Postive or Negative Results -Big Amp & Conditioner


I would like to take a poll on personal results with a big power amp. like a (Threshold SA/4e or Pass 350.5)plugged into a line conditoner/surge protection. If the results were good or bad. Meaning sound diminish. Or is it worth the loss of sound for protection of your power amp.

I have not yet tried a good line conditioner/surge protector on my power amps. Currently plugging directly into the wall.

So my vote is yet undecided.

Good -X ?
Bad -X ?

Be sure to give an explanation and or recommendation. No puny power amp apply. Just looking amps that have tremendous current that make your lights dim when turned on.
Thanks.
Joe
joefama

Showing 2 responses by audphile1

It's very simple. It depends on the amp. You have to try it to determine if it works or not. That's all.

Example:
I had 3 different McCormack amps where the Shunyata Hydra was an improvement.
Now wih my Pass Labs X250.5, Hydra slows the amp down and limits dynamics. It still does work good for source and preamp. But not for the Pass amp. I prefer it directly into the wall. Although I live in NYC and the power is crap, the X250.5 amplifier deals with dirty power without any issues. I can not determine any noise floor that is apparent. If it's there, it is no higher than it is with the amp plugged into hydra.

As far as protection, there is a magnetic breaker/switch on the back of the Pass amp that functions like a fuse. Bottom line is, you need to try a conditioner in your system. Until then, it's a guessing game.
Jmcgrogan2, I don't know why, but you sound kind of agravated.

I always speak highly of Shunyata products. I think they make very good stuff. I'm not trying to nix the whole product line. I am surprised to see you are taking this rather personally.

I have my system listed and all it takes is a click of a mouse to find out what hydra model I was talking about.
It appears that you'd rather type than click, so I will answer your question. I am using Hydra4. You can see it in my system if you click on it.
I had Hydra2 but that was when I had the McCormack amps and Hydra2 was good. Hydra4 is good with McCormack amps as well. I used it and my friend uses it and the McCormack sounds better with Hydra. Not the case with my Pass Labs amp though. However, I never tried Hydra2 with the Pass, because my the time I bought the Pass amp, I sold my 2 Hydra2 units to get 2 Hydra4.
This may be a screw up on my part because I am not using Hydra4 for the amp and I have 2 outlets in the Hydra4 that are not utilized. I could have easily get by with a Hydra2.

Also, I replied because we are talking about a Pass Labs amp. I have X250.5 and I beleive it is similar in design to the amp in question, the X350.5. Therefore I decided it was appropriate to share my experience.

Your reply is pertaining to BAT using Hydra2 may or may not apply.

That is why the first line of my reply was
It's very simple. It depends on the amp. You have to try it to determine if it works or not. That's all.