[Waker]

As a way of renewing the original post asking if power conditioning is needed, I answer yes--power conditioning is a necessity for anyone who is serious about pursuing even better sonics, about taking the sound to a much higher plateau few have had the pleasure of reaching.
   I will relate to you only my experience (North American power) in this journey, for I am not an authority on electrical theory. Like many, I began a few decades ago by plugging an amp into a common wall receptacle, which right away wasn't enough--I had to plug a power strip into that receptacle to get more receptacles, but that power strip had an "on" button and a breaker reset button!  Very clever--everything was on and it all stayed on--done.
   My ideas about household power have evolved over time as more powerful amps have been added.  At first, I tried audiophile AC cords that brought just enough of an improvement to make me want to spend more. I then added a Richard Gray 400 conditioner, one of those heavy boxes with four outlets--supposed to treat the front end. Then I added another for an amp, but was told not to use 'em for amps--kills the dynamics--supposed to plug the amps into the wall. I couldn't see doing that--couldn't help myself, wanted the surge protection, so I added yet another 400 for a bigger amp. There were now so many of these conditioners and cables to connect them all together and then more cables for all the components, I had a small jungle back there, but enough had been spent to offset any doubts--until after a few years, when the doubts begin to offset what I had spent so long ago.  So then I went to the Richard Gray 1200--same as two 400's, has lots of outlets. Much cleaner--got rid of some cables, looks better, sounds better--but still the same doubts about dynamics, surge protection, improper application to amps, etc.
   I took a leap of faith and bought an isolation transformer off Audiogon, new in the box, never used--because it was 240V/120V, a project not started.  It needed a 240V circuit, so I did that--cut a hole in the wall, ran it with 10 gauge, taped the hole up, painted. One circuit, one outlet at the wall for this thing with four outlets of its own, enough for monoblock amps and the Richard Gray 1200 that feeds the front end.  1900 watts on demand, pure power, no ground loops, no sags--as good as most component upgrades I have made. 
   But then I went to ARC monoblocks and two powered subs--not enough outlets on that substation. So now, I have the RGPC RM PRO 240V/120V with six outlets and 4000 watts on demand. It weighs 130 lbs-- 17" wide but too much to lift, but what a sonic breakthrough--this thing has so much more headroom than most amps would need--the sound is more defined, sweeter, and the bass foundation is stunningly developed. Redbook CD contains a lot more than you would believe--until heard. One outlet on the wall, one circuit, one massive isolation transformer that keeps my amps at a steady 121 volts. Household current varies--they don't guarantee 120 volts, could be 110-120. ARC says these amps run on 105-130 volts.  This isolation transformer is expensive--got it new for half, again on 'Gon. Others would do the same--Torus comes to mind--but it has to have a heavy, massive, transformer. If it doesn't weigh much, you don't have much in the way of purification and power on demand. Yes, you may need one of these--do it without reservation.   

[decal]

No, I don't need power conditioning. But, thanks anyway.

[drummermitchell]

I was quite taken by how transformer based isolation units give huge dynamics.
The bottom end is very authoritative(almost live  sensation)if you will,lots of slam when needed.
Use to plug the wall and went dedicated lines,then shunyatas(separates for the amps and components ect.
Then auditioned Torus,ended up with a 60a for the amps 20a for components(both 240v)and another 20a(120v)for
my sub(she's a 1812).
The Torus to my ears gets me alot closer to live than the wall or the few others I tried.
A person we'll know had said to me after I had my Torus awakening:
you have discovered as I have that having gobs of power in reserve makes a huge difference.
Definitely not something you think you can hear a difference,you have no choice but to hear it.
Unless something way better than the Torus(s)comes along,these are staying right where they are

[sts9fan]

You absolutely do not NEED power conditioning to enjoy quality audio.

[Elizabeth]

I use two large power conditioners in my system at this time.
However i agree that a conditioner is NOT required to enjoy an audio system.
Plenty of differences in what each of us listen to and for, More than enough variation that we enjoy SETs, monster 2,000 watt amps, Vinyl only, digital only, giant 300lb speakers, or tiny speakers no bigger than earphones..
Tubes or solid state..

So with all of that i have to say I can see where some find they are totally happy without any power conditioning, no fancy wiring.. and still are as happy as they can be.

On the other hand i would not want to be without the power conditioning i now have. And if something better came along, i might go for that.

[Waker]

The Torus to my ears gets me alot closer to live than the wall or the few others I tried.

I knew I could count on you, DM. You have heard, and thereof you speak the truth.  I'm not persuaded by absolutes--I am by my experiences in life. 

[Waker]

You absolutely do not NEED power conditioning to enjoy quality audio.

You are correct, and I have edited my original text to reflect your view in my final conclusion. There is quality audio on many levels. We have only to choose that level upon which we are satisfied.   

[drummermitchell]

There's definitely different levels of audio which we enjoy or hits us emotionally.
I still listen to AM radio,computer music ect.
For me the sound quality goes up from whether it's radio,tape,CD,LP ect.
Some are satisfied with ipods,some radios,ghetto blasters.
I like it all,and a transformer based PUI gets me alot closer than the wall ever has,even with dedicated lines.
Authoritative bottom end,slam,non compressed dynamics is what I have now in my main rig.
Very satisfied as she definitely gets me closer to a live event.
Depends what your satisfied with and until a person hears what were missing we'll never know,just like staying in your home town and not traveling to another country,we'll never know,only what people tell us.

