TrippLite IS1000HG Medical-Grade Isolation Transformer with 4 Hospital-Grade Outlets
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Tripp Lite 1000W Isolation Transformer Hopsital Medical with Surge 120V 4 Outlet 10ft Cord HG TAA GSA
The Standard Grade Tripplite IS1000 uses two toroidal transformers. It has 4 5-15R standard grade outlets. It can be had for $272 on amazon (plus shipping?). It comes with a 6ft cord. It weighs 25lbs.
Mine is a IS1000HG which costs about $412 (+ship?) on Amazon and uses a traditional wound transformer- Magnetically shielded with magnetic core. Tripp Lite describes it as “Medical-grade, low impedance transformer-based line isolation transformer” which is suppose to be actually more precise but not as efficient as a toroidal . It comes with a 10ft cord, has 4 medical grade outlets and weighs 38lbs.
The Tripp-Lite IS1000HG isolation transformer serves as a key building block in a high performance Distributed Power System. The unit is especially useful for headphone amps (maybe), tube amps (maybe), AV processors, DVD/CD Players, and HDTVs. But the most profound best use for the IS1000HG for me is when I connect my DAC and computer to it. As I compare my Tripp Lite Power Strip IBAR12 and IS1000HG - I do notice much better dynamics from the DAC and much more bass punch when it's connected to the IS1000HG. Instruments seem to pop out more from a 3d like black background more than than the IBAR12. Maybe it separates a bit more of the instruments creating more stage illusion. Music sounds a little more realistic and I find myself toe tapping more and grooving a bit more when connecting the DAC to the IS1000HG. The computer also seems quieter supplying music to the DAC but it takes so long to boot-my auditory memory doesn't really remember hearing a huge difference- but my initial and long term thought is music is just a tad bit cleaner with blacker backgrounds- but not the huge difference I heard between connecting the DAC to the IS1000HG. I figure the two data crunchers need that isolation more and benefit most from it.
I have no reason to use the IS1000HG with my headphone amp, as I have no grounding noise and now that the source components are treated (the DAC and the PC) I have nothing but quiet backgrounds and perfect data being amplified. All the information I have gathered proves that a simple connection to a properly wired dedicated socket with a solid power cord provide the best sound for amps. When it comes to amps keep it simple and as straight powered as possible with no chokes or filters if possible.
For power cords- I am using a Signals Magic Power Cord for both DAC and Power Amp. I should note I have compared many other power cords over the years (TG Audio is one of my favorite but no longer made, Z Cables, Stealth Audio Cloud, and some various Viborg cords- and yes they can make a DAC or AMP and even your PC sound better. Lets talk power cords for a moment- The Signals PC are reasonably priced and provide the best sound for the Topping D90 and my PASS amp for the money (even for triple the money). Price shouldn't really matter when comparing- it should be all about synergy with your gear. For example- I find the cheaper pure copper Signals Magic Power Cord (twisted design for shield) better than the more costly MagicPower Digital Reference (which uses double shielding but hinders sound-stage a bit) for the Topping D90. Copper works best for Topping D90 all around (XLR and RCA)- you can read more about my cables and reviews on what works best with the D90 here.
Anyway... I did have to try the PASS headphone amp with the Tripp Lite IBAR12 and the IS1000HG - my conclusion? I prefer the IBAR12 for the PASS WHAMMY Class A amp running dual OPA627s as I suspected. Straight power for amps is what I remember as a kid and it still holds true today. I have not used my Ray Samuels Audio Apache on any of this gear - but I may update this if I do. For now the RSA Apache is nearly perfection with its own separate linear power supply- and I really can't imagine it getting much better since their is no hum or hiss or reason for a isolation or a kind of conditioner at all- I feel it would just restrict the flow of power and so does Ray himself - as we just spoke about it today by phone.
Application Notes:
The IS1000HG could be an audiophiles dream ... Power is very strong for instantaneous energy storage and delivery and silent noise free performance for audio gear- and in the room noise - both IS1000HG and non HG units should both be silent- with no transformer hum really at all. I understand the older ones can suffer from some hum but the newer ones like mine are nearly silent- put your ear to it and you will hear a ever so slight hum. Some people with the non HG version claim they hear noise from the aluminum box- I can not comment why some have it and some do not. Mine is nearly dead quiet as it sits on the floor away from other gear. Please remember any power supplies should be as far away from all other gear as much as possible for best quietest black backgrounds. Try not to stack power supplies and keep gear clear of a monitor (LCD or LED or Plasma) if you can - avoid these things as they always have some consequences on the sound performance. When in doubt separate gear as much as possible or experiment with placement with sensative IEMs connected to your amp as you move the gear around. You will know where to put it and where not to put it... let's continue...
Larry Deniston from Sanfrancisco Audiophile Society in CA wrote:
"In a search for clean power for my system, I remembered a suggestion from Vince Galbo of MSB Technologies during a wide-ranging discussion about the MSB Analog DAC and the importance of clean power. Vince had recommended the Tripp Lite IS500HG, which is a 500 watt, hospital grade isolation transformer. I opted for the IS1000HG which is the 1000 watt version of the Tripp Lite as I was plugging everything except the subwoofer into the isolation transformer and more is better, right? While the Tripp Lite doesn’t have fancy case-work, an audiophile reputation or an audiophile price tag, it does noticeably lower the noise floor and improve the clarity of the music. The improvement is also demonstrable with an Alpha Labs Line EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) Meter (recommended by Stirling Trayle) or an Entech Wide Band Power Line Noise Analyzer which measures RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) which is a subset of EMI.
