There seems to be useful improvements using both I was wondering what the technical differences are that make these units unique.

Equitech and PS Audio seem to be the leaders in this regard.

It seems most recording studios will use the Equitech products.

it depends on what you are looking for.

I have had PS Audio P600-MW2 ( owned 2 of them ) but prefer the improvements with Shunyata Hydra products.
http://www.shunyata.com
However, I have not had any of the newer PS Audio products nor Equitech.

I know OB here likes the PLCs from Sound Application.
http://www.soundapplication.com/

Neither of these are regenereted power.
Lots of options when its comes to PLCs -> audition and see what works best :)

- Andy

Is this to be a serious thread?

why wouldn't it be?

Because many here attack any thread on power conditioners especially any involving PS Audio.

Actually, when Shunyata is mentioned, i invoke a personal filter to determine whether somebody is serious or not. if they are, i simply back off.

I am not stating that power conditioners are a joke. there are many that are excellent, however determining what it actually does is crucial since the term "power conditioner" has no meaning outside of my wifes hair care arsenal. (for the record, i came up with that one on the fly and am rather chuffed about it. i find it quite funny and hope at least one other person gets a chuckle out of it)

As i have said many times, IF one has bad power then it is worthwhile first determining what the issue is. if it is power related, try to get that fixed. then invest in a new technical ground and possibly cleaning up the panel at your house (HT not on same leg as Fridge, etc) THEN look into boxes. and if one is looking into boxes, look for one with engineering, not hyperbole.

Furman, Equitech, etc.

If there is no white paper on the site... walk away.

As far as the OP Question... balanced vs regeneration is really dependant on what issues you are trying to solve. and they can be worked in conjunction as well.

I currently own the Richard Gray products which do seem to get a lot flack on this forum.
I recently demoed a PS Audio and was hard pressed to find any difference. The one thing I did notice was the fan on the PS audio unit, as it was noticeable. I use the substation into a couple of 400's.

I think I have good power since I have a dedicated room A/V with dedicated a power panel. So the fridge, microwave or any florescent lights are not on that panel.

I do like the simplicity of having one large unit to take many outlets. I also have a Monster product in an upstairs room, but to honest I have never really done any critical a/b tests. I just bought into the marketing......Now that I feel my system is at a point of diminishing returns in the equipment department I might just try to tweak some areas to maximize. A friend that has done critical A/B tests likes the PS Audio and Equitech and claims they work. He is in a large loft in an old building in N.Y.C. which I would think would have more power concerns than my home, but who knows. Again many recording studio swear by the Equitech products and I was able to get a handle on one at a good price so I was interested in what the inquiring minds thought.

The reason I liked the regeneration product was it didn't filter the noise problem it just gets rid of it, which seems better to me.

the best solid state pre-amps all have their own dedicated power supply;
Levinson No. 32, Boulder 2010 and the Classe Omega. These are well respected companies that produce amazing products so they must seem some benefit to it. Are these units using something like a regenerated power?

I use PS Audio's PPP product in two different systems in my home. I use four PPP units in my media room and a single unit in my bedroom system. In the bedroom system the PPP is regenerating power for all audio and video channels while in my media room the 4 PPP units are only regenerating audio channels and source video components (I use a Furman power conditioner for my video display device). I could not be more happy with my PS Audio products. Their impact on both audio and video are obvious to the extent that people with zero A/V experience can both see and hear the difference these units make. In terms of after market support and customer friendliness I also have to say that the team from PS Audio have been nothing short of spectacular in assisting both myself and my installers. I'd give the company and its products an A+.

I have had PS Audio P600-MW2 ( owned 2 of them ) but prefer the improvements with Shunyata Hydra products.
http://www.shunyata.com
However, I have not had any of the newer PS Audio products nor Equitech.

