Power conditioners
|
Bronze Member Username: JordiePost Number: 32 Registered: 12-2003 | well,I thought I was done building my stereo sytem...but...guess what ?!..there is more:power conditioners,fancy cables,power regenerators...hm does anyone have any experience w/ these ? I have an approx 8k system and my question is:do they really make a difference in sound quality? thank you guys!! |
|
TonyTiger Unregistered guest | I'm using good shielded four wire cable for my speakers. I double two wires to positive and two wires to negative, making certain to do the same at the other end. I posted earlier that cables come in two varities. Either adequate or inadequate for the application. If you have inadequate cable than using premium or 'adequate cable' for the application will make a difference. I tend to err on the adequate side. Power conditioners may extend the life of your equipment. That's why I use mine. In my observations I have not heard a difference, but I suspect that most good receivers do some amount of conditioning before loading their internal circuits. Of course, I have a high tone hearing loss in my left ear so your mileage may vary :<D |
|
New member Username: StonePost Number: 2 Registered: 12-2003 | Just peicing mine together now as well. I bought a Monster HTS1000 power conditioner. I am obsessed with getting the best TV picture out my basic cable set up. I am extremely happy the investment. Picture quality is better. More vivid rich colors and better overall reception,(vertaully no ghost or grain). As for sound I have my receiver, TV and dvd player plugged into it. Slight improvement I am sending the sound through the cables that came with the system so its not great to begin with. Waiting for my cable upgrades to arrive. I am going to compare Audioquest and Wireworld's entry level interconnects. The power conditioner can be had on amazon for 95.00 shipped to your door. Better than spending 170.00 it would cost you at the music superstores. All in all, so far all I am sold on power conditioners. |
|
Silver Member Username: HawkPost Number: 355 Registered: 12-2003 | adrian: I strongly recommend the Monster Cable HTS1000 (MSRP of $149.95--street price about $100) mentioned by Stone. I have attended several power filter demos and while I definitely hear an improvement over no filtering with a modestly priced, basic unit like the HTS1000, after that I hear very little, if any, improvement over that basic unit. So, in my mind, the marginal improvement is very slight as one spends more. I might also recommend the MP-SW200 (MSRP of $49.95--street price ~$30), which is a little two outlet unit meant to filter the subwoofer's amp and I have had luck in eliminating hum coming from the sub using this product (on a friend's system). Now, whether you can hear an audible improvement largely depends upon whether you live in an area that has clean or relatively dirty power. Some electrical grids are older than both your age and and mine combined, and the power they distribute is pretty nasty, so a decent filter will help prolong the life of your equipment and improve the sound if you live in one of those areas. As for fancy cables, I have tried many of them. Again, I find a nice improvement buying a decent after market cable over the cable thrown in the box with the DVD player, but after that, I really don't hear much of any improvement. I highly recommend the cables made by Parts Express (www.partsexpress.com) which they sell under the "Dayton Audio" brand name. They are about 25% of the cost of similar Monster Cables and sound every bit as good. Here is the link to their Cables Index where you can browse through what they offer: http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&DID=7&WebPage_ID=59 So, while I endorse the use of power filtering and quality cables, there is no need to go overboard, IMO. The cost for power filters and cables can get high very quickly and I simply do not hear the marginal improvement as I go up the product line. I suggest you keep it real. I hope this helps! |
|
Bronze Member Username: JordiePost Number: 33 Registered: 12-2003 | Tony,Stone and Hawk, Passion for music brings us all together on these forums.However ,like other things,music has become a big industry,companies use all kind of strategies to get people pay more for something that's not worth it.They come up with "interesting" explanations that sometimes contradict the law of physics  )As you probably know,Hawk, I am relativelly new to this hi-fi world and I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for my gear.And that is why I ask all these questions.(maybe sometimes they sound supid to you guys)..I apologize).But based on your knowledge and my ears I have built a system that I think will bring me joy for years to go(separates for amplification,maggies speakers(thanks Hawk they are awesome),music hall cd25(nice player)...rel strata 3 sub.. and now I am trying to put everything together and I hate making big mistakes(that's me ) anyway thank you guys for all your advices I could not have done it without you....and excuse my english(I came to the US 3 years ago) ) |
