Thread: Clean power is the key to reducing the digital edge

It's May 1st in Southwest Florida and that means the daily afternoon lightening storms are fast approaching. We even had a big one this afternoon. With power clicking on and off in short one second bursts, likely followed by the dreaded loud "pop", I knew it was time to roll out my trusty APC S20's and S15's. I just happen to have two of each.

I've been listening to my system quite a bit lately as I'm busily breaking in some new gear. The CAPS 3.0 was a definite improvement over the Mac mini (circa 2009). I've got a pretty good play list put together in JRiver. So let's just say, I know how the songs sound.

Well, I got busy moving cables around and making room for the four big power conditioners. With the skies rumbling and grumbling outside, I got everything hooked up, let the batteries charge up for a bit. Now, it was time to power up.

As I cycled through my familiar playlist, to my amazement, the digital "edge" was gone - completely. Backgrounds were as black as I've ever heard anywhere - this difference was profound. Highs were sweeter than sweet. My digital (which I had really come dislike compared to vinyl) had never sounded better, sweeter and oh so enjoyable.

If Shunyata made their power conditioners with battery backup (which is needed to allow a proper, timely shutdown IMO), I would be all in! But for now, the APC S15/S20's are as good as they get.

I have not yet spun any vinyl under this new power setup, but I will....stay tuned.

No headroom restriction?

None that I've noticed. Highs are even sweeter. Backgrounds are so black. I hear no noise whatsoever. Clean. Sweet. Lightening season or not, they may be a permanent fixture in the system!

Bass also seems better.

That's great to know. I was thinking of either replacing or upgrading my PurePower 2000.

It seems that in Canada (in our igloos), and in Alaska the power (and the air quality) is overall cleaner, so no need for extraneous devices during tornadoes and all that jazz.

Vinyl sounds great. Black black backgrounds. Might have lost a little high end sparkle. Hard to tell. But right now, the four APC units have closed the gap between my digital and analog.

Originally Posted by joeinid

That's great to know. I was thinking of either replacing or upgrading my PurePower 2000.

I thought 2000 had a battery backup for a slow shut down.

John

So Mike...when you going to show us your new toy?
Or did I miss it ?

A...i...d...a

Originally Posted by johnthomas

I thought 2000 had a battery backup for a slow shut down.

John

It does. I just wonder how clean the power coming out of it really is.

Originally Posted by BlueMcIntosh

So Mike...when you going to show us your new toy?
Or did I miss it ?

A...i...d...a

You're naughty! I'm the not the showy-showy type....but if you would like to...I will post some pics later??

Originally Posted by Mike

You're naughty! I'm the not the showy-showy type....but if you would like to...I will post some pics later??

Please !!!!

Btw Go Leafs Go !!!

Originally Posted by microstrip

I have just ordered a PSAudio P10 regenerator for my Audio Research system - I hope that next week I will be able to give my opinion on it.

I'd love to read your opinion of it. When do you think you will have it?

+1.

A friend of mine has the Accuphase PS-1220 and swears by the waveform regenerators as greatly improving the sound of his system.

Joe, which PLCs are you considering? I'm thinking Bryston Bit-20 or a Shunyata Triton. The benefit with the Bryston is some surge protection.

Originally Posted by microstrip

I have just ordered a PSAudio P10 regenerator for my Audio Research system - I hope that next week I will be able to give my opinion on it.

Congrats! That was my best purchase last year. You will love it. Please keep us posted.

Very Cool MIke..Thanks for Sharing....

Vinnie Rossi's Red Wine Audio gear is all battery powered that's another way to handle the gnarly issues of power conditioning...

Originally Posted by socfan12

+1.

A friend of mine has the Accuphase PS-1220 and swears by the waveform regenerators as greatly improving the sound of his system.

Joe, which PLCs are you considering? I'm thinking Bryston Bit-20 or a Shunyata Triton. The benefit with the Bryston is some surge protection.

