I just installed an Audio Power Industries (API) Power Pack II AC Power Conditioner. I was FLOORED at the overall improvment in sound, especially the bass. Much tigher, focused, open and greater depth and authority. The noise floor and micro dynamics and inner detail also improved. I was expecting maybe a slight improvment, but it was tremendous! I had everything just plugged into the standard wall AC with power strip. Some of the fairly expensive components I've used and currently in my systems never produced such a single improvement. All this for about $250.00 USD!!! Anyone else had such a good experience with power conditioners?
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Power Conditioner...Worth it!
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When I lived in Houston, TX, I found the mains electricity supply extremely "dirty" due to the combination of high switching surges, lightning strikes and data signals piggy-backed onto the AC mains feed. So much so, my JVC DLPTV has gone through six "bulbs" and one motherboard in three years. In such situations I could see the benefits of something to "clean up" the AC supply.
However, I'm currently in exile in the Northeast of Scotland where the electricity is virtually all hydro-electric, and therefore supremely smooth to begin with, thunderstorms are few and far between due to the Grampian "mountains" (big hills really) breaking up Atlantic weather systems before they hit us hard, and where switching loads occur far less frequently due to the virtually complete lack of heavy industrial users.
I can see the potential, therefore, for significant benefits for people living in high population / heavily industrial areas, but up here in the McBoonies, the benefits appear dubious. I use a surge protector, just in case, but that's it.
However, I'm currently in exile in the Northeast of Scotland where the electricity is virtually all hydro-electric, and therefore supremely smooth to begin with, thunderstorms are few and far between due to the Grampian "mountains" (big hills really) breaking up Atlantic weather systems before they hit us hard, and where switching loads occur far less frequently due to the virtually complete lack of heavy industrial users.
I can see the potential, therefore, for significant benefits for people living in high population / heavily industrial areas, but up here in the McBoonies, the benefits appear dubious. I use a surge protector, just in case, but that's it.
Darren Heal:
However, I'm currently in exile in the Northeast of Scotland where the electricity is virtually all hydro-electric, and therefore supremely smooth to begin with
Erm????
The way the electricty is generated makes absolutely no difference, as the generators which produce the electricty are effectively the same. The prime movers (the bit that turns the generator is different)
Nuclear, heats water, makes steam, steam turn turbine, turbine linked to generator rotor
Hydro-electric, Potential energy of water in high resevoir is converted to kinetic energy as released down sluice chutes which turns turbines, turbine linked to generator rotor
Diesel Whether runnuning on Gas or Diesel, linked directly to generator rotor
Coal, heats water, makes steam etc etc
Gas turbine linked directly to generator rotor
I agree with you reference the interference on the residential mains from microproccessors etc but only within the home concerned, it is this you are filtering out, by adding screened cables you are preventing your cables being used as giant aerials. Hence the end of the argument "what about the miles of cabling to your homes". The only switching that will affect your system is high load devices such as fridges / freezers white goods / kettles etc. If you separate your hifi onto a dedicated circuit and have RFI filters (Tacimas) with screened mains cables you can do no more. Its all about stopping interference getting in locally.
Makes no difference if you live in heavily industrial areas as they generally have their own feed, and the domestic supply is separated at local transformers.
However, I'm currently in exile in the Northeast of Scotland where the electricity is virtually all hydro-electric, and therefore supremely smooth to begin with
Erm????
The way the electricty is generated makes absolutely no difference, as the generators which produce the electricty are effectively the same. The prime movers (the bit that turns the generator is different)
Nuclear, heats water, makes steam, steam turn turbine, turbine linked to generator rotor
Hydro-electric, Potential energy of water in high resevoir is converted to kinetic energy as released down sluice chutes which turns turbines, turbine linked to generator rotor
Diesel Whether runnuning on Gas or Diesel, linked directly to generator rotor
Coal, heats water, makes steam etc etc
Gas turbine linked directly to generator rotor
I agree with you reference the interference on the residential mains from microproccessors etc but only within the home concerned, it is this you are filtering out, by adding screened cables you are preventing your cables being used as giant aerials. Hence the end of the argument "what about the miles of cabling to your homes". The only switching that will affect your system is high load devices such as fridges / freezers white goods / kettles etc. If you separate your hifi onto a dedicated circuit and have RFI filters (Tacimas) with screened mains cables you can do no more. Its all about stopping interference getting in locally.
Makes no difference if you live in heavily industrial areas as they generally have their own feed, and the domestic supply is separated at local transformers.
My Isotek Sigmas was well worth it to me
Some have said it sounds 'lightweight', id guess they didnt run it in enough as my system sounds truly monstrous at times
Some have said it sounds 'lightweight', id guess they didnt run it in enough as my system sounds truly monstrous at times
Grampians Hills? Erm, you'll find and I think this is generally the way it works in the categorising of these things, is anything over 3,000ft is a mountain...Grampian Mountains and no quotes it is then!
