[Chicago]

Currently I have my Bryston pre-amp and cd player plugged into a garden variety surge protector (under $100) and I have the amp plugged into the wall.  I had my amp plugged into the surge protector but I was informed I should plug this directly into the wall to improve the sound (it did).  I got to thinking with the investment in my Bryston gear and the surround equipment that is also plugged into the protector that maybe it is time for an upgrade.  I also thought it couldn't hurt the sound.  I was looking into a Transparent Power Bank 8.

I know there are many products available, including power conditioners, but my primary concern is surge protection.  I don't hear a thing between cuts so I am not overly concerned with the power supply but I am sure there are nuances I am not up to speed on. 

I would like to keep the price under $1,000 and if I can get good protection for $500 even better.  I realize I need to spend north of $3,000 to plug the amp into it and not have a negative impact on sound or that is my understanding.  For that kind of money I will take my chances with the amp and if it fries it goes back to Bryston and they can probably fix it for less than $3,000.

Any feedback would be helpful and if the answer is any quality manufacturer that makes it easy.  If there is a major drawback with the Transparent Power Bank series please advise.

Thanks, Mike

[James Tanner]

Check out these - this is what we use in the BIT's

http://www.zerosurge.com/

james

[Chicago]

 I didn't realize what the Bryston BIT product was until after I made the post.  I read your piece at the Bryston site and it sounds like a power conditioner may be the way to go.  Do all households benefit from power conditioning and is there something I can listen for to determine if I will benefit from it?  I don't ever hear any sound at all between cuts, just dead silence.  If I need conditioning in addition to surge protection I will definitely stay with Bryston so I need to know how to figure out the size I need. 

After looking at the zero surge site I see I can convert the watts to amps and total them up. If I decide to go the BIT route I gather I can do this to determine the appropriate one?  If this is on the Bryston site I missed it.  For the amp do I use the 300 watts or or the total 600 in the calculation?

The Bryston products I am trying to protect are a 4B sst, BP 25, BCD-1 and at some point I will probably add the BDP-1 and related DAC (think I have that right).  I have an old ARCAM surround amp and 5 disc cd changer I could plug in but if they drive up the size of unit I need I would plug them into the wall and take my chances because I can probably replace them used for $1,500 or less.

Thanks, Mike

[larevoj]

Hi Mike, if there is a surge wouldn't the entire system be affected and not just the amp?? If the entire system is affected the cost to repair (if it can be depending on extend of damages) maybe exorbitant and not forgetting the inconvenience.

I have recently bought the BIT and its an amazing power conditioner. I see it as a double edged sword where it does all the 6 benefits (mine has no AVR) which includes surge protection but more importantly is it SOUNDS absolutely fantastic. You need to hear it for yourself and preferably in your system to appreciate the sound benefits you would gain from it. 

[MarvinTheMartian]

Protect all or protect none. Any metal wire connection between components can bypass your AC protection device. RCA, cable, phone line, ethernet are all direct lightning shorts to your beloved components. Don't ask  darn cable! > box > plasma > preamp ( I loved that A-Note preamp kit, the 3B's survived the ordeal  )

I will probably go for a second BIT for the new surround channel amps rather than long speaker wire runs.

Shawn

[James Tanner]

I didn't realize what the Bryston BIT product was until after I made the post.  I read your piece at the Bryston site and it sounds like a power conditioner may be the way to go.  Do all households benefit from power conditioning and is there something I can listen for to determine if I will benefit from it?  I don't ever hear any sound at all between cuts, just dead silence.  If I need conditioning in addition to surge protection I will definitely stay with Bryston so I need to know how to figure out the size I need. 

After looking at the zero surge site I see I can convert the watts to amps and total them up. If I decide to go the BIT route I gather I can do this to determine the appropriate one?  If this is on the Bryston site I missed it.  For the amp do I use the 300 watts or or the total 600 in the calculation?

The Bryston products I am trying to protect are a 4B sst, BP 25, BCD-1 and at some point I will probably add the BDP-1 and related DAC (think I have that right).  I have an old ARCAM surround amp and 5 disc cd changer I could plug in but if they drive up the size of unit I need I would plug them into the wall and take my chances because I can probably replace them used for $1,500 or less.

Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike

I would recommend the BIT 15 or 20 but they are beyond your budget.

James

[drummermitchell]

That's what I was thinking also.
Even used there around 2-2200 for a 20a,actually there's one on cam.

[Chicago]

Thanks for the responses.  It sounds like my budget may have to be adjusted.  I will see if I can get one for a trial and listen for a difference in sound quality and if I hear a difference then the budget just went up.  Otherwise I will go the route James pointed out for just surge protection from zero-surge.

Marvin,
I know little about electricity so maybe you can help me understand the concept of "protect all or protect none" better.  If I plug my stereo components (including the amp) into the surge protection/conditioner and that plugs into the wall then how does a surge get to the equipment?  Or are you responding to my thought of plugging the pre-amp and cd into the protection and the amp directly into the wall?

My 2 channel stereo system is completely different components from my t.v., cable and surround system.  Does that change the concept of "protect all or protect none"?

Thanks, Mike

[Elizabeth]

I remember the phone connection caused my former protection device to go crazy, with the meter pegging hard enough to bend the needle..
I was suprised the phone wires could carry such a strong voltage charge.
So yeah, you are only protected if all the items are on the protection device. The amp to the wall is a free pass via the cables to the rest of your stuff.

