2. amps-preamps
  3. 148648-10803

Power amps into surge protector/Conditioner or DIRECT to wall? Final verdict?

Just curious. I've heard for years not to plug amp into a surge protection evice. Does this apply to a preamp as well? Are the component fuses enough? Do affordable surge protection/conditioners exist that do not effect sound quality? 
Some of the mid line Furman studio units look nice. Plus you have the SurgeX/Brick devices that look like real winners. However, I'm not wanting any sound quality issues. BUT, I don't want my equipment destroyed as well. 

Thoughts please
aberyclark
lwin's avatar
lwin
570 posts
 
When we built our house on a hillside 2 years ago I was concerned about lightning strikes so I had a whole house surge protector installed. I use power conditioners also but to clean up the noise riding the lines coming in.
tastyfreeze's avatar
tastyfreeze
135 posts
 
Something is better than nothing.  Electric quality and stability is always a problem.  I have used, sold, .... many different products.  Each method has its merits.
Nothing works if you have a poor ground.  
erik_squires
16,046 posts
 
No. And eriks comment is misleading. Its nothing to do with line surges. The current fuses protect against is current draw resulting from a fault in the component itself.



So my comment was misleading, but you here assert nothing which contradicts it. I think it was very clear that fuses had nothing to do with surge protection.


erik_squires
16,046 posts
 
You know gang, I was just thinking about how our location can really affect our perception. Ages ago I heard that the Florida power grid gets hit by 1 lightning striker per minute during the rainy season.


Living out in LA, and San Francisco, I don't think I've ever suffered a surge like I lived through in the south with the real thunderstorms Georgia got.


I still keep everything plugged in through a surge protector which I care about.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,467 posts
 
When a surge took out a Vandersteen amp, tried a few power conditioners..all made the sound worse...got a whole house protector wired into the mains box and find the problem solved.
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