This comes up about once a month so I wrote several blog posts about it:
https://speakermakersjourney.blogspot.com/2023/10/time-for-new-surge-suppression.html
Surge Protectors & Power Conditioners
I currently live in Florida so frequent storms, sandy soil (which is a poor conductor for grounding) and aging local grid infrastructure. I’m trying to deal with the resulting electrical noise, voltage spikes, and electromagnetic interference. Unfortunately with no basement, running a new dedicated power line is not an option. I’m looking at surge protectors/power conditioners as a possible solution.
I'm reading just enough to be dangerous about the impact of filtering on sound which is not always positive and the large power draws from amps that filtering can interfere with unless the unit has some kind of power reserve generation or some outlets that are unfiltered.
I'm looking for recommendations that will not require a second mortgage. The equipment I'm trying to protect/optimize: darTZeel 468 & 18ns, Lampi Aphrodite, Aurender n30sa and HeadAmp BHSE. Many thanks
This comes up about once a month so I wrote several blog posts about it:
https://speakermakersjourney.blogspot.com/2023/10/time-for-new-surge-suppression.html |
The AQ niagra 3000, or 5000 is very good and has a large capacitor to give it power factor correction as well as line conditioning ,and all outlets are gold copper not cheap brass like Hubble ,copper is 3 x the conductivity,which = this is lower noise floor Anthony at Perrotta consultants gives from competitive pricing and maybe free shipping |
Small, features, protection, reserves Prestige Series P-1800 PF Rhttps://furmanpower.com/products/p-1800-pfr they are usually on sale somewhere, do a search I picked it based on this feature: "Power Factor Technology, which provides a 45A peak current reservoir" |
I purchased a Shunyata Research Everest 8000/T, after reading the glowing reviews. I have no regrets. It lowered my noise floor. Everything sounds better; Nothing sounds worse. I got a good deal on a floor model, when the store brought in Shunyata Research's new flagship, the Everest-X. Supposedly that new model is noticeably better. I have no way to know for sure. The Everest power distributors will protect all of your connected equipment. Also, it has a power reserve, for musical transients. That takes care of millisecond amp clipping. The Everest units lower the noise floor, mostly by stopping electrical noise that is generated from your own stereo's boxes. Every box generates electrical noise, resulting in your stereo being awash in its own electrical noise. One of the other brands mentioned in this thread does not do anything with electrical noise traveling from box to box. You might think you have no electrical noise, until you remedy it. You will hear each of your boxes at its best. It will also handle noise from the wall, and suppress surges. But the wall is not the main source of electrical noise. Lastly, the Everest models have a lifetime warranty. That speaks highly of its quality, and the confidence that the company engineered into it. One of the other brands mentioned in this thread has (I believe) a 2 or 3 year warranty. And I have heard stories of warranty claims being a bumpy road. If you can budget the Everest-X you will not be sorry. Note that you will need a quality power cord for that unit. That would mean an Omega-X power cord (flagship model). I purchased the Sigma-X power cord (one step down from the Omega-X). |
ok, Architect here, there is no reason you can't get a dedicated power circuit to your system, even if you are on a slab. Any qualified electrician can do this for you. They will run it in the attic and fish it through a wall cavity. As for voltage spikes, I have a similar issue. We are just across the James River from the Surry Nuclear power plant. In the mornings, my voltage at the wall is right around 120, but at night it can go up to 127 volts and sometimes it can drop to 116 volts around the middle of the day. These are not spikes, they are predictable and consistent. I have a limiter on my HVAC system so it doesn't code out every day. To combat the voltage changes throughout the day I've installed a Variant Transformer to each side of my system - (mono blocks on each side of the room). These transformers have a digital readout and I keep them around 116 volts to keep from melting my tubes. They work great for this, but will not protect for the spikes, for that I use quality surge protectors at the outlet. Power conditioners are another story for another day - for me. |