Allen,

I have a Burmester 948 and a PurePower 2000, both of which I am thinking about selling. I have looked at all the top conditioners at one time or another and am confused as which one to buy. Shunyata, Audience aR12/aR6, Silver Circle Tchiak, Bryston BIT-20, etc. are all on the radar. Everyone recommends something different. I plan on putting my units up for sale then try and buy, hopefully. I am not unhappy with what I have now. I just wonder what would be better.

+1, Ron. It was making sweet music with the Harbeth speakers, too!

Originally Posted by bzr

If I was in USA, I'd be buying the Torus AVR series, Torus Power , this is the company that supplies the good stuff to Bryston & Silver Circle Audio for their conditioners.

Thanks Kev. I just checked them out. Unfortunately no battery backup ones. Bummer.

Originally Posted by joeinid

Rob,

I have a Burmester 948 and a PurePower 2000, both of which I am thinking about selling. ....

Rob, who's Rob?

Originally Posted by BlueMcIntosh

Please !!!!

Btw Go Leafs Go !!!

Paul - they're playing terrible. They just switched to a dump and chase, but took that penalty late in the second. Dumb.

Originally Posted by socfan12

Rob, who's Rob?

You are not Rob Allen?

* Too many tubes for Joe.

Originally Posted by socfan12

Rob, who's Rob?

Originally Posted by NorthStar

You are not Rob Allen?

* Too many tubes for Joe.

Alright, alright. , Allen, I'm sorry. I am trying to work and keep these conversations straight. Oy Vey.

HaHa, I know, just thought it was funny!

Originally Posted by socfan12

HaHa, I know, just thought it was funny!

I guess I am NOT a multi-tasker. Carry on......

So are we talking about power conditioning or surge protection? Maybe both, maybe not? I've been thinking about getting something like this but it's all so confusing. Is something like the Shunyata Hydra series effective at protection as well as conditioning?

And if clean power is the key to reducing the digital edge how do I know whether my power is dirty or not? Not that I wouldn't mind hiring a maid!

Originally Posted by dlb2

And if clean power is the key to reducing the digital edge how do I know whether my power is dirty or not? Not that I wouldn't mind hiring a maid!

There is a tool I had a friend use on my plugs. My power was dirty, but not horrible. The least expensive is to swap out the outlets with something of high quality. Talk to Jeff at AV Solutions. He sells some nice ones. I'm thinking of doing this too. But I needed, surge protection, power conditioning and battery backup built for high end audio. Only the APC S15/20 has it (that I've found)

I'm planning on having an electrician come out and check things out. I have whole house protection but I'm not sure as to what capacity. I would imagine that he will be able to let me know how clean or dirty my power is also. I guess once I know the results I can take it from there.

Originally Posted by dlb2

So are we talking about power conditioning or surge protection? Maybe both, maybe not? I've been thinking about getting something like this but it's all so confusing. Is something like the Shunyata Hydra series effective at protection as well as conditioning?

And waveform regeneration like the P10 microstrip and Paul have and my friend's Accuphase PS-1220. They're not PLCs like the Triton or Bit's, but regenerates your AC signal into clean, perfect waveforms that eliminates distortion and noise. Interesting stuff.

Originally Posted by Mike

There is a tool I had a friend use on my plugs. My power was dirty, but not horrible. The least expensive is to swap out the outlets with something of high quality. Talk to Jeff at AV Solutions. He sells some nice ones. I'm thinking of doing this too. But I needed, surge protection, power conditioning and battery backup built for high end audio. Only the APC S15/20 has it (that I've found)

Just purchased 4 Furutech outlets from Jeff. I'll be using them on some dedicated 20amp lines when they are put in! Got the carbon plates w them, too!

So something like you have Mike pretty much covers all the bases in one box.

Originally Posted by dlb2

So something like you have Mike pretty much covers all the bases in one box.

Yes indeed!

Originally Posted by bzr

Yeah, but then again I'm going to put the whole house onto battery from my solar panels & leave the grid on stand-by, wooohooooo!!!

Kev. Which planet are you live in ? I'm sure we not live in the same planet lol

You guys all know that the vast majority of our audio electronic components have circuit protection against surges, spikes, defects, noise (filtration), and all that external contamination from our wall outlets, right?

