Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review

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SteveRB

Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« on: 10 Apr 2015, 08:58 pm »
Hey all,

I have been running a basic level Surgex that Dave supplied for a few days now. This is an upgrade for me from direct wall power. Here is a short summery review for anyone considering this piece of gear.

My associated equipment:
Source: Audio Technica AT150MLX MM on VPI Classic driven with SSD,
Pre Amp: Leben RS-30EQ Phono Preamplifier (JAN 12AT7A (G.E.) 6X5GT (G.E.))
Integrated Amp: Leben CS-600 (6L6GC)
Speakers: Custom Belle Klipsch, 2-way mod with 510 horn
Cables: Bluejean basic

What the SurgeX fixed: My system is very efficient and goes very loud; In my limited time with the SurgeX the noise floor has dropped to below audible levels from my listening position. As well, occasional RF interference I have experienced in the past is not present. There is no added noise or change of presentation when other appliances or devices are plugged in or turned on; I feel that my system is now well isolated from other items in my home.

The SurgeX sound: Most notable, I recognized an added sense of impact, this is instantly recognized on strong recordings of drums: Snare hits really leave an impact and the bass drum kick 'feels' strong and alive in the room. There is also a greater sense of separation between instruments both in a straight forward audible way and in the space of the sound stage. I have not noticed any change in the decay of subtle notes, nor have I noticed a change in the tone of the system as a whole. I have a feeling that the bass and low mid-range is a hair louder, but I may be fooling myself a bit too.

Overall, I am very happy with this purchase, and Dave communicated promptly and honestly about his products. ...Only real downside so far is the unit's appearance: it is meant for a rock and roll touring rack -- not exactly refined. But considering the price, I'd rather have this unit than pay for a fancy enclosure.

beowulf

Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #1 on: 10 Apr 2015, 09:14 pm »
What I like about some of the units is that they are skinny enough to sit behind an audio rack and nobody would be the wiser.

SteveRB

Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #2 on: 10 Apr 2015, 09:19 pm »
What I like about some of the units is that they are skinny enough to sit behind an audio rack and nobody would be the wiser.

True, but I like the one switch on the front to power everything on... Its a little better than the FOUR switches I normally have to switch.

DaveC113

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Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #3 on: 11 Apr 2015, 12:07 am »
Hi Steve, thanks for the review!  :thumb:

I'm glad to hear the SurgeX made some improvements, the peace of mind from having surge protection is nice too. What you experienced is typical, so far the results have been very consistent.

It's definitely an industrial piece of equipment, hence the looks... while it does cost more, the custom front panel helps in the looks department and I can further customize the panel design as needed. The front panel I had built for Chrisandalex1's SEQ turned out awesome, it looks like a piece of high end home audio equipment but it was relatively pricey. I was considering having the custom front panel as standard but I think it's best to offer it as an option to keep the base price down.

Typically, you want to power the amp up last and down first so it doesn't amplify any turn-on/off spikes, but it's not always practical... I have a class D amp I leave on all the time and a tube pre I turn on and off, luckily it's not a problem. The SurgeX SEQ model I offer has 3 banks of receptacles that power on and off in sequence, AFAIK this is unique feature.  :D

Chrisandalex1

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Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #4 on: 11 Apr 2015, 01:03 am »
Hey Steve,

There is a fix.  Dave did this one for me.





SteveRB

Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #5 on: 11 Apr 2015, 01:09 am »
Question: is it damaging to the amps to have them all switch on at once?

As far as any startup noise goes, I do flip the mute switch on my amp prior to powering on or off. Effectiy, I only turn the speakers 'on' once everything is warm.


My solution on the looks is a little gaff tape over the logos and tucking the unit out of sight a bit. It's no big problem.

DaveC113

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Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #6 on: 11 Apr 2015, 01:31 am »
Most amps will have some power spike on startup (inrush current) as the cap banks charge up, sometimes it can even flip breakers. I'm not sure how much potential there is for this to be damaging, but it's not great to exceed the circuits capacity. The SurgeX features inrush current limiting so you don't have to worry about it.  :)

WireNut

Re: Basic Level SurgeX - Short Review
« Reply #7 on: 11 Apr 2015, 02:02 am »
 This looks great. If a dozen or so of these were run off on a CNC mill the cost would come down. Running off one piece would be expensive.



Hey Steve,

There is a fix.  Dave did this one for me.