Power Strip vs. Line Conditioner

You really need to experiment extensively to determine the optimum for your rig, meaning different types of filters work better on different components, as was stated above. Example: the Chang series of conditioners offers various levels of analog & digital filtering, sometimes even combined into one model with multiple plugs. Yes sometimes even straight into the line is the best way to go.
What has not yet been mentioned above, & to further complicate this issue, is that various combinations of upgrade AC cords (different makes/models) work in tandem with the filtering to produce still more variable results. It can sometimes (but not always) take you a very long time to determine which combination you most prefer.

I decided to not use power strips. Instead, I took the outlet out of the drywall, put a triple wall-mount box in, replaced the original outlet with a Hubble, put it in the center of said box, with two Hubble outlets connected to it with 4" of #10 to the left and right. Recently I got four MOV's and wired those accross the incoming wire inside the box, this way I have great surge protection too..

This has blown away any power strip or conditioner I have tried!

Niels.

I guess I should augment my post by pointing out that I have now had a PS Audio PowerPlant 300 on my SCD-1 and ML380 Preamp for 2 days, which did improve sound somewhat...

Mezmo, I found that using a good power strip (wiremold) from the wall to my power conditioners worked better for me. Just my 0.02.

i presently use 4 power-amps - 2 bridged adcom gfa555's driving my 4-ohm subs, & 2 electrocompaniet amps, biwiring the monitors. i was using a tripplite conditioner which keeps the woltage at exactly 115v regardless of what's happening in the outside world. i was using this 20amp, 2400v unit not to get better sound, but to protect the equipment.

well, after hearing the pros-n-cons of power conditioning, i replaced it w/a generic 15amp 1875v power-strip - *no* conditioning whatsoever, yust decent-quality 3-prong plugs. also a whopping $3 from mcm electronics. well, the sound improvement was *not* trivial. even the wife noticed.

but, i don't like running the equipment unprotected - even tho, for the most part, the power quality is good, we get strange surges & dips every now-n-again. so, i purchased a couple of those vansevers *unlimiters* that a-gon's steve bruzonsky has adwertized. i was hoping for *nothing* when plugging my amps into one - i yust want protection w/no penalty! :>) well, the werdict's still out, as i yust got 'em this afternoon, but for sure, one unlimiter doesn't muck-up the sound of the amps - it mite even make it a li'l better. mebbe some double-blind testing is in order! ;~) certainly, some listening w/familiar materials is in order - it's only been latin/jazz/world on the tuna tonite.

so, the one unlimiter will certainly remain in the system - i cant see affording the two ps1200's needed to power my amps, anytime soon! :>) as for the 2nd unlimiter, i haven't decided whether to use one each for two amps (mike v/e sez this *will* give a sonic improvement), or to yust use the 2nd for my source components, which are also plugged into a tripplite. i don't tink the tripplite's obvious current-limiting properties are degrading my source components, but, until i try...

doug s.