Use of Power Conditioners vs. Direct into the Wall

Interesting diversity of responses-which I appreciate fully. Thanks all. For the record, I do not have dedicated lines in my home. Just using the existing outlets in nearest proxmimity to my system. Would consider changing this--but I expect I may be moving soon and would prefer to wait for the new digs. Thanks again for your help.

Ask 50 audioholics the same question and you’ll get 52 answers most likely.

I’d not lose any sleep over having my dedicated power lines not being of equal lengths, but that is funny stuff.

Having dedicated lines however is a step up all by it/themselves, however.

Amps, depending on their quality level will receive less and less benefit from power line filtration or conditioning most of the time. Naturally, if your incoming power is quite poor only conditioning or filtration is going to assist you in removing those artifacts and grunge from the lines…. Dedicated ckts won’t. Dedicated ckts, WILL provide a fatter pipe filled with juice for the amps, or other components.

Starting at the beginning seems best IF you have the resolve and of course own the property itself. Running dedicated ckts is a moot issue if in an apt., rental or leased property.

2 dedicated 20A ckts should suffice for your current situation. One for power components, and the other for the front end items. Given the cost running a third can’t hurt, and one never knows ….

Once done and that ckt run in for a couple weeks, with lamps, fans or just the gear itself if you want, check it – them out. If things sound great, the need for power line conditioning can wait a bit. If still more dedication and/or funds, is present, try out conditioning for the front end items first. Thereafter, try a smaller one, which implements no bandwidth suppression or current limitations for the amps.

Truth be told, prior to adding filtration of a sort, put some better outlets on them ded ckts first! Lots cheaper and you should see a definite gain in smoothness and blacker backgrounds…. Even if their only Hosp or spec grade outlets!

Elsewise you simply won’t know for sure what needs addressing and what doesn’t.

Least I forget, if you run ded ckts… use the same phase. Choose the one in the box the major appliances aren’t on if possible. Eg., water heater, fridge, microwave, freezer, washer & dryer, etc. If at all possible place you ded ckts at the closest point to the incoming feed on the bus you select.

You can tweak the ded ckts by the type of wire you use to run them with, the outlets themselves, how the outlets are mounted in their boxes, how the wire is terminated to the outlets, etc. Get as crazy as you want there… but don’t concern yourself with any disparity between the actual lengths of their individual runs. The length of the run matter only in the selection of the wire gauge being used… and I doubt you would need more than #12… at worst a #10. you could also consider running each ckt ‘s wires in their own PVC conduits to further isolate them if run in quite close proximity to other power or com lines, and especially if non shielded wire is chosen.

However, I have 4 20A ded ckts. All are standard #12 romex. None are in conduit. Things sound quite good to me & others, so there’s that note on the “How crazy should I get?” addendum.

I’ve tried a few PLCs including Shunyata, PS Audio, and running Springs Audio. Of the three brands, the RSA haley provided the least amount of noted dynamic loss while in use with my various amps. Each has it’s own signature or flavor and I’d not allow popularity alone, to be my guide with PLCs selecting.

In fact I use a PSA Duet for my spinning gear and mass fi stuff. The Haley supplies mostly my DAC, preamp, and a PC digital source. Sometimes I’ll connect amps to it, sometimes I won’t. As I said above, there’s a flavor which is additive or subtractive using conditioners and even passive filters…. Which you may or may not like in certain cases…. Or at certain times.

The curious thing about PLCs, active or passive, is you can have dirty power and things can still sound mighty good to you. Consequently, adding a very good PLC to the system should only allow you to hear your system better. Cleaner, clearer and more musically. Less proficient ones will reduce the bandwidth, here or there and come across as if the sound has been slightly compressed. True too there may be some lessening of the leading edge severity or impact…. This aspect will range about from maker to maker, model to model, in varying degrees… and why many prefer to run good amps, like your Halo’s right into the wall.

A quite notable thought on all the ‘passive’ units I’ve used and prefer to use, is that the feed cord will definitely provide it’s voice to the downstream items as an additive influence. I’ve found the supplying power cord to the “whatever cond or filter”, is as key if not more so than is the power line cleaner upper. In fact the voice of your system can and will be changed more by it than will a great conditioning device. It’ll pay you to spend some time addressing that link, I assure you, to whatever extent you desire.

Other power cords on your various pieces will also alter, enhance, or im-prove things for you. I’ll guarantee you this much, things will at the very least change. Nearly everytime, with different power cords on the same device!

I’ve run both tube and SS mono block amps…. They like many squeakers dig power. Unimpeded power that is….

Good luck, and do try comparing PLCs, some are better than others and price isn’t always representative of how they’ll work in your rig.

Thanks to you too, Blindjim, for your thoughtful response. You've given me plenty to consider.

Follow-on question...sorry, but I'm a zero when it comes to electricity. Adding dedicated lines for my gear SOUNDS like it would be an expensive and disruptive project. Can someone set my expectations re: cost and degree of difficulty/mess that would be invoved? Thanks again for all the insight.

I had a licensed electrician install two 30 amp dedicated circuits using 10 gauge Romex and one 20 amp dedicated circuit using 12 gauge Romex for a total of $500. Saturday (off the clock) work for him so I got a good price. It took him about 2 hours and there was zero mess.

Blindjim gives excellent advice in his thread above and I absolutely concur with his detailed recommendations on how to run the lines and also the positive effects of receptacles and power cords.

Regarding power receptacles, I recommend the excellent Porter Port for $36 or, for the best possible sound, the Synergistic Research Teslaplex for $95. Many like the Oyaide R1, but I found it to color everything plugged into it with its own sound which my golden-eared wife describes as "hi fi sounding". You can go for the receptacles now (with or without dedicated lines), enjoy the improvement, and then take them with you when you move.

Next would be selection of power cords. Sticky subject as everyone has their opinion. They do make a significant difference if your componentry is up to par. Try some different brands from a dealer than offers free in-home trials and compare. Keep all your cabling and power cords within the same brand family for best results.

Lastly, on the subject of power conditioners, I have owned and heard many, many well regarded and expensive conditioners and only one has drastically improved the sound of my system with zero drawbacks: the Synergistic Research Powercell 10SE. At $5k retail, it is certainly a major investment but well worth it in a well-heeled system. I run my Krell FPB-600C amp (2400w/ch @ 2 ohms) and all of my two channel and HT equipment through the Powercell and it actually IMPROVES dynamics (even with such a massive current load), creates a cavernous and superbly articulated soundstage, and provides a totally black noise floor. Other products may impress you initially, but ultimately they will reveal limitations/drawbacks that will result in their removal.

Good luck.

Earzona,use your money for MUSIC! If equipment needs thousands for dedicated power lines, thousands for power conditioners, hundreds for power cords; it isn't designed worth a damn. Parasound Halos are fine components. Any power conditioner good enough for computers and hospitals is plenty adequate. Tripp-Lite has been around for decades. CWS is an on-line supplier. Be sure whatever you get has enough amp capacity, the component instruction manuals will give you their amp draw. Add them up and see what you get. If very serious, get one for your input devices, and one for amps. A decent power conditioner will clean up RFI on the line and keep a solid 110-120v feed, adjusting for peaks and dips in the voltage. Good Listening.