Power Distribution

Cardas Nautilus is a good quality one.. I recently compared the Nautilus with my old but high quality power conditioner… within a minute put back the power conditioner. This is not a knock against the power strip. Sometimes power conditioning is not required… but usually it is. Has been in the three homes I have had,

I have two direct lines. One for the amp and one for the rest of the system. 10 gauge for amp on mirrored breaker (second 110v leg). Typically one plugs the amp directly into it’s own outlet and the remaining equipment in to the power strip or conditioner.

ghdprentice - awesome, but not cheap! Thanks

https://www.musicdirect.com/power/Cardas-The-Nautilus-Power-Strip

With no need of a power conditioner or surge protection

Consistent with the NEC and the recommendations of in-panel surge protection devices, they are not replacements for surge protection at the point of use.  In particular, the let through, or clamping voltage, or panel mounted protectors is around 400V, but the surge protectors clamp lower.  180V in some cases, and may activate faster than the panel unit if they have enough series inductance.

Having typed that, please do whatever makes you happy, but it is incorrect to say that a whole-house surge protector is a substitute.  It's an addition.

Nordost Base Mark II (QB-8) AC Distribution Unit

https://nordost.com/downloads/multiLanguage/qbase%20mark%20II%20one%20sheet.pdf

eric_squires - Gee, I didn’t know that, thanks Eric

hgeifman - NBM Mk IIn looks good, and it is fused. I will check it out.

If I'm going this route, I presume the highly touted Audioquest Niagra 1200 is in the same league?

With these power strips, do I want a 15 or 20 amp unit. Some offer only 15 amps others offer both 15 and 20 amp (for an upcharge) and boy, these things are expensive!

I, too, have a 20 amp dedicated line, BUT, huge gains are made with my Core Power 1800 PLC

tweak1 - Thanks, and in the same price range as the others mentioned here. I wonder if the make an equivalent product in a non-rack mount?

I recently picked up the Wisdom Cable Technology Powerstage ES-10 it's a fantastically well built passive power distributor and sounds quite good. Also looks really nice.

This is probably overkill but looks nice in a rack. I've used Panamax products for 20 years.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_299M5300PM/Panamax-M5300-PM.html

I've used a few and really like the Vibex products. 

I went with a Furman P-1800. I like the convenience of single switch up front for what it controls/protects, and the confidence you get in your supply when observing the voltage meter. they make other models, just the one I chose.

it stores a lot of power, they say up to 45 amps for instantaneous peaks, who the heck knows ... 

costs vary, I got mine new here

It's short depth allows room behind for several thick cords behind it. a very clean organized appearance.

I have used both Panamax and Furman products in the past with great success. I am in a smaller space now, using smaller components and trying to minimize the visual aspect of the system. Thinking the power strip would hide away better than a rack style unit.

The Verbex unit looks interesting.

High amp, jond read my post on wisdom powerstrip , and he end up buying one.The wisdom power strip beat my ps 300 power conditioner.

jayctoy - can you provide a link? Thanks 

It’s okay, I found it!

@high-amp - any of these are my preferred power distribution boxes

https://www.furutech.com/2013/01/31/1537

I like them because of the quality of the outlets and the alpha wire used inside

I especially like the f-TP615 Power Filter because the outlets are not wired in parallel

Regards - Steve

williewonka - jayctoy - jond: Thanks, so what do you guys use for surge protection?

OK, from what I've research so far it seems that one of these units suggested by willewonka, covers both surge protection and power distribution for a somewhat reasonable price. Although the unit is pretty large.

Furutech's e-TP80S or e-TPS80S NCF

@high-amp - I have a surge supressor installed on my Breaker panel - you can get varying levels of protection from $150 - $450 installed by an electrician. So far, we have had quite a few weather related power disruptions and it appears to have provided adequate protection, but I can not honestly say any of them had a related POWER SURGE

I believe surge protection has been hyped up ofer the years by companies that produce power conditioners as something we need - our delicate electronics need protecting.

Every time there’s a storm I unplug my system form the mains supply - that’s how I protect it.

When you think about surge protection, what are you protecting against

1. a surge in the mains supply?
   1. I have never experienced one of these - so I use a panel breaker unit and figure it will take care of that and protect the entire house - fridge, stove, Micro-wave etc..
2. lightning strikes?
   1. again these occur very rarely and for the most part a panel installed unit will protect the entire house
   2. HOWEVER - if lightning hits the ground around the house it raises the potential of the GROUND and NEUTRAL lines to extreme levels that even the Panel installed surge protector provides no protection to any attached electronics
   3. In my 69 years on this planet I have observed only one lightening strike directly on one of the many dwellings I have lived in - so for me the risk is very low
3. Interference from undustrial complex power iregularities?
   1. If I lived near one of these and it caused a frequent problem I might invest in a power regenerator or battery supply - like those available from Yeti

I am fortunate in that I live in an area with a pretty stable mains supply, so I may not be the right person to make comment on this partuicular topic.

I built my own power distribution components

• it does NOT have surge protection
• it uses MRI grade outlets (no ferous metal used)
  • And being hospital grade, they grip like a vice
• it has one mini breaker to protect against overload situations
• a couple of switches to control some of the outlets
• Basically it is an extension of the wall outlet

Hope that helps - Steve

williewonka - thanks Steve, great info thank you. I’m not sure I’m up to building something myself but between yours and the others information here, I think I’m heading in the right direction!

After researching a bit, I do like the Wisdom Cable Tech units, but they do not include any form of surge protector as where the more pricey of the two Furutech units do, so possibly thinking of going that route.

high-amp i also have whole house surge protection but no surge protection directly on my system.

+1 Nordost Qb 8

I has at a demonstration at a high end dealership that had an extremely expensive dedicated panel and multiple independent runs into his audition rooms.  Even with that kind of setup, power conditioning was helpful.  A demonstration by Isotek showed how much noise came in on those dedicated runs and how effective their conditioners were at attenuating the noise (measured with a meter).  There was no noise that could be heard from any of the gear in the rooms, even without conditioning, but with conditioning in the system, the performance improved, particularly the sense of individual instruments being free of one another and located in a natural space/setting.  It is hard to explain, but, the sound was just a bit more natural.  The good news is that most of the improvement can be had with the Isotek power strips; they include some form of filtering.  The more substantial conditioners are better, but only slightly better and at a much steeper price.

ronboco: Norost QB 8 $1,750 - larryi: Iso Tek EVO3 Sirius $795. Hmmm

Thanks!

jond - "I also have whole house surge protection but no surge protection directly on my system".

Honestly, I'm thinking this is the way to go!