Amplifier to wall ac vs surge protector

[Deckard71]

Hello,

For a couple of years I have been using a surge protector that also, supossedly, has noise filtering (EMI/RFI), which I think it is not crap, but not top class either (I do not belive much in cables and things like that once a minimum quality is reached):

Amazon.de

I have been connecting here my receiver, my power amp, my streamer and some other stuff. A couple of days ago I have tried to disconnect the power amp from the surge protector and connected it directly to the wall, as many advice and I have noticed that sound is much more open, wider, less compressed, much more clear at top end. However bass is clearly less prominent. I cannot say what I like more, the crystal clear sound from the wall (though a bit fatiguing) or the sound from the surge, less detailed but with more bass and body and sometimes more pleasant

Is the surge degrading the sound or on the contrary the filters are doing their job? I woud think that the surge is degrading the sound if it were be substracting a bit of everything, and indeed it is substracting soundstage and clarity... but is adding bass. Can this happen? can it add bass?

 

[Doodski]

I have noticed that sound is much more open, wider, less compressed, much clear at top end. However bass is clearly less prominent. I cannot say what I like more, the crystal clear sound from the wall (though a bit fatiguing) or the sound from the surge, less detailed but with more bass and body and sometimes more pleasant

It's your imagination tricking you to think you hear differences.

 

[Steven Holt]

How much weed did ya smoke before u made the switch?

 

[Deckard71]

It's your imagination tricking you to think you hear differences.

I have guessed that reply, but not, I have been trying songs that I know very well, and bass is very different. On the surge I can even feel the bass hitting my stomach (exageration). Bass is clearly less present when on wall

 

[Doodski]

I have guessed that reply, but not, I have been trying songs that I know very well, and bass is very different. On the surge I can even feel the bass hitting my stomach.

The thing is the protector device is designed for radical voltage that could harm the devices powered by it. It is not designed to make bass different and the highs more refined.

 

[Deckard71]

The thing is the protector device is designed for radical voltage that could harm the devices powered by it. It is not designed to make bass different and the highs more refined.

Yes, but I am asking about the EMI/RFI filtering

 

[DVDdoug]

I have noticed that sound is much more open, wider, less compressed, much clear at top end. However bass is clearly less prominent...

There no logical reason for surge protector to affect any of that. If you've got noise it MIGHT filter it out and of course it should protect your equipment from power surges. If you're not getting noise or power surges it's not going to do anything.

Every audio device has a power supply which converts AC to lower voltage DC. There is ALWAYS filtering on the DC and usually the DC is regulated so it doesn't vary when the AC varies (within limits) and the voltage regulator also works as a "strong" filter.

What is a blind ABX test?

Audiophoolery

 

[Doodski]

s, but I am asking about the EMI/RFI filtering

The RFI and EMI filtering are not for sound quality on the audio gear. They are for filtering out transients that might damage your gear and not for sound quality.

 

[Purité Audio]

Shouldn’t be any difference but it would be simple to check if you have REW and a microphone .
Keith

 

[Deckard71]

I woud invite you to my place to hear it, it is not so difficult so notice more bass, even at lower volume is evident.... but OK, I resign. I will ask somewhere else

 

[JustJones]

The filtering on that surge protector goes from .15 Mhz (150,000 hz) to 300Mhz.

 

[Doodski]

I woud invite you to my place to hear it, it is not so difficult so notice more bass, even at lower volume is evident.... but OK, I resign. I will ask somewhere else

You may ask around till you get the answer that you desire but the EMI RFI filtering is still not intended for audio improvements.

 

[JustJones]

The surge protector might be faulty.

 

[DVDdoug]

I will ask somewhere else

Yes... You should find LOTS of support on other non-scientific "audiophile" websites. MOST "audiophiles" don't believe in blind listening tests or measurments.

 

[Deckard71]

The surge protector might be faulty.

That would be an explanation, but I do not get any buzzz or hummm

 

[Deckard71]

Yes... You should find LOTS of support on other non-scientific "audiophile" websites. MOST "audiophiles" don't believe in blind listening tests or measurments.

OK, I am mad. Case closed. Thank you guys

 

[fpitas]

Seriously, if your surge protector did anything you describe, the guys that design electronics need to know about it. I'm one of those guys BTW.

 

[voodooless]

 

[MaxwellsEq]

OK, I am mad. Case closed. Thank you guys

You are not mad, in fact you do indeed hear what you think you are hearing. But, what you need to do to satisfy engineers like me is to measure the effect so we can understand what causes it.

 

[JustJones]

Tossing a spitball , perhaps the MOV's are degraded , have to many components plugged in the surge protector causing a voltage drop? Should be measurable.