Power Regenerator or Conditioner for Digital Sources

I have an Aurender N200 and use a power conditioner, it made as small difference. 

Realize that the harshness you experinced with the upper frequency range is actually a degraded bass signal.  

Try them both and see which one you like the best.  That's the only way.

@kennymacc Would you mind further explaining that to laymen like me?

Ok got a PS Audio PowerPlant 3 today to use with my source components. After listening for several hours I returned it. It didn’t do anything better than without it. In fact I found the soundstage to have less clarity. That was the main difference. It was a darker soundstage not as wide but of equal depth. If it had been a neutral replacement with maybe a slight improvement to the soundstage I would have kept it at least for the clean regulated power. However since it was not as good as direct wall connection it was returned. The return process was very easy and PS Audio was very accommodating. It just didn’t work in my system. Others have had very good experiences with their regenerators. So it’s easy to try. I guess I have decent power from the wall and my equipment which is of high quality may handle any issues effectively.

FWIW, I recently home demo'd a Torus Tot MAX Isolation Transformer with great results.  The gent who had the demo unit before me ended up ordering one to replace his PS Audio PP 12.

Both my digital side (DAC/Streamer and Master Clock) and analog side (Phono Pre) benefitted with a blacker background, more detailed, deeper 3D soundstage, and a deeper, clearer low end.  Also had my Preamp on the Torus.

I ended up ordering and inserted the Torus RM 15 (color, dimensions, more outlets, built-in SMSS).

l also have a dedicated 20A line for the audio system and keep my amplifiers plugged into the wall; haven't yet tried them into the Torus RM 15.

Anyway, you may try a Torus if you can demo one...

@vinylcat, best leave the amps plugged into the dedicated line. The current draw by amps is non linear, and is in pulses rather than a continuous draw like from a heater. If a transformer (or any type of inductor as found in many power conditioners) is installed, the 'high' impedance of the transformer can slow the current pulses, creating that loss of dynamics that people report.

Even large transformers like 15kVA over at what's best still does not provide the correct solution either, so the best approach is direct as you can get to the street supply, where the impedance is super low.

After a steady use of over 10 years or so my Equitech 1kva transformer is starting to buzz. At the moment it feeds sources only, the pre-amp and amps are direct into the wall (dedicated circuit coming). As a replacement a Denafrips BIC500 is on its way. Rating is only 500VA, for sources should be just fine. It uses the same principal as the Equitech Voltage-0-Voltage balanced output.

The buzz was explained by Equitech, it's not a matter of mechanical issue, rather the noise from the load harmonics are transferred to the primary. The cure for that is to add an inductance on the primary, another isolation transformer, which is a bit messy, so will try the BIC500 first, see what happens.

It may be worth getting an electrician out to do an assessment if you feel the issue is significant.  They can relocate circuits to rebalance and minimize the impact of your A/C kicking on and diagnose other issues, such as worn breakers. 

In my case, I had an electrician come out and upgrade my panel.  I still have a slight hum on the line I haven't been able to completely eliminate so using a Furman IT-Reference-20i with excellent results (so much so I'm looking at upgrading to an Audioquest 7000 in the future).  The Furman's balanced outlets have a noticeable improvement on my pre and DAC and plugging my amp and other high current devices into the high amperage outlets doesn't have any negative effects.

I have a SurgeX SEQ and had a similar experience with it affecting my highs.  I also have a Furman SPR-20i and was able to speak with its designer, Garth Powell, which convinced me its unnecessary in a residential setting so have since just been running the IT-Reference-20i alone and haven't noticed the negative affects of summer power. 

OP,

I had the Puritan PSM 156 in my system long enough to determine it actually degraded the sound. I used it for DAC and preamp only.  
I tried 3 different power cords with it, Classic, Ultimate and AQ Hurricane. It seems to impart this strange “pinched” quality to the sound. This persisted even after I had 2 dedicated lines run for my system.  The Puritan effect just didn’t sound natural to me so I sold it. I ended up running everything direct to wall. I would highly recommend running a dedicated line or two for your components. Start there. Best bang for your buck. Try the power conditioner after.
 

One more item to note is that the power cord feeding your power conditioner has to at least match the power cords you have on your components. 
 

If you decide to try more power conditioners add Shunyata to your list. 

My power situation is - messy. I’ve been working over the last six months to organize and also to clean up noise. I purchased an iFi Powerstation (actually 2) and have been very impressed. Much greater front to back soundstage, more air around instruments - I was actually shocked at the difference. I’ve also added a few more of their AC Purifiers. And I did not hear any dynamic restriction at all. Everything is plugged into one of them, except for the amp which goes straight to the wall with another AC Purifier in the second outlet of the duplex.

i’ve been working on upgrading power cords since then, but of course that is another story. 
Of course different power issues will be very localized, but in my system, I was very happy with these units.

My initial power issues I believe happened when we had 10 days of 90s temperatures. Mostly from power demand not just in my house but in general   However so far since I’ve upgraded the power cables on my DAC and Streamer I’ve had no issues. I believe I have fairly clean power. I live in a 12 year old home in a development that has all underground utilities. My system is dead quiet. It’s on right now but you would not know it. No hum, buzz nothing total blackness. As I mentioned the Regenerator did nothing. Right now my system sounds wonderfully refined and musical. So after 5 months of buying , burning in and evaluating equipment I’m just going to listen to music. 

Right now my system sounds wonderfully refined and musical. So after 5 months of buying , burning in and evaluating equipment I’m just going to listen to music

That’s a great place to be!!!

No hum, buzz nothing total blackness.

All good. What about distortion? When a vocalist belts out a note in fortissimo, is there any harshness or edginess? Do the high notes on a piano ring unnaturally?  Does the brass section sound tinny or full-throated?

@steakster

Absolutely none of those issues you mentioned. Quite the contrary. Smooth, liquid and refined sound. Sounds like real music. Voices natural and in the room. Reverb trails are clearly heard   Strings very natural and smooth. Brass warm and natural. Soundstage depth the best I’ve ever had. Pianos especially on well recorded material sound in the room especially the upper octaves. I’ve really got no complaints so nothing I’m looking to fix. 

That’s a great place to be! Enjoy.

Yep don’t fix problems that don’t exist. Nothing good ever comes from it. 

BTW if you’re looking for beautifully recorded piano try any of Yuja Wang’s HiRes recordings on DG. Best Classical piano recordings ever. The Grand Piano is in your room. Recording Grand Piano is very different to get it right. Also a good test of your system if it can recreate that sound.