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Power Conditioning / Surge Protection

I am looking for some advice on power conditioning and surge protection.  I have a dedicated circuit for my two channel system with eight outlets. Years ago I was talked into buying a couple of Richard Gray Power Stations which I still have in the system. Because of the logistics of my system they have served as additional outlets when power cords weren’t long enough but honestly I don’t know a damn thing about power conditioning or surge protection and whether I’m doing harm or good to my system.  I have a turntable, phono stage, music server, streamer, CD player, integrated amp and dual powered subs so I have a lot of need for power. I’m interested in protecting my equipment but I don’t want to muddy things up either. I’m willing to scrap the Richard Grays and either replace them with something else if there are better options.

I would greatly appreciate any advice from those who know about these things. I’m very happy with my equipment but feel the power issue is lacking or, at best, not well thought out. 
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kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,410 posts
 
Capacitors charge in narrow current spikes, but they cannot charge to the same full voltage when there is voltage drop on impedance in series.

Perhaps spikes would be 1/12 less since we drop 10V of 120V.   It doesn't change anything.

I did not say more noise.  I believe that amplifier with less regulation will be less linear with changing power supply voltage.  Less linear = more distortions (like loss of dynamics).
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,372 posts
 
Jeeeez    I tried Richard Gray and they were awful in my system. 
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,505 posts
 
ZeroSurge for protection fitted with an upscale power cord and outlet. Feeding a PS Audio Power Plant through an upscale power cord.

audio2design
1,351 posts
 
So you think large spikes every 120th or 100th of second causing large voltage spikes with high harmonic content is going to create less noise and distortion than a slowly changing voltage at the same frequency? What is the music peak is at 180 Hz or above?
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,410 posts
 
Why do you keep talking about noise and voltage spikes?
The problem is in narrow current spikes (pulses) charging capacitors that increase power losses on any impedance in series.

During orchestra forte voltage on power supply caps drops.  It is because of capacitor ESR, but also because of voltage drops on on transformer windings (copper losses) and any other impedance in series including power cord, house wiring, conditioner coil etc.  Simply, power supply is not load regulated (voltage vary with load).  Some unregulated supplies are better than the others often because they have oversized transformers.    Increasing capacitance should also help, but creates another problem - lower voltage ripple that results in much narrower and much higher charging current pulses, that will create even more power losses (including core losses for hysteresis and eddy currents because of high frequency content).
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