Richard Gray's 400 Pro = Emperor's New Clothes??

I went from a mid-fi higher powered system with 90dB speakers to a low-powered SET system with 97dB speakers. I first noticed a fairly loud 60Hz hum when I simply connected the higher-eff speakers to the older setup. It was even more noticeable when I added in my 6 wpc Art Audio PX-25 amp. The hum from my new speakers was audible from listening position 14-17 feet away.

I tried several obvious things to get rid of it - I cleaned up the contact and re-grounded the breaker panel to it's connection with my copper water pipes. I replaced all the outlets in my house and grounded those to the romex line, etc. etc. Nothing worked.

A dealer loaned me his RG Pole Pig and RGPC 400. Cleaned everything right up. Musical background was dead silent. Individuals notes stood out with greater clarity - yada, yada. Pretty amazing and no noticeable loss of dynamics.

Ultimately, though, I couldn't justify the cost of the RG equipment. I bought several surplus industrial 2.4KVA Topaz Ultra-Isolator isolation transformers and wired them in balanced configuration yielding 120dB common mode noise rejection. Worked out just as well as the RG products at a fraction of the cost. I plan on adding some filter units to the mix for even better AC.

The tale of the Emperor's new clothes describes people who pretend to see (in this case hear) stuff that's really not there.

Well I just got a RGPC Pro yesterday and I can tell there is a difference as far as the soundstage, resolution go. I recently added a PS Audio Harvester and this was blinking continously but after the addition of the RGPC not a peep from the device.

As every system is different if the device works great if not don't blame the RGPC chances are its your system thats not up to mark.

As every system is different if the device works great if not don't blame the RGPC chances are its your system that’s not up to mark.
Athipaul

Or, some systems do not have electrical problems where the "band aid" of power conditioning is an improvement.

It would take two pages for me to list all that I did to get my electrical right. Lets just say that the stereo alone has 14 dedicated runs with preferential grounding and a 750 amp (Commercial property) Trans Socket meter from the local power company.

Seem ridiculous? Well, my electrical cost about $3800.00 to get it right, about the price of two aftermarket ultra high quality AC cords.

Lots of ways to get the power supply right, I believe it's best at the source.

I have no use for conditioners which compress dynamics, slur high frequencies and alter the phase of the music. If you have problems of operating off a terrible local electrical grid, live in an apartment or high rise where everyone in the building is beating on your stereo, then yes, maybe conditioning is preferable to having none.

Albert:
Your power solution is obviously vastly superior to mine, and I feel pretty foolish having recommended a Furman Reference to you. It represents a big improvement over the 2 (not 14) naked dedicated lines in my system, with my electricity, but I should have known better than to think our overall audio environments or level of experience have anything remotely in common. : )

Newmanoc, my comment was not aimed at your suggestion of the Furman, that comment by you was a general opinion and I welcome those. I would indeed try the Furman if I had the opportunity.

What caused me to respond was the statement "don't blame the RGPC-it's your system that’s not up to mark."

I wanted it clear that some of us have worked very hard on our systems and power supplies and (so far) power conditioners have proven worse rather than better. I print this comment fairly often at Audiogon because I think most of the high end systems here would benefit greatly from a super dedicated electrical system like I've done.

The price is certainly right, I did mine for about $3800.00 and many members have more than that already invested in conditioning that may not be needed if everything else was right.