Joe, I'm just curious, which Hydra were you using that 'crapped out' on you? Was it the Hydra 2? If so, what power cord were you using?
I ask, because this is the one that has the least amount of filtration, and is specifically designed for the high current amp applications, similar to the Duke in the RSA line.
In your application, the Hydra 2 is the only one in the Hydra line to try, and the Duke would be the only one I'd recommend in the RSA Line. Shunyata really should change the names of all of their conditioners like the RSA line, to avoid the confusion of just the one name. Different Shunyata power conditioners are for different applications in an audio system, just like the RSA line. RSA helps the consumer by giving their products different names, Haley/Duke/Jaco/etc. Shunyata confuses folks because the Hydra 2/4/6/8 have different applications, but some people just refer to them as Hydra's.
So if you didn't specifically listen to a Hydra 2, then you didn't hear Shunyata's best power conditioner for high current amplification. It's also best to use with a high current power cord, obviously. Many make the mistake of using the Hydra 2 with an inexpensive, 14 gauge cord, which obviously will restrict the performance.
I'd prefer not to be labeled Mr. Shunyata, but I do want to make sure we're comparing apples with apples. I would compare the RSA Duke with the Hydra 2, for ultra high current applications. I would compare the RSA Jaco with the Hydra 8 for full system's with standard high current requirements. The RSA Haley competes with the Hydra 6 as a full system with average current requirements.
John
