I have a AC Regenerator. Get dedicated line too?

In regards to the PPP, it is not a pure regenerator, but more of a power conditioner. The PPP, from what I understand, tracks the input voltage and makes adjustments to it as needed. There is no regeneration, just conditioning. So in this example, yes a power cord would make a difference.

In a true regenerator, such as the P-500 from PS Audio, the input voltage is converted to DC then back to AC. In this case, a power cord shouldn't make a difference. That being said, the P-500 operates like an amplifier and we generally upgrade amplifier cords with excellent results.

Dedicated lines! Of course they make a difference. Maybe the biggest difference when you look at sonic improvement for $$. If you have an open basement, it really is a no brainer. If you have to run new lines between the walls, that is a pain and can be costly.

But really, I've installed 24 homeruns in my listening room when it was built. I've yet to find a component that wasn't somewhat of a pig and loved having its own dedicated line. Some manufacturers, like Krell, in the first pages of the owner's manual, recommend this to be done before you even purchase a Krell amp and plug it in.

Over the years, I've heard many people are unhappy about the way the Krell amps sound in the high frequencies. I would bet that they have other components plugged into the same electrical line as their Krell amp. In my experience with Krells and other large amps, are like pigs and don't want to share from the same trough.

I'm now in the process of running a direct line to my computer server which stores all my music files and one to the cable and WiFi modems. And of course there is only one reason, to enhance the quality of the sound.

Oh, and as an owner of several power conditioners/regernerators, there is no doubt that supplying it with the best power cord one can find, will take they're performance up a notch or two. Of course, if you want to make more not so subtle mprovements, upgrade to better outlets, and change out the fuses for some of those new audio grade fuses that are causing such a stir. . .

I don't know the electrical reasons or explanations for these audible effects, and it seems strange that all of these tweaks make a difference but they do.

"I'm now in the process of running a direct line to my computer server which stores all my music files and one to the cable and WiFi modems. And of course there is only one reason, to enhance the quality of the sound." - Sgr

As a point of humor, a dedicated line implies that it's for a single piece of equipment and not "modems" plural.

I think you're going way overboard here but have no doubt that you'll hear the improvements that you anticipate hearing.

As for the point of regenerators performing like power amplifiers and therefore being candidates for power cord upgrades, I'd say that a power cord might result in an improvement when connected to a regenerator, but it would be for reason that are unrelated to the regenerator. Al discussed some reason for why an improvement might be noticed, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the regenerator is benefiting from the upgraded power cable.

The original question in this thread was if a regenerator would benefit from an upgraded power cord. I would say absolutely as long as their marketing is factual, but this doesn't preclude the overall system being improved by upgrading the power cord. Understand the difference? This may be where experience and rational logic meet.

Mceljo,
You are right, I guess I can't count. There would be two modems on the same line. Drat I guess I'll have to add another😓. I'm not sure if there really will be any advantage except to keep the digital nasties separate from the rest of the equipment. ☺Anything for music🎷!

OK, Gentlemen, here's something that should stir up some controversy: an actual A/B comparison!

Some background: it's after 3:30AM and in a few hours my electrician is coming to do some work at the house, including, if I want, dedicated 20A lines to my stack of gear.

Had an idea for an A/B test tonight that I wanted to check out before the dedicated lines were installed: would there be any audible difference between using a high quality power cord from the wall to the Purepower 1050 AC Regenerator, versus, wait for it... using NO CORD AT ALL?

Let me explain: unlike any other AC regenerator I know of, PurePower claims that when using it there is absolutely no connection between the unit (and therefore your components) and the power company supplied AC at the wall outlet.

The PurePower takes the wall power, converts it to DC (which strips away all the AC grunge) and then converts it to AC again (this time clean, steady and perfect power) and then stores this newly created power in a bank of super high current batteries which are completely isolated from the power company, that feed fast, perfect sine-wave 120V power to the components. This means that I can be listening to music at concert level volume and if the whole neighborhood has a black-out, my tubes will still glow and my music will continue playing at the same volume for 10 minutes running off the batteries!

Essentially, this means I can take the highest quality AC power cable I can get my hands on, connect it from the wall outlet to the Purepower, and A/B it versus using NO CORD AT ALL (when the cable is unplugged from the Purepower, making it use its batteries).

Please comment on my premise here if you find any holes in my logic… it seems to me that if the cable sounds in any way different from no cable at all, that means that a cable CAN influence the components connected to the regenerator, and therefore dedicated lines, high quality receptacles and super high-end power cords should make a big difference, right? And therefore, if THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE in sound between no cable and high-end cable, that means that expensive cable, dedicated lines, super high-grade outlets as well as anything else from the regenerator on back to the local power station might be a waste of money. If you're still with me, here's how I did the A/B:

Pulling my very heavy rack from the wall, I exposed the 40 year old original wall receptacle imbedded into the concrete floor. As far as I can tell, it has never been replaced. The circuit this outlet belongs to has a ghastly variety of power offenders on it… space heaters, dimmers, compact florescent lights, cordless phones, computers and wi-fi routers. This is the circuit I have the Purepower regenerator plugged in to.

My VAC tube preamp has been on all day, and I switched on my Ray Samuels Audio "Raptor" tube headphone amp (arguably one of the best in the world) and let it warm up with music, driving my AKG K702 headphones for over an hour. This is an incredibly resolving system as every change in volume, tone, soundstage, air, and distortion of any kind is immediately and irrefutably audible.

I put on my best recorded cd (Midnight Sugar on 3 Blind Mice Records, which I've been listening to for years and know very well) and sat down against the wall next to the power cord connecting the wall to the regenerator. The music was gorgeously rich, balanced and detailed… just as I know it to be played on this configuration. I listened for about 10 minutes, enjoying myself thoroughly… then, in the middle of the title track, I braced myself and yanked the power cord out of the socket. I prepared myself for a pop, a change in volume, a click as it switched to battery power, a change in tone, or the depth and definition in the lowest octaves… NOTHING. No pops, no shifts, no disruption, no audible change whatsoever, just a seamless, uninterrupted continuum of beautiful jazz. I was amazed, and continued sitting there yanking out and plugging in that cable at least ten more times to no avail. There was absolutely NO DIFFERENCE!

This proves to my satisfaction Purepower's claim that their unit completely separates my components from any power issue that lurks before my regenerator. Truth in advertising is always refreshing. Now I know why this regenerator, which replaced my AC conditioner, was one of my most satisfying and dramatic upgrades ever.

One interesting addendum: replacing the stock power cables from the regenerator to each component (one at a time) with high-end cords made an immediate and obvious improvement in sound quality! Interesting, huh?

As for the electrician tomorrow… I'm an audiophool at heart, so if the cost is not too bad, I'll probably have the dedicated lines installed anyway, along with the Maestro wall outlet I just received. Then, I'll do the same A/B comparison again, and if I get different results, I'll just go ahead and kill myself to avoid the embarrassment.

Any thoughts on my process or methodology are welcome, as are challenges, rants, and questions. Thanks for reading, you're obviously as crazy as I am.