How many components to attach to one outlet?


Is there a rule of thumb for this?

Of course in a perfect world - like Albert Porter's - one would have a dedicated line for each component (in another thread Albert said that he had 14 dedicated lines installed! Go Albert!). Well right now I have just one dedicated line installed, and I am wondering what is the best way to maximize its' potential: Branch every audio component off of that one line, which at a minimum is amplifier, preamp, and source (which in my case is a computer), and risk having those components introduce noise back into each other, or maximize that one line by having the most potentially improved/sensitive component (amplifier maybe?) be attached solely to it and let the other components drink from a dirty, non-dedicated line?

Thanks in advance all!
studioray

Showing 1 response by listener57

There are a number of power strips which actually audibly improve performance, acting as if they "condition" without the usual costly box. This could plug into one outlet of your dedicated line.
The one I have enjoyed is the top of the line Mapleshade Records power strip. If there is the usual oversize audiophile power plug on the end of a component power cord then three easily populate this power strip, still leaving room for more of the routine, smaller-sized power plugs of older fixed power corded components.
By necessity, in one system, I committed the audiophile sin of plugging in both analog tube amp, preamp, turntable, along with digital CDP and DAC, this visually overloaded power strip delivered excellent results, not significantly different when analog and digital plugged into different AC wall outlets. Obviously, results vary depending on the particular components, and the order of insertion of the power cords, the turning off of digital when playing records, as well as the sensibilities of the listener.
But, what audible destruction an entire computer would do to power quality on this same strip is unknown to me. Perhaps, the computer should be plugged in to a conventional isolation transformer (such as Powervar) which is itself plugged in to the remaining AC outlet of your dedicated AC line, unless you exile your computer to its own non-dedicated AC line, after auditioning the results for yourself.