Regenerator, Balanced Power, or Power Cleaner?

07-13-14: Ivan_nosnibor
... the closer you get to the edge of that 5% window (and beyond), the more noise will slip past the cancellation circuits and affect the sound...that general malaise that tells you it's feeling kinda sick (and not in a good way). This is why people feel like regenerators reduce noise, they don't per se....

John ("Ivan"), and I say this with respect (given the many knowledgeable and helpful posts you've made in the past), none of this is true. Degradation in performance that may occur as a result of AC voltage that is too high or too low does not occur because "more noise slips past the cancellation circuits." It occurs mainly as a consequence of the voltage change itself. And regenerators certainly do dramatically reduce noise (and distortion as well) on the incoming AC, although of course not to an infinite degree.

As far as the OP's question is concerned, you've received several good comments but I'll particularly second the one by ZD. There are way too many variables and unknowns, involving the designs of the specific components in the system; the voltage, noise, and distortion characteristics of the incoming AC; and the designs of whatever power treatment candidates you may consider, for anyone to be able to predict what choice would perform best for you. Not to mention what choice would provide the best tradeoff between performance and price.

Regards,
-- Al

Ivan,
Good comments about balanced AC power. My BPT Signature plus 3.5 is rated at 20 amps and my entire system is plugged in. The sound is clearly improved compared to my 20 amp dedicated wall outlets. I've used 3 different power amplifiers(8 watt SET, 40 watt and 100 watt push pull tubes) all are better with balanced AC.
charles,

Mapleshade Records sells a power strip/conditioner which does not degrade sound quality, quite the opposite in my experience. There is also an option to protect from surge which is stated to barely reduce performance.

Into the adjacent AC outlet and any unused outlet in the listening room one can insert micro-priced parallel blockers of EMI/RFI called Flying Saucer (strangely named) from Machina Dynamica, to gain even better sound reproduction.

Finally, another very great added sonic improvement results from wrapping Animal Magnetism (another strangely named item from Machina Dynamica) covers around each power cord. As I would say at this point, "the silence is deafening." The quiet black background then allows a truly beautiful clarity, letting the best qualities of your gear shine through.

These ideas are quite low priced, without any impressive outward physical appearance to suggest the great benefits which are heard.

Almarg and Charles, I appreciate your posts...I'm looking further into my source for the info on this...evidently I may have gotten it wrong like you say. (Either the source is wrong or maybe I just interpreted it wrongly...not entirely sure which yet...my apologies, either way, if that's so!). But, thanks again for putting me on to it.

Regards, John

Sabai has the idea. Test for complementary. 1 alone will not do as much.