I would like to add a great power conditioner to just my Bricasti dac. I have dedicated lines on everything. I would like the big boys but they are for whole systems. I need just two plugs. Usually the small ones are not any good. Any suggestions?
power conditioner
- Thread starter Jeffy
- Start date
What's your price threshold? Used or new? What power cord are you using today to the dac?
I have a few friends using your cords. They are pretty happy with them. I use a Transparent Opus Power Isolator. Only 2 outlets. I don't know how it'll synch with your Echole cords. I did use the Transparent Opus Isolator with Shunyata cords to the source it really liked the outcome until funds freed up to stick with just one brand. Most Transparent dealers allow for demo's at you home. Might be worth a try...
I've also had good results with Shunyata Triton and Typhon, it is bigger, 8 outlets, lower price, etc etc
http://www.transparentcable.com/news/files/pdf/2016/OPUS_POWER_ISOLATOR_Info_Price_Sheet.pdf
Remember that 'power conditioner' is an undefined term. It could mean almost any combination of the following.
a] Noise filter - a low-pass EMI/RFI filter.
b] Surge protector - although it's better to have surge protection at the home's service entrance.
c] UPS - note that many UPS's are not really UPS's!
d] Line voltage adjuster.
e] Balanced power transformer.
f] Isolated power transformer.
g] DC blockers.
h] Regenerators (PSAudio)
i] Power Factor Correction
j] I forget? But I think that there are more.
* * * * * * * *
Conclusion: most hi-fi systems don't need one.
a] Noise filter - a low-pass EMI/RFI filter.
b] Surge protector - although it's better to have surge protection at the home's service entrance.
c] UPS - note that many UPS's are not really UPS's!
d] Line voltage adjuster.
e] Balanced power transformer.
f] Isolated power transformer.
g] DC blockers.
h] Regenerators (PSAudio)
i] Power Factor Correction
j] I forget? But I think that there are more.
* * * * * * * *
Conclusion: most hi-fi systems don't need one.
Dave's suggestion makes sense. But I don't know if it's very good.
The SurgeX Flatpack SA-82 modified by Dave would probably be one of your best options. The engineering in it simply is superior to basically all the audiophile conditioners. I've found problems with nearly every audiophile device, including Equi=Tech balanced transformers (which I developed a fix for). The only upgrade for SurgeX I've found is my own stuff that can range from expensive to unheard of.
You may look at what I'm suggesting, a little unimpressed. But I am literally talking about cost not object. The thing is I'm not familiar with your stereo so I cannot comment whether you'll like power conditioning that is good, or fluff.
The SurgeX Flatpack SA-82 modified by Dave would probably be one of your best options. The engineering in it simply is superior to basically all the audiophile conditioners. I've found problems with nearly every audiophile device, including Equi=Tech balanced transformers (which I developed a fix for). The only upgrade for SurgeX I've found is my own stuff that can range from expensive to unheard of.
You may look at what I'm suggesting, a little unimpressed. But I am literally talking about cost not object. The thing is I'm not familiar with your stereo so I cannot comment whether you'll like power conditioning that is good, or fluff.
Empirical Audio
Industry Expert
There is only one conditioner that I have found that really works for digital, the Plasmatron. Chris brings these to shows and every room that demos one, the vendor buys it. I did. It was a no-brainer it was so good. It will make your digital sound like analog without losing any detail, in fact the detail and imaging will improve.
https://www.vhaudio.com/plasmatron.html
This is unlike other power conditioners. I believe it actually acts as an AC voltage regulator, not a filter. AC voltage never budges from the outputs.
I have used it for years and the tubes last and last. Nothing else like it IMO.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio
https://www.vhaudio.com/plasmatron.html
This is unlike other power conditioners. I believe it actually acts as an AC voltage regulator, not a filter. AC voltage never budges from the outputs.
I have used it for years and the tubes last and last. Nothing else like it IMO.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio
All of the power conditioners I've seen offered to high end audio seem to fall well short of actually doing the job. Either they can't handle much power or they don't do much.
Elgar made some of the best power conditioners made price no object. They got out of the market years ago, so if you get one, it may have to be refurbished.
They work in this way: A large isolation transformer is inside, which has a feedback winding. There is a low distortion oscillator that is synchronously locked to the AC line frequency. A comparator looks at the output and creates a correction voltage based on comparison to the oscillator. This is fed back to the isolation transformer. The result is a low distortion sine wave, THD of 0.1% right up to full capacity, with AC voltage regulation to boot.
Here's a lower power version on ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Elgar-6006...727168&hash=item1ed7930919:g:z5MAAOSwbtNaTXE9
Based on what our customers are telling us, you're mostly wasting your $$ with most so-called 'conditioners' as they just don't do the job.
Elgar made some of the best power conditioners made price no object. They got out of the market years ago, so if you get one, it may have to be refurbished.
They work in this way: A large isolation transformer is inside, which has a feedback winding. There is a low distortion oscillator that is synchronously locked to the AC line frequency. A comparator looks at the output and creates a correction voltage based on comparison to the oscillator. This is fed back to the isolation transformer. The result is a low distortion sine wave, THD of 0.1% right up to full capacity, with AC voltage regulation to boot.
Here's a lower power version on ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Elgar-6006...727168&hash=item1ed7930919:g:z5MAAOSwbtNaTXE9
Based on what our customers are telling us, you're mostly wasting your $$ with most so-called 'conditioners' as they just don't do the job.
As far as I know the Elgar-6006B, the Exactpower SP15 and the Accuphase PS1200 worked on the same principle - they ware series power conditioners that just dynamically added or subtracted a synchronized small signal to get a stable low distortion mains using a small transformer. However the Exactpower did not include an isolation transformer, although we could buy an additional balancing transformer to use with it.
Interesting...i have read incredibly good things about the Exactpower and Accuphase over the years...consistently good. And now a super recommendation from Atmasphere on the Elgar which apparently uses a similar design.
Folsom actually has designed something that essentially uses feedback in a sense, to reduce noise without the need for the transformer like some of those use.
NBT from Torus is well done. They have a unique approach to clean things up.
http://www.toruspower.com/narrow-bandwidth-technology-nbt/
http://www.toruspower.com/narrow-bandwidth-technology-nbt/
Look at Shunyata products. They understand power. Every time I add/upgrade a Shunyata power conditioner, or power cord, I am just amazed at the improvement.
That looks impressive, but means nothing. We have no idea what frequencies, or what impedance values. Furthermore it doesn't tell you anything about control over current. Hell, even instantaneous current measurements don't actually tell you anything about what audio gear will respond like on the product. It also doesn't help us understand at all about recovery from disruptions in power (and I'm not talking about voltage or current use at 60hz).
IMO power conditioning is a field that is mostly very immature.
And I've been amazed at how bad Shunyata sound, btw.
First: 172 mVDC is incorrect. The noise is an AC voltage.
Second: This type of measurement needs to be made at the amplifer's AC power connector while the amp is sending a reasonable signal to a dummy load or loudspeaker.
Third: A much better test is to examine the signal-to-noise ratio differences at the amp's speaker terminals.
IMHO no. DC offset in mains can be considered noise and I think it is what is being reported - see the offset of the baseline. Surely there is also a periodic component, that needs a more complete characterization. Your suggested method would be meaningless to consumers - some amplifiers have high power supply rejection, the results would be very difficult to interpret.
Look for their patents - they explain a lot more than the audiophile marketing pages! Looking from a technical point of view, in case we want an isolating transformer, these are the ones to own!
I like the idea of the Torus with an isolating transformer, but it has 6 outlets as I only need two. It's still too big. Why can't they make this for just one or two components?
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