I know OB here likes the PLCs from Sound Application.
http://www.soundapplication.com/

Neither of these are regenereted power.
Lots of options when its comes to PLCs -> audition and see what works best :)

- Andy

I have owned most of the ones mentioned and as Andy posted I do prefer the Line Stage made by Jim Weil and his wife at Sound Application. Much to my amazement Jim called me about 6 weeks ago and sent me his latest and greatest Line Stage to replace the one he made for me several years ago--all at no charge to me. Prior to Jim's line stage I used the TOL from Tara Labs. I am much happier with Jim's gear.

thanks for the link oneobgyn, but nowhere on their site does it talk about what it does?

As i have said many times, IF one has bad power then it is worthwhile first determining what the issue is. if it is power related, try to get that fixed. then invest in a new technical ground and possibly cleaning up the panel at your house (HT not on same leg as Fridge, etc) THEN look into boxes. and if one is looking into boxes, look for one with engineering, not hyperbole.

Furman, Equitech, etc.

If there is no white paper on the site... walk away.


makes sense....especially in a world of adjectives

thanks for the link oneobgyn, but nowhere on their site does it talk about what it does?




makes sense....especially in a world of adjectives


actually it was Andy and not I who gave the link

Jim and his wife are essentially a mom and pop organization with one other employee. They build upon order right out of their house. They also live in the Bay Area.
Jim does all of the build whilst his wife is the brains behind all of the items. She apparently was the first woman to graduate from the naval academy with an EE degree. Jim is always available and I would suggest giving him a call and I bet he would send you a loaner unit for demo. Let your ears be the judge.

I use a PS Audio Premier. Recently a surge hit my home causing quite a bit of damage. My threadmill, computer printer, wireless door bell, and security system all had to be replaced or repaired. However, no electronics connected to the Premier were damaged. I have my projector, pre-pro, dvd players, dac, and Sat receiver. In fact my theater was the only room that did not recieved damage. I think the Premier paid for itself that day. The surge protector on my printer did not save it. Other surge projectors around my home were destroyed as well.

BD,

Not really. If your stuff got fried you could have got new stuff...

BTW who was the poster that had like a dozen PPP all over the house? I think there was some language there that said something like his pals could hear and see a difference and anyone with some AV knowledge or background could as well or something to that effect.

Curious did the look and listen witn PPP off then on then off then on?

Again I'm not trying to be a wise guy just trying to understand. At one time I sold tons (not really by the pound mind you) PSA PPPs and have gone to Equitech. Isolation transformers have been used not just in studios but in the medical field (xray, cat scan units etc) and commercial applications for years.

Again curious nothing else...

I use a PS Audio Premier. Recently a surge hit my home causing quite a bit of damage. My threadmill, computer printer, wireless door bell, and security system all had to be replaced or repaired. However, no electronics connected to the Premier were damaged. I have my projector, pre-pro, dvd players, dac, and Sat receiver. In fact my theater was the only room that did not recieved damage. I think the Premier paid for itself that day. The surge protector on my printer did not save it. Other surge projectors around my home were destroyed as well.

This presupposes that one of the pathways of the surge was the room where the theater was. Did you lose the electronics on your oven, fridge, dishwasher, telephones, furnace, etc.?

OK here we go...

"Their impact on both audio and video are obvious to the extent that people with zero A/V experience can both see and hear the difference these units make."

So how did those people compare the impact?

I'm currently using the Exact Power EP15 (waveform correction, more efficient than regeneration) and SP15ax4 (4 balanced power transformers in a single box, now discontinued, sigh). I also have an MIT Iso Duo (isolation transformers), and an old Adcom surge surpressor (series mode)/filter.

The transformer-based units made dramatic differences in HDTV reception using a first generation HD tuner. The EP15 seems to drop the noise floor a little bit, but it's not a huge difference.

At this point, I'm aware of balanced power transformers from Alpha Core, B-P-T, Exact Power, and EquiTech, at a variety of price points. I should also add Furman, Monster, and Panamax to the list....

Drew

mmiles:

in answer to your question, three of us watched one hour of video + multi-channel audio and then about 30 minutes of 2 channel audio with the PPP regenerating power to all components in the system. i then removed the PPP and replaced it with a power bar. once the ppp was removed we went through the same source material again and all of us found that the PPP made a significant difference.

