Power cord choice?
turnbowm If a power conditioner has a negative effect on sound. then it’s not a GOOD one.I think the real world is not so simple, even if your claim is made in ALLCAPS. For example, a system’s sound can be influenced by the exact location of the power conditioner relative to the other components, and it’s also possible that removing distortion may be heard as a loss of detail, even if the the signal is actually more accurate. Describing a sound as a "negative effect" is really subjective. An example would be a series-mode surge suppression/conditioner that doesn’t use Power Factor (energy reserve) technology. The result would be reduced dynamics and bass impact due to dynamic current-starving of a power amp.That’s nonsense. For one thing, in residential environments, electric utilities are very good at keeping PF very close to 1, which is the ideal. (You can easily measure this for yourself to confirm.) Even if the PF is slightly negative, you’re still likely to be able to pull 20A from a 20A line. PF is much more likely to be a problem in commercial areas where you have motors with inductive loads. Far more likely to be a power issue in residential environments is not PF, but the utility’s ability to deliver current on demand. For example, while you may have a 200A panel at your electric service entrance, that’s no assurance at all that the utility can actually deliver 200A to you. A prime benefit of power conditioners with energy reserves is ensuring power on demand; PF is only part of it. |
turnbowm Furman uses the term "Power Factor" while Audioquest calls it "Power Correction."I think you’re spending a little too much time reading manufacturer’s brochures and not enough time understanding what’s going on. Audioquest can use whatever marketing lingo it likes, but "Power Factor" is the accepted and proper term for describing the relative phase between voltage and current, which in residential environments is typically 1 or very, very close to it. ... energy storage is provided by large capacitors that can satisfy the dynamic current demands of power amps ...Yes, that’s what capacitors do. Without the caps, the very component (inductor) that limits the surge current also limits the dynamic current that is available to the amp.If you think all power conditioners rely on inductors that compromise PF, you’re mistaken. You're also mistaken if you isolate PF as the most critical factor in delivering full power. |
turnbowm You seem to be making some very broad assumptions which are simply wrong.That’s an interesting accusation but without an example it doesn’t mean anything. I’m well acquainted with series-mode and parallel-mode surge suppressors/conditioners and their design differences.Good for you. Have you ever actually measured Power Factor? What other tests have you done (or had done for you) on your AC line? Those are good first steps before choosing equipment to correct problems you may not even have. (And to be clear, I believe in power conditioning and use it in my system. Extensively. But not everyone beenfits to the same degree.) Here's another thing about PF: You utility has every reason to keep it as close to 1 as possible, because a negative Power Factor increases cost of power distribution. So if you truly suffer from bad PF, you're likely to be able to work with the utility to resolve it. |
vinylshadow The 156 is a very good unit but I couldn't figure out why it had a 20A power cord and IEC inlet but 15A outlets ...That's like ARC, which ships preamps with 20A cords even though 15A would more than suffice. But ARC thinks the 20A plug results in a better grip, which makes some sense. |
danvignau Once again, sales pitches from commissioned people are influencing buying choices.So it's a conspiracy, is that what you're claiming? ... I have always enjoyed watching people continue wasting time, as I am now doing, striving to adjust their psyches to try to gain approval, both from others and from their view of themselves, as they strive for perfections ...That's an odd hobby - even weirder than being an audiophile. |
