the final stage of their SET has a cutoff frequency of 20 mHz and other audio tubes are likely to be similar because they are not designed for VHF. And if RF passes through the inductor in the power supply ripple filter, it is certain to be shorted out in the output transformer windings of the amplifier. 

Therefore I am not surprised if you hear no change from an expensive power conditioner. Still, I see no harm if they do not add to the price and if they add shorting effect to unusually high voltage spikes. 

Hi incorporeus ...welcome.

I have had terrific results in using an inexpensive, unassuming Panamax M4300-PM line conditioner in an extremely revealing 2 channel system, in a small (everything shows,) dedicated studio.  I did a simple upgrade to a high end Furutech male AC connector plug from the wall to the hard-wired Panamax, benefiting the entire system. 

Bon Chance!  Think Positive, Test Negative    More Peace, Pin

What do you think of the Transparent Powerbank 6, I am resurrecting a vintage Marantz 3300 preamp and phase linear 400 to a pair of Sonus Faber 5s.  

I had a Furman p15  - you can get one used for the best value. Upgraded to a Puritan 136 last year - I don't think it did much more because I am lucky that my power is delivered though underground wires and is clean and the stereo is on a dedicated circuit. The 136 is a cleaner design and the way it connects the cords is better and the power cord that comes with it is really good. You should have one for surge protection. Features are important - number of outlets, etc.

One aspect that dawned on me. Power conditioning on the cheap is like preamping or amping on the cheap… it may be a necessary step to get to where you want to be… but it is leaving sound quality on the table. Very appropriate step on the way to better sound.

After getting the cheapest PS audio power regenerator the experience was jaw dropping in 3 seconds. So I have to disagree with Stuart k.  It depends on the resolution of your equipment. Serpently filter all your digital and a computer equipment. I have the regenerator on my low level amplifiers that is preempts and such. The high power equipment received isolation transformer with very low inductance.  That's about the cheapest way to get around it

I have a PST-8 and a Green Wave dirty electricity filter. They work very well together. There is a video that demonstrates this on Youttube. They combo has made a dramatic difference in my system. The video also demonstrates that the PST-8D is not worth the extra $$. Erik_Squires’ posts were helpful and informative while making this decision.

@buddyboy1 I had read that the power quest was very similar tech to Niagara 1000/1200, and one Amazon review claimed they sounded the same.  I was putting together a small system when away from home and picked up the power quest 3 and Audioquest entry level cable from Best Buy.  I also found a deal on a used Furman reference 15, for not too much more than power quest.   I found the Furman, though probably 10-15 years older to have much more effect.  I should have returned the power quest, but kept it to plug my computer into. Maybe I’ll try it again as a filter for my home computer, which acts as my Jriver server. 

This is what I use. Plugged into the wall. Furman RFI power strip with voltage cut off at 145v. Tripplight 1800W RF, spike voltage regulator isolation transformer plugged into the Furman.  The furman will take the first hit and limit over voltage to 145v. The Tripplight regulates 85v to 145v to 120v. The power conditioner has event lights on front. I have seen it regulate low voltage and high voltage. Absolutely no change in sound quality.  Normally it is apparent after a thunder storm showing an electrical drop. I highly recommend this combination. I run a rack with a primaluna integrated.

Providing your budget would help. So, not having a clue regarding your budget,

CorePower Deep Core

One thing you might give a thought to is a true industrial grade UPS.  I picked up a used Liebert GXT3 3kVA UPS for around $400 with new batteries.  It completely isolates from outside AC by actively converting to battery and then regenerates the AC wave. (Caveat: manual says it has "pure sine wave" but I have never measured for noise, but this is nothing like the computer backup APC's.)

Of course, it takes a bit of work to put in place. I have some electrician experience and so hooked up a 30A circuit from the box to the UPS in my basement (no fan noise!) and then plugged in a PDU (power dist unit), a glorified power strip with dozens of 20A receptacles, from the room above, which is my listening room.  Of course, if I relocated elsewhere in the house, I'd have to run a dedicated circuit from the UPS.

I get 2 benefits: backed up AC power (with batteries and normal load I get about an hour), and clean power with no spikes or brown out issues,  I'm running a digital audio system with Small Green Computer pieces and KEF LS50's, and also run my laptop and monitors for safety.

It's been effective keeping the noise low and I'm isolated from spikes and outages, which are especially problematic for these digital systems.

emailists: Are you sure about Underwood Hi-Fi offering trial with their power conditioners? I had a conversation about this very matter with Walter and he claimed he has never offered free returns of anything he's sold, ever. I found that shocking and poor customer service, and bought my Core Technology balanced power conditioner elsewhere.

Also, just as an FYI, I have owned several Furmans, a $5000 River Springs Dmitri, the Core Tech 1800 and the AQ Niagara 1200. I kept the CT 1800 and the Niagara 1200. I have four dedicated power lines and both of these PCs made a difference, but not a huge one.