[95Dyna]

Hi Chicago (one of my very favorite cities),

I have the Torus CS 15 which is essentially the Bryston BIT 15 (James, please correct me if I'm wrong).  Into it I plug a pair of 7B SST2's, MPS2/BP26, Esoteric X-05 and a VPI Classic.  It makes a significant difference in the sound quality caused mostly by the preamp and sources being plugged in.  I have experimented with the amps plugged into the wall and overall by a slight margin I prefer them plugged into the Torus.  The surge protection provided to the amps is a big plus.  I bought the Torus CS15 prior to the availability of the Bryston BIT's.

Regards,

Bill

[tim92gts]

Hi
sounds like that used 20A unit would be ideal.
Bear in mind that you may not use full amp power, so i'll be running 14Bs on 2300W
surge protectors with minimal internal resistance as they've never drawn much over half power.
The ancilliaries use very little power, if practical you may be able to connect some
using optical; i'll be doing that for the computer and server which have to be on a different ring main.
This gives isolation even if the server does explode in a storm!

I'd check out your insurance policy too, some say that a close strike has induced substantial currents
through speaker cables or interconnects. Telephone cables and aerials are risks too.

HTH
Tim

[Chicago]

Again thanks for the assistance and I think I am getting there.  I have a couple of more questions:

1)  James has told us that Bryston uses the "Zero Surge" surge protectors inside the BIT products.  Does anyone know if I can plug my 4B sst into this brand of surge protector without a negative impact on sound?  It isn't clear to me if this brand of surge protector is neutral to sound or if the Torus conditioner cleans up any ill effects from the surge protector.  I understand the BIT's clean up the power source from the wall and apparently provide better sound.

2)  If I understand power surges correctly there are two types internal and external.  The internal surges occur in any home all day long as we turn various things on and off.  Over time they can have a negative impact on circuit boards and chips.  External surges are the ones that will fry our equipment (maybe they can also be minor and have a long term debilitating impact on eqt).

If #2 is correct are there really two options for protection: 1) to cover internal surges can we plug the pre-amp and source into a surge protector and the amp into the wall, or can the internal surges still backdoor us through the amp? 2).  For external surge protection I understand we need to protect all units connected together.

Thanks, Mike

[SHV]

Thanks for the responses.  It sounds like my budget may have to be adjusted.  I will see if I can get one for a trial and listen for a difference in sound quality and if I hear a difference then the budget just went up.  Otherwise I will go the route James pointed out for just surge protection from zero-surge.

Marvin,
I know little about electricity so maybe you can help me understand the concept of "protect all or protect none" better.  If I plug my stereo components (including the amp) into the surge protection/conditioner and that plugs into the wall then how does a surge get to the equipment?  Or are you responding to my thought of plugging the pre-amp and cd into the protection and the amp directly into the wall?

My 2 channel stereo system is completely different components from my t.v., cable and surround system.  Does that change the concept of "protect all or protect none"?

Thanks, Mike

I went through similar thought process a few months ago after I moved to a area that  that is prone to lightning strikes.  I decided to suck it up and get a BIT 20 after I added up how much replacement costs would be for my main system.    I have everything plugged into the BIT 20, about 20 components, including about 2500 watts of Bryston amps.  James has said that there is no "sound" benefit for the SST2 series but I think that my four SST amps are better, even though that was not a consideration when I bought the BIT.

Steve

[Devil Doc]

I'm confused. Are people here implying that there's equipment out there for sale that will protect your components from a lightning strike? I don't think so, but don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong.

Doc

[Chicago]

I'm confused. Are people here implying that there's equipment out there for sale that will protect your components from a lightning strike? I don't think so, but don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong.

Doc

Doc,
This response may fall into the category of the blind leading the blind but here goes.  I think the representation is more along the lines that power surges can occur if a power grid is called on for too much power and that causes a surge in power, or a big drop and then a surge.  I gather it also applies to lighting affecting a grid by hitting a transformer, but I am not sure about that.

Semper Fi from a former jarhead. 

[Devil Doc]

Ooo-Rah!

Doc

[Chicago]

Thanks to all who posted and a special thanks to James Tanner for his assistance.  I decided to get the Zero Surge product James recommended for now and save my pennies for the BDP/BDA and then worry about the BIT.  In the interim my gear will be protected with some modest filtering for RFI and EMI.  According to the folks at Zero Surge their equipment does not inhibit current flow so I should be able to plug the amp into the surge protector with no impact on performance.  Apparently this is possible because their surge protectors are based on filtering technology versus the MOV technology found in most surge protectors.

Mike

[kbuzz3]

I'd check out your insurance policy too, some say that a close strike has induced substantial currents
through speaker cables or interconnects. Telephone cables and aerials are risks too.

HTH
Tim

Are you saying that most standard policies cover or do not cover equipment due to lighting strikes???? 

[werd]

Thanks to all who posted and a special thanks to James Tanner for his assistance.  I decided to get the Zero Surge product James recommended for now and save my pennies for the BDP/BDA and then worry about the BIT.  In the interim my gear will be protected with some modest filtering for RFI and EMI.  According to the folks at Zero Surge their equipment does not inhibit current flow so I should be able to plug the amp into the surge protector with no impact on performance.  Apparently this is possible because their surge protectors are based on filtering technology versus the MOV technology found in most surge protectors.

Mike

You should still consider that torus on cam. It works as a surge protector and also a conditioner. I doubt that zero surge protector will not inhibit dynamic current requirements but will do ultimately what you are asking it to do and that is protect your gear.

[srb]

Are you saying that most standard policies cover or do not cover equipment due to lighting strikes????

Most standard homeowner policies will have some type of coverage for electronics and equipment damaged by lightning strikes, but there is usually a limitation on the total amount of coverage and there may also be a per-component limitation, unless additional coverage is purchased.

However many insurance policies will not cover equipment damage from power grid induced sags and surges that are not lightning related.  All of the insurers (obviously) recommend local or service panel (or both) surge protection devices.

Steve