Balanced vs standard power


Searching for an Isolation Transformer 10 or 15kva. I have the budget for Equitech but I'm sold only on the benefits of isolation and not "yet" on the benefits of balanced power unless one is recording live musicians. My rationale is that most if not all audio components are not designed with balanced power so they may be optimal performers with standard power and lesser performers with balanced power. Until someone does a side by side comparing isolated balanced to isolated standard power we may never know.

I have read the various threads regarding isolation transformers from Equitech 10wq, MGE Topaz etc, and the Euqitech stereophile review. For larger non-balanced options there is Ultra K 600 with K factor correction and triple shielding from the Controlled Power Company. They range from 5 to 25 kva.

I think supersizing Isolation transformers for audio is not well recognized yet because no one has done the necessary review/ comparisons to determine the performance curve of Isolation Transformer size to Audio Performance. Although Isoclean advocates the use of two of their Isolation Transformers for each piece of equipment. Maybe they're trying to tell us something or just sell more transformers. 10 KVA is "plenty" for my system according to Martin at Equitech, but "plenty" is not quantified enough to convince me, so I 'm leaning toward the 15kva on the Ultra K 600 from Controlled Power about $4000 vs Equitech 15 kVA at upwards of $14000.
natan6355
Jea48 THANK YOU! GOOD LORD, why don't we just hook a dedicated line from a substation. There is no doubt that this 15KVA is an overkill idea. I used to work with dc current 60-1,200 amps. requiring less than 1/4 voltage drop. For that kind of specification, we sometimes used cables as big as you'r wrist!(750kcml). I don't doubt that they engineered these battery circuits for very specific purposes. So when I see consumers buying bigger is better thinking, I know that there is an uneducated/greedy salesman lurking in the shadows. Yes, there is a great need for clean power, and balanced power is very effective for cancelation of noise. Yes, there is a need for adequate reserve, but don't you think that a DECENT piece of equipment(such as Levinson) considers that in their design? No doubt you should have low impedance, and the best(read tight) connections required. Yes can analyze this to death, but in the end, your ears are to be the judge and not some hype/misinformation.
Thanks for all the advice.
I am still leaning toward 15 kva Isol trans due to the size of my system. I have a dedicated 100 amp service from the electric company transformer feeding a dedicated 9 circuit/ 80 amp isoclean breaker panel. This service shares the same power meter with 2 other 100 amp services feeding my 2 household breaker panels.

I have 3 systems fed by the isoclean breaker panel which includes hometheater with projector, processor, large multichannel amp, 3 powered subs, multiple sources, housewide music distribution with 1 large multichannel amp and 1 large stereo amp and multiple sources, and finally 2 channel system with 1 amp, 4 powered subs, digital, vinyl, reel to reel sources, main preamp and phono preamp. Also several large plasma screens.

In the future I anticipate more computer based sources and processors, more amplifiers and more screens and possibly a 4th system.

during the summer and fall I usually have 2 systems working simultaneously. Winter and spring usually 1 system at a time. On rare occasions all 3 are going.

All electric services come in through my garage which is the location of my isoclean breaker panel. The 450lb ultra k will be installed in the garage immediately adjacent to the panel. This location is completely isolated physically from all systems.
I will say that, in a way, I envy your overkill of this power system. Most people seem to think that a plug in surge protector will do the job. The way that you have implemented the devices, i.e. not having them close to the HT/audio systems, is absolutely correct. I can't tell you how many times I have owned devices that made more physical noise than the electrical noise that they were trying to eliminate in the first place!
I took my situation as far as I could by having the secondary feed to the house replaced, as well as having three other houses replace theirs too. We all fed off of the same transformer. Then I replaced an old panel with a decent Square D panel. Then I ran a 10 Ga. dedicated line to the audio system. And finally, I use a BPT balanced device that uses 8 different secondary windings to help isolate one section from the other. Did it help, you bet. I am eager to see what positive effects that your method adds.
Well, I finally had Controlled Power co's Ultra K 600 isolation transformer (15 kva with triple shield and k 13 factor correction ) installed in front of the Isoclean Zero Ohm breaker panel. I have pics but unsure how to upload them here. The benefits were discernible immediately and performance continues to improve at 100 hrs currently.

Oversizing did not hurt performance or create excessive noise as mentioned in this thread, and the results i am getting are nothing short of exhilarating. Unfortunately, I can't comment if its better than 10 kva or 5 kva since I don't have these on hand. However, since the size of the exterior of these units are very similar and the weight varies by roughly 150 lbs from lowest to highest and the cost variation is not significant, 15kva @$3700 vs 10kva @$2900 vs 5kva @2700, I would say opting to oversize is a no brainer.
I am convinced that whether you live in the city, or in the country as I do,
whether your sharing the grid with multiple neighbors,or just a few as I am, that an isolation transformer is one of those audio purchases that is so satisfying that the monetary investment becomes a pleasure rather
than a burden. Honestly, I think some would pay a lot more than $3650 to get this kind of performance upgrade. But Controlled power has no idea of this, yet. And I'm sure some savvy audio dealer may eventually get them
to tweak their design with audio applications in mind.

So while the balanced vs standard power debate rages on, I am thrilled with my current set up.
Natan6355,
Hello and congratulations on your sucessful implementation of the balanced power (BP) transformer. Is the size overkill? I `d say yes (for home audio components) but absoluttely harmless(and hey, it`s what you wanted).Your results don`t surprise me but are what one would expect.

As I wrote earlier in this thread my experience with a BP transformer (in use 3 years) has been a completely positive move 'without any downside'. The improvement was immediate and substantial, and when I tried putting the components back into the wall outlets(dedicated 20 amp service) the decline in sound is undeniable. I don`t understand what is 'debatable' about balanced AC power at this point.