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Offline bkirby

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Conditioners
« on: February 10, 2005, 04:30:20 PM »
Hey all,
I have been doing a little research and I am looking for a somewhat decent power conditioner to try and run my whole system on. I have quite a few components, so I will need at least 10 outlets. I was thinking of the Monster HTS3600, but looking for any other suggestions around the $400 range. Any suggestions? I am also about to do some rennovating so I will have separate dedicated power for all of this equipment at some point in the next few months.

Items being plugged in:
Adcom GFA-5500 (amp)
YS Audio Symphonies (preamp)
Pinnacle Baby Boomer Plus (sub)
HHB CDR-850 (CD)
Onkyo DV-SP800 (DVD-A)
Sony KD-34XBR960 (TV)
Onkyo TX-SR502 (surr. amp)
Denon DRS-610 (tape)
BSR EQ-3000 (EQ for tape)
Playstation 2
And a hi-fi VCR (forget model #)
Oh, and the cable box...

Brad K.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2005, 05:18:02 PM by bkirby »

Offline Frank M

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2005, 04:44:45 PM »
I don't know anything about which conditioners are better than others, but I *do* know I'll never give Monster Cable a friggin' dime.  The short of it is that Monster Cable is using legal strongarm tactics to prevent the use of the word "monster," by any company, no matter what business they're in.  For example, Monster Garage/House and Pixar (for Monsters Inc.), have to pay licensing fees to Monster Cable.  Small companies just cave.

Check out the link and BOYCOTT MONSTER CABLE!


http://www.monstervintage.com/#monstercable

ADK A51TL ---> blah blah blah ---> Von Schweikert VR-4 ---> my ears

Offline Tim

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2005, 04:48:25 PM »
Furutech etp60

and Ven Haus has them on sale right now, from $400 down to $250 :)

mine showed up about 2 weeks ago and I'm blown away. I can turn on a source with nothing playing, turn the volume ALL the way up and hear NOTHING coming from my speakers. MacDaddy just picked one up too...

I'll try and find you the link :)
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline Tim

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2005, 04:49:15 PM »
ahh crap, just saw that you need at least 10 outlets.

personally I would seperate the purely audio gear from all of the stuff
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline ducati

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2005, 04:49:50 PM »
Man, that's a load of stuff to run off one conditioner.

What are your goals?

If it's sound quality, run it straight from your new dedicated lines.  Dedicated lines are IMO one of the best things you could ever do for your audio system!  I prefer to run 3 dedicated lines, all with a 4-outlet box on each.  Ideally you'd run analog hifi equipment on one line, my digital hifi equipment on the other (you want to separate the two if possible), and home theatre stuff/TV off the other.  

I do exactly that, although I have the HT gear plugged into a regular outlet (the hifi is on separate lines) as I'm not a big HT/videophile but I do take hifi seriously.

Power conditioners seem to constrain dynamics and compress the sound, as well as adding grunge IMO.  In all honesty, I have only tried one power "conditioner" I ever thought didn't detract from the sound of my rig--and that was a PS Audio Powerplant.  Damn expensive, tho, and I don't think they even make one that would power your whole getup (especially the TV).

My local boutique shop is pushing Shunyata now--they like it better than PS Audio (not as active of a filter, I had a PS Audio blow up my CDP once when it went whacky!) and the other non-active devices they sold (Monster, Audio Power).

I have also heard good things about Richard Gray's Power Company devices.

Good luck...  I should add that in the end I decided to run WITHOUT any filtering of any sort.  The two dedicated lines made a massive improvement, and the fact I don't have HT gear plugged into the audio circuits anymore took me to the same level I got from a big honkin' PS Audio.  

One extra hint that I found--disconnect your cable line or build a balun device.  There's all sorts of garbage that infiltrates your power through the cable TV ground.

Offline Tim

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2005, 04:52:04 PM »
here's the furutech, about halfway down the page...
http://venhaus1.com/VH_Audio_Test.html

I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline bkirby

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2005, 05:16:27 PM »
Man, that's a load of stuff to run off one conditioner.

What are your goals?

If it's sound quality, run it straight from your new dedicated lines.  Dedicated lines are IMO one of the best things you could ever do for your audio system!  I prefer to run 3 dedicated lines, all with a 4-outlet box on each.  Ideally you'd run analog hifi equipment on one line, my digital hifi equipment on the other (you want to separate the two if possible), and home theatre stuff/TV off the other.  

I do exactly that, although I have the HT gear plugged into a regular outlet (the hifi is on separate lines) as I'm not a big HT/videophile but I do take hifi seriously.

Power conditioners seem to constrain dynamics and compress the sound, as well as adding grunge IMO.  In all honesty, I have only tried one power "conditioner" I ever thought didn't detract from the sound of my rig--and that was a PS Audio Powerplant.  Damn expensive, tho, and I don't think they even make one that would power your whole getup (especially the TV).

My local boutique shop is pushing Shunyata now--they like it better than PS Audio (not as active of a filter, I had a PS Audio blow up my CDP once when it went whacky!) and the other non-active devices they sold (Monster, Audio Power).

I have also heard good things about Richard Gray's Power Company devices.

Good luck...  I should add that in the end I decided to run WITHOUT any filtering of any sort.  The two dedicated lines made a massive improvement, and the fact I don't have HT gear plugged into the audio circuits anymore took me to the same level I got from a big honkin' PS Audio.  

One extra hint that I found--disconnect your cable line or build a balun device.  There's all sorts of garbage that infiltrates your power through the cable TV ground.

Well, the main thing I really care about is the audio end being the amp, pre, DVD, CD, sub, and TV. I still want to sort of have other things protected so the Furutech may be a decent option as long as I connect everything else somewhat cheaply and it is also protected. I'm not a big HT guy either, but I would like a good picture on the HDTV for football!
I have heard good things about all of the PS Audio stuff, but their power products are bit too pricey for me right now. Any other suggestions? 

Offline Nick Culbreth

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2005, 05:36:55 PM »
Are you looking for power conditioning or surge protection.  If you're more interested in surge protection look into the brickwall line.  I'll be adding one to my system in the very near future.

http://www.brickwall.com/

Offline Tim

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2005, 05:39:16 PM »
Are you looking for power conditioning or surge protection. If you're more interested in surge protection look into the brickwall line. I'll be adding one to my system in the very near future.

http://www.brickwall.com/

beat me to it... seems like you're more interested in surge protecting

edit to add: Nick, let us know what you think of the brickwall.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2005, 05:45:11 PM by Tim »
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline JackoRoses

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2005, 06:34:25 PM »
Why not a nice APC 3000.
Surge protection battery back up and micro processor
to regulate a perfect sine wave.
A used one can be found for around the 400$ or less mark.
Just wondering why not look at that option as well...
http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/jackoroses
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Offline ducati

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2005, 06:52:13 PM »
Jackrose: bad idea.  I tried one of those and it was TERRIBLE while on line power.  That thing output the worst power ever, maybe worse than my old apartment.

On battery it was ok, but runtime is a little short ;)

I have heard good things about Brickwall.  Me, I go naked.  Maybe I'll regret that someday...  I haven't had any problems in the last 15 years, tho, and the performance increase is worth it to me.  I'm not willing to pay $3500 for the big 'un, either.

Offline JackoRoses

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2005, 06:56:33 PM »
Hmm that is odd becuase I have my stereo running through my APC 3000 rm3u and I don't
notice any issues with it whatsoever.
http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/jackoroses
AKG ck61's/ck62's/ck63's/480b's > zaolla's/Dogstar silver cables > optimod V3  > zaolla spdif> HD-P2
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. "
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Offline ducati

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2005, 07:00:25 PM »
Well everyone has different ears...  For me it was a MAJOR failed experiment.  I was very happy the two units I bought had a 30-day return policy!

I suppose it's all a relative thing.  We tend to have fairly clean power where I live; so maybe that's why it was a serious step in the wrong direction for me.

You should try a PS Audio unit.  Grab a used P300 with multiwave off audiogon and A/B with your APC.  I lay odds you'll come off thinking the APC aint so hot!!

Offline bkirby

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2005, 04:12:35 PM »
Thanks fo all of the help. Right now, I seem to be leaning towards a Panamax (5410 or 5510 on EBAY). It's a bit more than I wanted to spend, but it may be worth it. I will do some more research next week and then make a decision. +T to all...
B. Kirby

Offline scervin

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Re: Conditioners
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2005, 05:45:51 PM »
find something mov free!  Brickwall and surgex are a couple.

 

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