The pictures below are a little difficult to read, but on the left is a reading from the Alpha Labs meter from the wall socket in my listening room and reads 112.4 mV. The reading on the right is 25.6 mV out of the Tripp Lite isolation transformer. Readings from the wall socket in my listening room generally range from the 50’s to 120 mVs and out of the Tripp Lite are always in the low to mid 20 mVs. The Tripp Lite provides a measurable and audible improvement in line noise. I also have a Richard Gray’s 600 RM Pro and a Synergistic Research Powercell 10se III power conditioners, neither reduce that amount of EMI from the wall socket. As a side note, I have two 20A dedicated lines running to my room; the other rooms in the house range from the 200’s to over 1,000 mV readings
– some very noisy power!"
I will be testing this with more headphone amps such as my WHAMMY and RAY SAMUELS APACHE and update review
List on this is $680 BUT You can buy these from dealers for around $390-600 shipping included maybe... Some super deals on used medical supplies houses may even have them much cheaper - but be mindful of what to look for... make sure you get one that looks like mine or newer (without circuit breaker on front is the newest IS100HG- mine was unit right before that one and these are good to count on for noiseless box performance) . Be careful not to get a noisy one and ask seller to check with a load before you buy if the transformer inside hums- if it does have noise with a load on it- certainly my suggestion is to PASS on it. If they say no hum what so ever as in the case with mine- buy it!
I hope this helps people realize you don't need to spend a ton on PS Audio Re-generators - this is a great solution for a ton less. In two different videos - the Power Regen seller PS Audio says that SOME Isolators may or may not work well- that they may do some shelving of power frequencies and makes the connection even longer between circuits- and maybe even degrade power- lol. I don't think so - not so with this Tripp Lite IS1000HG Isolator at all.
Alternatives that are "audiophile" or A/V grade such as Richard Grays Power Sub Station price at $2995 -
like I said the IS1000HG is probably the best deal out there for what it does- especially used as we discussed above be alert what to look for when buying used.
BOTTOM LINE:
Do not confuse this with a simple power strip or just a simple surge protector or even a conditioner filter which are designed to work on certain noisy frequencies which choke your sound performance. This is not a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supplies) with battery back up- those will choke your system even more- they may be ok for computers for a certain purpose (Uninterrupted Power) but not for dedicated audio equipment like a DAC or AMP or Player. But this is a great simple solution for curing not covering up issues in power and when it comes to grounding issues- the single best solution without compromise for the price.
Some people may want to isolate the power with super clean power- some may run a dedicated line with it's own circuit breaker- that is the best solution. BUT if you can't do that, this is the next best thing- and even if you did have a dedicated line (see below after review for more on electrical suggestions) - this still makes that dedicated line even better. If you have computer noise (most are very noisy environments and leak noise in to your headphone/stereo systems) and use say USB OR COAX OR TOSLINK (yes they too can be plagued with noise) to your DAC - this should make it dead silent...
or maybe you just want a safe ground isolation- to break the ground loop noise. Usually your amp will have some ground noise if any other components are not grounded properly or have an issue like COAX, USB or maybe there is RCA and XLR ground noise somewhere in the chain- which the amp will just amplify it - and this eliminates it by breaking the ground loop and worth the price of admission. Plus it protects your gear...
but....
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND THE OBSESSED:
How to wire your house for good power?
The gauge of the wire is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the fact that the line is “dedicated”.
Updated 2022 3-230 https://www.gcaudio.com/tips-tricks/electrical-delivery-systems-overview/
Improving your Listening Room Wiring – By Vince Galbo
In many cases depending on the oxidation of connections, age of the breakers, length and gauge of the wall wiring, the above wall power changes in your home system are often a bigger improvement than any component that you can buy, especially with solid state amps. But even people with tubes report improvements if not big improvements.
People often tell me “I have 20 amp dedicated lines”. By US electrical code definitions, a 20 amp dedicated line will have 12 gauge wire in the wall. So while you may have a “dedicated line”, 12 gauge wire is absolutely insufficient for high end audio systems. We are recommending ten gauge or thicker wire here. It is the subject and goal of this paper. The gauge of the wire is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the fact that the line is “dedicated”. The subject of this paper works on the theory that the varying musical demands of your amplifier are actually modulating the incoming power line, divorced from the utility (power company) by some resistance (12 or 14 gauge wall wiring at some length from the breaker panel has too much resistance for audio purposes). The noise coming from your utility is probably much lower than you suspect and the gauge of the wire is far more important. The amp demands current up and down with the music at audio frequencies that are of course above and below the 60 cycles from the power company. These demands are impressed on the line wavering the incoming voltage and so the amp is re-ingesting its own noise and also making the line dirty for itself AND the audio front end. This is possible because the wall wiring back to the breaker panel has some degree of resistance depending on the length of the run and the wire gauge (12 gauge or sometimes even 14 gauge). Power conditioners and certain power cord designs help because they make an effort to “shunt” this noise (short it out and kill it) and consume the unwanted frequencies. A better answer is to reduce the resistance back to the breaker panel making it difficult for the amp to modulate the power at all and also at the same time getting maximum power for the amplifier power supply. And so there are two benefits to reducing the resistance back to the breaker panel.
The Main Goal – Lower Resistance
The single biggest goal in improving audio is to install heavier gauge wire using the following guide.
