Do I need power conditioning


Hello everyone.
Need some help here. My system - Esoteric P700 transported modified with Trichord Research clock & digital board with power supplies; Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC; Krell KRC-HR pre-amp; Krell FPB300c power amp; Monitor Audio Studio 20SE speakers; FPB fed by dedicated mains supply; Rest from a home made distribution box (which outperforms a VH Audio Hotbox) fed from the wall by an Eichmann Express power cable; then Pure Note Sigma power cable to KRC-HR; & VH AUdio flavour 4 to rest of components.

Problem - sometimes, the system sounds wonderful with a sound stage so encompassing that you hear ambience & echoes clearly from behind the listening position. Othertimes, it loses its magic.

Question 1) - Do I need power conditioning;

Question 2) - If yes, which conditioner would you recomment.

Any help & advise will be much appreciated.

Thanks.
solentgreen

Showing 2 responses by solentgreen

Thanks for your responses, Vmpsbk & Bombaywalla. By losing its magic, I mean the soundstage shrinks; espeically the rear ambience. When its working well, and on a good recording, you can easily locate any echos in the recording from the rear. On some CDs with the recorded effects (e.g. the end of the last track on Dido's first CD), you can even hear the effect twirling around the listening room. When the system goes off, you lose all this. Also, the scale of the sound is just not as 'big' and it just sounds duller and you end up cranking up the volume to try to get it going but its just not as good as when its on song.
I do not notice any real change in the balance of the sound; say if there is any change in the bass etc.
The strange thing is that there does not appear to be any pattern as to the timing of this in a 24 hour cycle. If anything, it tends to go off for days at a time. I might add that I live in an apartment.
I have been reading up on the Shunyata Hydra units & was wondering whether I should give these a try. Thanks again for any ideas you might have.
Thanks guys for all your responses.

Tomyran, I will check out your previous thread, thanks.

I have tried a few conditioners, a few of them inexpensive basic filters & a Powerwedge. These makes the sound quieter but has a downside on dynamics & presence. Since then, I have moved on with better cables & is now using a home made mains distribution block (no filters, just a distribution unit made of thick aluminion & iron sheets) which improves the sound, making it richer, with more 'bounce' & enhancing dynamics. Now I find the Powerwedge & other filters do not improve the sound anymore.
However, my system still sounds better on some days than othyers. And Arnold h, I am sure it is not my personal mood that is causing this. There are distinct differences to the sound; and I am not talking about how I react to the music or anything like that. The bigges difference as I said is the soundstage; the width, height & rear ambience. On the good days, the soundstage is so wide that its like you are sitting in a small concert hall or auditorium; the speakers completely disappear & sound comes not only from the front stage, but also from the side with distinct echos and ambience from behind the listening position. Then, the musical aspects of the sound is also great, and you just put on CDs after CDs, and even music which you do not particularly like sound interesting & enjoyable. On a less good day, the soundstage shrinks significantly, and the rear ambience is much more diffuse. But the musicical aspect of the system is reasonably good. On the really bad days, the rear effect does not exist at all and then, the music also sound off & not enjoyable anymore.

And no, its not running in; I have had these components for quite some time.

To Audio girl, can you try & describe the differences the Shunyata Hydra makes to your system. I have heard some great things about these units & am interested to know. Unfortunately, it is difficult where I live (Hong Kong) to get decent demonstrations & a home loan is out of the question.

Many thanks again.