Power Conditioners Suited to Digital Front End

Thanks for your comments Bob. It is the very fact that you sometimes think your system sounds best direct into the wall that makes me wonder about the affect of conditioning. They obviously protect the equipment from spike and surges (or should) and that certainly has some value to it. I would also think that if you had very dirty electricity coming into your house that you might need some conditioning. But I can't help but thinking that putting all these filters and electronics between the straight power from the socket to your equipment might come at a price. I have consistently been told by manufacturers of amps I have owned to plug it directly in the wall - now I do understand that the current demands of an amp are much greater than for my pre and digital gear, but it still makes you wonder. I am curious about these products and will give them a try, but I do so cautiously.

Why not try this experiement, which is totally risk free. Contact Robert at Ridge Street Audio and buy a few of his Z-der blocks. These units perform power factor correction. If you're using dedicated lines and want to continue to take advantage of plugging your gear into the wall, the Z-der blocks may be a better solution than filtered power conditioners. I think they are about $300 each. I use one on my transport and I could tell the Z-der block made a difference. I'm probably going to get one for my DAC.

Plugging digital components direct to the wall here can result in contamination if the others are not isolated. This was obvious playing vinyl - it used to sound better when a CD player with a switching power supply was unplugged. An AudioPrism noise sniffer easily identified the noise it was dumping into the line which went right through the EP-15A.

In my case the bass is firmer from my current player when plugged into a power unit yet the player sounds a bit more open when plugged direct to the wall. Every other component I tried sounds better plugged into the Premier. With the EP-15, one of the amps sounds better direct to the wall (on a good power day). You really need to experiment with what you buy.

It may be that the reason my player sounds better direct to the wall is that greater isolation is achieved in my particular system than if it is plugged into the Premier or EP-15 and everything else is plugged into the power unit. It also may have to do with the difference in outlets used. PS Audio stresses the multiple layers of nickel plating on its outlets but I know I have not liked nickel when used in interconnects or binding posts.

I don't think the Premier or EP-15A power units are current limiting the player. Some people liked to load up the old P300s which would current limit far short of the load required to shut it down. This was fairly easy to identify with demanding recordings.

Bob

Thank you all for your input. I've done a lot of research since I first asked the question and have come to choosing between the Running Springs Haleys and the BPT 2 Ultra +. I currently have a CAT AMP that I would plug into the wall direct, with all else plugged into the line conditioner. I'm contemplating selling my separates and going with a 30 watt integrated (Ars Sonum)which I would plug directly into the conditioner - I don't think there would be any current limitation issues. So, that is where I am at the moment. Thanks again.

Holy ^%&%! It did not take long to hear the improvement the RSA Haley brought to my system. I was hesistant to plug in the CAT JL2 into the conditioner because it can run at 900watts, but the Placette and Accustic Arts only run 30 Watts between them and the Haley is rated for 1800 watts. Well they are all plugged and everything is better. Amazing improvement in micro detail. You hear it in all things percussive - piano keys, drums, snares, the singers breath. Bass seem to have more room filling bloom and tuneful. I'm starting to think of this thing as a component upgrade, not simple power. It brings out a considerable improvement in the perfomance of my system. With the Mongoose power cord this thing lists for $1,600 - it is worth every penny if you have a system that has fairly expensive components. Let's put it this way, I like it alot. With only five hours on it, I expect it will only get better with some more burn in.