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Yet Another Post About Power Conditioners!

OK, OK, so I know there are eleventy billion posts about what power conditioners are better than others. I've read them all...yes, all eleventy billion! But, I am still wondering which one I should chose.

Here's the backdrop: I have four dedicated, 20-amp outlets. There's a bunch of noise on them. So bad I can hear a local hip hop station clearly playing through my Greenwave Dirty Noise Filter w/speaker. I use an assortment of very high-end, and expensive power cables,. I use very expensive, high-end outlets. My system consists of a Mobile Fidelity Ultradeck, a PS Audio GCHP phone stage, an AudioLab 6000CDT transport, a Burson Audio 3x Reference headphone amp, and Focal Clear headphones. Everything is connected with really good interconnects, most of which are balanced. Having downsized from a much larger, much more power system, these nuggets suit my current needs just fine.

Still that AC noise. Given the size of my system, it's silly to spend mega-bucks on a regenerator, or the expensive balanced isolation transformer PCs. Based on my research, I've narrowed my choices to these in the $1500 and under price range:

Furman Elite 15 or 20 PFi (used)
AudioQuest Niagara 1200
PS Audio Dectect
Core Power Equi=Core 1000 or 1800 (no return policy, ugh)
Shunyata Hydra 8 (used)
Decware ZLC (10-12 month wait, ugh)
NuPrime Pure AC-4
Toroid BTE500E or 1000E Balanced Transformer
Tripplite ISO500 or 500HG Isolation Transformer
Torus TOT Mini Balanced Transformer

Yes, that's an extensive list, but my search reveals these are the top choices by many folks, as well as a few, little-known contenders.

If you have actual experience with any of these--and have compared them to other PCs, your opinion or recommendations would be appreciated greatly. You're welcome to suggest others, too, if you've done hands-on comparisons.


output555
output555 OP
128 posts
 
To: twoleftears and grannyring: The Puritan products do seem intriguing. Certainly not inexpensive, and hard to find in the US. Buttugly, too, but it’s only a PC and will sit on the floor, so not a big deal. You might be interested in this post by Audio Science Review. I’ve yet to see him admit a PC actually does what its makers claim it does, the Puritan PSM 156 being no exception. Although I am believer in science, when it comes to audio, I always trust my ears, regardless. So, his analyzer may say one thing, but we may hear something different.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/puritan-audio-psm156-review-ac-filter.261...
mikelavigne
2,201 posts
 
’audio science review’ occupies an alternate universe.

best kept at arm’s length, possibly wearing oven gloves.

YMMV

see the first paragraph of my post on the Midfi-Hifi thread.....

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/hifi-vs-midfi
4krowme's avatar
4krowme
542 posts
 
Since what you are asking about is the experience that we posters have with the list given, I will offer this. I liked the idea of the Tripp-Lite products, but in practice did not appreciate the build quality of their newer units. I did not feel that they improved the sound as much as they simply protected the audio equipment. Fair enough.
  As I recall, the Decware unit had some design aspects to it that I did not appreciate, though I have never owned one. Just to say that the front and back panel were not layed out in an easy to use manner. The voltage meter was on the back side? IIRC, There may have been changes to it since then, but best to take a look for yourself. Also, I recall it not being able to handle larger systems by itself.
 I really think that AC problems are as unique and common as the AC public AC system feeding them. True they have to live up to standards, yet environment age of public system and it's condition go along with possible problems unique to your experience.
  MC still has a good point about the phono pre being suspect here. My thinking here is that there is something amiss INSIDE your system, and not coming from the AC feed itself. That fun experimentation that we all abhor is inevitable.  Best of luck sir. 
jea48
4,621 posts
 
output555 OP70 posts

10-16-2021
7:17pm

To Fuzztone: Dunno, maybe. The electrician installed them when I built my home. They have their own grounding rod.

"Their own grounding rod"...

@ output555,

Any idea how the electrician wired the new ground rod to your 4 dedicated 20 amp audio outlets?
Is that one 20 amp dedicated branch circuit with four 20 amp outlets, (two duplex receptacles), connected to the one branch circuit?

1) Did the electrician only connect the ground wire from the dedicated, isolated, ground rod to the duplex receptacles equipment ground terminal, therein not using the dedicated branch circuit wiring equipment grounding conductor for the primary safety equipment ground?

Or

2) Did the electrician connect/splice the dedicated ground rod ground wire to the 20 amp dedicated branch circuit wiring equipment grounding conductor, and from the same connection/splice use a grounding pigtail that connects to the ground terminal of each duplex receptacle?

IF the electrician only wired the new dedicated, isolated, ground rod as I described in 1) not only is that electrically dangerous it can also cause noise on audio equipment that use the safety equipment grounding conductor. Is that the source of your radio station RFI? Probably not.
(Note: It only takes one piece of audio equipment, that uses the safety equipment ground, to connect all the chassis of all connect pieces of audio equipment by wire interconnects.)

FYI, lightning especially loves dedicated, isolated, ground rods that are not bonded, connected, to the main electrical service earth grounding system. Therein the electrical service Grounding Electrode System.

/ / / /

Just curious, what type of branch circuit wiring did the electrician install?
Example 2 wire with ground Romex cable? (NM cable)
Other?  

.
jea48
4,621 posts
 
whart2,390 posts

10-16-2021
10:48pm

@output555 - I hear you, it is a question of spending money on electricians and dealing with what may be system wide (power not just hi-fi) issues.

@mikelavigne - not being one for watching long videos (nice plug for Rex though), did Fremer do a splitter on the power after the meter to feed the system panel directly and then, on the other stem, run the transfer switch to the main household panel so the ATS is not connected at all to the hi-fi?

did Fremer do a splitter on the power after the meter to feed the system panel directly and then, on the other stem, run the transfer switch to the main household panel so the ATS is not connected at all to the hi-fi?


@whart ,

Go to time marker 11:23.
A feed through 200 amp main service panel with a 200 amp main breaker was used. Note the lugs installed on the two hot buses near the bottom of each bus. Those lugs feed the utility power to the ATS. FYI, this is a Square D QO factory built UL Listed panel.

For the audio room sub panel a single pole breaker is plugged on to one of the two Hot buses to feed the 120V only sub panel.
Note the electrical inspector made the electrician rework the feeder wiring to the sub panel. The electrician had to install the other Hot Line, conductor, (not hooked up), for future use if the panel was ever reworked for single phase 3 wire 120/240V.
I don’t think that is required by NEC. But the AHJ has the final say. It could be a requirement there...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGhfdpn9bsY&t=10s
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