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Power cords or power conditioner

I’m at a cross roads and I’m looking for some advice from those have have gone down this road. I recently added a 2 channel integrated amplifier to improve my 2 channel performance. I had been using my Datasat LS-10 for music and while it sounded really nice, it was missing the depth and clarity that I know my speakers are capable of. My speakers are KEF Reference 3s, rest of my 2 channel set is is as follows:

Luxman L 509x

Luxman D-03x

Roon Nucleus Plus

Lumin U2 Mini

Transparent Audio Super speaker cables

Nordorst Red Dawn XLR, Blue Heaven USB

Wire World Platinum USB

All power cables are DYI using Oyaide Tsunami V2 cable

So what I feel I am missing is that 3D holographic sound stage. It was there with the Luxman 509 when I demo’d it, but I am unable to get that experience at my house. I feel that majority of equipment is up to the task but I am curious if I should ad a top shelf power condtioner like a Shunyata Triton or Torus AVR20 into the system or replace my Intergrated’s power cord with a Shunyata Alpha NC? I’m getting tapped out, so for now it can only be one or the other.

Or should I skip the above and focus on room treatments?

wheelndeal1099
wheelndeal1099 OP
39 posts
 

@paul_lindemann   I'm beginning to think the same thing.  I've added many things over the past month, and the over all improvement is small but improved in regards to layering.  I think the biggest improvement was swapping out my interconnects and speaker cables.  I'm going to pull the power conditioner when I have time and see if I can hear a difference with and without it.   

When I demo'd my Luxman I used a $20k Aurender Streamer, so I suppose it is hard to expect a $4k CD player/DAC to give me the same sound.   Either way, I do have it sounding really nice now.  All of the little improvements have made a noticeable improvement over the past month.  

For now I am sitting tight, but a Bricasti DAC is on my "to try" list. 

jorjlien's avatar
jorjlien
52 posts
 

I suggest both are needed, 

you can try this inexpensive Novaris Surge filter pp10 with excellent noise & surge filter. then also get another inexpensive decent power cord from iFi SUPANOVA. 

rolox
183 posts
 

@jasonbourne52 you keep repeating yourself, like those annoying commercials between two Youtube videos. Yawn.

rolox
183 posts
 

@wheelndeal1099 I've never tried a good power conditioner - something to do in the future, for sure (if I still have money after energy bills and black market food, that is) but I've had some power cords having a deep effect on depth and width of the stage, amongst many other benefits.

My take on it however is that if you go for a power conditioner, you will still need good power cords... everything matters.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

… you can try this inexpensive Novaris Surge filter pp10 with excellent noise & surge filter. 

…

One thing that the power cord crowd likes to spruik is that the power cord lets the current in faster to fill up the capacitors in the power supply.
How is a surge protector going to allow that?

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