Power Conditioning / Surge Protection

For what it’s worth, I use an RGPC to distribute power to all of my source components including my new LG OLED. The RG plus a Shunyata cable made my old Sony 2K pop with great blacks, etc. Unfortunately, almost unbelievably, this new LG comes with a hard wired ac cable. I’m sure it appreciates the RG to plug into. My power units all plug straight into a dedicated line, but I’d sure like to try a Niagara on them some time.

Lots of interesting commentary here. Much appreciated. I actually called RGPC and spoke to Alex.  He couldn’t have been more helpful. Using serial numbers he was able to determine that I have one of the original predecessors to RGPC 400 Pro. He sent me a ton of information on how they work (as both a power conditioner of sorts and a surge protector) and the best way to use them. (Recall in my original post that I bought them years (20 or so) ago after being upsold by a now out of business stereo store.) I never really understood how they worked and what they were really for other than surge protection. Now I know a lot more. For now I am running my digital equipment (CD player, server, streamer) through one RGPC and running my turntable, phono preamp and integrated amp through another. Both are plugged into a dedicated circuit. I also have a whole home surge protector so I feel pretty good about my gear being protected. 
With all that said, I have also preordered the Niagara 1200. When that comes in, I will use it for my source equipment and amplification and use the Richard Gray’s for my subs which are currently plugged into non-dedicated wall outlets. The sub cord cords aren’t long  enough to reach the Richard Gray’s now but that won’t be a problem when I get the Niagara and can dedicated a Richard Gray to each sub. Very excited to see how this all turns out.

puppyt

I have owned a RGPC Pro 400 since 2004. Never an issue.
Which products do you own?

Happy Listening!

jafant

The two units I have don’t show a name or model number. The RGPC logo is different from that on current models. The folks at RGPC told me it was an early version of the 400. They’ve made some changes since then but I’m told they don’t really wear out. It seems to sound fine in my system

This is always a dangerous topic on an audiophile forum😄  Recently, I have noticed a trend in both of the rags I read for Reviewer's reference sytems to include the AQ Niagara 5000.  Maybe it is advertising dollars or a better loaner program, but there it is along side all of the other best products.  I recently added one to my new system (Moon Evolution Series stack, mono blocks, 802's and a stereo pair of REL 812's) and there was an immediate, obvious, improvement.  I was surprised that the subs were the first thing I noticed.  More speed, power at the same volume.  I also noticed improvements with the transients and openness of the system.  With all the new power cables (Mostly mid-level AQ stuff) and the $5000.00 unit  it was about $7000.00 invested in power conditioning...a little less than one Moon component😄  Was it worth it?  Well, marginal gains are expensive in this sport, but it easily added as much improvement as one of the Moon pieces!  IMHO

What I use is a Sub Box wired with some old stove wire That's as big around as your little finger around 2 gauge. 20 amp breakers @ sub box to feed Duplexes via 10 gauge solid Copper That feeds a Furman IT Reference 20i. I can tell it works great as no more dimming of lights. 8805 Marantz AV-XPR-2--XPR-5 and 4 Emotiva 100's series 2 also a Phase Linear 500 for zone 2. Sounds fantastic and most responses are WOW so I Would say this works well but that's just me --50 year Fanatic since the Sixties..

Almost forgot 2 Paradigm Sub 2's...

    I run the RGPC 600 into a Hubbell outlet . Since I run low power tubes my amp is through it too . I then run Morrow level 4 power cords from the conditioner to the units . I’ve had numerous power outages without any damage . However living in central California, I don’t need protection from lightning strikes . All my connections have been cleaned and conditioned with Deoxit . After some time I changed the stock power cord on the Gray to a Shunyata Venom 20 amp rated . I immediately noticed an improvement in my system. If I ran a big SS amp(s) I’d forgo protection and go straight into the outlet , YMMV . 

The irony of a company whose very reason for being is the pursuit of pure power using a crappy stock power cord in its products is rich.

After reading this paragraph from the Stereophile review of the Richard Gray Power Stations, it's not hard to see why you never see them advertised in the magazine.

Audio Line Source lobbied hard for a review. Here it is....

The Richard Gray's Power Company 400S manifested the same voice or coloration no matter how I used it. It sounded like your windshield looks after a big rig blows by in a rainstorm: The first swash of the blades cleans things up, but the view remains rather obscured. Unfortunately, sweep after sweep, the view remained the same, as through the window of an old, abused New York taxi. Another analogy: Drop your forearm into a sandbox and sweep it broadly across the surface. That's what the 400S sounded like.

I think it makes most sense to provide surge protection, waveform correction and power conditioning to everything in your home by having an electrician install an Environmental Potentials EP-2050 in your main circuit box. If you have a dedicated circuit to your audio system, add their EP-2750 ground filter in series with that circuit's safety ground.

We had the EP-2050 in our home in Costa Rica where the AC was terrible; power interruptions all the time. Also heavy lightning during the rainy season. Our neighbors had appliances blowing up all the time. We never had an issue over a five year period.

You're welcome tvad. It made a nice difference in my system.

Just on the dedicated audio line.

Call me skeptical about the environmental protections products as described.  I read the marketing blurb and the patents for the so called "waveform" correction.  Their marketing blurb w.r.t. other surge protectors requiring a good ground to work and theirs does not is just that, marketing. There is no basis for their claim especially. Their waveform correction technology does nothing to protect surges from line or neutral to ground which are important.  Their technology, distilled, is a capacitor across the AC line. They put a inductor in front of the capacitor (and the MOV and gas discharge tube according to the patent), claiming the inductor smooths the clamping. It may do that. It will definitely decrease the effectiveness of the clamping.

Appreciate all the EE arguments.Reminds me of college boring lectures.

Keep it simple...where are you going to plug these things into? Certainly not a power strip.  I have a Furman 15 and it does the job. It protects the equipment and has tons of outlets and even recommends certain components go into certain outlet banks.

If a power cord becomes loose or disconnects, it will shut down that component, it will protect against spikes in the power supplied by utilities. Not sure about direct lightning strikes, but the more likely event of a power outage, it will protect as it will shut off the power to the components more smoothly than if there were no conditioner. I think the system sounded a little better when I started using it, but I wouldn't make that the basis of a decision.

You can get a good deal on a used one, so you won't be talking about a whole lot of investment.