Moved into a New Building. . . Do I still need a power conditioner?

[SolidSqual]

I just moved into a new building with excellent internal wiring. Hospital grade outlets everywhere! That being said, do I still need my Monster Power Conditioner? I tried my system without the conditioner and the whole thing seemed to tighten up. Nonetheless . . . I don't want to lose my whole system to the lottery lightning strike.

[Lasareath]

Yes, did they build a new Power Company next door?

Power Conditioners clean up the power that comes from 4 miles of street wires, it's spikes and drops or just noise coming over the power line.

[dorokusai]

If you listen hard enough, you might hear the tiny fairies that hide inside the your electronics.

[heiney9]

In many instances so called power conditioners can actually diminish the sound of a rig especially if it's a high resolution 2-ch rig. Try it and see, there is no law that says you have to have a power cond. I have yet to find an affordable unit that doesn't alter the sound in negative way.

Since you already have it in your possesion try it with and without and please report back your findings.

H9

[heiney9]

Nonetheless . . . I don't want to lose my whole system to the lottery lightning strike.

I use a heavy duty Woods brand power strip and I simply unplug the power strip when the system is not in use. Has worked for 20 years so far without the need for a power conditioner to protect against lightening. If the lightening strike is powerful enough it will find a way into your components even if you have a power conditioner.

H9

[hearingimpared]

I use a heavy duty Woods brand power strip and I simply unplug the power strip when the system is not in use. Has worked for 20 years so far without the need for a power conditioner to protect against lightening. If the lightening strike is powerful enough it will find a way into your components even if you have a power conditioner.

H9

What would you do if you kept your gear powered up 24 x 7? I would like to try A/Bing the rig without the power conditioner/center but there are not enough outlets.

[heiney9]

What would you do if you kept your gear powered up 24 x 7? I would like to try A/Bing the rig without the power conditioner/center but there are not enough outlets.

Don't know because I don't have that situation. I suppose if it was a necessity to keep it powered up 24/7/356 then I would invest in one of these.

http://www.stereotimes.com/acc083006.shtml

H9

[SolidSqual]

I have A/B'ed w/ and w/o the Power Conditioner.

My system is average as far as this forum goes:

PS Audio DLIII
Signal Cable Coax
Oppo 981HD
Signal IC Analog 2
Rogue Audio Metis
Blue Jeans IC
PS Audio Trio A-100
Signal Cable Ultra Speaker Cable
Polk Lsi15
Totem Rainmaker
Canare Speaker Cable to Sub
Martin Logan Grotto

With the above in mind, I do notice a difference. I haven't had enough time to really make a good decision, but I can readily tell that my highs, mids and lows seem more cohesive. Some of the highs lost previous edginess.

Those are the postitve results. Now the negatives,

Well the hiss from my speaker became notceably louder, but this problem was easily corrected by unplugging my cable tv box altogether from the system. Also, the soundstage narrowed a bit. This problem was corrected by toeing the speaker in a little less.

Still have more to consider . . .

[SolidSqual]

PS Audiol says I should keep my amp and DAC powerered 24/7 to extend life. . .

[heiney9]

Or a Monarchy M150 dual isolation power conditoner/surge supressor. Can't get it to do a specific link but go to www.MonarchyAudio.com

Monarchy are high dollar units which should serve pretty well. I just have no need for a conditioner at this time, but if was going to add one it would be 1 of the 2 Monarchy units but I'm not prepared to spend that kind of money at this time.

H9

[thejck]

Hey H9 what power strip do you use. do you have a link for it somwhere?
i flip the switch on the power strip when not in use. i also do not use my equipment when there is a storm in the area. should unplug it or will flipping a switch keep it safe??

[halo]

Unplugging is the only way to keep it "safe". A direct hit from lightning can travel something like 4 feet from your outlet IIRC.

[heiney9]

Hey H9 what power strip do you use. do you have a link for it somwhere?
i flip the switch on the power strip when not in use. i also do not use my equipment when there is a storm in the area. should unplug it or will flipping a switch keep it safe??

Don't have a specific model # handy but it's their heavy duty model; whatever that means :p .

UNPLUG if not in use especially during a storm; a heavy lightening strike will still travel from the plug through the switch and zap your components. I'm not 100% safe because my DVDp is hooked to my preamp, but is plugged into the power strip for my TV, Cable Box, VCR, etc. because of logistics. So, technically it could shoot through the wall outlet that the DVDp is attached to and travel through the interconnects and still damage my system, unlikely but very possible.

H9

[SolidSqual]

My Grandma's house once got hit by lightning and I shit you not, I saw balls of lightining that look liked electric cotton balls jump out of a socket near the kitchen sink and jump down the sink. The disposal got fried.

[SolidSqual]

Electricity is very unpredictable.

[heiney9]

My Grandma's house once got hit by lightning and I shit you not, I saw balls of lightining that look liked electric cotton balls jump out of a socket near the kitchen sink and jump down the sink. The disposal got fried.

Air is NOT a good insulator if the electricity is strong enough, like with a lightening strike. ;)

[thejck]

thanks H9

[madmax]

Power conditioners offer no promise that lightning will be stopped. If a strike lasts long enough it may cut off part of the spike, thats about it. You only have a better chance of surviving the surge. Limiting smaller spikes is important though and most surge suppressors can do that.

[hearingimpared]

Nothing will protect anything from a lightning strike. Pulling the power cords and placing them 3 to 4 feet from the outlets are the best you can do but if it is a direct hit everything including humans in the room will get zapped.

SolidSqual, electricity is predictable but lightning isn't.

Brock, thanks for the links.

Spectral & Timbre recommends leaving the preamp & DAC powered up 24 x 7 for a varieties of reasons so I applied the same logic to all of my SS equipment. I've notice that when I leave the VTL on over night it sounds so much better. That could be subliminal but I've had my wife listen also and she thinks it sounds better too.

[heiney9]

Brock, thanks for the links.

Spectral & Timbre recommends leaving the preamp & DAC powered up 24 x 7 for a varieties of reasons so I applied the same logic to all of my SS equipment. I've notice that when I leave the VTL on over night it sounds so much better. That could be subliminal but I've had my wife listen also and she thinks it sounds better too.

No problem, I really like Monarchy stuff.......have I said that before :p .

It is true even for SS equipment, especially Class A and heavily biased equipment. A warm-up period always seems to lead to a better more cohesive sound. I leave my rig on a lot if I know I'm going to listen to it which is mostly Thurs-Sun. if I'm not too busy and no storm forecast.

For tubes it's almost a must to warm them up as my bro found out with his new tube DAC. In the very beginning he was getting very inconsistent sound from the rig and he found the Monarchy SS amps had to be warmed up as well.


H9