I have no doubt that the results that folks have achieved are exactly as stated.
As we all know, not only is there the consideration of how much power is delivered, but also the quality and speed in which it can be delivered. Audioengr provided a small sample of the math involved in working through such problems. He discussed various impedances / problems found in common power cord / power delivery systems and the factors that these bring with them in terms of the speed and quantity of power provided. On top of this small yet vital part of the puzzle, one must also start to factor in such things as the quality of the power provided. Dielectric absorption, thermal losses, susceptability to RFI / EMI, distorted magnetic fields due to irregularities in the impedance of the cables, etc... are all factors that come into play. One will run into these variables with ANY type of cabling or electrical device that one attempts to use. As such, the "chain" is only as strong as the weakest link and should be viewed and approached as a whole.
Unless one can find a way to isolate the power being provided to the system from the AC mains using a low impedance / high current method, and then follow through the rest of the AC system with a high level of integrity, anything else is a band aid and side effects WILL result. This is why i do not doubt the poor results that some folks have encountered i.e. they were not a "complete" plan of attack but several different pieces of the puzzle thrown together at random. To top it off, some of those parts may not even be from the same puzzle i.e. they lacked compatibility with other components being used.
The approach that many audiophiles take to AC filtration / isolation is kind of like installing the wrong type / heat range of spark plug with the incorrect gap in a race motor. One "might" end up doing such simply because they were told by an "expert" ( i.e. "salesperson" ) that such parts would "work". Let's say that you took a spark plug that was designed for a lawn mower and installed several of them into a 1966 427 Shelby Cobra : ) Sure, the plug might thread into the hole in the block, just as all of your power cords and filters plug into each other just fine. No problems here. As the spark plugs are called upon to "work", the plug will fire i.e. the system still "works" and is running. However, the engine / system is surely NOT running optimally due to compatibility problems. Such a situation occurs even though all of the "basic" requirements of the installation were met. The end result is lower performance than expected. On top of this, you now have a LOT of side effects due to less than thorough planning and lack of parts compatibility. As such, it would be time to re-evaluate the approach taken and eliminate the source(s) of the problem.
With that in mind, we have to be able to achieve a high level of isolation from the mains to start off with. Not only are we isolating the system from what is in our own house, but what is on the lines being fed into the house. To do this properly, we have to have a filter / isolator that is capable of providing far more current than we will ever draw and do so without increasing the line impedance. From there, we would need to use a low inductance high current cable that takes advantage of a low absorption dielectric. This cable would also need to be configured in an RFI reduced geometry. All points of contact should be made using connections of similar materials that are protected from corrosion and / or maintained on a regular basis. The end result would be power that was "cleaned" first. That power would then be delivered on a timely basis in the quantity needed with the least amount of "damage" ( voltage drop / dielectric absorption / series resistance / phase & impedance problems ) possible. The potential for contamination after the initial filtering / isolation were accomplished would be minimized since we used cabling that is resistant to RFI and EMI. This is achieved through the use of specific geometries that also contribute to lowering inductance.
If one wanted to take that a step further and "go gonzo", it would not be hard to do. The use of further filtering / electrical isolation at the feedpoint to each individual component, so as to minimize cross contamination from component to component, could be taken advantage of. But, once again, one must pay attention to the manner in how the filtering is done and the impedance / speed of delivery that said filtering introduces into the system. The filtering / isolation for a CD player would NOT be the same as that required for an amp in terms of current capacity and / or electrical design.
This is a "total approach" to AC filtration that is not difficult, but it can be costly. The main expenses would be coming up with the equipment necessary to filter / isolate vast quantities of current at the mains while maintaining a low impedance with minimal leakage. After that, there are plenty of mass produced quality cables that one could select from. The same thing goes for points of connection ( outlets, power plugs, necessary jacks, etc..) and individual filtration / isolation devices at the component level. Whether or not one wants to take the necessary steps to provide "total approach" AC conditioning is up to them. If one takes a lesser approach, one can and should expect lesser results. Sean
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