Cheap Quality Power Strip?

jrokke · « **on:** 5 Apr 2008, 01:00 am »

Due to rearranging my room I am going to have to get a power strip in the mix. I don't feel like spending the money on new power cords when I have 2 good ones which are 4 foot and a little short for my new room set up.
Are there any good cheap power strips which won't compromise the sonics or do I have to kick out a couple hundred bucks for a ps audio or bpt?

I would be interested in something which I could hard wire a good power cable and maybe put in a good receptacle.
Any thoughts would be appreciated

reflex · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 01:33 am »

I just finished making my own today. I used a "project box" from Radio Shack...7" x 5" x 3" deep, cut out the top for two hospital grade receptacles and hard-wired 12 inches of power cord into it, as all I need is another receptacle. Next is to put in a IEC chassis receptacle and add a better power cord. So far I have about $20 into it. Does the job.

Sonny · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 01:34 am »

Well, I have a dedicated line, but unfortunately due to re-arrangement it's 15ft from the components, so what I did was bought some 10/3 powercords from home depot, and make a connection box from it. Works great for me! If you are interested, i can tell you how I made it, just PM me.
T

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 03:27 am »

Eichmann makes one for $50....does nothing really wrong I've read. You need to supply your own cord as it's an IEC inlet

John

ted_b · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 03:43 am »

I have two of these.
High Quality $55 Power strip

They are very clean and non-compromising sonically (i.e nothing bad in the signal path). Highly recommended, especially if then sent to a conditioner down the line.

Parnelli777 · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 01:41 pm »

This looks like a solid value, its strictly a plug in strip–no surge circuitry, etc.:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Naim-Wiremold-AC-Strip-60-gets-you-1000-improvement_W0QQitemZ110239037306QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3283QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wayner · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 02:09 pm »

We use these at work for our very expensive digital and analog sensors/probes/PLC's. They are very robust and are avalible in many configurations.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=125-165

Wayner

jrokke · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 02:45 pm »

Thanks guys for all the links. I like the idea of just running a straight power stip with no surge protection or noise filtering. I was thinking of going this route and then later possibly adding a alan maher noise harvester plug to the other open wall outlet to clean up any noise in the line.
Thanks for the help and keep em coming if anyone has anymore outlets they really like.

Toka · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 03:09 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 5 Apr 2008, 02:09 pm

We use these at work for our very expensive digital and analog sensors/probes/PLC's. They are very robust and are avalible in many configurations.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=125-165

Wayner

I use the Isobar's here as well. Cleaned up a little noise problem I had easily. Might try a Brickwall one day but as of right now I don't need anything else.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 06:24 pm »

Quote from: jrokke on 5 Apr 2008, 02:45 pm

Thanks guys for all the links. I like the idea of just running a straight power stip with no surge protection or noise filtering. I was thinking of going this route and then later possibly adding a alan maher noise harvester plug to the other open wall outlet to clean up any noise in the line.
Thanks for the help and keep em coming if anyone has anymore outlets they really like.

I found the Brickwall that Toka mentions to muddy the presentation too much with even source components only into it.....tho it had it's benefits, I ultimately sold it. The PS Audio Noise Harvester either does nothing or very little...but does nothing bad insofar as 'conditioning' goes.

Ditto for the Enacom AC conditioner...nothing bad, but hard to pin down benefits

A hospital grade or Porter Port ($36) outlet in the wall (if you can run a dedicated line this might be best...cost is only about $200-300 for qualified electrician to do) and a plain power strip (as mentioned in many of the posts above) are the right option for naturalness.

I'm STILL looking for a conditioner that really conditions without sonic penalty - haven't found one yet (and been thru a few now). The Audience Adept R1p may be the next one I try....

John

ted_b · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 06:34 pm »

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 5 Apr 2008, 06:24 pm

I'm STILL looking for a conditioner that really conditions without sonic penalty - haven't found one yet (and been thru a few now). The Audience Adept R1p may be the next one I try....

