2. misc-audio
  3. 193545-178608

AC Power

I have a relatively nice system, but have done nothing with my AC power, with the exception of upgraded PC’s and a cheap iFi plug in power conditioner. My question is multi fold… do I need to do something, and if so what? Dedicated line (15A or 20?)? Quality power conditioner? Both? Which one first? How do you tell?

My system is a combination of HT & 2 channel & I tend to use both simultaneously as I like to watch sports while listening to music.
My amp is (I think) a relatively low draw… Moon 330A, Rythmik sub, BHK pre, Aurender, Qutest w/Sbooster, R11’s. No high power amps are in my future & never listen above 75db. I do currently plug my amp directly into the wall. All my wall warts are gone. For my HT, add a 75” Sony TV, Marantz 7015 AVR & a Klipsch sub (although at zero volume the AVR & sub should not come into play).

I am considering buying the Furman IT-Reference 15i or 20i first as they are well reviewed & are priced very well on Amazon ($1,400 / $1,900). Before I pull the trigger, should I go dedicated power & at what amperage (my nephew, an EE & audiophile thinks I am drawing no more than 5 amps) as that will dictate the Furman model?

Interesting, my nephew thinks neither are worth the investment. His statement: “Do you have appliances on the circuit now? What kind of interference can they inject?...voltage drops would come from current draws...which trip breakers.
Not steady 60hz a good power supply handles. So it all comes back to was the power supply engineer dropped on his head as a child.”

”Personally I think it’s something audio people do when they have run out of gear to buy.”

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

signaforce
sudnh
112 posts
 

If you want to get some of the effect of a good power conditioner at a cheap price than look for an original used monster cable hts-2000 power filter strip.

released around 2010 it works quite well and very noticeable positive effect on SQ.
can be had used for less than $50 on eBay.

 

I have several on secondary system and have given several to friends with entry level high end gear.

signaforce's avatar
signaforce OP
313 posts
 

@erik_squires Erik, I have a $50 APC surge protector power strip for my modem, CD player, DVD & VCR on the same circuit as the rest of my equipment on my 2400. Except for the modem, the rest are seldom if ever used.
I assume you would recommend further isolation and the Furman power strip would do that? Thanks!

erik_squires
16,648 posts
 

OP:

 

I’m of the school of thought that if you can’t hear it, you can’t hear it! So I don’t think that’s a bad arrangement in terms of audio.

However, in terms of surge vulnerability the modem is a concern. When I first moved to my current home in 2021 we had 4 homes with surge damage from the cable modem. Luckily everyone but me used Wifi, but I was OK. It’s not uncommon for a surge to enter a home through the coax cable and fry a number of Ethernet connected devices. The surge can enter via the coax and then find a path to ground via either the power supply or the Ethernet cables, if any. For these reasons I recommend:

  1. Use a coax surge protector OUTSIDE thee home like this one.
  2. Isolate your modem’s Ethernet connection using an isolator like this one or an Ethernet to fiber adapter
  3. Put the Modem’s power supply outside of any surge protection used for sensitive audio equipment.

Of course, I may be more paranoid than most due to living in a lightning prone area. Some A’goners have never had lightning damage so they don’t understand the fuss. :D  Also, if all you use is Wifi you are less vulnerable to surges than those of use who hardwire their work PC's and HT systems.

PS - The issue is true for ANY copper based conductor, so cable TV, antennas, etc.

mitch2
4,209 posts
 

@erik_squires

  • Lightning Arrestor for N-Type Antennas Surge Protector: Wouldn’t this work just as well inside of the house if inserted in-line before the modem? Ground it to the copper water pipes?
  • EverStar MI-300 Ethernet Galvanic Isolator: There are many Ethernet isolators available - some using transformers (like in NA’s Muon Pro) and others using fiber optic isolation like in the GigaFOIL range of Ethernet filters (i.e., fiber optic isolation link = FOIL). The price of these filters varies significantly. Users report a similarly wide range of performance variations between the available options with (surprise!) the more expensive solutions typically reported to sound better. Any tips on how a buyer should know which to purchase?
erik_squires
16,648 posts
 

Hey @mitch2

Wouldn’t this work just as well inside of the house if inserted in-line before the modem? Ground it to the copper water pipes?

Would you rather have a surge enter your home first, and then find a path to ground, or would you rather have it find a path to ground outside?  By law there should be an external grounding block which is the ideal place to put one of these.  Obviously if you are an apartment dweller you can't do that, so you do the best you can.

 

There are many Ethernet isolators available - some using transformers (like in NA’s Muon Pro) and others using fiber optic isolation like in the GigaFOIL range of Ethernet filters (i.e., fiber optic isolation link = FOIL). The price of these filters varies significantly.

Convenience and cost matter. The issue with isolators marketed to audio consumers is that they are not tested the same way that isolators for patient care devices are. The latter are tested to ensure 4kV of isolation from input to output, so if using an in-line Ethernet isolator make sure it’s tested to IEC 60601 (I think there’s a UL equivalent). Everstar is among the most affordable.

Between my modem and router I use Ethernet to Fiber isolators with a 1m air gap. At the end of runs from there to my home office or HT I use the Everstar isolators. About the same price per use. The fiber adapters run $20 each, plus the fiber optic cable.

Based on the latest research, avoid any Ethernet isolator/surge protector that grounds the signal, as those can be more dangerous. Since I don’t know which is which I never use the built-in isolators in power strips.

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