New filter/regenerator


I am interested in the Shunyata Hydra 6 versus the Equitech line. I use a Ars Filharmonia tube amp with 15 amp plug as well as digital front end. What do you kind folks recommend? Can I use a 20 amp based unit still?
jamesw20
Husk: I'm sure you realize your equipment consumes quite a bit of power ;-) I don't know how loud you like your music, or how efficient your speakers are, but be careful using one EP and get another if you have to. In mono, your MBL's could (conceivably) draw 5 or 10 amps depending how they're configured; with so much potential current draw (again, depending on your preferences and speakers) you should definitely be using 20A dedicated circuits (at least two) wired with 10AWG (not 12 which is still allowed by code in most areas.) The subs are probably not current hogs (they don't even list their power consumption in the specs) because they employ Class D amps operating over a very narrow frequency range. With those huge amps, you might put one MBL and both subs on EP #1, and the other MBL plus everything else on EP #2. An option for EP #2 would be (as I have done) run an umbilical PC to an ExactPower SP 15A (balanced power unit) and then run everything else (source/front-end stuff) with the SP. But you should provide abundant wall-power regardless.

I would not recommend using the stock Exactpower PC because it's 12AWG and you should be using a 10AWG cord.

Jamesw20: I'll repeat the advice to Husk in my previous post:
provided one isn't so foolish as to stick some kind of conditioning device in the chain because "it was just laying around doing nothing.";-)
At best it would be redundant, and depending what you might plug into it, could cause problems for the ExactPower. You just don't need it. The EP does everything the RG does and more. And the EP does all its power cleaning electronically (rather than passively, with chokes and filters) so it cannot impede amplifier dynamics.

I think a lot of people don't really understand that last point (which is why passive conditioners can ruin amp performance): even smaller amps ~100W can and do draw huge amounts of power way above their rated power consumption. But it's only for nanoseconds. So although it won't burn your house down, or even raise the temperature of your power cord ;-), if that energy transfer is not instantaneous, it will affect the ability of the amp to produce clean, loud, transients. The choke (coils) employed in passive power conditioners, introduce a magnetic lag (inductance) which interferes with the instant transfer of large amounts of power - and why they have such a negative impact on amplifier performance. I guess they're OK for low powered stuff, but if you have a regenerator, you should be all set.
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Nsgarch, you have educated us on this topic and I thank you. I have to admit complete ignorance when posting this thread.
I have exactly the same amp as you. I was going through tubes at an alarming rate and read something about high voltage and shortened tube life. On a whim I measured the output at the wall, 129V.

Whether that is problematic to equipment is open to debate I suppose, but I didn't see how it could be a good thing and went looking for something offering voltage regulation.

After discussing with my dealer, (Jeffrey Catalano, Highwater sound, great guy) he recommended a Furman SPR-20i which he uses himself and has sold to many customers. I'm very happy with it. Jeffrey strikes me as a music first guy and not a hi-fi for hi-fi's sake person and the Furman services the music very well. Also, it's a 20A unit but functions fine on a 15 amp line.

Highly recommended. Good luck in your searching.

Bryan
Nsgarch, how do you feel about isolation transformers or power converters all with regulation built into them. I have a couple of Kleen Line transformer from Electronic Specialists and they have been working great. This was suggested to me by another audiophile who has been doing electronics for 25 years or more. I use the KLR series transformers. This same audiphile also uses the EP15. I was surprised that the amps were not robbed of transient dynamics and even more surprised how much better the cdp sounded through the transformer. Obviously I hide these units due to the fact they are not audiophilish. Plasma tv's also love these. A pretty box with an IEC would be nice.