advice on dedicated line

TLS, thanks for the inputs.

02-08-14: Bifwynne
In your opinion, does the Brickwall surge protector constrict the amp's access to AC wall current to any significant extent, at least to the point where I might be able to detect a change in sonics?

Bruce, I've never performed any carefully controlled experiments to assess that in my system. And in any event I would not want to extrapolate results in my system to other systems, especially those that include Class D amplification (for which AC current draw fluctuates dramatically with the dynamics of the music), such as you have in your subwoofer.

As I'm sure you realize, there are undoubtedly some audiophiles out there who would contend that it degrades the sound big-time, and others who would contend that it is completely transparent. And undoubtedly there are some who would reject it "a priori" because it does not have a detachable power cord that can be upgraded. I chose it after weighing the opinions and experiences of many others, as well as its design characteristics, which to me are suggestive of a "less is more" approach to line filtering, while of course taking its price into account.

In your opinion, how much risk is there that an AC power surge will and could take out my amp. I live in the Philly area and am tied into a large urban utility grid. And yes, we are affected by occasional power outages, especially weather related (e.g., most recently resulting from the snow and ice storms affecting the NE).

Your guess is as good as mine. I suppose a good answer would be that the risk is minimal but not negligible.

On balance, do you think the risk of unprotected AC access outweighs the benefits of direct AC access, sans artifacts?

Personally I would not want to have any expensive audio equipment unprotected, but obviously that's a personal decision that each audiophile has to make for him or her self.

Best,
-- Al

I live in philly in a neighborhood that runs off the same transformer and we're prone to lightening strikes. Even with my modest system I use a Furman Pro pwr strip for my Sunfire amp, but as Al stated, effect on SQ is system dependent. There have been more than a few nites where I've lost power and heard the breakers on the surge protectors click off. You have an awesome amp, Bifwynne and its worth trying one.
FWIW I like the design of the Brickwall with it's isolated receptacles

Uuuuhhm, maybe the most effectice "surge protector" for my amp is to simply pull the plug when not in use, and not to use my stereo during storms. The other gear is surge protected, if such devices even work.

Here's a question to all you knowledgeable folks...Its been mentioned many times to have the digital components on their own dedicated line; now I'm assuming this means a transport cabled to an external DAC or a hard drive setup.

Why is it recommended not to share the same AC line as analogue components?
Secondly, is a surge protector using isolated receptacles an alternative?
Thanks.

Its been mentioned many times to have the digital components on their own dedicated line.... Why is it recommended not to share the same AC line as analogue components?

The most significant generators of electrical noise in most systems are components containing substantial amounts of digital circuitry, and power amplifiers. Some of that noise will be fed back into the power cord of the component which generates it, from where it will to some degree propagate through the power wiring to analog components, with unpredictable but potentially perceptible adverse sonic effects.

Everything else being equal, the longer the wiring path is between the power cords of noise generating components and components that may be susceptible to that noise, the more that noise will be attenuated. The most significant reason for that perhaps being the inductance of the wiring. The inductance of wiring is proportional to length. A given amount of inductance presents an impedance which is proportional to frequency. Electrical noise generated by digital circuitry tends to be at very high frequencies, and therefore can be significantly attenuated by the inductance of a substantial length of wire.

Secondly, is a surge protector using isolated receptacles an alternative?

It's certainly an alternative to consider and/or try, and in fact that's what I do with my CDP, which is the one digital component in my system. How that approach would compare with having a digital component on a separate dedicated line can't be predicted with any certainty, as it would depend on many unpredictable and unknown variables, including the technical characteristics of the noise generated by the particular digital component, how the particular analog components would react to that noise, the characteristics of the filtering that is provided between receptacles, and the susceptibility of the particular components to ground loop issues if they were to be put on separate dedicated lines.

Best regards,
-- Al