System assembled; only a final decision about speakers remains

Do you think that you lose any benefits by attaching a $71 dollar power strip to a high quality filtering unit like the Audience?

Hi David,

Well, what I can say is the following:

1) As you realize, that power strip is purely an outlet multiplier, containing nothing more than wiring and outlets.

2) It appears to be well made.

3) For many years prior to acquiring it and the other pieces I mentioned I was using this BrickWall eight outlet surge suppressor/conditioner, which provided comparable functionality in a single unit, at a much lower price than the combined prices of the three pieces I described.  I was pleased with the results it provided during those years.  I made a number of other changes to the system at around the same time as I made the change from the BrickWall to the Audience/Wiremold/Venom Defender combination, so while I noticed substantial improvements I can't say to what degree, if any, the improvements resulted from the change in power conditioning/distribution.  But I certainly was not disappointed with the results.

Now, might a much more expensive audiophile-oriented power strip have provided even better results?  Perhaps, but my technical instincts combined with the results I have been getting cause me to be uninterested in pursuing that possibility.

Best regards,
-- Al
  

Thanks to you both. Good accounts which give me enough confidence for a modest investment.

Two further questions:
1. Would my Panamax 1500 "surge suppressor/line conditioner" be able to simple serve as the power strip? If so, then all I’d need is the Audience?
2. Also -- how old is too old for these Audience units? I see one for sale for $345 but it’s date of mfr is indeterminate.

Q1) My strong instinct would be to not use anything other than a pure power strip/outlet multiplier in series with a quality conditioner/surge suppressor.  (The Shunyata Venom Defender in my setup is not in series; it is in parallel with the outlets on the power strip).

Q2) Various published reviews of the aR2p go back at least seven years.  But since the surge protection it provides is described as non-sacrificial my guess is that you probably wouldn't go wrong buying an older used unit.  But of course if a very nearby lightning strike ever occurred when it was in use it might be a different story.

Best regards,
-- Al 

Thanks, Al. I just bought one online -- 2016. First, I wrote to Audience and found out (a) warranty is still good for 6 more years and (b) warranty will be honored even if I'm not the original owner. Good product, good company. Done. (Just need to get that power strip.)