I don’t use power conditioner. I sold my Puritan PSM156. Did not like it as it choked even the source components. I would say try a power conditioner and see if you like it but I would recommend something passive like Shunyata or if you want to try an active power conditioner give higher models in the Audioquest line a try.
My take on it - get the best quality components and power cords and you won’t need a conditioner. Especially with a dedicated line.
Diving into Power... Cable recs for my system and ears....?
Hello All,
I have been enjoying a full system upgrade over the past year... the interconnects and digital cables were an eye opener! Now I am bringing my attention to power...
I am currently running my components off a power strip that is 10' long... supposedly designed for audio. All my major components are plugged into this. This power strip is plugged into a wall outlet, which is shared with some lights etc. Also plugged into this power strip is my wifi router.
I have a few questions:
-What is the most important in regards to impact to overall sound if I were to upgrade the power cords? My guess its: 1: Amp.... 2: DAC... 3: Streamer... is that right? Or is it the opposite?
-Should I have an electrician setup a dedicated outlet to my electrical box, and run my main components off that? Is this worth it? or is there another setup between my electrical box and my components? Or if there is no detectible buzz, should I simply not bother?
-If I should begin looking into power cords as the first upgrade here, what cord would you recommend if I yearn for the following: Extreme startling presence and separation... magic midrange, highs blissful, voice acoustic jazz violin, piano... essentially startling presence as if the instrument is right there...
I have been enjoying Anticables, and they have a well rated cable in the $300 range which supposedly is as good or better than $1000 cables... but I am open to recommendations...!
Thank you all!
Richard
Currently my system (also outlined in my virtual system profile) is as follows:
-
- SPEAKERS: Pure Audio Project Duet 15 Horn (Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Cap upgrade and customized crossover w/high pass filter and sweeter meds), Anticable 4.2 Flex Internal wire)
- STREAMER: Nagra Streamer (Cardas Clear Coaxial)
- DAC: HoloAudio Spring 2 Level 3 Kitsune edition (Silversmith Fidelium RCA Interconnects)
- AMP: PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP Integrated (RAY TUBES EL34 Reserve power tubes, RADIOTECHNIQUE NOS 12AU7 Gain tubes w/Mullard NOS and Brimar NOS tubes (Anticables 4.2 Flex to speaker)
- PHONO: Music Hall MMF-9 and McIntosh MP 100 Preamp (Audio-Technica AT160ML MM Cartridge, Anticable 7.3 and Silversmith fidelium Interconnects)
- ...
- 183 posts total
I played flute and piano. I KNOW when a component changes - as in dilutes, or changes - the tonal quality of those two instruments. Needless to say, I don’t agree with MANY of these posts. And NEVER HAVE. I’ll trust a musician’s hearing more than many commenters on here who wouldn’t know a flute from a piccolo from a clarinet. I don’t think of myself as a musician, but I hear symphonic music regularly and I still pick up the flute from time to time at home. And I have always made it a point to have dedicated outlets, as far back as 1985. I can hear the difference. Oh, and outlets, too. I wonder how many people have really done their homework, which means TRYING IT in a system with correctly applied acoustic treatment in their listening room. Not the dealers. THEIRS. I have a dear friend who minored in music (and knows it MUCH better than me). I’ve sent him Shunyata power cords and interconnects and speaker cable that I owned and asked him his thoughts. He lives in an apartment complex. I put his system together many years ago, and I’ve heard it periodically when I return to California. He picks up the changes without the slightest prompting from me. He’ll refer to a specific recording we both have, and he’ll know EXACTLY what he hears in the composer’s writing with Cable A, Cable B and Cable C. And he hears precisely what I do Too many people don’t play instruments, don’t attend symphonies (or any other concerts of acoustic instruments). To be blunt, I don’t give a damn what they ’believe.’ "Belief" is not the same as ’experience.’ And a dealer’s showroom is a poor substitute for my listening room. (Some of them don’t know music, either!) And measurements won't tell you if you're playing a Yamaha flute or a Gemeinhardt flute. Many components are still not tonally satisfying, no matter how well they 'measure.' I’ve had ASC Tube Traps since 1988 (courtesy of J. Gordon Holt, who wrote the first review of them I ever saw). Measuring a room before and after Tube Traps installation is eye-opening. And the Iso Wall Damp is equally effective. But if someone says they have no acoustic treatment in their listening space - and never have - you might want to take their advice with quite a few grains of salt. I know Karen Sumner of Transparent plays cello (or did). She’s been playing it for 50 or more years. Some designers don’t play instruments or don’t attend symphonic concerts much. But Transparent cables have the correct tonal quality (as did MIT cables before Karen stopped distributing for them in the ’90s). The cables DO make a difference. But WHERE they make the most difference? You need to do the work yourself and put them in each position, give it a week, then remove the cable and see where you get the most impact. |
@whyrichard There are inexpensive Chinese power conditioners that I have found to be an improvement with source gear. I have used this in my office system at work and it reduced noise in a very bad power environment. Not the be-all end-all, but not awful, and probably offers some surge protection too while you wait to acquire an endgame solution. ATAUDIO HIFI Audio Power Filter Noise AC Power Filter Power 1500W 110V-250V Purifier Surge Protection with EU Universal Outlets Or you could try adding something like this to the power distributor you just bought as an interim step. https://www.thecableco.com/venom-defender.html kn |
- 183 posts total

