I have a AC Regenerator. Get dedicated line too?


My PurePower APS 1050 AC Regenerator made an incredible difference in my system. Since everything connected to the unit is fed perfect, steady 120V power, is there any reason to expect that running a dedicated 20 amp AC line to my system and installing new high end receptacles would make any difference at all??? If you have experience with this I would appreciate your opinion, if you have an opinion without experience, tell me your thoughts about this. Hurry, before I spend any more money just to find out!

Thanks.
Ag insider logo xs@2xalonski
Alonski, yes, I know about the Wave Mechanical motor controller. I will surely get it in the future, from the UK for almost half the price here in the US.
But first I need that Purepower thing for the entire system.
Inna, I trust you had a nice holiday.

If you don't already know about it, Nottingham offers the Wave Mechanic optional power supply which regenerates the AC going to your deck's motor. It's a bit pricey but I've heard good things about this upgrade.
Too bad my Nottingham table's motor has a captured power cord. Maybe I could use an adapter to be able to add a good power cord.
Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread... It got somewhat tense at times, with some strong opinions bumping up against each other – but overall, it was instrumental in exploring and answering the question I posed to my satisfaction.

Yes, it cost me a few hundred dollars to find out, but for audiophiles, that's just part of our expensive pastime, isn't it? I don't regret getting dedicated lines and high end outlets, and eventually, I will probably put a high end power cable between the wall and the 1050. Why? because I'm nuts, and an audiophile, and how could that ever hurt?

An audio friend whom I greatly respect swears that he hears a significant improvement when replacing a stock cable from his turntable motor with a $1000 power cord. I haven't tried it yet myself, but I said, in a somewhat snarky tone, "Now wait a minute, Buckeroo, the electrical path ends at the motor... the only thing connecting the motor to the turntable is a rubber belt, which as far as I know can't conduct a signal. How can it make a difference?!" "I don't know what to tell you," he said... "It just does."

Bottom line: In whatever way you can, from full out dedicated lines, to really expensive AC Regenerators, or even an upgraded power cord... clean up the juice coming into your system and you'll be amazed. I was unprepared for the difference clean power made in my system.

Sometimes, I sit in my sweet spot just shaking my head in disbelief (like last night, while listening to the amazing Sonny Rollins' Way Out West LP) thinking how lucky I am to have this great hobby.

Glad you guys are a few keystrokes away when I need a fix (so to speak).
A dedicated line will only help the sound. Go fo it.
I'm fortunate, I had room in my breaker panel, I put in 4 20 AMP dedicated lines when I build my sound room.
Joe Nies
Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread... It got somewhat tense at times, with some strong opinions bumping up against each other – but overall, it was instrumental in exploring and answering the question I posed to my satisfaction.

Yes, it cost me a few hundred dollars to find out, but for audiophiles, that's just part of our expensive pastime, isn't it? I don't regret getting dedicated lines and high end outlets, and eventually, I will probably put a high end power cable between the wall and the 1050. Why? because I'm nuts, and an audiophile, and how could that ever hurt?

An audio friend whom I greatly respect swears that he hears a significant improvement when replacing a stock cable from his turntable motor with a $1000 power cord. I haven't tried it yet myself, but I said, in a somewhat snarky tone, "Now wait a minute, Buckeroo, the electrical path ends at the motor... the only thing connecting the motor to the turntable is a rubber belt, which as far as I know can't conduct a signal. How can it make a difference?!" "I don't know what to tell you," he said... "It just does."

Bottom line: In whatever way you can, from full out dedicated lines, to really expensive AC Regenerators, or even an upgraded power cord... clean up the juice coming into your system and you'll be amazed. I was unprepared for the difference clean power made in my system.

Sometimes, I sit in my sweet spot just shaking my head in disbelief (like last night, while listening to the amazing Sonny Rollins' Way Out West LP) thinking how lucky I am to have this great hobby.

Glad you guys are a few keystrokes away when I need a fix (so to speak).
Well, even if I heard wrong I am right anyway. There will be a better model from this company or another one.
Yes, never ending upgrades; strugle for perfection. Good luck to us all.
Inna, Part of this obsession, to a different degree for each of us, is the reality of the never-ending upgrade. Technology will not stop its progress because I just bought an expensive component... So, I like to ask the dealer or company how long the current version has been around and when is the next model coming out? The key for me is knowing its inevitable and not getting too upset.