John

I love mine. I use it for my McCormack DNA-500 amp and it is wonderful. Does not limit the dynamics or organic nature of the amp, yet lowers the noise floor significantly. I just bought a "b" stock one (arrived today) from TweekGeek's site to use for my digital projector. I use the 12 outlet Adept Response Ar12 for all else; it is the key to my system right now. Without it, or with my previous Power Plants, and my system is nowhere as musically smooth or quiet/black.

oracle309 · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 06:50 pm »

Have a look here: http://www.10audio.com/diy_power_conditioner.htm

Reportedly very good. Also see the "cheap" version at the bottom of the page. Noise suppression , but no protection.

rydenfan · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 06:57 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 5 Apr 2008, 06:34 pm

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 5 Apr 2008, 06:24 pm

I'm STILL looking for a conditioner that really conditions without sonic penalty - haven't found one yet (and been thru a few now). The Audience Adept R1p may be the next one I try....

John

I love mine. I use it for my McCormack DNA-500 amp and it is wonderful. Does not limit the dynamics or organic nature of the amp, yet lowers the noise floor significantly. I just bought a "b" stock one (arrived today) from TweekGeek's site to use for my digital projector. I use the 12 outlet Adept Response Ar12 for all else; it is the key to my system right now. Without it, or with my previous Power Plants, and my system is nowhere as musically smooth or quiet/black.

I am struggling big time with power conditioners right now. Have you tried any of the Running Springs products?

I am actually using this EP product right now...

http://www.ep2000.com/Templates/ep2450.html

BrianM · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 09:40 pm »

The Allied Electronics page describes it as having "built in circuit breakers" fwiw. Don't know if that counts as a "frill" or not.

EDIT: well, never mind, the Wiremold datasheet says no circuit breakers.

Sonny · « **Reply #14 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 04:07 pm »

Here are some pictures of my box...
It has 6 six outlets, used to have eight, but I put in a switch for on/off of my 4 EVS amps, which do not have on/off switches.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #15 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 04:46 pm »

Sonny/Tuan - get rid of those wire tie nuts....just wrap the wire ends tightly together and use liberal amounts of electrical tape on them.

Those nuts are sonic disasters - serious sonic disasters. They are probably as bad as having circuit breakers, on-off switches or fuses in your design.

Try it without and see

Regards, John

rajacat · « **Reply #16 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 05:12 pm »

Why not just solder and shrink wrap the wire ends together?

-Roy

Sonny · « **Reply #17 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 05:26 pm »

John and Rajat, both great comments...
I was just too lazy to do so...but perhaps I will solder them and shrink wrap them...
The nuts were for convenience... So, perhaps I'll do that later today as I have to fire up the soldering iron anyways.

Thanks
Tuan

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 6 Apr 2008, 04:46 pm

Sonny/Tuan - get rid of those wire tie nuts....just wrap the wire ends tightly together and use liberal amounts of electrical tape on them.

Those nuts are sonic disasters - serious sonic disasters. They are probably as bad as having circuit breakers, on-off switches or fuses in your design.

Try it without and see

Regards, John

mjosef · « **Reply #18 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 06:05 pm »

IMO nothing wrong with the wire connectors, but you should twist the connecting wires real tight(at least 3 turns of the naked wires) before using the wire caps/connectors. In other words the wire should be secure together before you cap 'em.

Edit: I will have to defer to theCHairGuy on the audible merits of the wire caps, I have never compared them...I was only addressing the safety aspect, in lieu of the caps, you will need to use insulating electrical tape, which is a rubber-like tape 5 times thicker than ordinary electrical tape...make sure and wrap the exposed wires adequately(at least two layers) then top it off with regular electrical tape. I wouldn't trust regular shrink wrap(too thin) to properly protect those naked wires.
Better be safe than sorry...or so my grandfather used to say.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #19 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 06:36 pm »

Sonny/Tuan,

I only know they are sonic disasters after using them twice in projects.....the first time I found out you'd have thought I'd have learned my lesson, but I'm kinda' thickheaded. I did it once more before I realized it added less-than-desirable additives to the music

Fortunately, it's pretty easy to end-around the issue

Otherwise, your work looks very pro indeed

Regards, John