|
Bronze Member Username: JordiePost Number: 34 Registered: 12-2003 | oh I forgot ) I do have another question: Is this break-in period (on speakers, amps ,cd players) myth or reality? thank you |
|
Silver Member Username: HawkPost Number: 361 Registered: 12-2003 | adrian: Yes, there is a break in period, particualrly for speakers. Maggies in particular take a long time to break in, but that does not mean they will sound bad right out of the box. Instead, the system will continue to sound smoother and sweeter as it breaks in. I hope what I have said doesn't contradict the laws of physics (LOL!--I am sure I know just enough to be dangerous!). I do agree that there are a lot of myths out there and where some of these get started, I just don't know. As for your system, I remember your earlier posts and how you assembled it. Frankly, you have one of the very best systems I know of--truly awesome! I know you will have years of enjoyment and if I helped in any way, that provides me with great satisfaction. I enjoy sharing my passion for this hobby so much and helping another who shares my passion is a very enjoyable. So, check out the webpage I suggested and get your cables so that you can get your system up and running. Don't worry about all the choices in cables--just get Dayton Audio brand cables in the length you need. The cost will be very modest (under $20 per cable). Some day, I'll come over with a six pack and together we will swill the beer and listen to that marvelous system of yours! Wamest wishes! |
|
Bronze Member Username: TonytigerPost Number: 33 Registered: 02-2004 | I do know that in computers there really is a 'burn in' period. It is more to see if some component will fail. Hardware is a lot like light bulbs. They have a high initial failure rate the run through their MTBF (mean time between failure) hours then start to fail again. The 'burn in' doesn't really improve the hardware it just weeds out the bad actors. Now in speakers it seems perfectly logical to me (some have accused me of being anything but logical, Italian passion and all that) that 'burn in' is necessary but also since a speaker has moving parts the flexible material would 'learn' its range of movement and thus move with less resistance thereafter. If this is true (and I stress IF) since I am not an acoustic engineer, that would suggest that a 'break in' period for speakers has a basis in physics. Further, you should probably use music sources that capture the full dynamic range that you normally listen to during the 'break in'. However do not over watt them. I have seen the result of over amping a speaker. My original stereo many years ago had two speaker failures where the flexible material within the speakers ripped. It was a 120 watt/channel amp through some cheap 70 watt speakers that my wife ran on high volume to hear over the vacumn cleaner. I hope you enjoy your system for many years! I would love to join Hawk when he comes to hear your system. I'll bet it's sweet. |
|
Bronze Member Username: JordiePost Number: 35 Registered: 12-2003 | Hawk,I live in Huntington Beach CAlifornia and I am sure you like this area ...as for the beer..let it be Heineken. My system is a good system I think.I don't know if I posted on this forum the choice for my system. here it is: (actually I am building a stereo system first,then I am going to finish the HT) two MAGNEPAN MC1 speakers (I would have gotten the 1.6qr but there is no room for those yet) REL STRATA 3 subwoofer MUSIC HALL CD25-player two ODYSSEY AUDIO KHARTAGO monoblock amplifiers ODYSSEY AUDIO TEMPEST preamplifier I actually bought all of these.It was easier to make a choice as far as speakers go(only two months ),a little harder for the player and sub..but when I got to the amplification..maaaan I was lost.I kept reading and auditioning..for days weeks ,months .Denon was my first choice(not knowing almost anything about system synergy and all that),then I start reading and this is my "evolution"....DENON,MARANTZ,NAD OR ROTEL,ROGUE,KRELL(I was kinda losing it there for a moment..not that Krell is not a very nice brand, but money is still a little tight),CLASSE,BRYSTON and finally ODYSSEY AUDIO.Now,I didn't know a lot about Odyssey but they simply "caught my..ear..so to speak in mynonUSborn sort of wayI have heard these amplifiers in a friend's sytem and I was impressed so I ordered me a pair.Hopefully they will work fine for me since their ancestor is the famous german brand SYMPHONIC LINE. The music I listen to is mostly classical,jazz,blues so I think I made good choices. I knew there is a break in period for speakers but I wasn't sure ab amplifiers that's why I've asked..anyway I thank you guys once again for your suggestions and now I need to go make some more money to be able to afford the cables and a power conditioner ) talk 2 u later! maaan,I have so many "I"s in this post...maybe I have turned self -centered..that's a shame) |
|
Bronze Member Username: JordiePost Number: 36 Registered: 12-2003 | oh Anthony ,I just read your posting..of course you can join Hawk |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics