Power conditioner

@adeep42 

Power conditioning is sometimes helpful but nothing beats a PS Audio power regenerator.

Reached this conclusion after more than 60 years of HiFi experience from my first Eico kit in 1958 to my two current systems. I have mostly lived in New York City and environs where electric service is mostly reliable but subject to so many potential disturbances. For years I used various power conditioners and was happy because I didn’t know better. About 10 years ago, I became aware of PS Audio’s power regenerators. The logic behind them was so clear, I had to try. Yes, the Stromtank or battery strikes me as theoretically best, But after that, my experience  with power generation I will never go back to conditioners.

Have you compared PS Audio's power re-generators to Audioquest's Niagara models, or to Shunyata Research's Everest models?

By "compare", I mean, have you done so by ear? 

It’s just the music!!! Ask Michael Fremmer.

I do not understand your reference to Michael Fremer.

What have you, or someone else, asked him?

I have a Shunyata Venom 16. Bottom of the line, I know. When I plugged it into the stereo I heard the difference. But I don't think it would have passed my rational $ to improved sound test. If I left the room for a half hour and came back, would I know if it was plugged in or not. I don't think so. Maybe a more expensive one would make a bigger difference?

@seymour-krelborn 

No I haven’t tried those conditioners. Just very content with what I have now.

Fremmer did several posts and video’s when he electrical problems in his home and work space. Before his huge investment in a lot of new systems in his home, he borrowed several power regenerator from PS. Look for them!

One lesson that can be drawn from Fremer's electrical problems--remember, he thought the ATS for his new whole house generator was degrading the sonics even when the switch wasn't thrown and remained in "grid" position--was what was revealed by the team of electricians that helped him. 

If I recall, he had aluminum wiring, a corroded meter block and other issues due to age and condition of the electrical system. Those things are important to address before "band-aiding" a problem with a black box. It is money well spent and an electrical system audit does not have to cost a fortune.

When I installed my whole house back up generator, I consulted Rex, who helped Fremer, and did a wiring scheme that fed the hi-fi subsystem first, before the generator switch. The hi-fi is not backed up by the generator- in an outage, I have no interest in listening to the system, but wanted to support core functions in the house, including HVAC.

@audio-b-dog 

If I left the room for a half hour and came back, would I know if it was plugged in or not.

I think that you would know.

Well, if it remained plugged in, you would not know.  That is, until you returned and it was not plugged in.

When you degrade the sound quality, even just a bit, it is more easily noticeable than when you improve the sound quality just a bit.

Approximately 15 years ago, my local high-end store loaned my a Shunyata Research Python power cord.  The owner told me to use it with my CD player.  I was not a believer in such cords.  But it was simple enough to try.

I plugged it in, and played a song.  I was expecting no improvement or perhaps I would have to strain my ears to hear a difference.  So the first song was playing, and that is what happened.  I noticed nothing, but was not 100% certain.  So a few more songs played, and I realized that I was in the zone.  That is when it hit me, that that power cord was the reason.

To be sure, I put back my original power cord.  The magic was gone.  I immediately heard the sound degradation.  I put the Shunyata power cord back, and life was good, again.

Based on my experience with that power cord, I believe that you would immediately notice if your Venom v16 was absent.