[Hear Clifford Brown]

I've got a Shunyata Hydra 6 that's about 6 years old and would like to upgrade to something better.  Would also like to be able to plug power amps into it, something I didn't think was a good idea with the Hydra.  Would be used for the 2-channel audio system only.  HT system uses a second Hydra 6 but that system is not as important me anymore, so the Hydra is good enough.

From some brief reading my impression is that Furman products are well thought of.

Would a 5 year old Furman Elite 20 PFi be a good choice? 

[jarcher]

I have a Furman (15dmi), but even if I had a 20pfi or better that has the dedicated "power factor" plugs for high current devices such as power amps,  I still wouldn't plug an amp into it unless it was a fairly low power solid state amp (I.e. I would especially not plug a tube amp into one).

The Furman elite models are solid choice for sources. But I suspect your shunyata is better.

In your situation I would get a whole home surge protector (available for under $100 at Home Depot) then pay an electrician to install that + a dedicated 20amp line (with conventional 10/3 romex) and lastly one or two shunyata sr-z1 receptacles.  Then plug the amps(s) directly into one (or more) receptacles and the hydra 6 with your sources into the other. The total cost of the whole home surge protector, romex, shunyata power receptacles and electricians labor will likely be similar or less than the Furman 20pfi and give you mucho better results and protect your whole house). Hope that helps.

[figcon]

I think the best Furman made for the Audiophile crowd is easily the Ref IT 20i and the guy that designed it told me just that at a Cedia show I attended in Atlanta a few years ago.

I am not personally familiar with Shunyata, but have a lot of experience with Passive conditioners. In fact my Marigo is plugged into my Furman. The Furman has a giant transformer made in the UK and is power factor corrected, which is a big deal in the world of electricity for your gear. Ask Jeff Rowland about that. He knows...Richard Vandersteen, I believe, used them with his new mono amps at their recent unveiling.

I have everything on my system plugged into one, including two Rogue Apollo Darks and a Plinius SA-102, which powers my subs. All front end stuff too. My amps don't sound any different plugged into the Furman, but plugged in, they are surge protected, so they will stay that way.

[mresseguie]

Have you considered the Pi Audio UberBUSS with cryogenically treated Pass & Seymour receptacles? I have owned one now for about 6 weeks and I feel it has made a significant improvement in my two-channel system's sound quality. This is a heck of a lot less expensive than the Shunyata or Furman unless I'm mistaken. One link for Pi Audio and one to my post in the Pi Audio thread:

http://www.piaudiogroup.com/

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125810.0

Call me a happy owner.

Michael

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Sounds like I have everything needed and no changes are necessary.  Already have whole house surge protection installed at the meter by my power company.  An electrician installed two dedicated 20 amp lines going into the room, one for the HT and one for audio.  Quality receptacles don't recall which ones exactly I think FMI.

[jarcher]

You are most definitely good to go!  You might try the Shunyata venom defender on the receptacle you have the amp plugged into for line conditioning. Or maybe an isolation transformer. But I really think you're pretty much there as is.

[Quiet Earth]

Would also like to be able to plug power amps into it, something I didn't think was a good idea with the Hydra.

Why can't you plug a power amp into a power strip (conditioner) that will pass 15 amps? Fifteen amps?


 

I would especially not plug a tube amp into one.

Why not? What makes a tube amp so special that you have to plug it directly into the wall?

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Michael, thanks for the info on the UberBUSS.  I'm interested.

Jeff

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
I have a PI Audio previous generation called Majik Buss
and I ham very happy with it.

Guy 13

[jarcher]

Why can't you plug a power amp into a power strip (conditioner) that will pass 15 amps? Fifteen amps?


 
Why not? What makes a tube amp so special that you have to plug it directly into the wall?

The strip / conditioner may be rated at 15amps at input but may otherwise be compromised - i.e. may be current limiting at the outlets on the strip, or otherwise have a design or components that negatively affect the power delivery at the outlets which have audible effects. 

In so far as amplifiers are more power hungry than sources, presumably amps would more adversely suffer the effects of these limitations than sources.  Again - all theoretical.  It's possible that a power strip / conditioner can still deliver more than sufficient power and conditioning despite limitations of the design and construction, or that the positive effects outweigh the negative ones.  Based on reputation, I would suspect that Shunyata products are more likely to come out on the plus side of the equation than the negative.  Nonetheless, given the many personal accounts of issues with amps and power conditioners, it seems better to ere on the side of caution and not plug an amp into one if possible - particularly if in the case of the OP you already have the goods on the other end (i.e. good outlet, dedicated line, whole house surge protection, etc).

As for tube amps vs SS & conditioners : if we accept the notion above, then tube amps which tend to be more power hungry for the same rated output vs SS amps, would therefore be more likely to potentially suffer ill effects.  Again - all in theory.  Perhaps not as true for flea watt amps & hybrids, but, e.g., my Manley Stingray integrated tube amp only outputs 40 wpc max, yet consumes up to 370W, whereas a NAD SS amp I have supposedly supposedly produces up to 60 WPC but consumes up to 330W.   

[Quiet Earth]

I'm glad you are an audiophile, and not a medical doctor. 

[Big Red Machine]

Well, there is more than one scenario that works.  No single right answer.  But to be confident in your choices, if you purchased a $29 Kil-o-watt device, you could mneasre all your device current draws and then size something accordingly.  I had 2 500 watt SS monoblocks, tubed pre, tubed dac, server, 87 db speakers, and hard drives all running through a BPT 3.5 Sig rated at 20 amps.  I was only needing something to handle 3.6 amps for all these pieces.  So 20 amps was well above the factor of safety of, say, 3x or 4x.

If you absolutley don't want to run your amps through a unit then get a 7 or 8 amp unit for just the small stuff/front end gear.

Once you actually measure your usage you will be surprised how little you actually draw at your normal listening levels.  You have to have Class A amps and very inefficient speakers to really get up there in current draw.  But I would not have run my 3.6 amps through an 8 amp unit.  Too small of an overhead for me.  YMMV

[jarcher]

I'm glad you are an audiophile, and not a medical doctor. 

Uh……….thanks?   

My reasoning may not be 100% rigid, but I'm also not charging several hundred an hour like an MD either!  You get what you pay for  !

[Quiet Earth]

to be confident in your choices, if you purchased a $29 Kil-o-watt device, you could mneasre all your device current draws and then size something accordingly.

Great advice. I think everyone who participates in this circle should own one. I was also surprised just how little electricity some of my components consume.

The kilowatt meter and a cheap SPL meter really help to put all of the "things I learned on the internet" into perspective. (The SPL meter is for the Enclosures circle.)

[Folsom]

I think no Furman is the answer. The PI products, Audience, and my own tend to be the ones I recommend. But there's a lot of effective stuff, how some of it sounds is up to you.

[jtwrace]

I think no Furman is the answer.

I disagree.

The PI products, Audience, and my own tend to be the ones I recommend. But there's a lot of effective stuff, how some of it sounds is up to you.

Those are just options like the Furman.

[Elizabeth]

I own a Furman REF20i which I  bought used for $1,200. I was lucky it was for sale close enough I was able to go pick it up (100miles).
I love it. Yes i have my amp plugged into it. I changed the IEC receptical from the stock 20 amp type to a high quality Furutech 15amp IEC (it has screw terminals which can accept the internal 10 gauge wires!)
And now I use a Pangea AC9SE powercord on the Furman.
I like it a lot, it sounds great.
Folks can argue power conditioner endlessly. You eventually have to actually TRY it.
=========
I always find the audio 'theorists' fascinating. aguing about stuff they never used, but know all the answers..