Silver Paste Selection
Silver paste is important to reduce contact resistance. These pastes are called ‘grease’ but be wary of any that are actually that fluid. I have reports of migration of at least one audiophile silver grease that, because of voltage potential across the Line and Neutral attempts to migrate and close the gap between the hot and the ground. In one local attempt it burned up an outlet. That is why I use the McMaster Carr product. It is almost crumbly and never migrates upon inspection years later, nor does it seem to oxidize over time. There are reports of audiophile silver pastes that do oxidize and so the oxidized silver becomes worse than not applying silver at all. DO NOT try to use this stuff on interconnects, etc. While it could be a good thing, it is impossible to control it and it smears around in use because it never really dries. The result is a partial or complete short across signal hot and ground. I added this comment based on one audiophile who tried it on his interconnects, got no sound in one channel, weak distorted sound in the other, and spent hours washing his RCA plugs and cleaning his input/output jacks on his components. I don’t think it can be completely cleaned out and he should have replaced the jacks and plugs. In other words just don’t do it. Here is our first and second recommendation.
The McMaster is a pure silver paste in a minimal amount of carrier. This is the best of the silver products to use at about $85. It will last for years since you only need a very small amount. The second choice is a possible, less expensive alternatives.
Silver Paste Application
You will use the silver paste at every AC power connection that is made starting by removing the breakers and applying it to the inside of the clip on the back of the breaker. No need to apply it to the buss bar connection especially since these are always live!!! The clip will transfer the paste to the buss bar. You will also use the silver paste on the wires where they enter into the screw terminals both at the breakers and the duplex outlets. A thin film is all that is needed on all these connections and the silver actually performs better as a thin film. This stuff tends to get on the fingers and then everywhere else so be sure to clean up with Goo Gone or some such solvent since it is like liquid wire. It can be a finger-shock hazard if you are sloppy with it, so be sure to clean up any excess or smeared film with a solvent like Goo Gone even if you can’t see it. Your electrician will have a non corrosion paste that he always uses to preserves the copper connection but does not reduce the resistance of the connection anywhere near as well as the silver paste. The electrician’s paste is not suitable for our purposes. The silver or a silver-loaded copper compounds are the only choice.
Circuit Breaker Replacement
I recommend new breakers if they are older then one year or so. (they are cheap). If you get the original equipment circuit breakers (like Square D, Siemens, etc.), from an electrical supply house (not Home Depot or Lowe’s), you will likely get silver-tungsten contacts inside the breaker. Cheap replacement breakers are likely to have copper contacts which have higher resistance and will oxidize over time raising the resistance further. Research with your local electrical supply and ask them to look up the breaker contact material to confirm it is silver or silver tungsten.
New Circuits
I recommend at least two 20 amp 120 volt circuits sized based on the distance of the run.
Select Same Phase
For 120 volt circuits: MAKE SURE ALL EXISTING AND NEW CIRCUITS THAT YOU USE ARE ON THE SAME ELECTRICAL PHASE. I have had several direct experiences with an audio system connected on both electrical phases and the dual 120 volt feed from the electrical grid seems to make a good antenna to pick up RF. Connecting your system to only one electrical phase seems to prevent any RF issues that can damage equipment in areas with high RF. (No� you have no way to know if you are in a microwave path, or TV/radio transmission path, just do it!) Usually, every other breaker in the stack is the same phase. In other words, starting at the top (first) breaker in the left column you will have ‘A’ phase. The next breaker down (second) will be ‘B’ phase, and then the next (third) will be ‘A’ phase again, etc. So the two dedicated lines should be spaced one breaker apart to be on the same phase. Some newer panels may have one phase all on the left, and the other phase all on the right. If you don’t know have an electrician help or do the work. Decide if you are competent with an AC voltmeter and you will not be dangerous to yourself. If you have experience with an AC voltmeter measuring wall power and you feel you are competent then you can test between any two outlets to prove they are on the same phase by testing for AC voltage across the two shorter slots in the respective wall outlets. (the longer slot is always the neutral). Measuring between the two outlets probing their respective short slots you should have a reading near zero volts and maybe floating around several millivolts (mv). If your reading is 220-240 volts then the two outlets are on opposite phases and should be corrected.
Tighten Up the Connections
It is a good idea to ask your electrician to go around the breaker panel when he is done and tighten all of the set-screws that clamp the wires. This is especially important on the heaviest cables that feed the panel. These screws will be LIVE! so ask the electrician if he has the proper voltage-rated insulated tools to do this and if he is comfortable doing. Electricians will often do this any time they service a panel. DO NOT pick up the tools you own with the plastic or rubber grips and think you can do this yourself. Your tools are not rated for this procedure and it is fatally dangerous if you make a mistake, so DO NOT be tempted. Let an experienced, qualified, licensed, insured, person do this.
Replace Outlets
Try to find Hubbell hospital grade outlets with isolated grounds or something like the PS Audio Power Port, or Furutech. Generic commercial grade outlets are not a good substitute. Low and medium priced audiophile outlets are a good investment since they are heavier copper, better plated and really grip the blades of your power cord plug. I have no opinion about the very high priced cryogenic, etc., outlets. The isolated grounds can be run back to the panel individually.
