Do power conditioners matter?

[RexrothPigeon]

It reduced line noise 96%. A similar priced Fiurtech 78%.

This information is meaningless without the actual measurements. [inaudible noise] - 96% is not a helpful change, after all.

 

[MaxxC]

Snoopy that looks like a G&W power conditioner I had one .its a very good Only about $85. It’s probably the best value in power conditions on the market.
G&W is actually the initials of a University in China. They have a large audio engineering program. So the make and market their own equipment. Power Conditions seem to be their specialty. They also market a few other things like solid state amps and power cords.

 

[PristineSound]

I’ll start off by saying my bedroom system is about $1500. I did not hear any difference

So are you saying your bedroom system wasn't "resolving" enough to benefit from such a tweek?

My primary costs a lot more. Does it help definitely Does it hurt some definitely.

Ahh so your main system was "resolving" enough to benefit.

The background is blacker. I can hear more detail and resolution. But nothing major.

Was the white whiter too?

Downside the system sounded a touch constricted. The music was closer to the speakers. Didn’t just flow as freely some loss of soundstage size and less dynamic

Why? Was the power conditioners restricting current, so the soundstage shrank?

I’ve flound any time I use a power conditioner or filter on amp. It’s always been negative for the reasons above The amp is plugged into the unfiltered outlet of the conditioner . The DAC and Streamer I run filtered I’ve only seen upsides with that configuration.

With no downsides I’ve detected

So much audio foolery talk here.

 

[Mnyb]

No it’s does not matter .

It’s hard to discuss edge cases with audiophiles as they all think they are the exception so we just say no to make it simple

 

[WXfreak]

Seems like all the noise would be filtered out with a well designed internal power supply. If you have DC with no noise or ripple, I would imagine you wouldn't have any noise or ripple to hear.

 

[solderdude]

Seems like all the noise would be filtered out with a well designed internal power supply. If you have DC with no noise or ripple, I would imagine you wouldn't have any noise or ripple to hear.

That depends on whether or not the any leakage currents or common mode noise is present and how 2 devices are 'coupled' via mains and interlinks.
One can have perfect DC on the power rails of 2 interconnected devices and still be plagued by unwanted noises when these are common mode.
That's what most people that hear 'sounds/noises' that should not be there struggle with. It is never the DC on the internal power rails (which is differential mode).

Besides ... even the best 'mains regenerator' will not alter the ripple on the internal DC rails of any device.
The best it can do is prevent the DC rails to sag and rise along with a variable mains supply. When the voltage drop of DC regulators becomes too small (mains voltage sagging) then, depending on the PSRR of the circuit it feeds, there might be some hum (ripple) audible.
This is not caused by 'cleaner AC' but the input voltage to the device in question not sagging.

 

[Mnyb]

it can even be detrimental if the output impedance of the conditioner is higher than the AC-network itself , but normal stuff with decent PSRR wont mind either way

 

[wwenze]

it can even be detrimental if the output impedance of the conditioner is higher than the AC-network itself , but normal stuff with decent PSRR wont mind either way

That's what the third C of the CLC filter is for, but if only we have even bigger capacitors that can provide a low impedance voltage source for when the diodes are not conducting during the 60Hz cycle...

 

[WXfreak]

I agree that common mode noise, leakage currents, and ground loops between devices can cause hum even when the DC rails measure clean. Those are valid points.
Still a well designed internal power supply in a quality amplifier mostly solves these problems and removes the need for an external mains regenerator. A good manufacturer includes proper filtering shielded transformers and regulation that keeps ripple and sag low under real load. The audio circuits then reject the small noise thats left.
A regenerator can not clean up the internal DC ripple anyway. That is the job of the amplifiers own rectifiers and capacitors. In properly designed gear the internal supply already has enough margin to handle normal mains changes without audible issues

 

[voodooless]

Power supply rejection ratio - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Cbdb2]

When DC is what you want the input to the PS is 120 volts of noise. And a filter/conditioner gets rid of none of it. It may help with keeping RF out of the device but the amount of RF usually has to be huge to do anything audible.
As for changing the sound stage etc, highly unlikely.