|
edster922 Unregistered guest | ...I mean, is this one of those dubious Realm of Speculation topics like high-end cables, or is there an actual scientific reason to buy a power conditioner? I've heard some people report improved video, fewer report improved audio. Also, how is a power conditioner different from a normal surge-protector power strip? |
|
Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 307 Registered: Oct-04 | A power conditioner regulates the voltage to 120, and in some cases tracks how much amperage is being sent through the unit. Clean power can lead to clean sound. Really it depends on your power. If you have clean power and good wiring it is unlikely you will notice a major difference. If you have irregular voltage or bad wiring it may be worth the investment. Skip Monster Power, while it's pretty it's overpriced. I've been looking at Furman and TrippLite. To see if you might benefit, you may want to measure the voltage between the outlet and your receiver/TV to see how much fluctuation there is. |
|
J.Vigne Unregistered guest | Power line conditioners do a bit more than Kano suggests depending on the product. One thing a power line conditioner will do that no amount of clean power can acomplish is reduce the load impedance of the electronics' incoming voltage. When the impedance is lowered by the use of large, expensive transformers, the electronics are more able to draw large amounts of current when needed. If capacitors are used as storage devices, the current is always available in abundant supply. RFI and EMI filtering is also a benefit of a line conditioner. RFI and EMI are present on all AC lines today no matter where you live. Eliminating them from the incoming AC is a major benefit. There is no hocus pocus involved with power line conditioners, just simple science. |
|
Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 308 Registered: Oct-04 | Which products would you recommend? The ones I've looked at are max +-20 amps, while my receiver is +-40amps. At what point should you consider them for your system? |
|
edster922 Unregistered guest | Kano, How does a non-electrician figure out if his house has "clean power and good wiring?" What about something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20315%26item%3D5750062113 %26 If I use the power conditioner above and plug in say a 10-outlet powerstrip into it, will all ten of the things plugged into it receive the same benefits as being plugged directly into the power conditoner? |
|
edster922 Unregistered guest | J. Vigne, so in your personal experience have you been able to notice a significant improvement when you started using a power conditioner? I mean, is this the kind of improvement that only someone with audiophile ears really notices? |
|
Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 310 Registered: Oct-04 | A voltage meter will measure the voltage between the outlet and receiver - http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=25411%26item%3D3871935929 Not that I know if that is a good product or not, but I would recommend something geared towards home theatre application, this is at the top of my list presently - http://www.furmansound.com/pro/pwr_cond_seq/cond/Series%202.a.htm |
|
Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 311 Registered: Oct-04 | Looking closer at the one you listed, it looks like it doesn't even do 2 amps, that won't work. |
|
Silver Member Username: VarneyBirminghamEngland, UK Post Number: 333 Registered: Sep-04 | Kano, "I mean, is this the kind of improvement that only someone with audiophile ears really notices?" It's worth remembering there are those who claim not to hear a difference between a traditional hi-fi system and a low-fi stack/all in one box. V |
|
edster922 Unregistered guest | > It's worth remembering there are those who claim not to hear a difference between a traditional hi-fi system and a low-fi stack/all in one box. Well, I was thinking more about a mid-fi versus a hi-fi system. I'm not sure I could really hear the difference between a $600 receiver and a $2000 one, for example...at least not enough to justify the price jump. |
|
J. Vigne Unregistered guest | edster - For two outlets and a shipping charge of $14.95, you would be ahead by burning sage and consulting a spirtualist. I'm sorry, if this is what you were asking about in your intial post, the answer is - save your money. None of the transformers or capacitors I've mentioned are going to be in this unit. A decent 6 outlet conditioner will begin at around $200. That will provide RFI and EMI filtering along with surge protection. A power line conditioner that provides the transformers and caps I spoke about will start at around $500-700 and up. If you live in a residential neighborhood where the service is tied to several homes, you will have less than ideal AC coming into your home. A simple Volt meter used over the course of a week to measure the actual voltage coming from your wall outlet will tell you that. Voltage will be over and under the specified 110-120 volts. Along with this swing in voltage will be noise from every compressor and appliance motor that is on the neighborhood line and all connected together by a common ground point. RFI is present whenever you are in an area where you can pick up AM radio waves, a cordless phone is used, a taxi cab passes, a garage door opener is used; well, you get the picture. You decide a conditioner is going to be beneficial when you place one into your system and hear the improvement. That is how conditioners are sold. I offered everyone who purchased a filter or conditioner from me the opportunity to return the unit if they didn't hear and see an improvement. 99% did not come back. Don't waste your money on junk. If you are going to provide a real benefit to your system, you will have to spend more than low end product will cost. Do at least provide real, not claimed, surge protection to your system. |