High priced power cords and power conditioners????

The route I recommend, based on searching the archives here and at Audio Asylum, is to install upgraded outlets first then evaluate the power cords. I am getting incredible results with ACME cryo outlets and Elrod power cords. I have a couple of APC battery backup devices daisy chained together that I plug my digital source into, this was a recommendation from a cable designer, I like the results, but have not compared it any other conditioning devices. I have not done the dedicated lines yet, it sounds like you really liked that upgrade. I have been a little intimidated by the effort involved to accomplish this.

In my opinion you should upgrade the p/c first before the conditioner otherwise you will dilute the benefits of the conditioner. Airborne rf would still get into your system through the p/c rendering your conditioner meaningless.

Steve, it basically means that the ground plug is isolated from the conductor box (house ground) all the way to the breaker box. 10-3 Romex actually has 4 conductors. Hot, neutral, 2 grounds, one ground for electrical circuit, one ground for box. In theory it's to isolate any EMF or RMI noise that's being picked up by the house ground. Is it overkill? Probably. My electrician buddy says it is. However the PS Audio Power Ports I bought for him to install had this option, so I used it. The ground for the ground prong doesn't touch the metal plate. There isn't much difference money wise between regular 10-2 (hot,neutral, ground) and 10-3, so why not. Could I tell the difference between a dedicated circuit and a dedicated isolated circuit? Who knows? It only cost me $250 for the dedicated, isolated upgrade, and I can definitely hear the difference from before. However since I got the isolated ground at the same time as the dedicated line, I can't say for sure whether the isolation has anything to do with the new performance.

I hope this was helpful, I'm no electrician, but that's the best explanation I can come up with. I do KNOW that the 10-3 Romex he used had 4 conductors.

Regards,
John

IF I purchase better AC cords first, then won't the characteristics of the power cord (sonics) change when I look for a power conditioner? Is there a synergy that I need to be aware of? Since I have not used one yet, I do not know. The other obviuos first is the cryo treated outlets.

I am not wholly convinced that AC conditioners can make huge differences in systems. I beleive they can make a difference (a subtle one), but I have never heard a night and day sort of difference.

AC cords on the other hand I think can make huge differences. Why? Because I have heard huge differences in trying out different power cords.

Yes, your system will change sonically when you get an AC conditioner, but that change will probably not be nearly as great as trying high quality AC cords.

Man, I am beginning to sound like a mystic talking about AC cords like this....... A year ago I would have said that power cords only make a subtle difference. Since then, I have seen the light!!!!!!!!! And that light is VD Nite.

KF