BTW, I just got my 1050 a few months ago. If there's a new version that replaces it already... heads will roll! No, wait... that negates everything i just said. Uh, never mind.
Let me tell you people a disturbing news. I heard that newest Purepower units are even better. So what are you going to do now?
Foster 9, Try inviting a friend over, putting on a very familiar track at an involving level, closing your eyes and having him/her quietly unplug the power cord from the wall and back in again a few times without telling you when and determine if you can hear any difference between the expensive PC cord and no cord at all.

If you hear a difference of any sort, it means that something from the 1050 on back (pc cable, dedicated line, outlet) is able to affect your system. If you weren't able to tell when your assistant unplugged or plugged back in, the 1050 is doing it's job. Have fun!
I have a Purepower 1050 and I'm still trying to determine if the power cord feeding it makes a difference or not. I know it shouldn't.
Pani- Yes, the PurePower is different. The stored power available on demand in the massive batteries is probably the reason the dedicated lines, the Maestro outlet and the expensive power cord from the wall to the 1050 did not show any audible difference. IMO of course.

What I really like is that this regenerator allows high power amps to not only be connected to the unit along with source components, they actually end up performing so much better! I went back to the research I had done before my purchase and I remember this excerpt from their website helping me make my decision:

"The PurePower AC regeneration design provides something you might not expect from a power solution. Many power filtering and conditioning products are routinely accused of limiting the current flowing though them, thus starving the power amps with their need for lots of instantaneous current on demand. Testing shows how the PurePower actually has the capability to deliver more current that even a completely unfettered and unfiltered household outlet. In the Bryston equipment test measurements shown above, the 9B SST demanded AC to produce the required output to the speakers. The Amp drew 3.88 amps at its peak demand. When powered from the PurePower 1050, the amp was able to draw 5.6 amps at peak! That's almost a 50% increase! This is possible due to the nature of our AC regeneration technology. One of our primary goals is to be able to provide for maximum current variation on demand without allowing the sine wave or voltage level to be adversely affected. While you want voltage to be rock solid, noise to be at a minimum and the sine wave to be pristine, you also want to be able to have the most current possible available exactly when it is needed. The more instant current change you can provide without affecting any of the other power variables, the better your system can perform. "

While this might be true with pure power, it is not true for other regenerators IMO. I have tried the Monarchy Audio AC regenerator which only supports equipment up to 100 watts, so only source and preamps can be used. It is a terrific product for the price $700, did a fantastic job when connected to my CDP (Audio Aero Prestige). But changing power cord from the wall to the regenerator also had a lot of impact on the sound. It doesnt have a battery bank to store the power, so it is like a continuous regeneration happening. Why the power cord before the regenerator matters in this case could be (it is just my inference) because the regenerator itself is nothing but an amplifier with its own power supplies and circuitry. This circuitry also benefits from a better power cord so the power cord before it makes a difference. Pure power is kick ass product, no doubt about it.
Yes, my unit is the older style without the LED readout. I'm very happy with the unit thou!
I had a dedicated line before I bought the APS, so I don't know if that helps but it can't hurt!
I myself am saving on that thing. I am really tired of that garbadge coming from the wall. Can't do dedicated anything, it's an appartment.
Oh, Inna, you're making fun of my madness... bring it on, I'm a proud audio nutcase! Thanks for all your input ;-)

I bow to you, Snopro... You were a very early adopter of this game-changing technology. Well done!

Mceljo, the exploration of possibilities is part of the fun for me... and yes, that can get to be expensive over time!
Snopro - It can only hurt your wallet so if it doesn't have any feelings then you're absolutely correct.
Yes, my unit is the older style without the LED readout. I'm very happy with the unit thou!
I had a dedicated line before I bought the APS, so I don't know if that helps but it can't hurt!
After that is done, get 1050 for each piece of equipment you have and compare this arrangement to the one you currently have. You said you enjoy this madness.
Mceljo, Yeah, refreshing isn't it? What I appreciate about them is absence of hype, availability of technical white papers to back up their findings, and they let their customers do the rest with glowing testimonials from all over the world.

Snopro, I totally believe you, it just wasn't my experience in my system. Two things come to mind: First, it's possible that results are system dependent, especially with differences in amps. Second possibility is that in the years since your test, Purepower has improved the 1050 significantly.

