I cannot respond to your "off the grid" status but I did a lot of research into balanced power over the last couple of years. Some make it sound like it's electrical magic and is deeply complex. It is not. Balanced power is simply clean, 120v power for your system. Look for a used BPT unit or take the offer from Mark from core power technologies above. Yes, BPT is no longer in business but their products are available used at times and if you think about it, can they wear out? It's all about the transformer and BPT made exceptional units. You may also look for used Equi-tech (they pretty much invented balanced power) or Furman offers the P2400-IT albeit out of your price range as a new unit. I wish you luck. There is a lot of mis-information out there about balanced power but if you do the research you will also learn a lot about your system power requirements and how balanced power can help. I am very satisfied with my BPT 2.5 Signature unit.
power conditioning question gentlemen
I,m considering a power conditioner /surge unit ,Two sunfire subs,nu vista intergrated(draws some juice) ,transport,dac,tt, phono section (dc-ac i may just plug in wall) .Dedicated 20amp run directly to room x 2 hospital grade rec. I have been looking into richard grays,furman ref,shunyata etc.I have a unique set up here in nor cal.I am completley off grid!,I run a serious solar and res set up with a genny back up.The power is pretty consistant although during changes in genny start up or at time it does fluctuate a little .I never hear it or have never measured a spiked it drops slightly during those milliseconds.I would like to snag a used one in the 1k range .
thoughts??
thoughts??
Showing 5 responses by falconquest
Oleschool, If you have a dedicated line to your audio system then you may not get "noise" on the line given your setup. If however you have other appliances etc. on the same line, then even though you generate your own power there will be noise on the line. A balanced power device.... (and I will cite the Equi=tech web site here) "When 120-volt AC power is balanced, one side of the circuit has +60 Volts to ground while the other has -60 Volts to ground. (Across the circuit, the usual 120 Volts is still present". "Standard unbalanced AC power systems have a "hot" conductor and a "neutral" conductor. In the US, the "hot" conductor nominally has 120 Volts to ground and the "neutral" conductor has 0 Volts to ground". "In a balanced power system, the voltages on the system's two output terminals are 180 degrees out of phase to each other with respect to ground. The system reference (ground) originates at the output center tap of an AC isolation transformer. In other words, the system's grounding reference (zero position) is located at the system's mean voltage differential or zero crossing point of the AC sinewave. This is a far more effective way to establish a reference potential for an AC system. The center tap is then grounded to Earth for electrical safety and for referencing shields". "There is never any voltage or current present on the ground reference in a balanced power system. Transient voltages and reactive currents which normally would appear on the neutral and ground wires are also out of phase and likewise, sum to zero at the ground reference thereby canceling out AC hum and noise". "A balanced AC Power system works the same way as a balanced audio circuit but with a higher amplitude. Both balanced audio and balanced AC incorporate phase cancellation or common mode rejection to eliminate noise". So as you can see, with balanced power you will always have noise free, clean electrical power to your system. You need only have a transformer large enough in the unit to drive your amplifier. Most improvements will be seen in front end equipment by the way. The Furman P2400-IT sells for $2400.00 and gives you both balanced power as well as surge protection. The term "power conditioning" gets a little weird due to many interpretations. Here is the link to the Furman.http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=P-2400IT Full disclosure here; I have no connection to any company related to this topic. I am merely sharing research I have conducted. For more good information check out the Equi=Tech website an yes, that is an equal sign. |
Oleschool, When considering a piece of equipment, if you're going for balanced power, then consider the weight of the product. It's all about the transformer. That's all I'll say on this subject because as someone mentioned, there is a lot to learn. I would appreciate some feedback on your product decision and the results you achieve. Please let us know and perhaps we can all learn a little. |
Oleschool, I was referring to the Furman, Equi=Tech, BPT type units. Think about the Equi=Core, you need one unit for each component. How does the cost then compare to a shelf mounted unit that offers several duplex outlets in one unit? I have no opinion about the Core product and don't mean to appear to discount them it's just that from a practicality standpoint I can't see an advantage. I was all set to purchase the P-2400 IT when I ran across my BPT unit for sale here on the 'gon. I gave up the surge protection offered by the Furman but it allowed me to try balanced power for about 1/3 the cost. I may still eventually sell the BPT and go with the Furman but for now I'm certainly enjoying the BPT. My system is completely silent under the music. |
The Reference Series units in this video offer balanced power. Note the difference in the size of the transformer as compared to the Elite series units, that's due to balanced power. The P-2400 weighs 90lbs. The consumer level IT Reference 20i offers balanced power and is twice the price of the P-2400-IT which is studio grade. I can't answer why but it seems to me that makes the P-2400 a great buy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONGh3UMhXs and here is more information from Garth Powell from Furman.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAAEhtAUT34 |