About Power Conditioners
I don’t recommend line conditioners on amplifiers when the system is done as described above. It is generally better to go straight into the wall. But if you do use a line conditioner be sure it has NO CURENT or WATTAGE LIMITS and it is a straight-through design with any filtering elements ACROSS the line. If it does have a wattage or current rating then it would indicate some sort of treatment in SERIES with the line which is almost never, ever good for amplifiers and may even choke off lower power gear like front ends depending on the design of the conditioner. I do recommend conditioning for all front end equipment. For front ends which tend to draw little power compared to the amp, you might pursue a clever conditioner that does have elements in series but do be concerned about power limiting. (use your ears). If you only run one wall power line, plug the amp direct into the wall and then the front end into your line conditioner. It is better to install two lines (which must be on the same phase) because the amplifier will modulate the wall power fluctuating by the demands of the music and actually make noise on an otherwise quiet wall power line. Plug the amp direct into one and a line conditioner into the other which you will then plug your front end into. The Shunyata line conditioners and the Richard Gray are two good ones that I have used for amplifiers because they are straight through. I prefer the Richard Gray because they actually lower the impedance by storing some power on every AC cycle and they correct an error on the line known as ‘power factor error’. So the RG 400 is the best for amplifiers. Unfortunately 2 or 3 RG 400s are needed ‘star clustered’ together to get the collective impedance low enough to be effective for an amplifier. One RG 400 alone doesn’t do much for big amplifiers. The amp should be plugged in the wall with the RG 400s. This requires a quad box or a high quality audiophile power strip. (Since this paper was written in 2001 many line conditioners have come on the market. I believe the general theory above still holds true. Look for straight-through unlimited current-wattage for amps, then high current excellent filtering for front ends). Shunyata is another company that is dedicated to straight through design. They seem to concentrate more on shunting the noise that has already been generated and may do this better than the RG 400. Lately I am using both types together at the audio shows where I cannot do anything about the wall wiring. The RG400s provide low impedance behaving more like the system is connected closer to the breaker panel, and conditioners like the Shunyata quiet the high frequency noise from both the amplifier-modulation and the wall power noise.
Even more recently I have had success with BIG isolation transformers. They should have a VA rating at least double the ‘va’ (volts-amps) rating of your amplifier transformers. Triple the rating is better, so if your amp has a 1000 va (which is 1 kVA) transformer, the isolation transformer should be 2000 (2 kVA) minimum and may be marginal, 3000 to 5000 va (5 kVA) is better. I only mention the subject of line conditioners and isolation transformers to be complete. I prefer the amps straight in the wall and try line conditioners on the front end before you buy one.
The 240V Option
Some high end amps can be switched over and run on 220 volts and I recommend it may sound better. The transformer primaries and the core seem to run slight more efficiently yielding lower impedance so the supply might appear slightly ‘stiffer’ to the amp’s audio circuits (always a good thing). Because the amp is now running at twice the voltage but half the amps (current) the wall wiring looks twice as thick to the amp as it does at 120 volt (ohms law). Now the amp makes even less audio noise on the line and it then rejects its own line noise better. The 220 volt outlet can be a standard 15 amp with 10 Ga.. Wire up to 80 feet then 8 gauge beyond that.
For the 220 volt lines, the electrician may, or may not know about a NEMA receptacle and plug number that is the same size and form as our common Edison duplex 120 volt receptacle but the wide blade of the plug is on the opposite side as the 120 volt duplex. Hubble or commercial Leviton works fine for 220 volt, and the 6-20 series looks less industrial in your home.
It is Nema plug number 6-20P. ‘Stay on line‘ is a good source but your electrician may like a local supplier.
BE SURE TO CHANGE OVER THE AMP INTERNALLY IF YOU DECIDE TO RUN 220 VOLT !
Last Trick – Twist the conductors
Lastly, you might ask him to twist the conductors one twist every 6-8 inches or so. Each line should be alternately twisted relative to the one next to it. This prevents any coherent coupling between them. Keep them away from each other by minimum 4 inches. It is perfectly OK to cross them at a right angle.
Final Word
If your electrician has any concerns about all this, be aware he is always concerned about CONTINUOUS current draw and rates everything and splits up the loads like the air conditioning and the electric dryer for the available amperage. Please explain to him that we are designing for incredibly short peak current pulses and we need the resistance back to the utility as low as possible for best amplifier performance. The continuous draw is negligible from an electrical standpoint. 10 gauge wire is the largest size that will fit into a wall outlet and as far as I know does not violate any codes but you and your electrician are responsible to be sure this is true in your state, county, and city.
Be sure that your speaker cable is at least 10 gauge. You should consider 8 or 9 gauge for speakers that are below 87db sensitivity, and/ or 4 ohms. Some manufacturers say, ‘our 14 gauge behaves like 10 gauge, etc.’, this could be true but I go for the real measured gauge.
Now, without exception over the last 12 years, comments from those that have done the above heavy gauge wire wall power mods say there is audible improvement in dynamics while making the sound even more detailed, yet much more relaxed with dark backgrounds leaving only the notes and music. I was very surprised the first time I did this house power mod. I did not expect the mid-range and the highs to clean up and get more coherent as much as they did. Of course bass and dynamics are better as you would expect with better current delivery.
link to page: https://www.msbtechnology.com/faq/how-to-wire-your…e-for-good-power/
- Complete line isolation and noise filtering
- Hospital-grade plug and receptacles
- Lowers cumulative leakage current of connected equipment to under 100 μA
- Floating AC output prevents noise coupling
- TAA-compliant
Mine is a IS1000HG which costs about $412 (+ship?) on Amazon and uses a traditional wound transformer- Magnetically shielded with magnetic core. Tripp Lite describes it as “Medical-grade, low impedance transformer-based line isolation transformer” which is suppose to be actually more precise but not as efficient as a toroidal . It comes with a 10ft cord, has 4 medical grade outlets and weighs 38lbs.
Features:
- Offers line isolation and continuous noise filtering
- Internal low-impedance isolation transformer with Faraday shield offers 100% isolation from the input AC line
- Full UL 60601-1 medical-grade listing with hospital-grade plug and outlet receptacles for the protection of sensitive electronic equipment in patient-care areas
- Reduces cumulative leakage current of the Isolator and connected equipment to levels less than 100 μA
- Floating AC output prevents noise coupling from noisy hospital ground circuits and meets agency requirements
- Inexpensive alternative to dedicated circuits and site electrical upgrades
- Removes EMI/RFI noise, utility switching transients, load-generated harmonics and ground loops
- Transformer filtering offers continuous common-mode noise rejection with no wearable parts
- Reduces 6000V IEEE587 Cat A & B ring wave and combination wave test surges to only 0.5V common mode
- Includes 4 widely spaced NEMA 5-15R hospital-grade output receptacles, 10 ft. power cord, hospital-grade input plug, circuit breaker overload protection, lighted power switch and rugged all-metal unit housing
- Ships ready for upright tower placement in any industrial, medical, office or network environment
Before we start to get into this- BUY something like this to check your outlet receptacles and make sure its all 100% wired correctly! PLEASE! This one costs $5.