Either way, I'm willing to forge ahead – I ordered another high-end power cord to test, and the first place I'll plug it into is between the wall and the 1050 and repeat the many tests I did, again (luckily I enjoy this madness). I'll report back with an update.
Alonski - It's good to her that the manufacture isn't an example of bunk in advertising.
Alonski,
I did that test years ago with my 1050. Unplugging the unit from the wall IMS lost a small degree of dynamics.
Also changing the pc from the outlet to the unit makes a difference, IMHO.
No surprise that they almost never appear here for sale used, and when they do they sell immideately. I wonder if two of them would make a difference, one for power amps and another for the rest?
I did what I said I would do, and finally, this one-man jury has reached a verdict.

Conclusion: In all the A/B tests and experimentation I've conducted since my original post, I have arrived at the answer that in my system, high-end power cables connected AFTER the AC regenerator (i.e. from the Purepower 1050 to the preamp, another to the amp and one to each of the source components made a significant and immediate improvement in midrange clarity, bass articulation, depth, and shear musical impact.

On the other hand, anything I installed in the chain BEFORE the AC regenerator (i.e high end power cable from the wall to the Purepower 1050, high-end wall receptacle, as well as a 20Amp dedicated line that cost me over $500 -- made absolutely no audible difference at all.

My expensive conclusion is that the PurePower 1050 is doing exactly what they claim it does –– no matter what crap comes out of the wall, be it dirty power from the grid, erratic voltage drops or spikes, whatever, it doesn't seem to matter -- the Purepower doesn't care -- it strips out the grunge from the AC by converting it, waxing it, polishing it, and generally having its way with it to create brand-new, virgin, perfectly shaped sine-wave, completely steady 120V AC with copious headroom reserves for instantaneous availability to all components. This unit has transformed my system in so many ways. Aside from the usual inner micro details that have emerged from the deep, music is much more dynamic, richer, with faster attack than I've ever heard.

No I'm not on their payroll, just a happy customer. This is the best $2500 I ever spent upgrading my system. See if you can borrow one somehow and hear for yourself. And please, don't lump this remarkable product in with power conditioners and filters, no matter how expensive. This is a different animal altogether. If you have any questions, please ask. Alonski out.
>>11-18-11: Inna
We are not crazy here just a little strange<<

I think you're both.
Wasted money is wasted money and it could be put into something better like vinyl.

From my perspective, there are two main things to consider. First, the advertised engineering behind the product strongly states, from a logical perspective, that an upgraded power cord should NOT make any difference. Second, if you assume that the manufacture is being honest in their adversiting and you do hear a difference with an upgraded power cord the logical conclusion is that it's for a different reason other than it actually improving the output of the regenerator. As Al mentioned earlier, there can be differences from using shielded power cords because they isolate themselves from other sensitive components and/or cables. If this is true, then it still doesn't matter what is behind the outlet unless you're planning to run 100% shielded lines and this is unlikely.

Just because you hear a difference in an A/B doesn't mean that it's due to a change at the output on the regenerator. Don't forget this fact.
Well, I guess you can do it later if you decide to. I would most likely do it. You have a very hi-end system so $600 for that is not really much. Besides, who knows what the difference would be if you upgrade your amps or something else in the future.
Inna, I will do that, probably tonight. Right now, the electrician is here and he gave me a quote to run two 20A dedicated lines from the main panel to my gear (about 40 ft. of conduit) with 10/3 wire for about $600! I mentioned on this thread earlier that San francisco prices for just about anything are about double that of other areas in the country.

I have about 3 hours before he needs a decision. Considering the results of my A/B comparison so far, I'm not sure the investment would pay off... $600 buys a lot of vinyl...
If I were you I would repeat the experiment with the amps and speakers not headphones to see how the 1050 handles that. Dedicated lines might still help, I don't know, to make the regenerator's job easier.
We are not crazy here just a little strange.
OK, Gentlemen, here's something that should stir up some controversy: an actual A/B comparison!

Some background: it's after 3:30AM and in a few hours my electrician is coming to do some work at the house, including, if I want, dedicated 20A lines to my stack of gear.

Had an idea for an A/B test tonight that I wanted to check out before the dedicated lines were installed: would there be any audible difference between using a high quality power cord from the wall to the Purepower 1050 AC Regenerator, versus, wait for it... using NO CORD AT ALL?

Let me explain: unlike any other AC regenerator I know of, PurePower claims that when using it there is absolutely no connection between the unit (and therefore your components) and the power company supplied AC at the wall outlet.

The PurePower takes the wall power, converts it to DC (which strips away all the AC grunge) and then converts it to AC again (this time clean, steady and perfect power) and then stores this newly created power in a bank of super high current batteries which are completely isolated from the power company, that feed fast, perfect sine-wave 120V power to the components. This means that I can be listening to music at concert level volume and if the whole neighborhood has a black-out, my tubes will still glow and my music will continue playing at the same volume for 10 minutes running off the batteries!

