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Power conditioners around $500

Does anyone have any thoughts on power conditioners in the $500 range (new or used)? For years I've been using an old Panamax 1000 and I think it's time to take a step up.

A few months ago I borrowed a PS Audio Quintet and I didn't like it at all. It etched the instruments razor tight, which seemed to deaden the air around the instruments and also seemed to exaggerate the separation between instruments. It seemed to suck the life out of the music. The Quintet had been on consignment at the local shop, so I am just assuming that it had been properly run in, but that might not be true.

I read a review of the Shunyata Guardian on Positive Feedback, and the reviewer mentions the same etching effect. PS Audio Power Center 3000 looks nice on paper. So does Furman. Does anyone have experience comparing these machines? I'm not running power-hungry equipment, just an integrated amp, DAC, and CDP.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
rfprice
pauly
1,012 posts
 
RF, can you swing a soldering iron?

I have built a number over the years. I can honestly say that with the exception of PS Audio PS300 on some source gear, it will match anything out there ... and it's dead easy to do.

Attached a URL of a very easy filter. Easy as pie, 3 resistors, two inductors, a cheap project box and any hospital grade power cable. Done.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze22yzp/id11.html

And yeah, I have open a few boutique units. You'd be horrified to see what in them.

Regards
Paul

Note, I don't know the author of the article nor do I endorse anything on it. I happened to have built similar units with good result. YMMV.
singleendedsingle
664 posts
 
Ps audio makes outstanding conditioners for the price. In the past, my experience with the Duet and Quintet was remarkable..sonic improvements were noticeable.
jedinite24's avatar
jedinite24
1,503 posts
 
If you have the space I say go for a Tice PowerBlock. I've found them for about $250-$350 used if you are lucky but they are big and bulky.
mcondon
235 posts
 
I have owned a number of power conditioners, including the Synergistic Research PowerCell 10SE, Running Springs Haley, and Pi Audio Uber Buss. I always went back to my Balanced Power Technologies CPC with stock power cord. New, it is in your price range.

I thought the Running Springs Haley truncated dynamics and collapsed the soundstage, the SR Power Cell was fatiguing, and the Pi Uber Buss was underwhelming (not bad, but not as good as the CPC.) The CPC seems to eliminate noise, but does nothing to limit dynamics in the slightest and in my setup widened the soundstage.

Now I own an amp that has an internal power conditioner, so have no need for any conditioner. I like BPT so much that I have ordered a maxed out version of their Pure Power Center, which is like a high-end power strip with zero filtering. BPT has been around a long time. The owner Chris Hoff rarely if ever comes out with new models or versions. So BPT does not get the attention he deserves or could drum up if he came out with a new "breakthrough" every 2 or 3 years.
rfprice OP
150 posts
 
Hi guys, I've been away for a while. Thanks for all the recommendations. I got a great deal on a Dectet, so I went with it. I can't find anything to dislike about it yet, and frankly I haven't had much time to really do a critical evaluation. (I bought a new PWD DAC II at the same time that I bought the Dectet. Ironically, as usual, I haven't had much time to really enjoy either.)

Pauly, I doff my hat to those brave few who build their own electronics.
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