[J&J]

Does anyone use a powerline conditioner in a headphone listeneing system? If so can you share the results and maybe make some suggestions as to which ones improved the perfomance. I tried the Richard Gray Power Co which works well in my home theater system but not as well in my headphone system.

 

[Scrith]

I've tried several power conditioners from several companies. The only ones I've found that haven't compromised the sound (usually the most obvious result of using power conditioning is less power in the bass, in my experience) are the very latest models from PS Audio (I've tried the Duet, Quintet, and PowerPlant Premier). Please note that the older PS Audio models (P300, P500, UPC-200, Ultimate Outlet) all had a slightly negative effect on the sound in my system. I've also tried power conditioning products from Balanced Power Systems and Monster (which both sounded about the same as my old PS Audio Ultimate Outlet). I use Black Sand power cables (several variations on the Violet Z1) and PS Audio power cables (last-generation Plus and Statement).

The worst power conditioning products, in my experience, are the UPS battery backup systems (I've tried using a couple of expensive/professional APS models at work with my headphone amp).

The clearest indication of the quality of power conditioning have come from tests with my ICE-based high-powered speaker amplifier (the differences are less obvious with my high-powered balanced headphone amplifier).

 

[eyeteeth]

I used to use them until I tried the wall and it sounded better. I'm not being facetious. I don't know about anyone else but where I am (major intersection of a city with a subway running underneath me) dirty AC is an audiophile urban myth.

 

[Welly Wu]

That is my experience on the matter of power conditioners or regenerators as well. They either do nothing or they distort the sound. Perhaps the worst purchase that I have kept are my BPT components. I wrote a review on them and concluded that they don't do anything. Save your money for much more important upgrades like more music and a better source component. Or, just save your money and skip this crap.

By the way, don't listen to Patrick82.

 

[eyeteeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welly Wu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Perhaps the worst purchase that I have kept are my BPT components.

It was quite irrational but when I was selling off all my accumulated cables, power cords, conditioners and assorted audiophile paraphernalia, I felt I had to move them fast because at any moment people might suddenly wake up and I'd be stuck with the junk.

 

[Jon L]

Unless you are prepared to go "all out," you are better off sticking with your wall outlets.

A truly great power conditioner enhances purity of tones, cleans underlying grain and grunge, and allows both more resolution and ease. Don't ask which ones; I'm sure you don't want to afford it

All the rest will overly darken the treble air, dull transients, rob bass impact and weight, or any combo thereof.

 

[yo2tup2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif Unless you are prepared to go "all out," you are better off sticking with your wall outlets. A truly great power conditioner enhances purity of tones, cleans underlying grain and grunge, and allows both more resolution and ease. Don't ask which ones; I'm sure you don't want to afford it All the rest will overly darken the treble air, dull transients, rob bass impact and weight, or any combo thereof.

the PS Audio Duet is a truely great power conditioner in my system then. does everything you said (when compared to amp/source plugged straight into the wall) with none of the drawbacks

 

[soloz2]

I thought I'd try a monster power center (3500MKII) and there was a noticeable loss of dynamics when my gear was plugged into it. My local stereo shop said they'd contact Monster and see if they could give me a brand new 3600 even though I got the first one on ebay. I haven't heard back, but I'm not holding my breath

 

[Welly Wu]

Like Silent Running Springs, Equitech, or etc?

Perhaps I am being unfair about my specific BPT model. I have read the higher end units do start to earn their money's worth.

Maybe I will find out next year.

 

[Elephas]

I'm using an IsoTek Sigmas with excellent results. I had the opportunity to audition it at a store with both speakers and headphones before buying it.

The improvement is similar to Jon L's well-worded description, though I don't know if this particular model can be considered great or not.

I think it makes the biggest difference with source components, improving imaging and clarity. Without it, I thought my system sounded very nice and clear already. Using it was a case of hearing = believing.

The difference was significant to me, though difficult to quantify as a percentage. I wouldn't say it was a night and day difference. Maybe more like a sunny day with clear blue skies vs. an overcast, cloudy one.

There's clear, and then there's clearer. I haven't heard clearest yet.

 

[tourmaline]

there are mainly 2 types:

Light high pass filters wich filter the noise out of the high regions(mostly starting at 1 khz). These are light filters and don't have the habit of choking amps.

Filters that regenerate the current. problem with these types of filters are usually that they choke the amps, especially amps that need lots of current. Mostly they are too slow to deliver the punch.

in my setup it does alot of good things.

All i can say is try it for yourself and find out.

 

[J&J]

Thanks to everyone for some real insights. One thing about the RGPC is the positive effect on my CRT HDTV . It improves the fidelity of the color and doesn't seem to have any neg effect on the Adcom 5802 amp AR LS7 pre, and Sonus Faber speakers but as I stated in the original post it seemed to "smear" the sound of my headphone/CD player/amp system (RS2, NAD 542, NVA APH10)

 

[lator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif A truly great power conditioner enhances purity of tones, cleans underlying grain and grunge, and allows both more resolution and ease. Don't ask which ones; I'm sure you don't want to afford it

Shunyata Hydra does all those for me and also improves bass' body and punch.

 

[laxx]

I was looking at a Belkin PureAV PF60, but ended up not getting one because I'm too cheap. =[

 

[Dr.J]

I'm in the middle of researching all this power conditioning equipment (primarily because of a toroidal transformer hum). A few are dedicated UPS users, while a professional AV installer raves about these products:

http://www.surgex.com/products.html

claiming a UPS can choke the chicken, so to speak. I had a nice APC unit chosen, until I noticed in the specs that it has two 5" computer fans, that run continuously and produce 47db of noise, from a meter away! That kind'a defeats the purpose of silencing my amp's hum.
Has anyone any experience with these surge-x devices?

thanks,

John