I'm convinced: my Power Conditioner was ruining...

Degaussed my system? Now I'm lost. All I know is that with everything plugged in to the Monster it sounds like "A", with the Amp in the APC and everything else in the Monster it sounds like "B", and with everything in the APC it sounds like "C". I mixed and matched a few times, but never ran my amp right into the wall -- I went thru tubes too quickly for my comfort that way.

IMH listening experience the music sounded fuller, less congested, and more full in B than A, and more so yet in C than A or B.

A
So, I'm now running C and my Monster HTS 5100 is S.O.L.

"Power conditioners" designed for computer and industrial applications, cheap (<$2k), and even some expensive audio power conditioners use low-quality passive parts and inexpensive power cords and receptacles, all of which are in the AC path to your equipment. Bad for sound, period.

If you cannot/will not spend the $2k++ required to buy a high quality audio-specific power conditioner (and the right one at that), save your money and your sound. Install 20 amp dedicated outlets with 10 gauge Romex and audio-specific quality receptacles and call it a day.

Knownothing,

"I have yet to hear a power conditioner that improved the performance of an even reasonably noise-free AC supply from the wall."

Huh. Ever try a Synergistic Research 10SE? How about a Audience Adept Response AR-6T, a Running Springs Dimitri, or the Nordost Quantum?

If not, how are you qualified to make such a statement?

I think my post messed up the HTML. I meant to say A < B < C. Let me see if I can fix this by doing this:

Better?

trying to get rid of the bold.

Dlcockrum,

Thanks for bringing these units to my attention - I have not listened to any of these yet... that I know of. It is possible I have heard some of these expensive and very well reviewed products in demonstration systems without knowing it, but they are all fairly new products and I have not been auditioning much gear recently.

I have previously tried in my home or listened to many units from the usual mid and hi fi suspects, Monster Cable, Panamax, Furman, Belden, Shunyata, etc. Most are much less expensive than the units you reference. I still suggest that many of these simpler and widely available products can offer improved performance to consumers living in compromised power environments such as apartments or condos, commercial buildings or houses with old or complicated wiring layouts. In my current house with dedicated electrical circuits for my audio systems, all new 10 and 12 gauge wiring, and new breakers and outlets I find the wall offers better sounding power than any of these moderately priced alternatives.

Interesting that one apparently needs to spend upwards of $5K for the power conditioners you recommend as effective (the Nordost is a little less). That is a lot of money. One of the retailers for the Audience Adept Response AR-6T is Gene Rubin, who also sells the Wiremold power strip I recommend. In fact, Mr. Rubin suggests there is no real benefit over a good power strip in power conditioning until you reach the level of sophistication and expense of the Audience.

So perhaps we are both right. I haven't tried some of the latest and more expensive power conditioners (yet), and your point that these units may be so good that they noticeably improve the power supplied to quality audio gear, even in the best of AC environments (dedicated large gauge lines with quality receptacles).

I look forward to the day I can pay $5K for a power conditioner and and justify it as a reasonable expense compared to my overall system.