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Power Conditioner deleterious to digital sources?

I bought a power conditioner (meant for for the manufacture of chips, where stable voltage and absence of AC hash, and DC leakage from the mains is mandatory). I tried plugging in both pre-amplifier and CDP into it, and it was awful: the sound took on a compressed, walkman-like, sound. Soundstage was all gone, replaced by a muffled signature. I removed the pre-amp from it, and much of the magic is back.

My question is: do power conditioners generally help digital sources?
Maybe I need to ProGold5 the contacts or something.

Thank you...

benny
atzen811
10 responses Add your response
alexanderj
139 posts
 
Benny: How much power is the conditioner capable of providing? Did you exceed it with both preamp and CDP loading it? Possibly your CDP needs it's own seperate source, so as to not feedback digital "noise" into the preamp. Listing your preamp and CDP may yield additional insight as well.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Alexanderj may have hit upon something in terms of current overload and / or increased crosstalk between the power supplies of the preamp and digital gear. From a theoretical standpoint, it is best to isolate digital gear by itself. Many PLC's have individual filtering with different types of circuitry with labeled outlets for this very reason.

Other than that, many commercial products sound like "crapola" for various reasons. There is no amount of Pro-Gold that could correct such a problem. Sean
>
natalie
404 posts
 
Good point guys.
One other thing I have found is very important. Your digital source should be on its own outlet. Thats one of the resons it sounded better when you removed the Pre.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Yes, Yes, Yes, issolate the digital source from everything else, especially the preamp. It is the most dirty thing in most systems. Plugging them both into the same thing does not accomplish much if anything.

Some conditioners have a specific digital plug to issolate that source.

There is a cheap issolation device call a Pac-Idos. It is not a conditioner; it just issolates the digital from the rest of the system.
elgordo
530 posts
 
It sounds like you tried a PLC that was not designed for audio. This is a MUST.
cdc
1,663 posts
 
Audio Magic has a digital Stealth for CDP - $700.
sol322
426 posts
 
Atzen:
Elgordo brings up a very good point, for example computer end use designed PLC's don´t cut it for audio....

Has the PLC given adequate break in time ?
chichiuno
118 posts
 
My findings, and a group of others, is a good power cord with no conditioning. Symtoms you described is common with line conditioners.
nikkidanjo
26 posts
 
Check with the respective manufactures. For example, Bryston says not to use power conditioners with their amps.
Sometimes I think power conditioners are like cables. They can make a difference but it's not always good. Often they are used to pad profits without concern for system synergy. A Tweeter store will try to sell you one with any gear you buy.
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
394 posts
 
A well designed amp will never sound right with any conditioner’s. Front end is different. Stick with the professionals like Furman who been in it for years and made it fame in recording studio’s. I use a Reference 20i. Only one I’ve kept. I like the Harmonic Technology Magic
Power cords a great deal also.
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