ghdprentice, what conditioner do you have ?
AC Power
I have a relatively nice system, but have done nothing with my AC power, with the exception of upgraded PC’s and a cheap iFi plug in power conditioner. My question is multi fold… do I need to do something, and if so what? Dedicated line (15A or 20?)? Quality power conditioner? Both? Which one first? How do you tell?
My system is a combination of HT & 2 channel & I tend to use both simultaneously as I like to watch sports while listening to music.
My amp is (I think) a relatively low draw… Moon 330A, Rythmik sub, BHK pre, Aurender, Qutest w/Sbooster, R11’s. No high power amps are in my future & never listen above 75db. I do currently plug my amp directly into the wall. All my wall warts are gone. For my HT, add a 75” Sony TV, Marantz 7015 AVR & a Klipsch sub (although at zero volume the AVR & sub should not come into play).
I am considering buying the Furman IT-Reference 15i or 20i first as they are well reviewed & are priced very well on Amazon ($1,400 / $1,900). Before I pull the trigger, should I go dedicated power & at what amperage (my nephew, an EE & audiophile thinks I am drawing no more than 5 amps) as that will dictate the Furman model?
Interesting, my nephew thinks neither are worth the investment. His statement: “Do you have appliances on the circuit now? What kind of interference can they inject?...voltage drops would come from current draws...which trip breakers.
Not steady 60hz a good power supply handles. So it all comes back to was the power supply engineer dropped on his head as a child.”
”Personally I think it’s something audio people do when they have run out of gear to buy.”
Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!
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@carlsbad2 Thanks. OK, you certainly have credibility. I figured you were an engineer by your directness. 😀 I am not a form over function guy, (maybe function & form) but when you truly don’t have the space… I would have a bigger amp IF there were space. I did come in with a set of ideas, but I am never absolute & am changing my plans real time based upon the outstanding input from this thread. So, if you have any other recommendations… please. |
Given that you watch sports and listen to music, it seems like you enjoy the music but may not be actively and intently focused on listening to it. Even if you were, you may not notice an improvement with the Furman. I notice that if I am watching something on the TV, I focus less on the minute details of the music or audio. What is it you are unhappy with in your current system, or what do you want to improve? If you try the Furman, keep an open mind about returning it if you don’t notice a difference. BTW, I am shocked people are insulting your relative. That says a lot. |
"Your nephew is clueless about electricity but don’t feel bad, most people are." "Not sure of your credentials, but provably not a good idea to start your comments calling him clueless IMHO. " I appreciate that you probably like your nephew and don't like him being called "clueless", but when it comes to the effects of power imperfections on sound quality, I don't think they teach that at any engineering school. The fact that you are here asking the questions about power conditioners and dedicated circuits, shows that you know that they matter and he might not be the best source on whether either option is worth it. |
@12many Thanks, I was also, but he has apologized. You are correct, sometimes I float back and forth between being focused on the game & the music. But also many times I am just listening to music without any TV. Most of the time, my system sounds excellent. Sometimes it sounds slightly harsh. But hard to tell if that is the recording, my room (8 windows) or my hearing aids. As all hearing aid audiophiles know, every thing you buy from a component standpoint is funneling through these tiny digital devices. 😒 So what I want is to continue to improve my sound through judicious well informed investments. @052rc Thank you, very true. I will look at the cable company. |
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