Do Power Conditioners Improve Sound Quality

[EdwardGein]

Can someone please educate me on this. I have a Monster HT 800 Home Theater PowerCenter which protects components from harmful surges and spikes & is a Surgeguard.
Is this different from a Conditioner? If so, if I add a conditioner will it make a noticeable improvement in sound quality or will the difference be so minimal I won't notice it. Thanks for any info.

[Mr Peabody]

Monster products that condition will say Stage 1, 2 or 3 filtering. I haven't tried any of these yet but I've been told that you have to use Stage 3 before you will notice a big difference.

Unfortunately power conditioning is something that you just have to try. It's going to be different for each person because of different equipment, house wiring, power company and devices plugged into your electrical system.

You also need to check your amp/receiver to see how much current it draws and be sure your power conditioner handles more so not to choke your amp or limit it's ability.

I only tried one conditioner. It was a Transparent. I didn't like the change it made to my sound system. However, their power cords made a great improvement and I upgraded every one that could be detached.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

On some many levels I cannot agree with what Mr. Peabody says. However this is not about him. I have not heard of, or read any white paper in a double blind situation that supports any notion that expensive(or not) power cables make a shread of difference in sound quality. Every DBT test I have read about on the subject produces results below 50% even amoung experienced listeners

Now to the power condition. Some power conditioners will alter the sound of your system. However, I think it is a matter of taste whether you like the alteration or not. I use a power conditioner in my system because the power going to my place is unstable(lots of surges and drops in power level). I noticed no change in sound to my system, and a little less noise on my RPTV when viewing test patterns. If you equpment already has good voltage regulators in them, then all that is needed is a surge protector. Youwill have to listen for any changes to the sound ON YOUR SYSTEM with any power conditioner.

[EdwardGein]

I probably should have added that I live in an apartment. I'll post something later in the week or next, if I notice any improvement. One of the weird things I notice when I play CD's, and for the purpose of this post assume they are the exact CD, at the same volume, etc., at times the sound is sizzling hot (which I love) but at other times it's not, meaning it sounds fine but without an edge if that makes any sense & I posted something earlier wondering if leaving your receiver and DVD player permanent on "on" might affect that, to get rid of "warm up time", if that even exists.

[Mr Peabody]

Sir Terry, it don't surprise me that you disagree with me, that's all you ever do. I could care less if you agree or if anyone else here tries power conditioning or cables. I know what my experience was and all I can do is convey that. Personally, I wouldn't pay any attention to some one like yourself who apparently don't know the difference between power conditioning and power regulation. They are 2 very different things. Power conditioning which Ed was asking about is very possible, power regulating, which you say is the reason you are using power conditioning, is cost prohibiting for anyone, or any company, to do properly on a consumer level, despite the claims.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Sir Terry, it don't surprise me that you disagree with me, that's all you ever do. I could care less if you agree or if anyone else here tries power conditioning or cables. I know what my experience was and all I can do is convey that. Personally, I wouldn't pay any attention to some one like yourself who apparently don't know the difference between power conditioning and power regulation. They are 2 very different things. Power conditioning which Ed was asking about is very possible, power regulating, which you say is the reason you are using power conditioning, is cost prohibiting for anyone, or any company, to do properly on a consumer level, despite the claims.

Power conditioning, power regulating whatever, I am aware of the difference. The bottom line is that we can imagine that we hear anything we want. But unless it is proven, it is a figment of your imagination. Every test on power cords that has been published does not support your beliefs. Even people who have simular beliefs to yours cannot under controlled conditions tell one power cord from the next. You can tell us what you imagined your heard, but you cannot present it as fact. Even mentioning it in the context of this post is misleading.

[shokhead]

I plan on a power conditioner as i need to replace my protector. High priced cables,to me are of no value unless you have high powered expensive equipment. Low to mid-priced AV stuff as i have heard just doesnt get any help from high priced wire and cables but i've havent been around as much as most of you guys.

[teledynepost]

Doesn't make any sense to me that a power cord would make a difference in sound. Are there any websites discussing this and other audio related claims?

[jocko_nc]

I think this television program was mentioned in a past post...

I was watching DIY network or something similar one night a while back, a program on "home theatre design and application". A family was looking into doing a theatre: The first 20 minutes was a walk-through of several extreme high-end installations. Then they went on a fact-finding mission to-- where else-- Best Buy. Hmmmmmmm, I'm suspicious right off...

Continue the program... 60 seconds of a shallow explanation of CRT, DLP, and plasma... then they immediately jump right into the importance of power conditioning. Duh??? The Best Buy putz demonstrated a Monster unit that went something like this: "Here is clean power:" (switch, nothing.) "Here is dirty power:" (switch, sound of a circular saw.) "You don't want dirty power, trust me." What was that all about?

Then I lost it. Monster Cables. What else? The same guy held up a component video cable: "This is a cable, more like a single lane dirt road for video." He holds up a Monster: "This is an information super-highway for your video. Seriously, the cables are literally the most important component." I about puked.

Seriously, a ten-minute HT primer from Best Buy boils down to power conditioners and Monster Cables. I think that tells all we need to know...

