jstanton Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Can anybody tell me if using a power conditioner will improve the sound of my home theater system? If this is a good thing to have, anybody have any sugestions as to what would be a good buy for the money? Thx, J Stanton ------------------ 32" Hi-scan Sony Amp: Yamaha DSPA1 Mains: '99 K-horns Center: KLF-C7 Front Effects: KSP-S6s Rear Surrounds: KLF-30s Sub: KSW-15 DVD: Pioneer D-114 MD: Sony MDR (Walkman) VCR: vc-what? what difference does it make?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Well, I was told when I was shopping that these would greatly clean up the sound and protect my system. I purchased a Monster Cable Home Theater Powerbar . I have not noticed ANY difference in sound quality. HOWEVER I do feel better knowing that my system has a very nice protection system in place. If for no other reason, I would suggest you buy one simply for the protection. Depending on where you live, this can be extremely important. Just my 2 bits. ------------------ m00nsCinema to be the m00n system FRONTS: RF-7 CENTER: RC-7 SURROUNDS: RS-7 SUB: RSW-12 RECEIVER: Harman Kardon AVR 520 DVD: Toshiba SD 3205 (DD, DTS) TV: Samsung 27" Flatscreen COMPUTER: ProMedia 4.1 c>Microsoft XBOXc> f> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornBlower Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 There are several ways to look at this. 1) Protectnig your equipment. Usually power conditioners have signficant protection against voltage spikes. Although all electronics is made to take some abuse from the 120V, there are limits. Brownouts followed by overshoots as power comes back can exceed the tolerances of electronics. If it's a toaster or microwave, well, that's life. If it's your $2000 amp or $3000 tv, that's painful. 2) The other issue is filtering of excessive frequencies/noise. I have some halogen indirect wall lighting that sometimes places high frequency noise on the AC. In a el-cheapo clock radio and older amp, you can clearly hear it through the speakers. Turn off the lights, it goes away. Thus it could make it through your higher quality amp to- depending on design etc. Best way to tell if this might be a benefit is to switch your audio input to a non-existant change (and not let it go back to last known good), then crank up the amp to the limit. You will likely hear some amp noise, and maybe a wee cross talk, but there should be no constant significant noise. If you do hear something, the higher the pitch, the more likely it's something like a blender, halogen, etc. In any case, interrupt the significance by considering just how much you have cranked the amp. Power conditioning may or may not have filters to limit any noise to a vary narrow range. In general, I'd rate the protection issue as being more likely a reason to go the conditioner route. I actually considered placing a inline conditioner to the feed into the subpanel that I installed when I built my home theatre basement. I didn't do this, yet, as the price tag was a not something I wanted to deal with today, and can always implement a bit later. Given my new speakers, one might consider that reasoning, bizarre. ------------------ Amp: Integra 7.2 DVD: Toshiba SD4700 Fronts: RF-7 Centre: RC-7 Surrounds: old Advents! Sub: None TV: Dreaming of Plasma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornBlower Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 m00n, your setup is so close to what I almost went to it's scary. I almost bought the 520, and have used H/K for almost 25 years now. Finally didn't go that route because there just hasn't been enough time between when they started screwing up on quality etc and now for me to go the 520. Got a once-in-a-lifetime deal on the Integra that seal the fate of getting a 520. Our DVD are not exactly the same, but close. Tv is Samsung 29" non flat, circa 1991. I haven't yet down the surrounds or sub, due to dollar per month spreading. Pisses me off that to get the cherry I have to take a sub that is way more than more space needs. So once again, it's scary how close we are in terms of components. ------------------ Amp: Integra 7.2 DVD: Toshiba SD4700 Fronts: RF-7 Centre: RC-7 Surrounds: old Advents! Sub: None TV: Dreaming of Plasma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Find a used Tripplite LC-1200 or LC-1800 Line Conditioner on eBay. These models not only protect your system they also clean up the power. Monster Cable stuff is SO overpriced and overrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Horny.... The only problem I have had with my AVR520 is the remote control. Other than that, it thumps. But Harman Kardon sent me an entirly brand new receiver because of the remote, just got it yesterday as a matter of fact. Hooked it up and the new unit and remote work fine. The response to the remote is a bit sluggest, but at least this one works. I most likely will get the Harman Kardon PA 2000, or PA 4000 when I need extra power to run a rear. If I get the 4000, that will give me extra output for some transducers. ------------------ m00nsCinema to be the m00n system FRONTS: RF-7 CENTER: RC-7 SURROUNDS: RS-7 SUB: RSW-12 RECEIVER: Harman Kardon AVR 520 DVD: Toshiba SD 3205 (DD, DTS) TV: Samsung 27" Flatscreen COMPUTER: ProMedia 4.1 c>Microsoft XBOXc> f> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike82 Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 FWIW, at the time I was openeing my shop,I auditioned several conditioners when I was looking for a power cord and line conditioner. The bigest disappointment was the PS Audio Power Plant. Despite all the hype, I could hear only minor differences and whether they change was better, who knows. The Monster also has had mostly poor reviews. The Richard Gray unit was decent, but I settled on the Custom Power Cord Company (CPCC) Super Power Block. At less than half the price of the PS Audio, it still smoked it. Much lower noise floor = better spatial resolution and improved timbral resolution. And no current limitations like the PS Audio. For those that need the "reviewer's imprimatur" on a product, the CPCC power cords and power blocks have received 4 TAS Golden Ear Awards. I find that source components and solid state pre-amps and amps benefit most. Less so with tubes, but still worth using in a tube system. ------------------ Transport: CEC TL-2X DAC: Audiomat Maestro Pre-amp: Wyetech Jade Amps: Jeff Korneff 45 Interconects: Analysis Plus Solo Monocrystal Speaker cable: Analysis Plus Solo Monocrystal Power cords: CPCC Top Gun and Model 11 Line conditioner: CPCC Super Power Block Equip Stand: Grand Prix Audio Monaco Belle Klipsch, K-horns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Mike82, I never heard of CPCC, do they have a website? I would like to see what they have. I narrowed my search down to PS Audio's Powed Didector at around $1,500.00. I looked at Cinepro, VansEvers, Transpaent Audio, and Audio Power. Q. ------------------ Q-Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripod Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 I pulled this from a stereophile article. I guess they don't have a website (shocking!). (The Luxor Group, (800) 795-8975; no Web presence.) Here's the link, the reference is toward the bottom of the page. http://www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?422:1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Almost as fun of a subject as interconnects and speaker cable. I have never had the time to audition the Richard Gray or PS Audio stuff. One person who has spent alot of time building Mega buck systems for rich people tried alot of AC conditioners and decided to use Panamax and Furman(?) as I remember. The guys said some of the real expensive stuff "cleaned" well but seemed to add a commpessed element to the music when used on power amps. My bang for the buck is to make your own power cables from 10 gauge industrial cable. I seemed to get better tranients and more SPL with the same preamp gain I used to use. Sometimes robust looking extension cords only have 14 gauge wire; since I started to cut them apart to see the wire, I started making my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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