The resulting loss of noise from isolating your audio system from other lines is well worth the relatively minor expense if you have a fairly resolving system.
The "versus" part of your system sets a bit of a false dichotomy IMHO. It's not a matter of either or. Improvements in power delivery are cummulative.
If you heard the improvements the Tice brought to your system, you will probably hear what a seperatepower line does. Finally, if you hear what the seperate power line does, you might be amazed at what the latest generation of power conditioners can do.
