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Power Conditioning - How Important for Digital and Analog Source Components vs Amp?

I have two questions:  1) Is it worth installing power conditioning ONLY for my source components, and if so, 2) should I plan to use the same grade of power cords to my sources as I have with my amp (Gryphon Diablo 300)....

How impactful is using a conditioner (say an Audioquest Niagara 1200) on source components, as compared with amplifiers?  Is it worth getting a conditioner ONLY to use for my source components while leaving my Diablo 300 connected directly to the wall (as recommended by Gryphon)?

I can hear major differences with different brands of power cords connected to my Diablo 300, and I'm wondering if I need to invest in the same grade of power cables (3 of them!) for my conditioner (AQ 1200 potentially), turntable (VPS Prime 21), and digital source (Innuos Zenith Mk 2).  Can I cheap out a bit on the source power cords, or are these source power cords just as important as the power cord to my amp?

And finally, if I am JUST using the conditioner for my sources, do I still use a high-current power cord to the conditioner itself?

Looking forward to your thoughts!

 

 

 

nyev
spenav
429 posts
 

@nyev 
The advice I am going to give you might not please you but here it is anyway. The effect a conditioner will have on your system depends on how dirty your power is to start with, so YMMV.  As to power cords, the best you can do is hook up with the Cable Company and try the ones you are interested in. Their return policy is very generous and geared towards people who have not made their minds yet.  The only thing that is certain is that you need some dedicated lines if you haven’t considered these yet. Don’t be afraid of trying things out; that’s the only way to know for sure. If you don’t believe me just wait and see how many different brands you will be presented with from the audience with certitude that they will be the best for your situation. Hang in there, this is part of the journey. There is no short cut. Good luck. 

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

Yep, all makes sense.  What I was wondering about however, all conditions including "dirtiness" being equal, is which components are more or less impacted by the grade of power cords and conditioning.  Like, is it more important to put the best cords on the source or amp, etc...

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holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

Yep, all makes sense.  What I was wondering about however, all conditions including "dirtiness" being equal, is which components are more or less impacted by the grade of power cords and conditioning.  Like, is it more important to put the best cords on the source or amp, etc...

A larger factor might be which source components, and whether they were designed to be more of less immune to power line noise.

One could always as those manufacturers, but whether they will comment is another issue.

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