What Shunyata and Furman (SMP) Have in common - Inductance!


Hi everyone,

I've been doing a little online research. The name that seems to come across here on audiogon regarding power conditioners is Shunyata, while @elizabeth and I talk Furman, especially due to cost.


I wanted to point out that what these two brands have in common is inductance. Coils. Coils in series with the outputs.


Furman and others who have licensed series mode surge protectors use great big coils to slow down surges long enough to let the surge protector react. Furman calls it SMP, but the tech has also been licensed to PS Audio and other makers. Essentially this is a low pass filter, which starts working at 3 kHz. That's way down in the audible range.


It's clear from pics of Shunyata's insides that they are using great big coils too. Why? Well, you can make a coil with high inductance, and low resistance at AC.


Anyway, my point is, these two brands share this basic principle. If you want to supplement a Shunyata by taking digital streaming outside of it (routers, wifi, etc) consider this super inexpensive Furman strip:

https://amzn.to/2U9QiiR

It's also a great starter conditioner, and the series surge suppression is unbeatable. Furman also has LiFT which I trust works but I've not investigated it very much. Furman makes a boatload of devices, so check for SMP and LiFT for the best noise suppression.

The PS Audio strip which uses series suppression is here:

https://www.psaudio.com/products/dectet-power-center/


Of course, saying these conditioners have the same principle is not the same as saying they work equally well or are best for your application. To your own ears be true!


Best,

E
erik_squires
You can’t lump all Furman products together anymore than you can McIntosh and PS Audio. Some use series mode protection, and some use plain old MOVs.  You are misreading the article if you think that all Furman surge suppressors use MOV's. That's' not what they mean to say. They mean to say they sell products with a variety of features.

The products Furman labels as SMP are clearly series mode, non sacrificial components. I make that clear in my blog post that this is the key feature.


PS Audio constantly changes it’s product line. Based on their current web products it’s not clear if they are using series mode protection or not. It was clear in models no longer available on their web site.


Inductance is not good for transparent sound quality. It reduces current and rolls off the highs.

Only if you don’t know how to do AC analysis properly. If you believe this is universally true then you should be advocating the end to all linear power supplies.


Also, hard to tell if you like inductance or not. You seem to say that SurgeX is better than a Furman because they use MORE inductance, but then also want to take the position that all inductance is bad. Have to pick a side here.


Furman also ads LiFT to the strips I recommend, further lowering the noise floor, without adding inductance. That makes them better than a SurgeX, right??

They are specifically talking about the Furman products using the SMP circuit. It is laid out clearly in the circuit picture that it uses MOVs. The same circuit board is used in all Furman products with SMP. I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s the truth.

Yes, your blog is incorrect, too, and you’ve been spreading false information. Read the series mode patent and look at the SMP circuit. There is NO inductor as the first means of protection. Also, no real series mode products use MOVs. This means by legal definition that SMP is not series mode surge protection. It is a hybrid.

The whole point of series mode technology is to avoid the use of MOVs. It’s fully ironic to use MOVs and call it series mode. It would be akin to saying you’re dying of thirst, and then eating the saltiest food you can, or calling a fat guy slim.

What PS Audio products do you think used series mode? I’m sure old reviews can confirm or deny this. They are not a current licensee, if they ever were.

You are misunderstanding things. I’m saying the SurgeX ASM products are better surge protectors than Furman, because they use no MOVs.

LiFT is a negative, IMHO, as it digs down into the audible region, and throws the baby out with the bath water. I understand some people like that squeaky clean sound.
Your own link :
https://www.mixonline.com/technology/furman-sound-implement-smp-technology-381312
basically is spec for spec identical to the description of the multi-stage protection described by Brickwall. Down to the clamping voltages. Now stop
What specs? There is only one listed, "EVS (Extreme Voltage Shutdown) responds to sustained over voltage conditions (137 V or greater)." The rest is filled with features. The telling one, "VIRTUALLY non-sacrificial." You know, meaning not quite.

Communicate with Garth Powell, or Christos Desalernos at Furman, if you don’t believe SMP uses MOVs. It is very sad that you are totally clueless as to what a MOV looks like.

And Brick Wall doesn’t use Series Multi-stage Protection. They use real series mode technology. That’s okay, I understand that you want your affiliate money, and have no qualms in being a charlatan.
I suggest if you don’t like my blog you go write your own.

That's kind of how the Internet works.


Erik