How many us a Line Conditioner with a Big SS Amp

Thanks for sharing your experiences. So you didn't try the Jaco on your amps then, correct?
FWIW, I've never heard the Jaco. I've had the RSA Duke w/ Mongoose, as yes the RSA products come with a cord, so this is makes comparisons difficult because Shunyata's do not come with a cord. So to some degree the performance is dependent on the cord. Anyway, IMHO, I felt the Hydra 2 w/ Anaconda Alpha cord and the RSA Duke w/ Mongoose both were the best conditioners that I've heard with high powered amps. Personally, I didn't detect any current limiting with either of these in place.
Obviously these will be system synergy dependent choices, just like cables or power cords. There is no absolute best, just what works best for you.

The Duke/Hydra 2 performed much better with power amps in my system than conditioners from Monster, Audio Magic, PS Audio, BPT, and Tara Labs. I would like to try a Walker Audio Velocitor 'S' though.

John

Jmcgrogan2, what difference you heard with your amps into Hydra2? You are using Anaconda power cord.
What is the difference between:
1) your amp with Anaconda power cord plugged directly into the wall
and
2) your amp still with Anaconda power cord plugged into Hydra2 w/Anaconda

Threshold Stasis 2 and Threshold S-150 powering Apogee Duetta Signatures. Both amps plugged directly into the wall, each on it own dedicated circuit, and that's the way it will stay.

Audphile1, I do not believe that I ever claimed to have a Shunyata Anaconda on my amplifier. FWIW, at the time that I had the Hydra 2 with Anaconda Alpha power cord, I had a BAT VK-600SE plugged into it. The BAT amp is a single chassis, but is dual mono, even seperate power cords for left and right channels. So this amp required two power cords. I was using (2) Virtual Dynamics Master power cords on from the amp to the Hydra 2.

I would say that in terms of sonic absolute's plugging directly into the wall was the best. There is no need for a power conditioner at all to improve sonics on an amp. The reason I was trying power conditioners is because I was nervous having no spike/surge protection on a $12K amp.
I found the Hydra 2 and the RSA Duke to have the least sonic degradation of any power conditioners I've heard. Protection with very little sonic coloration. The Hydra 2 presented slightly less soundstage depth compared to plugging the amps straight into the wall. The RSA Duke presented a slight 'warming' of the upper bass/lower midrange region. Note, that these comparisons were both made only comparing the conditioners themselves against plugging straight into the wall. These 'complaints' are also magnified to show any difference. They were very slight in comparisons with the sound degradation I've heard from other power conditioners.

FWIW, no power conditioner in the world will improve the sound of an amp plugged directly into a dedicated line. I only mention these two power conditioners for those, who like myself were concerned with having no surge/spike protection. I felt these two units presented limitations that were very acceptable to my ears, in my system. If you have no concern about spikes/surge control, I would definitely recommend that you plug your amp(s) directly into a dedicated line. How's that?

Oh, and BTW, I did also get a chance to hear the Hydra 2 with a Copperhead and a Python Alpha p/c's. Versus the Anaconda Alpha, I would say the Python was a little more restrictive, showing and even smaller stage. The Copperhead showed the warming characteristics in the upper bass/lower mid's that I also noticed in the RSA Duke, only to a greater degree.

John

John, thanks.
I was just curious if you ever compared with or w/out Hydra with the same cord.

I did a test with the same 2 cords, Taipan Helix Alpha(except for 15a on amp and 20a on Hydra) and direct into the wall the amplifier sounds better. Not even a dedicated circuit, and still better.

As I mentioned before in another post, the McCormack amp I had sounded better with Hydra2 or Hydra4. With Hydra4 I'd say it sounded a bit darker than it did with the Hydra2, but still was better than plugging it directly into the wall, where there was an apparent AC noise even heard through the speakers if I had my ear close to the tweeter.

One of the differences between Hydra2 and all other Hydras is that it doesn't have the magnetic breaker. This may or may not make it more pure, but I do know that there was a difference between Hydra2 and 4 sonically. I do like what the Hydras do for the source components. Lowering the noise floor there seems to be nice.

Some people use Exactpower regenerators even on relatively big solid state amps. I haven't tried that yet, but I may.