Is an isolation transformer better than a power conditioner?

Started out with Richard Gray Power Products to PS Audio regenerators,

None of these things improved my listening pleasure in my 2 channel audio presentation. I wasted tremendous amounts of money on these things. Guess I paid for my stupidities.

For instance, do you know that some regenerators carry varistors in front of the high current outlets.

And don’t fool yourself, dedicated lines do not remove anything from the power lines, they may help to lower the impedance, but by how much at what price tag.

Even though, as I said, if you find an improvement, I can tell you it is not a bang for the buck.

The other thing, is most big-name manufacturer spends a large part of their on budget tank built structure, instead of implementing superior musical designs, and, not to mention the cheapest electronic parts like transformers, capacitor, resistors etc. that they fit in their products, you can buy better parts even at Radio Shack

I’ve never used a Power Conditioner.  Would any perceived improvement be affected by where one lives?  I currently live in Chicago but am contemplating retirement and moving to a sparsely populated rural area.

@mahler123 

It is definitely dependent on where you live. That said, for the vast majority it provides a very meaningful improvement in sound quality. Even more likely to produce a really meaningful improvement are direct lines.

OP,

Congratulations on your progress on your power. I look forward to hearing your system sometime… if the pandemic calms or goes away.

The change in SQ with the Shunyata Triton/Typhon PC is truly tremendous.

Every LP is  greatly improved but the changes are most notable on classical.

The instruments are separated with air around each. There is layering with 3D presentation. The emotion is more present than ever producing a gripping sound.

Taking the Shunyatas out the soundstage collapses and all of these factors go away. I am still wanting to get  PS Audio P12 but may wind up using it together with the T/T.

I have Torus TOT Max in my system. I'm afraid to try plugging my integrated Luxman into the wall directly because it may sound better, thus there will be no surge protection.