(Wonder if Scottish Hydro will now be subject to a Group Test in the mag - "best electricity supplier for audio" category!)
(Wonder if Scottish Hydro will now be subject to a Group Test in the mag - "best electricity supplier for audio" category!)
Darren Heal:
When I lived in Houston, TX, I found the mains electricity supply extremely "dirty" due to the combination of high switching surges, lightning strikes and data signals piggy-backed onto the AC mains feed. So much so, my JVC DLPTV has gone through six "bulbs" and one motherboard in three years. In such situations I could see the benefits of something to "clean up" the AC supply.
However, I'm currently in exile in the Northeast of Scotland where the electricity is virtually all hydro-electric, and therefore supremely smooth to begin with, thunderstorms are few and far between due to the Grampian "mountains" (big hills really) breaking up Atlantic weather systems before they hit us hard, and where switching loads occur far less frequently due to the virtually complete lack of heavy industrial users.
I can see the potential, therefore, for significant benefits for people living in high population / heavily industrial areas, but up here in the McBoonies, the benefits appear dubious. I use a surge protector, just in case, but that's it.that confirms what others who live say about the electricity supply in the us whose network is substantially different to our own not least in that many houses have two 110 volt feeds going into them and which might benefit from a proper conditioner separate spur etc unless they had a good supply
as youve noted if your in a rural area the odds against you needing any of the devices described in the post are as remote as your area in fact that could be said for many houses as virtually noone tests for cleanness of supply
When I lived in Houston, TX, I found the mains electricity supply extremely "dirty" due to the combination of high switching surges, lightning strikes and data signals piggy-backed onto the AC mains feed. So much so, my JVC DLPTV has gone through six "bulbs" and one motherboard in three years. In such situations I could see the benefits of something to "clean up" the AC supply.
However, I'm currently in exile in the Northeast of Scotland where the electricity is virtually all hydro-electric, and therefore supremely smooth to begin with, thunderstorms are few and far between due to the Grampian "mountains" (big hills really) breaking up Atlantic weather systems before they hit us hard, and where switching loads occur far less frequently due to the virtually complete lack of heavy industrial users.
I can see the potential, therefore, for significant benefits for people living in high population / heavily industrial areas, but up here in the McBoonies, the benefits appear dubious. I use a surge protector, just in case, but that's it.that confirms what others who live say about the electricity supply in the us whose network is substantially different to our own not least in that many houses have two 110 volt feeds going into them and which might benefit from a proper conditioner separate spur etc unless they had a good supply
as youve noted if your in a rural area the odds against you needing any of the devices described in the post are as remote as your area in fact that could be said for many houses as virtually noone tests for cleanness of supply
Agreed, in theory a clean supply is a clean supply. HOWEVER, switching loads DO affect domestic supplies as the load on the power station generator changes instantaneously and the mechanicals have to keep up with the load - conservation of energy and all that - and there's bound to be some lag between a big plant kicking in (or everyone at home putting on the kettle at half-time) and the mechanical side of the power station catching up. My father is a retired HVAC engineer - worked on some huge office, factory and hospital projects over the years - and once the HVAC systems went over to microporcessor control in the 80s they had great trouble stopping the plant tripping due to surges / drop-offs, or the building HVAC plant kicking in and affecting the clean power supplies to things like desktop computers. That, and coupling to big UPS's, is why a lot of 80s era buildings have dedicated "clean" sockets for computers and the like.
In built-up areas power demand can rise and fall quite substantially, whereas up here in the sparsely populated North with virtually no heavy industry it's relatively constant.
In Houston, the power supply IS extremely dirty, not helped by the preponderance of Gulf of Mexico generated thunderstorms, above ground electricity lines that short out in high winds, old pot transformers on wooden poles that blow with surprising regularity, etc. etc.
My point is a "clean" supply, or a device to "clean up" a supply is probably a very good idea in a built up area or where the supply is generally "dirty", but in an area where the supply is relatively clean, it's probably not necessary.
In built-up areas power demand can rise and fall quite substantially, whereas up here in the sparsely populated North with virtually no heavy industry it's relatively constant.
In Houston, the power supply IS extremely dirty, not helped by the preponderance of Gulf of Mexico generated thunderstorms, above ground electricity lines that short out in high winds, old pot transformers on wooden poles that blow with surprising regularity, etc. etc.
My point is a "clean" supply, or a device to "clean up" a supply is probably a very good idea in a built up area or where the supply is generally "dirty", but in an area where the supply is relatively clean, it's probably not necessary.