The Tripp-Lite IS1000HG isolation transformer serves as a key building block in a high performance Distributed Power System. The unit is especially useful for headphone amps (maybe), tube amps (maybe), AV processors, DVD/CD Players, and HDTVs. But the most profound best use for the IS1000HG for me is when I connect my DAC and computer to it. As I compare my Tripp Lite Power Strip IBAR12 and IS1000HG - I do notice much better dynamics from the DAC and much more bass punch when it's connected to the IS1000HG. Instruments seem to pop out more from a 3d like black background more than than the IBAR12. Maybe it separates a bit more of the instruments creating more stage illusion. Music sounds a little more realistic and I find myself toe tapping more and grooving a bit more when connecting the DAC to the IS1000HG. The computer also seems quieter supplying music to the DAC but it takes so long to boot-my auditory memory doesn't really remember hearing a huge difference- but my initial and long term thought is music is just a tad bit cleaner with blacker backgrounds- but not the huge difference I heard between connecting the DAC to the IS1000HG. I figure the two data crunchers need that isolation more and benefit most from it.
I have no reason to use the IS1000HG with my headphone amp, as I have no grounding noise and now that the source components are treated (the DAC and the PC) I have nothing but quiet backgrounds and perfect data being amplified. All the information I have gathered proves that a simple connection to a properly wired dedicated socket with a solid power cord provide the best sound for amps. When it comes to amps keep it simple and as straight powered as possible with no chokes or filters if possible.
For power cords- I am using a Signals Magic Power Cord for both DAC and Power Amp. I should note I have compared many other power cords over the years (TG Audio is one of my favorite but no longer made, Z Cables, Stealth Audio Cloud, and some various Viborg cords- and yes they can make a DAC or AMP and even your PC sound better. Lets talk power cords for a moment- The Signals PC are reasonably priced and provide the best sound for the Topping D90 and my PASS amp for the money (even for triple the money). Price shouldn't really matter when comparing- it should be all about synergy with your gear. For example- I find the cheaper pure copper Signals Magic Power Cord (twisted design for shield) better than the more costly MagicPower Digital Reference (which uses double shielding but hinders sound-stage a bit) for the Topping D90. Copper works best for Topping D90 all around (XLR and RCA)- you can read more about my cables and reviews on what works best with the D90 here.
Anyway... I did have to try the PASS headphone amp with the Tripp Lite IBAR12 and the IS1000HG - my conclusion? I prefer the IBAR12 for the PASS WHAMMY Class A amp running dual OPA627s as I suspected. Straight power for amps is what I remember as a kid and it still holds true today. I have not used my Ray Samuels Audio Apache on any of this gear - but I may update this if I do. For now the RSA Apache is nearly perfection with its own separate linear power supply- and I really can't imagine it getting much better since their is no hum or hiss or reason for a isolation or a kind of conditioner at all- I feel it would just restrict the flow of power and so does Ray himself - as we just spoke about it today by phone.
Application Notes:
The IS1000HG could be an audiophiles dream ... Power is very strong for instantaneous energy storage and delivery and silent noise free performance for audio gear- and in the room noise - both IS1000HG and non HG units should both be silent- with no transformer hum really at all. I understand the older ones can suffer from some hum but the newer ones like mine are nearly silent- put your ear to it and you will hear a ever so slight hum. Some people with the non HG version claim they hear noise from the aluminum box- I can not comment why some have it and some do not. Mine is nearly dead quiet as it sits on the floor away from other gear. Please remember any power supplies should be as far away from all other gear as much as possible for best quietest black backgrounds. Try not to stack power supplies and keep gear clear of a monitor (LCD or LED or Plasma) if you can - avoid these things as they always have some consequences on the sound performance. When in doubt separate gear as much as possible or experiment with placement with sensative IEMs connected to your amp as you move the gear around. You will know where to put it and where not to put it... let's continue...
Larry Deniston from Sanfrancisco Audiophile Society in CA wrote:
"In a search for clean power for my system, I remembered a suggestion from Vince Galbo of MSB Technologies during a wide-ranging discussion about the MSB Analog DAC and the importance of clean power. Vince had recommended the Tripp Lite IS500HG, which is a 500 watt, hospital grade isolation transformer. I opted for the IS1000HG which is the 1000 watt version of the Tripp Lite as I was plugging everything except the subwoofer into the isolation transformer and more is better, right? While the Tripp Lite doesn’t have fancy case-work, an audiophile reputation or an audiophile price tag, it does noticeably lower the noise floor and improve the clarity of the music. The improvement is also demonstrable with an Alpha Labs Line EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) Meter (recommended by Stirling Trayle) or an Entech Wide Band Power Line Noise Analyzer which measures RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) which is a subset of EMI.