...And that connecting your audio components directly to the AC wall outlets assure full electric current flowing right?

There are some guidelines to be follow before releasing any electronic (audio components) to the North American market.

And all attempts to alter the electrical power supply from our homes, will invariably change the current flow.

But we live in a very imperfect world, so imperfections of life abound all around us.
And money is only one of them (filtration); a big one though because we are slave to the world monetary system (economics), even when living totally in the bush, or in the jungles.

To be totally free, you need to exit this planet.

Originally Posted by socfan12

And waveform regeneration like the P10 microstrip and Paul have and my friend's Accuphase PS-1220. They're not PLCs like the Triton or Bit's, but regenerates your AC signal into clean, perfect waveforms that eliminates distortion and noise. Interesting stuff.


Just purchased 4 Furutech outlets from Jeff. I'll be using them on some dedicated 20amp lines when they are put in! Got the carbon plates w them, too!

If you want the best, here it is - - - Furutech_3_piece_set_760x475_434_00.jpg - - - Furutech_GTX_Rodium.jpg - - - Furutech_GTX_D_Rodium_3pc_Kit_434_00.jpg - - -

This is my PS Audio P 10 shows as THD in and out.




And it working marvelously according to Paul McCowan's statement.

99% of the time, the default setting (0) is appropriate and no adjustment is necessary. If your Power Plant is consistently delivering less than 0.5% distortion (THD) in Sine mode, you should not need to make any adjustments. Below are the conditions under which you might want to adjust this setting:
1) Your power from the utility has extremely high distortion, over about 8%.
2) Your power from the utility is typically more than 10V (15V for 230V models) away from your desired output setting.
3) Your Power Plant is not able to reduce the incoming distortion by a factor of 10. In other words, if your THD In reading is 8.0%, and your THD Out is 0.5%, your Power Plant is performing well. If your THD Out reading is 1.0% you may benefit from adjusting the Phase Tune. Please keep in mind that the Power Plant is correcting both THD and voltage errors. If your incoming voltage is within a few volts of the output setting, your Power Plant will be able to devote most of its capability to correcting the distortion. If the voltage is 10 volts or more away from the setting, the Power Plant is not going to be able to correct the THD as well. So if your utility voltage is more than 10V off, and you are seeing your THD reduced by only a factor of 5, this is probably normal.

The procedure for setting the Phase Tune is simple. Experiment with different Phase Tune settings and see what setting gives you the lowest output THD reading. The optimum setting depends on how much distortion is on your power and what it looks like. Unfortunately there is no way to predict what it will be.

20130330_012159 (1).jpg

Paul,

That is pretty nice. I'll have to check one out.

Originally Posted by bzr

Hey Paul, over here in Australia my last power bill for 3 months was AUD$1200 , so I put solar panels on the roof, what I don't use goes into the grid. To further this renewable energy/power & get the most from it I can get a bank of rechargeable batteries in a cabinet to store the energy for use at night, that puts the national power grid on standby. With dedicated lines to the music room, I will be done with conditioning

That's battery power to the extreme!

Originally Posted by microstrip

I expect mine to be delivered early next week. Just found a review of the P10 in HifiNews and it seems to be a very interesting device.

You will love it ~! Please keep us posted.

Originally Posted by bzr

Hey Paul, over here in Australia my last power bill for 3 months was AUD$1200 , so I put solar panels on the roof, what I don't use goes into the grid. To further this renewable energy/power & get the most from it I can get a bank of rechargeable batteries in a cabinet to store the energy for use at night, that puts the national power grid on standby. With dedicated lines to the music room, I will be done with conditioning

WOW....$1,200 ? I'm paying $50 per month lol.

photo.JPG

I say clean power matters very much. That's why I chose the BPT BP-3.5 Signature Plus w/Teflon V-Caps that provides 20A RMS/60A Clean Balanced Peak Power. This unit is extremely good for pushing the noise floor down a 1000 fathoms. Nothing worse than grungy utility power and your own powered devices that also induce noise into the household power.

I have a friend using this and he is very happy. - - - Bybee-Power-Rear-450px.jpg - - -