Balanced Mains Power Supplies - Opinions?

[Lawrence001]

I've just bought this, I know it's near the bottom end of the range in terms of power handling, but I listen to music quietly with a class AB amp, and if it's not enough even for that then it will do for source and dac or DAC and pre.

Oh and it's the conditioning model.

Just wondering what others' views are?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210325/cd568abdead714c8d29204818a77a46b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210325/39eea021935822372e32324dc43c9f1e.jpg

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[dave2010]

I think I could buy a lot of CDs for the price of that power conditioning system. Do let us know whether you (a) can tell the difference between that and regular sockets, and (b) if you can, "are the differences beneficial and worth the expenditure?"

Mostly I tend to think this kind of thing is just OTT, but I have heard from some serious electrical/electronic experts with a musical interest that they can make a difference. It may be one of those YMMV kind of things.

[Ali Tait]

It will certainly run all your sources, and should be fine with the amp too- what’s the amp?

[Ali Tait]

I built my own and found it worthwhile btw.

[Lawrence001]

It will certainly run all your sources, and should be fine with the amp too- what’s the amp?It's a Storm Audio Ri-70. As it's only about 220w into 4 ohms normally I'd think it's ok, but it's got this variable impedance feature and a massive trafo so I wonder if it draws more that a normal AB amp.

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[Lawrence001]

I think I could buy a lot of CDs for the price of that power conditioning system. Do let us know whether you (a) can tell the difference between that and regular sockets, and (b) if you can, "are the differences beneficial and worth the expenditure?"

Mostly I tend to think this kind of thing is just OTT, but I have heard from some serious electrical/electronic experts with a musical interest that they can make a difference. It may be one of those YMMV kind of things.True I'd never buy it at the new price without knowing what it did first, but I got it for a fair price nearly new. If I could have chosen the model I'd probably have gone for the next size up in case I needed more power in the future, but there's no sign of us moving to a detached house any time soon!

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[WESTLOWER]

They work great, really noticeable sparkle to the dynamics.
My Russ Andrews variant is as noisy as sin unfortunately, you can adjust the wiring inside to illuminate it but it never worked for me after countless fiddles.
Still when it's quiet, mine works well

Yours is plenty big enough to handle your source and pre components... Some wouldn't recommend you stick your power amp on them anyway as they (apparently) can suck the dynamics.

[Ali Tait]

Try it both ways and see which you prefer, it’ll be fine running the amp too.

[Lawrence001]

Thanks I'll try it when I have the time.

Now I need to think about where to place it in the "chain". I've currently got a streamer, DAC and integrated powered via a Belkin mains conditioning block. Sometimes I have a Liv Zen ripper instead of the streamer with a USB to SPDIF converter with a wall wart.

Airlink have some advice about where to put this which I must read, but given it has only 2 sockets then either it comes off the Belkin, or the Belkin comes off one of these.

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[mad-moon]

plug the Belkin into one of the sockets on the bmu and plug your amplifier into the other socket...run everything else into the Belkin

[Ali Tait]

Worth a try but you may get hum that way, I did.

[doodoos]

Tried a version for a few years and thought it very useful. Then one day removed it and the music burst into life again....

[Lawrence001]

Reminds me of when I had a wooden shelved rack with Sorbothane feet on my components..

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[Gazjam]

Mains quality makes a helluva difference to sound quality in my experience.

My own system is fed from a balanced mains setup, a 10KVA hardwired unit feeding two Wireworld Matrix 2 star earthed Shutko mains blocks.
Big improvements all round compared to plugging straight into the wall with standard cabling setup.

Got into it when I and others heard Ali Tait’s DIY balanced mains unit at a Hifi get together back in the day at mine, genuinely taken back with the improvement.

Then I read how Music studio’s used balanced mains setups?
Good enough for David Gilmour, good enough for my Hifi!

Read a great article interviewing Phil Taylor, the guy behind setting up and maintaining David Gilmours Astoria studio?
In it, he goes into loads of detail about AC power and other audio tweaks to the Studio.
Disbelievers be warned, he talks of balanced mains, directional cables, importance of shielded cables and the like. :D

Snippet from page 18, where he talks about electrical mains quality:

Can we talk about AC power? I know you have given a lot of thought and effort to power on the Astoria.
We realized many years ago the AC power, the mains as I call it, can make an incredible difference to the sound, to the audio. Most people, or a lot of people, are unaware of that. They think that if you plug something in and it lights up, fine, it works, with no conception that it could sound different...

Interesting read, and some food for thought for the OP.

https://www.davidgilmour.com/press/2005/march/TapeOp_March05.pdf

[wee tee cee]

I was at the session at Garys place, Alis BMU really blew us all away.

I ordered one the next day...stayed in my set up since.

The supply in my old house was effected by a nearby industrial estate, moved recently the mains seem better but the bmu remains in play.

[Lawrence001]

Not had a chance to try it yet but the last post has made me wonder if I'm better off trying it in Durham as there are a few industrial estates in the area (though about a mile away).

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[Gazjam]

Old house you say...?

Hear Troons treating you well Amigo, we need to catch up been too long.



I was at the session at Garys place, Alis BMU really blew us all away.

I ordered one the next day...stayed in my set up since.

The supply in my old house was effected by a nearby industrial estate, moved recently the mains seem better but the bmu remains in play.

[Ali Tait]

+1.

[Gazjam]

+1.

wot you said.