The pictures below are a little difficult to read, but on the left is a reading from the Alpha Labs meter from the wall socket in my listening room and reads 112.4 mV. The reading on the right is 25.6 mV out of the Tripp Lite isolation transformer. Readings from the wall socket in my listening room generally range from the 50’s to 120 mVs and out of the Tripp Lite are always in the low to mid 20 mVs. The Tripp Lite provides a measurable and audible improvement in line noise. I also have a Richard Gray’s 600 RM Pro and a Synergistic Research Powercell 10se III power conditioners, neither reduce that amount of EMI from the wall socket. As a side note, I have two 20A dedicated lines running to my room; the other rooms in the house range from the 200’s to over 1,000 mV readings
– some very noisy power!"
I will be testing this with more headphone amps such as my WHAMMY and RAY SAMUELS APACHE and update review
List on this is $680 BUT You can buy these from dealers for around $390-600 shipping included maybe... Some super deals on used medical supplies houses may even have them much cheaper - but be mindful of what to look for... make sure you get one that looks like mine or newer (without circuit breaker on front is the newest IS100HG- mine was unit right before that one and these are good to count on for noiseless box performance) . Be careful not to get a noisy one and ask seller to check with a load before you buy if the transformer inside hums- if it does have noise with a load on it- certainly my suggestion is to PASS on it. If they say no hum what so ever as in the case with mine- buy it!
I hope this helps people realize you don't need to spend a ton on PS Audio Re-generators - this is a great solution for a ton less. In two different videos - the Power Regen seller PS Audio says that SOME Isolators may or may not work well- that they may do some shelving of power frequencies and makes the connection even longer between circuits- and maybe even degrade power- lol. I don't think so - not so with this Tripp Lite IS1000HG Isolator at all.
Alternatives that are "audiophile" or A/V grade such as Richard Grays Power Sub Station price at $2995 -
like I said the IS1000HG is probably the best deal out there for what it does- especially used as we discussed above be alert what to look for when buying used.
BOTTOM LINE:
Do not confuse this with a simple power strip or just a simple surge protector or even a conditioner filter which are designed to work on certain noisy frequencies which choke your sound performance. This is not a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supplies) with battery back up- those will choke your system even more- they may be ok for computers for a certain purpose (Uninterrupted Power) but not for dedicated audio equipment like a DAC or AMP or Player. But this is a great simple solution for curing not covering up issues in power and when it comes to grounding issues- the single best solution without compromise for the price.
Some people may want to isolate the power with super clean power- some may run a dedicated line with it's own circuit breaker- that is the best solution. BUT if you can't do that, this is the next best thing- and even if you did have a dedicated line (see below after review for more on electrical suggestions) - this still makes that dedicated line even better. If you have computer noise (most are very noisy environments and leak noise in to your headphone/stereo systems) and use say USB OR COAX OR TOSLINK (yes they too can be plagued with noise) to your DAC - this should make it dead silent...
or maybe you just want a safe ground isolation- to break the ground loop noise. Usually your amp will have some ground noise if any other components are not grounded properly or have an issue like COAX, USB or maybe there is RCA and XLR ground noise somewhere in the chain- which the amp will just amplify it - and this eliminates it by breaking the ground loop and worth the price of admission. Plus it protects your gear...
(END OF REVIEW)
but....
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND THE OBSESSED:
How to wire your house for good power?
The gauge of the wire is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the fact that the line is “dedicated”.
Updated 2022 3-230 https://www.gcaudio.com/tips-tricks/electrical-delivery-systems-overview/
Improving your Listening Room Wiring – By Vince Galbo
How to wire your house for improved audio and video performance – What is the Goal?
In many cases depending on the oxidation of connections, age of the breakers, length and gauge of the wall wiring, the above wall power changes in your home system are often a bigger improvement than any component that you can buy, especially with solid state amps. But even people with tubes report improvements if not big improvements.
People often tell me “I have 20 amp dedicated lines”. By US electrical code definitions, a 20 amp dedicated line will have 12 gauge wire in the wall. So while you may have a “dedicated line”, 12 gauge wire is absolutely insufficient for high end audio systems. We are recommending ten gauge or thicker wire here. It is the subject and goal of this paper. The gauge of the wire is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the fact that the line is “dedicated”. The subject of this paper works on the theory that the varying musical demands of your amplifier are actually modulating the incoming power line, divorced from the utility (power company) by some resistance (12 or 14 gauge wall wiring at some length from the breaker panel has too much resistance for audio purposes). The noise coming from your utility is probably much lower than you suspect and the gauge of the wire is far more important. The amp demands current up and down with the music at audio frequencies that are of course above and below the 60 cycles from the power company. These demands are impressed on the line wavering the incoming voltage and so the amp is re-ingesting its own noise and also making the line dirty for itself AND the audio front end. This is possible because the wall wiring back to the breaker panel has some degree of resistance depending on the length of the run and the wire gauge (12 gauge or sometimes even 14 gauge). Power conditioners and certain power cord designs help because they make an effort to “shunt” this noise (short it out and kill it) and consume the unwanted frequencies. A better answer is to reduce the resistance back to the breaker panel making it difficult for the amp to modulate the power at all and also at the same time getting maximum power for the amplifier power supply. And so there are two benefits to reducing the resistance back to the breaker panel.
The Main Goal – Lower Resistance
The single biggest goal in improving audio is to install heavier gauge wire using the following guide.
- 1 to 40 feet: 10 gauge wire
- 40 to 60 feet: 8 gauge wire
- Over 60 feet: 6 gauge wire
Silver Paste Selection
Silver paste is important to reduce contact resistance. These pastes are called ‘grease’ but be wary of any that are actually that fluid. I have reports of migration of at least one audiophile silver grease that, because of voltage potential across the Line and Neutral attempts to migrate and close the gap between the hot and the ground. In one local attempt it burned up an outlet. That is why I use the McMaster Carr product. It is almost crumbly and never migrates upon inspection years later, nor does it seem to oxidize over time. There are reports of audiophile silver pastes that do oxidize and so the oxidized silver becomes worse than not applying silver at all. DO NOT try to use this stuff on interconnects, etc. While it could be a good thing, it is impossible to control it and it smears around in use because it never really dries. The result is a partial or complete short across signal hot and ground. I added this comment based on one audiophile who tried it on his interconnects, got no sound in one channel, weak distorted sound in the other, and spent hours washing his RCA plugs and cleaning his input/output jacks on his components. I don’t think it can be completely cleaned out and he should have replaced the jacks and plugs. In other words just don’t do it. Here is our first and second recommendation.
