Tripp Lite IS250 Isolation Transformer Review for Audio (Video)

[Echolane]

I have very noisy electricity according to an Trifield EMI Electricity Noise Analyzer.

It measures in the range of 900 millivolts peak to peak. To tame this noise I was advised by fellow audiophile acquaintances to install a dedicated line for my audio. That didn’t turn out to be of any help as the test dedicated line read just as bad as every other circuit in the house. Fortunately, my electrician had the wisdom to test the situation before following my instructions to install it! So I next turned to Shunyata Venon V16 Power Conditioner. The EMI meter still registered around 300. Better, but I expected better! A fellow audiophile loaned me a pair of Tripp-Lite 500 watt IsolationTransformers. That brought the meter measurements down to about 10! Much better! A/B listening tests followed and both of us thought there was improved clarity and blacker backgrounds while listening.

I now have two more borrowed isolation transformers to test out, this time they are from Triad. They are considerably beefier than the Tripp-Lite pair. To be honest, I don’t even know exactly what their specs are, but either 1000 watts or 2000. I’m still busy trying to sort out all the power cables as I have a lot of gear. One disappointment is that i will very much miss the 16 outlets on the Shunyata Venom. That was handy to say the least because the Triads and the Tripp-Lites each have only four outlets each. That’s not enough for my gear. I am planning to put the analog gear in one and the digital gear in the other. I am getting mixed advice as to whether I should plug my tube amp and my speakers into a transformer or whether I should instead use a wall outlet for them. My speakers are electrostatics and they have to be plugged into electricity. I’d appreciate some advice as to what to do in those two situations.

I am also a little worried I’m going to flip a breaker on my 20 amp circuit! I wish I had 30 amps to use in my panel. I assume I should not keep the transformers running 24/7 and turning them back on will cause some surge in my electricity draw.

 

[amirm]

I have very noisy electricity according to an Trifield EMI Electricity Noise Analyzer.

I wouldn't put much trust in what the meter shows. See my review of it here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/greenwave-emi-meter-review.43896/

There is a ton of filtering post the AC plug in your audio gear which meters like this can't analyze.

 

[Echolane]

I wouldn't put much trust in what the meter shows. See my review of it here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/greenwave-emi-meter-review.43896/

There is a ton of filtering post the AC plug in your audio gear which meters like this can't analyze.

Thank you trying to hoist me out of the snake pit. My antennae are always tuned but I can’t help succumbing to some of the things I hear.
, as in this case. Incidentally, your review is for the Green Wave Meter, mine is the Trifield Meter. That said, they do look almost identical except for the brand name.

I was really freaked when my friend brought his Trifield Meter and measured my electricity. His electricity measures under 10. Mine measures almost 1000 on every circuit in my house. It is hard to believe it is not measuring something significant. What would cause such a disparity between one house and another?

Nevertheless, it produced some measurements which SEEM significant. The Shunyata device reduced the noise to 300, the Tripp-Lite device to under 10. It’s hard to argue against these numbers!

Whether I succumbed to a susceptibility bias or not, I can’t say for sure, but it certainly seems like the audio improved under listening conditions. They were not blind conditions.

 

[egellings]

But what manner of audiophools would contemplate paying $140 for this device!

Well, at least the price isn't outrageously stupid.

 

[Palladium]

I fail to see use any real use of it in a consumer usage environment. They are mostly used to provide added safety when repairing AC powered equipment; accidentally touching a live or neutral conductor (but not both together!) fed from an isotrans won't shock the repair guy, because both the live and neutral are isolated from true ground.