Essentially, this means I can take the highest quality AC power cable I can get my hands on, connect it from the wall outlet to the Purepower, and A/B it versus using NO CORD AT ALL (when the cable is unplugged from the Purepower, making it use its batteries).

Please comment on my premise here if you find any holes in my logic… it seems to me that if the cable sounds in any way different from no cable at all, that means that a cable CAN influence the components connected to the regenerator, and therefore dedicated lines, high quality receptacles and super high-end power cords should make a big difference, right? And therefore, if THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE in sound between no cable and high-end cable, that means that expensive cable, dedicated lines, super high-grade outlets as well as anything else from the regenerator on back to the local power station might be a waste of money. If you're still with me, here's how I did the A/B:

Pulling my very heavy rack from the wall, I exposed the 40 year old original wall receptacle imbedded into the concrete floor. As far as I can tell, it has never been replaced. The circuit this outlet belongs to has a ghastly variety of power offenders on it… space heaters, dimmers, compact florescent lights, cordless phones, computers and wi-fi routers. This is the circuit I have the Purepower regenerator plugged in to.

My VAC tube preamp has been on all day, and I switched on my Ray Samuels Audio "Raptor" tube headphone amp (arguably one of the best in the world) and let it warm up with music, driving my AKG K702 headphones for over an hour. This is an incredibly resolving system as every change in volume, tone, soundstage, air, and distortion of any kind is immediately and irrefutably audible.

I put on my best recorded cd (Midnight Sugar on 3 Blind Mice Records, which I've been listening to for years and know very well) and sat down against the wall next to the power cord connecting the wall to the regenerator. The music was gorgeously rich, balanced and detailed… just as I know it to be played on this configuration. I listened for about 10 minutes, enjoying myself thoroughly… then, in the middle of the title track, I braced myself and yanked the power cord out of the socket. I prepared myself for a pop, a change in volume, a click as it switched to battery power, a change in tone, or the depth and definition in the lowest octaves… NOTHING. No pops, no shifts, no disruption, no audible change whatsoever, just a seamless, uninterrupted continuum of beautiful jazz. I was amazed, and continued sitting there yanking out and plugging in that cable at least ten more times to no avail. There was absolutely NO DIFFERENCE!

This proves to my satisfaction Purepower's claim that their unit completely separates my components from any power issue that lurks before my regenerator. Truth in advertising is always refreshing. Now I know why this regenerator, which replaced my AC conditioner, was one of my most satisfying and dramatic upgrades ever.

One interesting addendum: replacing the stock power cables from the regenerator to each component (one at a time) with high-end cords made an immediate and obvious improvement in sound quality! Interesting, huh?

As for the electrician tomorrow… I'm an audiophool at heart, so if the cost is not too bad, I'll probably have the dedicated lines installed anyway, along with the Maestro wall outlet I just received. Then, I'll do the same A/B comparison again, and if I get different results, I'll just go ahead and kill myself to avoid the embarrassment.

Any thoughts on my process or methodology are welcome, as are challenges, rants, and questions. Thanks for reading, you're obviously as crazy as I am.
Mceljo,
You are right, I guess I can't count. There would be two modems on the same line. Drat I guess I'll have to add another😓. I'm not sure if there really will be any advantage except to keep the digital nasties separate from the rest of the equipment. ☺Anything for music🎷!
"I'm now in the process of running a direct line to my computer server which stores all my music files and one to the cable and WiFi modems. And of course there is only one reason, to enhance the quality of the sound." - Sgr

As a point of humor, a dedicated line implies that it's for a single piece of equipment and not "modems" plural.

I think you're going way overboard here but have no doubt that you'll hear the improvements that you anticipate hearing.

As for the point of regenerators performing like power amplifiers and therefore being candidates for power cord upgrades, I'd say that a power cord might result in an improvement when connected to a regenerator, but it would be for reason that are unrelated to the regenerator. Al discussed some reason for why an improvement might be noticed, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the regenerator is benefiting from the upgraded power cable.

The original question in this thread was if a regenerator would benefit from an upgraded power cord. I would say absolutely as long as their marketing is factual, but this doesn't preclude the overall system being improved by upgrading the power cord. Understand the difference? This may be where experience and rational logic meet.
Dedicated lines! Of course they make a difference. Maybe the biggest difference when you look at sonic improvement for $$. If you have an open basement, it really is a no brainer. If you have to run new lines between the walls, that is a pain and can be costly.