The McMaster is a pure silver paste in a minimal amount of carrier. This is the best of the silver products to use at about $85. It will last for years since you only need a very small amount. The second choice is a possible, less expensive alternatives.
Silver Paste Application
You will use the silver paste at every AC power connection that is made starting by removing the breakers and applying it to the inside of the clip on the back of the breaker. No need to apply it to the buss bar connection especially since these are always live!!! The clip will transfer the paste to the buss bar. You will also use the silver paste on the wires where they enter into the screw terminals both at the breakers and the duplex outlets. A thin film is all that is needed on all these connections and the silver actually performs better as a thin film. This stuff tends to get on the fingers and then everywhere else so be sure to clean up with Goo Gone or some such solvent since it is like liquid wire. It can be a finger-shock hazard if you are sloppy with it, so be sure to clean up any excess or smeared film with a solvent like Goo Gone even if you can’t see it. Your electrician will have a non corrosion paste that he always uses to preserves the copper connection but does not reduce the resistance of the connection anywhere near as well as the silver paste. The electrician’s paste is not suitable for our purposes. The silver or a silver-loaded copper compounds are the only choice.
Circuit Breaker Replacement
I recommend new breakers if they are older then one year or so. (they are cheap). If you get the original equipment circuit breakers (like Square D, Siemens, etc.), from an electrical supply house (not Home Depot or Lowe’s), you will likely get silver-tungsten contacts inside the breaker. Cheap replacement breakers are likely to have copper contacts which have higher resistance and will oxidize over time raising the resistance further. Research with your local electrical supply and ask them to look up the breaker contact material to confirm it is silver or silver tungsten.
New Circuits
I recommend at least two 20 amp 120 volt circuits sized based on the distance of the run.
- 1 to 40 feet: 10 gauge wire
- 40 to 60 feet: 8 gauge wire
- Over 60 feet: 6 gauge wire
Select Same Phase
For 120 volt circuits: MAKE SURE ALL EXISTING AND NEW CIRCUITS THAT YOU USE ARE ON THE SAME ELECTRICAL PHASE. I have had several direct experiences with an audio system connected on both electrical phases and the dual 120 volt feed from the electrical grid seems to make a good antenna to pick up RF. Connecting your system to only one electrical phase seems to prevent any RF issues that can damage equipment in areas with high RF. (No� you have no way to know if you are in a microwave path, or TV/radio transmission path, just do it!) Usually, every other breaker in the stack is the same phase. In other words, starting at the top (first) breaker in the left column you will have ‘A’ phase. The next breaker down (second) will be ‘B’ phase, and then the next (third) will be ‘A’ phase again, etc. So the two dedicated lines should be spaced one breaker apart to be on the same phase. Some newer panels may have one phase all on the left, and the other phase all on the right. If you don’t know have an electrician help or do the work. Decide if you are competent with an AC voltmeter and you will not be dangerous to yourself. If you have experience with an AC voltmeter measuring wall power and you feel you are competent then you can test between any two outlets to prove they are on the same phase by testing for AC voltage across the two shorter slots in the respective wall outlets. (the longer slot is always the neutral). Measuring between the two outlets probing their respective short slots you should have a reading near zero volts and maybe floating around several millivolts (mv). If your reading is 220-240 volts then the two outlets are on opposite phases and should be corrected.
Tighten Up the Connections
It is a good idea to ask your electrician to go around the breaker panel when he is done and tighten all of the set-screws that clamp the wires. This is especially important on the heaviest cables that feed the panel. These screws will be LIVE! so ask the electrician if he has the proper voltage-rated insulated tools to do this and if he is comfortable doing. Electricians will often do this any time they service a panel. DO NOT pick up the tools you own with the plastic or rubber grips and think you can do this yourself. Your tools are not rated for this procedure and it is fatally dangerous if you make a mistake, so DO NOT be tempted. Let an experienced, qualified, licensed, insured, person do this.
Replace Outlets
Try to find Hubbell hospital grade outlets with isolated grounds or something like the PS Audio Power Port, or Furutech. Generic commercial grade outlets are not a good substitute. Low and medium priced audiophile outlets are a good investment since they are heavier copper, better plated and really grip the blades of your power cord plug. I have no opinion about the very high priced cryogenic, etc., outlets. The isolated grounds can be run back to the panel individually.