Did anyone else see that program?

jocko

[Mr Peabody]

Terry, I don't mind telling you that you are a bloody idiot. If it worked that way I'd buy a $59.00 GPX A/V mini system and pretend it sounded like my Conrad-Johnson, or Krell depending on my mood, and save a **** load of money. It's irritatingly insulting for you and those like you to say it has to be our imagination when we hear a sonic difference. You'd have to be frigging deaf not to hear the difference in the noise floor after upgrading my power cables. Not all sonic differences can be measured. Just to illustrate my point, your Onkyo A/V receiver has better specs on paper than my C-J pre and power amp but again, you'd either have to be deaf, or you, not to acknowledge the C-J kicks your receivers ass in every sonic aspect imagineable. Besides that who in their right mind would want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars if they didn't have to or think it was justified. So you expect us to believe that when we try a new product to see if we gain any sonic improvement, we are so anxious to throw away money we automatically imagine improvements? Did I already say you were an idiot?

The main difference in a $100.00 piece of gear and a $1,000.00 piece, in general, is better parts. So if better electronic parts make a difference why not a better cable or filtering the power source?

[EdwardGein]

I know for a fact, that optical cables & regular cables, do make a difference in sound. I'm not saying that there definately is a correlation in the higher the price, the better the sound, but there are differences that you can detect by plain hearing. For myself, I get better sound quality with standard Monster THX cables then I do with generic stuff. However, I don't detect a notceable difference in sound between the standard Monster THX Cables and Monsters Super high priced upper echelon stuff.

In the case of the conditioners, based on what I've read online by consumers as well as reviewers, especially for the Monster HTS 3500 conditioner, these people seem to think that it will improve audio & picture quality. Given the out of pocket cost, $175 for a $400 retailed item, I think its worth trying out. If it doesn't improve the sound, I'll either return it to Amazon.com for a partial refund or sell it on Ebay, and wind up with a $50 or so loss. I think the pluses in this case way outweigh the negatives, so as I said I wound up buying & trying this out.

[zepman1]

I have lived through that experience at Best Buy where after buying anything that costs over $250 they tell you you need Monster cables and Monster power conditioners. What a joke. Anyhow, as far as power conditioning goes and the people who buy it on Best Buy's recommendation, of course they think it works. Best Buy told them it did and it cost them $300, so it must work, right?

[EdwardGein]

I have lived through that experience at Best Buy where after buying anything that costs over $250 they tell you you need Monster cables and Monster power conditioners. What a joke. Anyhow, as far as power conditioning goes and the people who buy it on Best Buy's recommendation, of course they think it works. Best Buy told them it did and it cost them $300, so it must work, right?

Well I think anyone who takes anything said at Best Buy as gospal isn't the sharpest card in the deck. I base my purchases/gambles on reviews online by consumers on sites like Circuit City & Amazon.com, plus various reviews I google online plus opinions on sites like these, when I've never personally experienced the product. I do use Best Buy occassionally for purchases, if I can get the best price from themn, but that's all.

[gixxerific]

I believe the power cord can make a huge difference in sound qaulilty.

I tested my system with the stock power cord. And the sound was amazing pretty much as to be expected. Than to further test this theory I listened to my system without the power cord it was very quiet and airy, more transparent than usual. Almost to the piont of not being audible at all. I reconected the PC and the lows were so much more in your face while the highs had regained that special bright yet not straining quality they had before, and the mids were so much more emphasised and smooth.

Overall I belive that the power cable will make a huge diff in the quality of your listening experince. :p :p :D

[wuttuptae]

I have to agree with the previous post. I have done numerous tests, double blind tests in fact, and I have been able to identify the system with the power cord 100% of the time.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Terry, I don't mind telling you that you are a bloody idiot. If it worked that way I'd buy a $59.00 GPX A/V mini system and pretend it sounded like my Conrad-Johnson, or Krell depending on my mood, and save a **** load of money. It's irritatingly insulting for you and those like you to say it has to be our imagination when we hear a sonic difference. You'd have to be frigging deaf not to hear the difference in the noise floor after upgrading my power cables.

The day I read a published peer reviewed white paper that supports the notion that power cables make an audible difference, that is when I will believe you. So far there hasn't, and what test have been done, the listeners could not even come close to telling the difference. If I buy an expensive power cord with the belief that it will make my system sound better, it will probably be better to you. It is easy for one to fully and enthusiastically support our own beliefs, it is often far difficult to prove them to others.



Not all sonic differences can be measured. Just to illustrate my point, your Onkyo A/V receiver has better specs on paper than my C-J pre and power amp but again, you'd either have to be deaf, or you, not to acknowledge the C-J kicks your receivers ass in every sonic aspect imagineable

This is just your opinion, it is not fact. Besides, I use my receiver as a pre-pro, not to amplfy my system. That somewhat changes reality just a bit. Eh, you are entitled to believe whatever you want, what the heck, I believe if want your system performance to improve, lift all of your speaker wire off the floor using miniture trees. I guarantee you will hear higher highs and tighter lows if you do this. Also putting a penny at the corners of each speaker will improve imaging(sarcasm off)



. Besides that who in their right mind would want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars if they didn't have to or think it was justified. So you expect us to believe that when we try a new product to see if we gain any sonic improvement, we are so anxious to throw away money we automatically imagine improvements? Did I already say you were an idiot?

People always call names in a debate when they have no real facts to support their beliefs. So call me all the names you want since you do not have a shred of evidence to support you power cord argument. Some people have fat wallets, big ego's, and little....well I will leave that alone.


The main difference in a $100.00 piece of gear and a $1,000.00 piece, in general, is better parts. So if better electronic parts make a difference why not a better cable or filtering the power source?

I do not have a problem with filtering the power source. But every test on power cable difference has proven that the audible effects of different power cables is nill. NILL.!!! So until you produce one, you belief is a unsubstantiated myth.