Power conditioners for audio equipment

Riaan · 2010-06-03T11:09:52+00:00

I didn't pay much attention to this, but being busy building a pedalboard and reading about voltage converters, power strips and so on and eventually came ac...

Power conditioners for audio equipment

AlanRatcliffe

Power conditioning can cure a lot of problems like hum and interference, but also protect your gear against voltage spikes and the like. Essential once you go past a certain point.

Furman are pretty much standard in the audio industry, but also available locally are the Phonic and the Samson, both of which are decent (they are not complicated devices). You could also get Graeme Parfett to build you one to order. I saw a custom model he built for Manfred's amp - just a short extension lead with a socket in an oversized box.

Price-wise they are not expensive either - the Samson PS10 retails at R795, the PB10 (which adds two extra outputs and built in rack lights) for R1 395 and the top of the range PB10 with voltage indicator is only R2 295

Riaan

Thanks Alan, I'll look into these.

kayDUB

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Essential once you go past a certain point.

What point would that be?

AlanRatcliffe

Y'know... I was wondering that myself after I wrote it. ? I'll put some "thinks" down and post an article in time for tomorrows newsletter.

kayDUB

[deleted]

kayDUB wrote:
Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Essential once you go past a certain point.
What point would that be?

A suitable bank balance.

Manfred-Klose

Power conditioners +1 ?

Its a must for valve amps.
Too bad the manufactures dont make small ones you can buy, and have to get a rackmounted unit(...........hint hint!!!!!!)

I would like to give the Samson conditioners a try sometime.

Riaan

Essential once you go past a certain point.

Alan that sounds like "abandon all hope ye who enter here..." ? GAS gone too far?

So I went ahead and ordered a Samson Audio Powerbrite PB10 230V Power Distribution/Conditioner from www.soundz.co.za for about R1200 today. Way cheaper than others like the Furman and IsoTek. I suspect that we have lots of electrical interference and power surges in our house. My idea is to connect all my audio stuff to the Samson, including amps, pedals and PC. It can deliver 15 amps which I think should be enough.

Riaan

Power conditioners +1

Its a must for valve amps.
Too bad the manufactures dont make small ones you can buy, and have to get a rackmounted unit(...........hint hint!!!!!!)

I would like to give the Samson conditioners a try sometime.

Wow...so my Samson arrived by courier when I got home tonight, I just connected it up and I have to agree with Manfred - it's a must. I didn't realise there were that much interference on our electricity! At first I thought there was something wrong with my amp, because it was absolutely silent although the amp's light came on. Turned up the volume, and it was still silent. Started playing and there it was, crystal clear and not a hint of the buzz that I must have began to get used to.

So, I can highly recommend these things. I'm now running my PC, pedalboards and two guitar amps and a hi-fi amp from it.

And the service from www.soundz.co.za was brilliant - ordered it online, paid by credit card, they mailed me back on Friday on it arrived today.

It would've been nice if the unit was smaller, but this now gives me the excuse to build a rack...and there are many other nice goodies that fit into a rack I believe! 8)

Manfred-Klose

Started playing and there it was, crystal clear and not a hint of the buzz that I must have began to get used to.

...that was my first impression as well.

I have found that drum machines useally give problems when running from home AC, with a conditioner it runs fine.

aja

Also check out APC gear:

http://www.apc.com/products/category.cfm?id=12&segmentID=1

Gearhead

Could not resist http://www.maxmusic.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SAPS10 and ordered for a mere R556 including shipping. We will see 8)

Riaan

Could not resist

You'll wonder how you ever got along without it... ?

Sean

? ? will wait til you get it, then order one as well ?