Surge protector vs wall debate for amps

I have a fancy 8-input line filter plugged into a 20amp dedicated circuit but it doesn't have surge/spike protection. I'm about to add the whole house surge protector this weekend... wondering if I need any further protection at the outlet?

I would be really curious to know what you hear.

Personally, in apartment living, I always prefer and notice when the Furman isn't in the chain.

@dwmaggie  I own a Brickwall 8 outlet, audio version. Probably 15A.
Most likely your 20A makes a difference.

I have a pair of Furmann SS-6B surge protectors that cost me about $60. I don't want or need conditioning, but I do want to protect my equipment from surges, spikes, and voltage dropouts. The SS-6B offers a slight degree of RFI and EMI filtering but, according to Furmann,  not enough to be considered a "conditioner". This is fine for me since I only am looking for protection and dont want to add components that alter the sound. They do make a fine line of conditioners that are much more expensive if that's what you want.

J.Chip

I found a cheap solution for home theatre and so far have not seen any negative effect on my little SET rig (I am in "make-do" mode). I would love to hear feedback as long as it does not hijack the OP's thread. I have bought hospital grade OneAC units off eBay. You can occasionally find great deals; the are very expensive new. They are essentially a rather gargantuan 1:1 transformer and some enormous caps. Nothing gets through them. They also convert 0 -120 RMS AC to balanced -60 to +60. My best deal was $50 for a 20 amp unit. I have several and the combined transformers lierally have stopped almost all ripple in the whole house (acting as "sumps"). I bought them initially because Houston AC is spiky as hell and always runs a bit hot. Just a thought.

lowrider57 which Brick Wall?  Mine are about 15 years old.  I went with the 20amp for high current amps.  Haven't noticed any negative effects.  The 2 outlet 20amp is not a current product.  

@jwh2
There are many threads on What's Best Forum about Torus vs Equi=Tech conditioners and also balanced vs unbalanced power.

Bruce

Definitely check out PS Audio's P5 or a used P10.  Many people claim these are the best tweak they've made to their system.  I can't think of a better system than to totally regenerate high quality power.  Many claim that conditioners "bleach" the sound.  Might be "cleaner" but also more meh.. 

I've never heard, but from what I gather from many others opinions (dangerous i know), it SHOULD be a big improvement over my Furman Elite 15 power conditioner.

I'm thinking about picking one up myself when things calm down.  

I recently had an Integrated Amp fail and it was the only equipment not running through a surge suppressor. Didn't feel comfortable leaving it unprotected so I purchased a Zero Surge 8R15W protector/filter and everything, including a small sub, is now plugged into it.

I was also concerned about sound degradation caused by running the Int. Amp through the surge protector but the SQ has actually improved. This improvement may be the result of having a central ground and common power feed point for all the equipment in my 2-channel system. Those with large power-hungry amps, however,  may have different results.   

+1 @p05129. That's an ideal setup.

I must add my 2 cents regarding the Brickwall. I own one and although it claims to be non-current limiting, it reduces the dynamics and soundstaging on my amps. It's great for source components.

I have a whole house surge protection unit at the meter which is rented from the local utility for $6 a month. It protects everything inside the house and comes with a protection plan that will fix or replace anything damaged from any surge. I have friends that have gone thru a few oven electronics and refrigerators due to surges. My amp sounds best plugged directly into a dedicated 20amp circuit compared to a decent external surge suppressor 

Just got the new Audioquest Niagara 1200 with a couple of high current outlets for amps. Not enough time with it to be 100% sure, but I would say it was an improvement SQ wise, and a piece of mind with the protection.  

I have a Pass XP-22 pre and X-250.8 power amp and currently live in a rental house. Rewiring was not an option and the landlord did not want a whole house surge installed. I also have a bit of $$ in a TT setup so I was very concerned about both crapy electricity as well as surges. 
I confirmed with my insurance that I have protection from lightning AND power surges. The wording in the policy says.

 “Increase or decrease of artificially generated electrical current to electrical appliances, devices, fixtures and wiring.” 

Once I got that confirmation IN WRITING I bought the Torus RM-15. I would have bought the RM-20 but this is a temporary living situation and I wanted to save the $1k between the two models.

I feel much better as to surges and still know I am covered if the RM-15 fails to protect. We must have some dirty power here because I have noticed a little deeper soundstage as well as more detail. I AM THRILLED.
The X250.8 is a great amp with good power. However, it is not nearly as high current as Nelson's class A amps and the Torus does not seem to be limiting any dynamics. So, I am confident that you will be fine with the RM-20. If you own your home I would suggest a dedicated 240V line and buy a balanced RM-20.

Bye the way, make sure your insurance covers replacement cost and not just replacement value. Good luck!

Bruce

Brick Wall, I use their 20amp 2 outlet for large current amps and the 15amp 8 outlet for electronics.  Simple and not that expensive, 289 for the 8 outlet.

Torus claims that their units not only don't limit current, they provide a short-term reserve due to energy storage in the large toroidal transformer. The RM-20 weighs considerably more than the Bryston 4B3 it's feeding. But as @masi61 said, they are not cheap. Sometimes Torus has a demo unit available.

If you can find a power conditioner that doesn't restrict current flow, then go for it. I've found the purest sound from a power amp is running it thru the wall receptacle, provided you have a dedicated line. That's why I suggested a power strip without filtering.

The conditioners that do not limit current or colour the sound are often very pricey.

@mike_in_nc …. you beat me to it. I have a Bryston 4Bsst2 with the Bryston BIT-15 and the combination seems to work well. As far as I know Torus manufactures power conditioners for Bryston. Bryton just individualizes the product by using their own face plate. 

@jwh2 - I'm not sure what your definition of affordable is, but the BIT-15 set me back about $2100. Definitely an investment but for me it is worth it since I also have quite a few power outages in the summer thunderstorm season. 

I have a Bryston 4B3, about the same power demand as your Pass Labs amplifier. The one I found that works for me, with no deleterious effects other than cost and weight, is the Torus RM-20.

Oops, my bad. In any event, Wiremold makes a quality strip with and without surge protection.

@lowrider57

The Wiremold strip shown in the Link you provided does not offer surge protection. It is strictly a plug strip.

Jim


.

I don't want to risk a surge with my amp into the wall receptacle. We have a lot of blackouts here during the summer so I have my amp  plugged into a Wiremold strip (No power strip or conditioner will save your components from a direct lighting strike).
The Wiremold uses no filters or extra circuitry so it's perfect for an amp. And very well built.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/00220426

You are right, there are a ton of posts that will advocate for either option. I say go with your ears.
One option to keep in mind - you can always add an insurance rider for electronics if you end up going directly to the wall and a surge happens. Just be prepared to prove your purchase price and the market value of the equipment if you have to make a claim.