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  3. 161398-74203

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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td358
28 posts
 
What I use is a Sub Box wired with some old stove wire That's as big around as your little finger around 2 gauge. 20 amp breakers @ sub box to feed Duplexes via 10 gauge solid Copper That feeds a Furman IT Reference 20i. I can tell it works great as no more dimming of lights. 8805 Marantz AV-XPR-2--XPR-5 and 4 Emotiva 100's series 2 also a Phase Linear 500 for zone 2. Sounds fantastic and most responses are WOW so I Would say this works well but that's just me --50 year Fanatic since the Sixties..
td358
28 posts
 
Almost forgot 2 Paradigm Sub 2's...
buellrider97
397 posts
 
    I run the RGPC 600 into a Hubbell outlet . Since I run low power tubes my amp is through it too . I then run Morrow level 4 power cords from the conditioner to the units . I’ve had numerous power outages without any damage . However living in central California, I don’t need protection from lightning strikes . All my connections have been cleaned and conditioned with Deoxit . After some time I changed the stock power cord on the Gray to a Shunyata Venom 20 amp rated . I immediately noticed an improvement in my system. If I ran a big SS amp(s) I’d forgo protection and go straight into the outlet , YMMV . 
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puppyt OP
98 posts
 
The irony of a company whose very reason for being is the pursuit of pure power using a crappy stock power cord in its products is rich.
john_g
81 posts
 
After reading this paragraph from the Stereophile review of the Richard Gray Power Stations, it's not hard to see why you never see them advertised in the magazine.


Audio Line Source lobbied hard for a review. Here it is....

The Richard Gray's Power Company 400S manifested the same voice or coloration no matter how I used it. It sounded like your windshield looks after a big rig blows by in a rainstorm: The first swash of the blades cleans things up, but the view remains rather obscured. Unfortunately, sweep after sweep, the view remained the same, as through the window of an old, abused New York taxi. Another analogy: Drop your forearm into a sandbox and sweep it broadly across the surface. That's what the 400S sounded like.


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