[Waker]

Depends what your satisfied with and until a person hears what were missing we'll never know,just like staying in your home town and not traveling to another country,we'll never know,only what people tell us.

For me, Audio Circle has been a place to visit to learn from others' experience and to sometimes convey my own.  Much of what I have done to my system is based on the advice and experience of all of you who visit these pages, and if anything I have done or learned through time and expense can be of value to anyone, I like to post it here, especially if I feel I have made a sonic gain based upon a constant truth or value, such as, "We are all trying to achieve a level of high performance, so nothing in our systems should be ordinary."  With this in mind, should the power, the energy that courses through our systems, be the same current that toasts our bread, or should it be something of a different quality?  No, it doesn't have to be different to work--a system will work on mass-produced current, but I have found, as have Drummermitchell and Elizabeth, the stock power supply just isn't good enough, and we are here to encourage one another to find what is beyond ordinary.         

[OzarkTom]

None for me either, power conditioners robs the detail and imaging.

Battery power always sound better anyway.

[TheChairGuy]

For me - and I really want to emphasize ME as we all have hearing likes and dislikes quite different from one another - I've yet to hear an active 'conditioner' that improves fidelity.

Except on digital sources where I use an isolation transformer, where much of the benefit may be it as a waste gate for digital pollutants leaching back into the rest of the system, every attempt at active conditioning on amps, preamps, turntables, SS or tube - has resulted in more etch and annoying grain than less.

Having rented for a while, I look forward to buying soon and installing a dedicated line to my system.  That along with a good, upgraded outlet (the $38 Porter Ports sound a teensy bit more natural than the $9.99 hospital grade ones at Lowes) and isotranny on the digital side should make wonderful music soon.

[Devil Doc]

When the manufacturer of my amp says, "Plug it into the wall"., I do what I'm told.

Doc

[jtwrace]

Battery power always sound better anyway.

Except there is power conditioning for that too.   

I'm over the battery power thing.  Build a proper power supply and be done with it.  I really don't like battery, chargers and extra wires.  It was a pain for me.

[saisunil]

I am still learning but I think the conditioning has to be built in the power amp - in other words power supply of the amp should ideally take care of itself.

I think the component that could benefit the most from power conditioning or vibration control is the source ...

[OzarkTom]

Except there is power conditioning for that too.   

I tried battery conditioning, same problem as the AC conditioning.

I know an audio reviewer that had eight power conditioners, he was doing a shoot-out for his publication. The wall beat them all, so he shelved that review.

[rollo]

  Clean power isessential to great sound. Wether a state of the art power supply in ones component or an after market device makes a difference.
   Not all power conditioners give good sonic results. Not all components like using a PC with them. Our CAT preamp as an example sounded horrible with everyone we tried. Amps lost dynamics as well. Dedicated lines helped out the amps big time. Same for digital. 
   When we tried a power correction device in lieu of conditioning the game changed. One would have to rip it out of our dead cold hands. Worked for us, to each his or her own experience, have fun trying if desired.


charles

[drummermitchell]

Hopefully we can listen for ourselves as to what adds to our music experience.
If we all(myself included)took everybody's advise,especially reviewers,talk about being not satisfied.
I have learned years ago audition for yourself,do home auditions ect(it's free)and no pressure from sales people,speaking sweet nothings in your ears while your trying to listen to the music(HOME AUDITIONS)
There's lots of reviewers that praise certain conditioners and there's just as many that don't.
YES,NO,YES,NO,reviewers,audio sites,it's all the same pile of BS even mine.
Independent listening,comparisons will avoid all the Babel,after all it's you that has to be happy with your sound.
Took awhile for me to find what works for me and the most satisfying has been the Torus.Tried the wall(with dedicated lines)tried other conditioners.
These do it for me authoritative bottom end,bigger stage,lots of dynamics,no grainy am sound,blah blah blah.
                                                            Could be all BS,YES,NO,YES,NO, .

[wushuliu]

Location, Location, Location. You can't separate power conditioning necessity and efficacy from your location. Live in some small town or midsize city away from major metropolis? Then you may have the luxury of brushing off the need for good conditioning. Living in Los Angeles, I have to have voltage regulation first and THEN try to get good, clean sound. Regardless, sound quality at 4pm is nothing like sound quality at 11pm. I can't imagine anyone in NYC or Jersey City being able to just 'plug into the wall' without suffering in performance either. I used to get random computer crashes every now and again, even when i lived in Minneapolis. Once I learned how sensitive computers are to quality of power, I got an APC voltage regulator/conditioner I have not had a BSOD since going on 4 years now. That's how important it is.

[OzarkTom]

Location, Location, Location.

This is the same problem in small town USA, 4pm ycch, 11pm much better 1am great. With batteries, you can listen anytime-great.

[jtwrace]

This is the same problem in small town USA, 4pm ycch, 11pm much better 1am great. With batteries, you can listen anytime-great.

Yes, we know that you prefer batteries.  Again, there are issues with batteries too.