Come off it, they're not exactly the Himalayas (sp) now, are they? Mind you, they do beat the snot out of Florida's Sugarloaf Mountain (peak 312 feet above sea level)
I bought a Yaqin ML-1100 power filter off ebay, mainly so i could use 2 Ps Audio mains leads i bought with US plugs. The ML-1100 has 2xUS sockets and 6xuniversal sockets. Cost about £70 and im very impressed but it did need over 100 hours use before its sound opened up properly.
LOL, well they're not the Himalayas, but then not many other places are outwith the Himalayas. In fact, checking my map (rustle, rustle) none are. Mind you, they are old though and they do have a tendency to claim a life or two (or more) each year...
Darren Heal:
Agreed, in theory a clean supply is a clean supply. HOWEVER, switching loads DO affect domestic supplies as the load on the power station generator changes instantaneously and the mechanicals have to keep up with the load - conservation of energy and all that - and there's bound to be some lag between a big plant kicking in (or everyone at home putting on the kettle at half-time) and the mechanical side of the power station catching up. My father is a retired HVAC engineer - worked on some huge office, factory and hospital projects over the years - and once the HVAC systems went over to microporcessor control in the 80s they had great trouble stopping the plant tripping due to surges / drop-offs, or the building HVAC plant kicking in and affecting the clean power supplies to things like desktop computers. That, and coupling to big UPS's, is why a lot of 80s era buildings have dedicated "clean" sockets for computers and the like
Again erm.......
The National Grid has a window that ensures that the frequency (load) of the grid fluctuates between 49.5 and 51 hz or there abouts.
Yes prime movers do lag the demand but this is what the governor and AVR (automatic voltage regulators) are for. It also depends upon the type of excitation the generator has (brushless, electronic etc), also the characteristics of the AVR and a term called "droop" which put basically is the speed of the prime mover as the load increases, this is required when paralleling generators.
What I am trying to say is there is a whole control process called the national grid that ensures the frequency into our lines is pretty much constant and they call for electricity from any supplier (generating station) as and when demand increases or decreases. It is a full time job and one of the remits is that for example when the World cup football is on and they are aware everyone will get up at half time and put the kettle on, so to stop a drop in frequency they get standby units ready to supply and the use excess when required. Very skilful job.
So, unless the high loads are in on your consumer board within your house you will not get affected.
Agreed, in theory a clean supply is a clean supply. HOWEVER, switching loads DO affect domestic supplies as the load on the power station generator changes instantaneously and the mechanicals have to keep up with the load - conservation of energy and all that - and there's bound to be some lag between a big plant kicking in (or everyone at home putting on the kettle at half-time) and the mechanical side of the power station catching up. My father is a retired HVAC engineer - worked on some huge office, factory and hospital projects over the years - and once the HVAC systems went over to microporcessor control in the 80s they had great trouble stopping the plant tripping due to surges / drop-offs, or the building HVAC plant kicking in and affecting the clean power supplies to things like desktop computers. That, and coupling to big UPS's, is why a lot of 80s era buildings have dedicated "clean" sockets for computers and the like
Again erm.......
The National Grid has a window that ensures that the frequency (load) of the grid fluctuates between 49.5 and 51 hz or there abouts.
Yes prime movers do lag the demand but this is what the governor and AVR (automatic voltage regulators) are for. It also depends upon the type of excitation the generator has (brushless, electronic etc), also the characteristics of the AVR and a term called "droop" which put basically is the speed of the prime mover as the load increases, this is required when paralleling generators.
What I am trying to say is there is a whole control process called the national grid that ensures the frequency into our lines is pretty much constant and they call for electricity from any supplier (generating station) as and when demand increases or decreases. It is a full time job and one of the remits is that for example when the World cup football is on and they are aware everyone will get up at half time and put the kettle on, so to stop a drop in frequency they get standby units ready to supply and the use excess when required. Very skilful job.
So, unless the high loads are in on your consumer board within your house you will not get affected.
the record spot:Grampians Hills? Erm, you'll find and I think this is generally the way it works in the categorising of these things, is anything over 3,000ft is a mountain...)
There is no accepted way of defining what constitutes a mountain. The over 3000' thing is just a British definition and is relative to the generally low height of our hills! In the US they often say 2500' over sea level or 1000' above its base. In Asia and much of Europe it's a height of 2500m - over double the ben for example.
I love our mountains but having spent a fair bit of time walking/climbing in European ranges, Indian and S. American, I can see why many non-locals call ours hills.
There is no accepted way of defining what constitutes a mountain. The over 3000' thing is just a British definition and is relative to the generally low height of our hills! In the US they often say 2500' over sea level or 1000' above its base. In Asia and much of Europe it's a height of 2500m - over double the ben for example.
I love our mountains but having spent a fair bit of time walking/climbing in European ranges, Indian and S. American, I can see why many non-locals call ours hills.
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