Tube versus SS

If you don’t need massive amounts of power to run your system would a stand-alone box regenerator be enough?

when you say "your system", are you talking ’a’ system or.......’my’ system?

obviously ’my’ system is built on lots of amplifier headroom. i have very efficient speakers so even though my main amps are powerful, they use around 10% or less of their potential. same with my class D bass tower amps. so while rating the re-generator capacity i’m figuring full power applied, in reality it’s a small fraction of that is ever used.

so for my own system i do want plenty of headroom for the re-generating capacity, and do prefer the 10kva Equi=tech.

but in a smaller system, or if i was not concerned about having the headroom with my current system, i do think i could be well served by a plug in smaller box re-generating unit.

but how i look at it is with my upper 6 figure investment in gear and a clean sheet of paper build opportunity; whether i spend $5k on a stand power alone box, or triple that, $15k all in, on the Equi=tech, barely dents my budget picture. assuming you have the choice in your building to go my direction, it’s crazy not to. but if that is not logistically possible, the smaller box approach is just fine......and would be ’enough’ unless you are crazy like me.

last night i listened to ’Do You Feel Like I Do’ from the MoFi pressing of ’Frampton Comes Alive’ at Warp 11. every molecule in my room was energized. i was in another dimension. the system was not stressed or congested even on the peaks. that is BIG music with a capital ’B’. i got no sense of reproduced music......and to carry that off it does take headroom in the amps and power grid. no sag or distortion. how important is that to you?

Why are many of the most expensive preamps 2 box units? Do they have two boxes just to impress you? Of course not, they have one box exclusively devoted to turning AC into DC for the signal section.

i have 2 preamps.

my darTZeel pre has a main chassis, and a power unit; the power unit is really a charger since it's battery powered.

my CS Port phono is also battery powered.

so A/C power is bypassed for all my pre-amp functions.

turns out that battery power has advantages for low noise AND dynamics.

agree with @noromance

i have an Equi=tech 10WQ 10kva balanced whole system power regenerator.

https://www.equitech.com/products/wall/wall.html

so my power is not time of day or outside noise dependent. but it does not make solid state sound like tubes, or push digital to sound like vinyl. i know that Jacintha recording on vinyl and digital and agree that digital is very good, and that the digital is more like the vinyl, as is typical for Groove Note, but not sure the Diana Washington one you refer to.

OTOH individual system changes, such as making tubes or solid state (or digital or vinyl) better from time of day or power grid activity are real, but are anecdotal and cannot be applied generally. if you are seeking a general viewpoint, it’s more that lower noise power is better for sound. but where and to what degree it affects things would be dependent on lots of things. it is helpful to know which power supplies in your system are most impacted by power grid noise. and there is useful information in that discovery by you. it may allow you to treat that piece of gear specifically for your best ROI going forward.

so at minimal investment you can get as close to 'COVID-19' lower noise as possible, all the time.

@wsrrsw

Does it matter where the power get cleaned as long as it get’s cleaned?

@mikelavigne https://www.equitech.com/products/wall/wall.html is very cool "cleaning" the power in the room but would’t an AudioQuest Niagara 3000/5000/7000, Son of Q or any high end cleaner do the same thing?

Power here (semi rural) is poor. Put in a whole hose surge protector and room where beloved stereo is from wall out has all the usual treatments.

there are a few issues with power. (1) low noise, (2) dynamics, (3) dynamics, (4) dynamics.......etc., etc. muscial connection comes from micro-dynamic flow and life. PRAT if you will.

this is where the 400 pound big boy Equi=tech wall panel system makes the stand alone boxes that plug into 120v outlets not ready for prime time in direct comparison. Equi=tech is not the only choice in those large scale regenerating transformer products.

i have a pair of 500 watt into 8 ohm mega watt amps that do like lots of power on peaks, 4 x 1000 watt class D amps on my bass towers that while efficient appreciate plenty of power. and lots of other gear that don’t like any sag in power.

10kva of regenerated power gives me lots of headroom. not every system needs the amount of power mine does, but some do. the smaller units might be entirely sufficient depending on the system.

headroom = ease, effortlessness and authority in the music. large scale music in a large room comes alive.

ease = suspension of disbelief.

yes.......it matters.

@tomcy6 

If you don't need massive amounts of power to run your system would a stand-alone box regenerator be enough?

i think how you do this is to compare your stand alone box to the regular wall outlet A/B for a period of time and with different types of music.

first question; are the dynamics (especially micro dynamics and lively-ness) equal or better? 

second question; lower noise and improved refinement?

third question; harmonics, textures, timbre better or at least not diminished?

bottom line; how do you 'feel' about what you are hearing? has the stress left your neck and shoulders? are you wanting to listen longer than before?

if these answers are 'better' or at least as good then it's working.