But really, I've installed 24 homeruns in my listening room when it was built. I've yet to find a component that wasn't somewhat of a pig and loved having its own dedicated line. Some manufacturers, like Krell, in the first pages of the owner's manual, recommend this to be done before you even purchase a Krell amp and plug it in.

Over the years, I've heard many people are unhappy about the way the Krell amps sound in the high frequencies. I would bet that they have other components plugged into the same electrical line as their Krell amp. In my experience with Krells and other large amps, are like pigs and don't want to share from the same trough.

I'm now in the process of running a direct line to my computer server which stores all my music files and one to the cable and WiFi modems. And of course there is only one reason, to enhance the quality of the sound.

Oh, and as an owner of several power conditioners/regernerators, there is no doubt that supplying it with the best power cord one can find, will take they're performance up a notch or two. Of course, if you want to make more not so subtle mprovements, upgrade to better outlets, and change out the fuses for some of those new audio grade fuses that are causing such a stir. . .

I don't know the electrical reasons or explanations for these audible effects, and it seems strange that all of these tweaks make a difference but they do.
In regards to the PPP, it is not a pure regenerator, but more of a power conditioner. The PPP, from what I understand, tracks the input voltage and makes adjustments to it as needed. There is no regeneration, just conditioning. So in this example, yes a power cord would make a difference.

In a true regenerator, such as the P-500 from PS Audio, the input voltage is converted to DC then back to AC. In this case, a power cord shouldn't make a difference. That being said, the P-500 operates like an amplifier and we generally upgrade amplifier cords with excellent results.
A commonly stated rationale for upgraded power cords, which IMO is plausible, is the fact that the shielding they provide can prevent rfi (radio frequency interference) that may be generated by the power supply of an amplifier from escaping and coupling onto sensitive points elsewhere in the system, with unpredictable effects.

It should be kept in mind that a regenerator is essentially a power amplifier, having its own power supply, which amplifies the output of an internal 60Hz oscillator. Therefore that same rationale that applies to amplifier power cords would seem applicable to regenerator power cords.

It should be kept in mind, though, that any benefits from rfi containment will be unpredictable and highly system dependent. It should also be kept in mind that high quality shielding does not necessarily cost a great deal.

And of course this consideration implies nothing with respect to the desirability of a dedicated line for a regenerator.

Regards,
-- Al
Alonski, that would be in reference to the comment made stating they regenerate the power, not make it perfect. And it appears that some believe a regenerators output would be influenced by its input. Also, an upgraded power cord should be used before the regenerator. If the product is designed right, it wouldn't have any influence on it. The information from Pure Power states "so there is no opportunity for outside influences to introduce unwanted waveform distortions." That alone tells me their product is doing the job right. If another manufacturer says something like a power cord should be used before it, it must have a design problem IMO. If it changes with just a power cord (small influence) before it, how is it supposed to keep the noise from the dirty power (major influence) from getting through, and giving you true new pure power? So one company's manual does not work for all in this case. I would believe the info provided by Pure Power. I would not go by what the other company says you need for their product. Pure Power should know how their product works also. They designed it.
HifiHvn,

What were you referring to when you wrote that they misprinted the Pure Power owner's manual?

BTW, I bought my first audiophile gear at Hi Fi Haven, which was a high-end audio dealer in my college neighborhood in NJ. This was not a part of town you'd expect an audio store, on it's left was a strip club and on its right was Greasy Tony's Cheesesteaks, which was open all night and staffed with the shadiest motley crew imaginable. Ah, you gotta love college in NJ in 1980. Most of my friends frequented the two latter businesses, I think I was the only one who added HiFi Haven as a point of interest.
Ah, Stanwal – Here we are again with the classic argument between reasonable logic and actual experience. We've probably all heard the famous audiophile mantra: "If it measures good and sounds bad, it's bad. If it measures bad and sounds good, you're measuring the wrong thing."

I've also read (and I'm not sure I buy in to this theory) that human psychoacoustics can have us hearing what we expect to hear... kind of an aural placebo effect. I have sat in a room full of audiophile society members for a demo of Synergistic Research's Tibetan Prayer Bowl room treatment. Ted Denny was there and when he put a tiny metal bowl behind the couch in the back of the room, to me and most of the participants, it sounded better! Either we were all hypnotized, or it really works. My question is, does it matter? If I hang a rare and expensive dead muskrat from my ceiling and suddenly my system's previously sucked-out midrange blooms with life and it makes me smile, who cares if anyone else believes me!