About Power Conditioners
I don’t recommend line conditioners on amplifiers when the system is done as described above. It is generally better to go straight into the wall. But if you do use a line conditioner be sure it has NO CURENT or WATTAGE LIMITS and it is a straight-through design with any filtering elements ACROSS the line. If it does have a wattage or current rating then it would indicate some sort of treatment in SERIES with the line which is almost never, ever good for amplifiers and may even choke off lower power gear like front ends depending on the design of the conditioner. I do recommend conditioning for all front end equipment. For front ends which tend to draw little power compared to the amp, you might pursue a clever conditioner that does have elements in series but do be concerned about power limiting. (use your ears). If you only run one wall power line, plug the amp direct into the wall and then the front end into your line conditioner. It is better to install two lines (which must be on the same phase) because the amplifier will modulate the wall power fluctuating by the demands of the music and actually make noise on an otherwise quiet wall power line. Plug the amp direct into one and a line conditioner into the other which you will then plug your front end into. The Shunyata line conditioners and the Richard Gray are two good ones that I have used for amplifiers because they are straight through. I prefer the Richard Gray because they actually lower the impedance by storing some power on every AC cycle and they correct an error on the line known as ‘power factor error’. So the RG 400 is the best for amplifiers. Unfortunately 2 or 3 RG 400s are needed ‘star clustered’ together to get the collective impedance low enough to be effective for an amplifier. One RG 400 alone doesn’t do much for big amplifiers. The amp should be plugged in the wall with the RG 400s. This requires a quad box or a high quality audiophile power strip. (Since this paper was written in 2001 many line conditioners have come on the market. I believe the general theory above still holds true. Look for straight-through unlimited current-wattage for amps, then high current excellent filtering for front ends). Shunyata is another company that is dedicated to straight through design. They seem to concentrate more on shunting the noise that has already been generated and may do this better than the RG 400. Lately I am using both types together at the audio shows where I cannot do anything about the wall wiring. The RG400s provide low impedance behaving more like the system is connected closer to the breaker panel, and conditioners like the Shunyata quiet the high frequency noise from both the amplifier-modulation and the wall power noise.
Even more recently I have had success with BIG isolation transformers. They should have a VA rating at least double the ‘va’ (volts-amps) rating of your amplifier transformers. Triple the rating is better, so if your amp has a 1000 va (which is 1 kVA) transformer, the isolation transformer should be 2000 (2 kVA) minimum and may be marginal, 3000 to 5000 va (5 kVA) is better. I only mention the subject of line conditioners and isolation transformers to be complete. I prefer the amps straight in the wall and try line conditioners on the front end before you buy one.
The 240V Option
Some high end amps can be switched over and run on 220 volts and I recommend it may sound better. The transformer primaries and the core seem to run slight more efficiently yielding lower impedance so the supply might appear slightly ‘stiffer’ to the amp’s audio circuits (always a good thing). Because the amp is now running at twice the voltage but half the amps (current) the wall wiring looks twice as thick to the amp as it does at 120 volt (ohms law). Now the amp makes even less audio noise on the line and it then rejects its own line noise better. The 220 volt outlet can be a standard 15 amp with 10 Ga.. Wire up to 80 feet then 8 gauge beyond that.
For the 220 volt lines, the electrician may, or may not know about a NEMA receptacle and plug number that is the same size and form as our common Edison duplex 120 volt receptacle but the wide blade of the plug is on the opposite side as the 120 volt duplex. Hubble or commercial Leviton works fine for 220 volt, and the 6-20 series looks less industrial in your home.
It is Nema plug number 6-20P. ‘Stay on line‘ is a good source but your electrician may like a local supplier.
BE SURE TO CHANGE OVER THE AMP INTERNALLY IF YOU DECIDE TO RUN 220 VOLT !
Last Trick – Twist the conductors
Lastly, you might ask him to twist the conductors one twist every 6-8 inches or so. Each line should be alternately twisted relative to the one next to it. This prevents any coherent coupling between them. Keep them away from each other by minimum 4 inches. It is perfectly OK to cross them at a right angle.
Final Word
If your electrician has any concerns about all this, be aware he is always concerned about CONTINUOUS current draw and rates everything and splits up the loads like the air conditioning and the electric dryer for the available amperage. Please explain to him that we are designing for incredibly short peak current pulses and we need the resistance back to the utility as low as possible for best amplifier performance. The continuous draw is negligible from an electrical standpoint. 10 gauge wire is the largest size that will fit into a wall outlet and as far as I know does not violate any codes but you and your electrician are responsible to be sure this is true in your state, county, and city.
Be sure that your speaker cable is at least 10 gauge. You should consider 8 or 9 gauge for speakers that are below 87db sensitivity, and/ or 4 ohms. Some manufacturers say, ‘our 14 gauge behaves like 10 gauge, etc.’, this could be true but I go for the real measured gauge.
Now, without exception over the last 12 years, comments from those that have done the above heavy gauge wire wall power mods say there is audible improvement in dynamics while making the sound even more detailed, yet much more relaxed with dark backgrounds leaving only the notes and music. I was very surprised the first time I did this house power mod. I did not expect the mid-range and the highs to clean up and get more coherent as much as they did. Of course bass and dynamics are better as you would expect with better current delivery.
link to page: https://www.msbtechnology.com/faq/how-to-wire-your…e-for-good-power/
Attachments
John Massaria
nice to hear sir thank u!
OCC7N
Very beautiful review. I just discovered how important this is, and I went for searching for a 230V version but did not succeed. However I found this:
https://tripplite.eaton.com/dual-vo...isolation-115-230v-1000w-8-outlets~IS1000HGDV
Is this enough if I am going to connect:
Computer I think it will use around 70Watt max
DI20HE 220-240V AC 50/60 Hz 20W
R7HE MK2 220-240V AC 50/60 Hz 61W
HE9 LE 220-240V AC 50/60 Hz 54W
https://tripplite.eaton.com/dual-vo...isolation-115-230v-1000w-8-outlets~IS1000HGDV
Is this enough if I am going to connect:
Computer I think it will use around 70Watt max
DI20HE 220-240V AC 50/60 Hz 20W
R7HE MK2 220-240V AC 50/60 Hz 61W
HE9 LE 220-240V AC 50/60 Hz 54W
John Massaria
just realize this is not an end all soultion- I only found it usefull to quiet the PC and DAC - I would never suggest hooking an amp or preamp to it-
