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Fundamental importance of power management

I have two systems, one is a fairly simple low power computer-based system in an office building environment.  The other is a bit more elaborate home theater system used for mostly 2 channel listening.  I have recrntly focused on upgrading the power management and delivery to both with great rewards.

I have been struck repeatedly by the effect of different power cables in my system, but I was astonished recently by the effect of putting my laptop source, all computer peripherals including external hard drive and sub on a low cost power conditioner strip I had laying around the office for multi media presentations.  Sound was always a little edgy with this system, even though the Audio Engine desktop amp was on a modest Belken power conditioner.  The effect of putting the computer set up and the sub on a separate conditioner in this noisy environment sounded like a major, major equipment upgrade.  

This increased my interest in cleaning things up powerwise ahead of my home system, even though I have a dedicated 30 amp breaker and 10 gauge supply line, and I would not think home power would be as dirty as an office building.  Each step including an upgraded power strip, conditioner and supply cable, replacing switching power supplies with linear supplies, and trying different power cables for gear has increased my enjoyment greatly, and seems to be allowing the character of each component to shine out, reinforcing the positive attributes of each and the whole.  Because this is a home theater, I have more equipment in a relatvely small area compared to an analog only set up, so some of the benefit may be mitigating self inflicted wounds.

So in my experience, power management seems critical, and the foundation all other “solutions” to getting the best sound must be built.  Down with plug and play.


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Showing 3 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires
16,450 posts
 
Hi @ptss 
You make a bit of a straw man argument here:

but, all talk of room acoustics first seems to me is putting the cart before the horse...  Room acoustics “cannot” improve the quality of the sound emanating from the sources.


Absolutely no one has made that claim, nor has anyone claim the room itself creates music.


However, the room is the largest, and measurably biggest filter and alteration of the perceived sound, especially when compared to power, interconnect, and speaker cables. As you put it: That is not an opinion.


Room acoustics can create peaks and nulls of 20 dB or more. No other component besides the speakers themselves will alter the sound you hear this much. The interaction between speaker and room has many other documented, and undeniable effects on the perceived experience such that it overwhelms everything else.


Speaker and cable contributions are so slight as to be lost in the realm of hearsay, argument and placebo effects. That is not an opinion.


Good room acoustics make a room more speaker and equipment friendly, and will very likely outlast your other equipment. They can, arguably, be rather cost effective when compared to expensive power, speaker and interconnect cables.


Best,

E
erik_squires
16,450 posts
 
I've put together a blog post on my thoughts here:
https://inatinear.blogspot.com/2019/04/power-management-for-frugal-audiophiles.html
erik_squires
16,450 posts
 
A lot of my posts are about basic guidelines to power management.


Keep your wall warts out of your analog zone. Use inexpensive shielded cable. Use a coaxial ground isolator for incoming cable TV/antennas.


But I do want to say that at a certain point we end up serving gear which is just too damn delicate. We shouldn't put amps which can discriminate between power cords up on an altar, we should ridicule them as having woefully under designed power supplies.
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