2 - Shay

I use a PS Audio PPP to protect the source equipment in my SS/HT system. Prior to that I had used a Tice Power Block III. In 15 years I have had 3 lightning related incidents near my house that affected different equipment in different rooms of the house - in one incident the powered subwoofers in my HT room all got fried. Yet, none of the equipment connected through either the PBIII or the PPP have been affected.

Not scientific tests, I understand, and one could certainly suggest it was dumb luck that non of my expensive gear was compromised - but I do sleep better knowing the PPP is in my system. $2000 is not a great sum to spend to protect $50,000 of equipment.

As to the sound quality improvements .....

I have done extensive listening with the PPP in and out of the system, and while I cannot dismiss those who claim to hear or see a difference, I myself do not.

On the continuum of 'absurdity', power conditioners are certainly not as far out as $10K interconnects.

Seeing as you've had 3 lightning strikes, why haven't you sprung for a whole house system to provide general protection for the home's contents? With all due respect, your present approach is like not wearing a condom when going to a brothel.

Seeing as you've had 3 lightning strikes, why haven't you sprung for a whole house system to provide general protection for the home's contents? With all due respect, your present approach is like not wearing a condom when going to a brothel.

I have a surge supressor installed into my breaker box, however, lightning strikes work in unpredictable ways and can get into your house in strange ways. In all three cases the lighning strikes were ground hits nearby that got in through either the well pump, water pipes, or cable TV system. All sensible recommendations are for BOTH whole house and proximal surge rpotection - PPP provides the latter for me.

For example, the first strike we had fried the motion sensors on my garage doors and all of the electronic dimmer switches in the house - but nothing else, go figure! The second strike killed my three subs and the well pump. The third strike got all my cable boxes and the telephone answering machine.

^^ ...what about 'lightning never striking twice in the same place"?

This presupposes that one of the pathways of the surge was the room where the theater was. Did you lose the electronics on your oven, fridge, dishwasher, telephones, furnace, etc.?

Every room except that one recieved damage from the surge. The damage was extensive.

Whole house means whole house. Not just the power but also incoming phone lines and cable and if you've got a well pump, that too. I agree you also benefit from point of use devices, but it seems that you missed a couple of points of ingress.

BD,

Not really. If your stuff got fried you could have got new stuff...

After dealing with insurance companies here in the New Orleans area, I don't have much faith in those companies. The depreciation and deductibles would have cost more than the PS Audio Premier.

How'd your homeowners insurance work out for you Bulldogger?

Above posted right after Bulldogger's post. My policy doesn't prorate the equipment. If a $400 whatever dies as a result, I get another one. Maybe not same model, but a near equivalent that's new.

How'd your homeowners insurance work out for you Bulldogger?

Above posted right after Bulldogger's post. My policy doesn't prorate the equipment. If a $400 whatever dies as a result, I get another one. Maybe not same model, but a near equivalent that's new.

My home, was not too severely damaged. However, they made a change right before the storm, called a Hurricane deductible. Didn't think much of it as N.O. had not been hit by a storm in 40 years. They take 2% of the value of your home and that's your deductible for hurricane damage. So for say a 400,000. home, that's 8 grand before they will pay for a broken window pane. Some policies have 5% deductibles. My area was high and dry, no flooding but a lots of wind damage. As far as surge protection, the companies that I talked to advised whole house and surge protectors in each room like you are recommending. That's what I have now. The Premier allows me to see the incoming voltage. I've seen the voltage start to spike and the Premier will shut off every thing when it gets over 140 volts I believe. I never realized how many surges were hitting my home. The guy who repaired my alarm system says that in the summer he is extremely backed up from all of the surge damage in my area during summer thunder storms. Unlike a lot of the guys here, I am not wealthy. I have to save for my upgrades and partially finance them from the sell of my old equipment. So, protecting my investment is very very high on my list. The Premier did a very effective job while the other surge protectors mostly failed.