I realize that this question will never be answered for me unless I do this myself... I am waiting for a quote from my electrician for a 20amp dedicated line with 10 gauge wire. I'll probably order a Maestro wall outlet to give this experiment the best chance of revealing the truth. As long as the cost is reasonable, I'm going for it. I'll chime in once I have it installed and report my impressions. I'll even A/B it against the dead muskrat (which has proven to have really low WAF).
They do recommend a dedicated 30 amp line for the model #3000. Being what it is capable of giving out what it does, that sure makes sense. Getting something for nothing would put it in the Perpetual Motion category. [http://www.purepoweraps.com/pdf/USprices.pdf]
I guess someone needs to tell Pure Power their site is wrong. A power cord that's the same gauge wire won't change any current an amp draws. Link.[http://www.purepoweraps.com/regen.htm]

Also, either my sight is going bad, or they misprinted this copy of the owners manual. Link.[http://www.purepoweraps.com/pdf/PurePower%20120V%20manual%20-%20Aug%2008.pdf]
Stanwal - All I'm saying is that they way the PPP is advertised, an upgraded cord shouldn't be necessary. If there is, in fact, no connection between the input and output that implies that things in front cannot have an effect on the output. I have not done an A/B and considering that the PPP cost more than my entire system I doubt I'll ever have a reason to find out for myself.

By the way, it should always be expected that a company recommend it's products be used with it's products. I've always wondered why they just don't include their best cord with the PPP. I doubt it would really reduce the sales.
Alonski, I have now or have had a variety of PS Audio products and have read the instructions that came with them. They DO say that the better the power cord used the better the regenerator will sound. If you would also look at the HIGHFICRITIC review of the PPP they point out that the power cord is a critical part of its function. Also an engineering friend of mine actually measured the difference in current between untreated, through the PPP , and through my VPI SDS. The SDS gave the best current, not surprising as its output is a fraction of that of the PPP. If the PPP was in fact "perfect" it would have been as good as the SDS. I do get a little irritated being lectured by someone who has glanced at the web site while I have actually used the gear myself; I try to confine myself to things I actually know something about, not make guesses based on my own preconceptions.
Don't forget, it's not a conditioner. Also, the high quality power the unit is supposed to give out will still get filtered even more through your amps power supply. These audio gear power supplies are designed to filter a lot of dirty power themselves.
The only benefit a dedicated line may have would be if you have a large power drop due to a long light gauge run, and a large high-power amp, that draws a lot of line power. This could cause voltage drops, but according to Pure Power, they even have this problem covered. If it does as promised, I don't see any benefit of changing anything before it. Link. [http://www.purepoweraps.com/comparison.htm]
Alonski my dedicated line was $350. And the line was 75' to my listening room. We also A/B new and old lines for noise.

Electrician spent more time determining where to drop the line from the attic and avoiding a cold waterline during installation.
OK ZMan and KennyT, I'm in. I thought adding a dedicated line would cost over $1000 – nothing is really cheap in San Francisco! if it is indeed less than a good power cord, it's a good solution... then I can do a bunch of A/Bs and report back to anyone who is interested. Maybe I'll align with Stanwal... maybe Mceljo's logic will will prevail... either way it should be fun finding out.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts.
Alonski,

Dedicated lines are cheap to install, maybe a couple hundred dollars, way less than a power cord, and you can never have too much power to your rig! I say add the line and see, then play with the cords as you'll know the incoming power is the best you can get and therefore will be best able to tell what the power cords do to your system.

This is what I would do and I think it is the cheapest next move for you!
Alonski, it seems that Stanwall has answered the original question for you. Quote: I have tried cheaper one and it does make a difference.
Your question is if anybody has A-B'd a regenerator with and without a dedicated line. Surely if a power cord make a difference, a dedicated line would make a difference.
If Stanwall here's a difference... There might just be a difference.
Hey Stanwal, I can't quite tell who you mean by YOU... you seem annoyed. Regardless, I just went to PS Audio's web site to read what you said they said, and found it to be unclear and not really in support of your post. And I quote, from their page on the AC12 top of line power cord:

"Use the AC12 in your most demanding audio situations. Between the wall or Power Plant Premier and your power amplifier, preamplifier, DAC or even the phono preamplifier."

Reading that sentence carefully, it says between the wall and your components, OR between the power regenerator and your components. They do NOT say between the wall and the power regenerator.

Whoever you're annoyed with, try to play nice. We're all just doing our hobby.