2. amps-preamps
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Not sure for power conditioner my amp or not.

Hi, I have an VTA ST-120 I built using KT88C’s for my 2 channel. I have all my equipment running through a Torus Power TOT MAX Toroidal Isolation. I have heard 2 different versions on what to do. As far as what to plug my amp into. The wall or the TOT’s? I know this isn’t a "power conditioner" such as PS Audio sells. Should I keep everything plugged into the TOT, so all my grounds are the same and it has the optional surge protection? Or straight into the wall? I tried the wall once, but didn’t hear a difference really. But I didn’t test for long and not sure I ever got to the point of drawing too much power from the amp. Which is the best way to leave it? Thanks! Scott

VTA ST-120

smoorenc
hsounds
153 posts
 

Hey Facten,

Sorry for the delay. If the capacitors discharge then he the op will need enough time for everything to charge up and level off. This may not be for 100% tube amp. That might only need a day. I have tested a lot of power cords and components. I mean a lot. I do not want to get into an audio war. I just wanted the op to have a totally fair a/b test. You can usually tell right away if you test with the right tracks that you know well and have a good ear. I doubled my outlets from two receptacles to four receptacles and plugged everything but my sources into them. All sources went into the “conditioner” I use Puritan 156 with the Puritan Ultra XX power cord. Nordost is killer stuff but I would spend a lot more than I wanted to. I also have the Puritan GroundMaster system with two 8’ copper coated rods outside my listening room. 

facten
2,951 posts
 

@hsounds - Thanks for your response. Regarding tube equipment, I don’t know what other folks do but I turn my tube equipment off after each listening session. My experience with each listening session is that after the tubes warm up 30 - 40 minutes that the SQ settles back in . That being my case, if I was going to do the wall vs conditioner test I’d wait 15 minutes after turning off the tube amp to let the tubes "settle" before starting it back up with the power cord in its new position , let the tubes warm up again and then play the same tracks and assess what I hear. Net net I think folks can determine the interim timeline for assessment based upon their normal listening experiences

emergingsoul
1,258 posts
 

I had a problem plugging my amplifiers into a Power conditioner where the amplifiers were not getting enough power to turn on properly. I apparently overcrowded the conditioner with lots of audio equipment. When I connected an amplifier direct to a dedicated outlet the problem went away, it was a 1000 W amplifier

I would prefer to connect amplifiers direct to the wall but surge protection is a big problem and when you have very expensive amplifiers you don’t want to risk them. I probably need to get a dedicated power conditioner, of quality, for the amplifiers to protect them.

I have a surge protector Circuit in my panel box and this is something but not sure it can be depended on to protect an expensive amplifier.

Losing tens of thousands of dollars due to a surge incident is definitely something to consider. So a second power conditioner dedicated to a couple mono amplifiers seems very prudent.

facten
2,951 posts
 

@emergingsoul  - Maybe an option for protecting your amps would be a ZeroSurge or Brickwall unit

smoorenc's avatar
smoorenc OP
50 posts
 

hsounds, I understand grounding. At my job we "star" ground the external equipment all the time. I was curious on this "Puritan GroundMaster system". I was wondering if all my sources are plugged into the power conditioner and it is plugged into the same outlet as my Amp. Then shouldn't they be all on the same ground effectively? I know bad grounding can cause problems. Did that help you out? 

 

Facten, I power off my tube devices when not used. I will look into some surge protection. Do you think surge protection will cause and sound degregation? (SP?)

 

Thanks Scott

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