[vpolineni]

I know Klaus advocates plugging the amps directly into the wall, but couldn't the stratos work with a large power conditioner?  for example, the xtreme monos each have 800va power supplies-meaning that each could technically draw 800 watts each max.  800 watts at 120 volts is 6.6 amps for each amp-giving a total of 13.2 amps for both of them.  It would be pretty rare for the amps to require all 13.2 amps.  My powervar conditioner is rated to supply 12 amps.  If I plugged the monos into it, wouldn't it work properly without any loss of dynamics,etc?

[byteme]

Potentially, but the draw may exceed the Powervars amps and make it noisey.  I go right to the wall with my Stratos.  No issues.  I did try running it through a PS Audio UO high current version and liked it into the wall better.

[bubba966]

If I plugged the monos into it, wouldn't it work properly without any loss of dynamics,etc?

Try it and see what you think.

Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't...

[vpolineni]

that's what i intend to do.. i just wanted to see if what i was thinking made any sense.

[audioslave]

For the longest time, I had my Stratos/Tempest plugged into my Monster Power conditoner. Then finally I had enough sense to try just plugging the amp into the wall and BAM! So much more dynamics. It made a big difference even on the Tempest as well. I guess my power conditoner was just filtering out too much and was also not supplying enough current to my equipment. I would never go back to any sort of power conditioning for this combo. I guess my 20amp lines help.

[tfroncek]

The 800VA rating has to do with the maximum continuous power it can handle.  For the Amp to deliver kick ass dynamics with as quick as you can ramp them transient response you just don't want to inhibit the power that it needs instantaneously.

The 800VA doesn't  tell you that.  The power conditioner companies will give you a peak current like 25 or 45 amps but even so you are better off supplying raw power.

I put in a dedicated 3 wire 10 GA (2 for power plus an isolated ground) circuit for the sound system.  Dynamics seemed to become unlimited.  Unless I had a 5KVA power conditioner (not likely in this lifetime) I wouldn't plug a power amp into a power conditioner.

[djbnh]

For the longest time, I had my Stratos/Tempest plugged into my Monster Power conditoner. Then finally I had enough sense to try just plugging the amp into the wall and BAM! So much more dynamics. It made a big difference even on the Tempest as well. I guess my power conditoner was just filtering out too much and was also not supplying enough current to my equipment. I would never go back to any sort of power conditioning for this combo. I guess my 20amp lines help.

Thanks for the info re: Tempest. I have a set-up similar to yours, but have always run the Stratos from the wall and the Tempest from the Power conditioner. I'll give the Tempest a try straight fromt the wall and see if it makes a difference.

[mgalusha]

Well, it looks like I'm in the minority on this one.

I run my mono's from a BPT BP-2 which has a 2.5kVA transformer. I do lose a little bit of dynamics but everything else is noticably better. Less grain, more transparent and detailed, better spatial qualities. In my system the loss of a little dynamic impact (not much) is a more than acceptable trade off for the other improvements.

I think there are a few things at play.

1 - I think my power lines contain a lot of crap. We have anywhere from 4 to 7 PC's running and all those switching power supplies are not very clean. Even on a different circuit, they are still tied together at the panel.

2 - The extreme mono's have a lot of power supply capacitance - 180,000uF/channel. This should allow for plenty of short term power which is where a lot of the dynamics live. I recently tried running the amps on straight wall power and it took of about 30 seconds to realize why I use the BPT.

Perhaps if I had really clean power they would sound better without the power conditioner but in my situation and for my preferences it's not even close.

[byteme]

1 - I think my power lines contain a lot of crap. We have anywhere from 4 to 7 PC's running and all those switching power supplies are not very clean. Even on a different circuit, they are still tied together at the panel.

2 - The extreme mono's have a lot of power supply capacitance - 180,000uF/channel. This should allow for plenty of short term power which is where a lot of the dynamics live. I recently tried running the amps on straight wall power and it took of about 30 seconds to realize why I use the BPT.

Perhaps if I had really clean power they would sound better without the power conditioner but in my situation and for my preferences it's not even close.

Good point.  I've got pretty clean power - 2 separate dedicated 20A lines with nothing on them but audio gear.  So depending on what you've got for power you may need something, especially if it's a BPT which doesn't limit current.

The only caveat to that is using a OneAC or Powervar, if  you do overload them you can upset the magnetic field in the transformer and potentially make the thing get noisy.

[vpolineni]

brian, have you tried plugging your stratos into your powervar?

[Chris_B]

Sort of a related question - do you guy leave your amps on all the time?  How long would you recommend leaving them on for and is there any sonic benifit one way or another?

[craig223]

I never turn off my Symphonic power amp, Audio Research preamp or CD player.  The longer they are on (about two months now), the smoother the sound.  Klauss recommended this and it really works!

[hifimojo04]

I'm so excited about getting my Stratos Stereo Plus!  I just talked to Klaus.. it arrives early next week.

Anyway, on to the issue of power conditioning.  I have a Monster Power Bar HT-2000 (it's 5 years old).

I'm wary of plugging in such a nice equipment like the Stratos directly into the wall.  I live near a city, and my powerlines are crap.  I had my TV plugged directly in the wall and it'd flicker like crazy.  It was annoying.  I plugged it into the Monster.  No problems.  MUCH improvement.

Also, I get a lot of storms, so I absolutely cannot risk damage from a surge.  I lost a laserdisc player from a surge (I was told to directly plus it into the wall), so I must have surge protection/conditioning.

Bottom line is, I'm putting together a quality 4 channel home theater/music system.

I just put a nice investment into the Odyssey Stratos Plus and an Onkyo DV-SP1000 universal player.

That'll tide me over for a while.  

I have a feeling the Monster might not cut it for my system.  What is the best I can do for around $500.  I'll continue to use the Monster for the rest of the system, but what surge protector/conditioner/etc. for $500 +- $150 could I plug in the Odyssey and Onkyo (as they both have sizely torroidal transformers).

[Eduardo AAVM]

Always  I leave on my Monos Extremes, Tempest and Agile DAC and also I use a   Panamax unit the 5100 I haven't done a real evalaution about how much sound quality I loose that way but I tell you I feel very confident about the protection and the sequential turn on the Panamax has.

[BikeWNC]

I've spent the last day with my Extremes off the BPT 3.5.  It has been a very punishing 24 hours.  I'm with Mike on this one.  There is no doubt the Extreme Monos plugged into the BPT 3.5 is far better.  I really don't notice any loss of dynamics, but I do notice more clarity and depth to the music along with an overall increase in smoothness to vocals.  It is like the music steps out of a fog.  I won't be taking the monos off the 3.5 anytime again soon.

Andy

[vpolineni]

andy, are you running anything else into your bpt or just the xtreme monos?

[zybar]

I've spent the last day with my Extremes off the BPT 3.5.  It has been a very punishing 24 hours.  I'm with Mike on this one.  There is no doubt the Extreme Monos plugged into the BPT 3.5 is far better.  I really don't notice any loss of dynamics, but I do notice more clarity and depth to the music along with an overall increase in smoothness to vocals.  It is like the music steps out of a fog.  I won't be taking the monos off the 3.5 anytime again soon.

Andy

I also have the BPT 3.5 Signature conditioner and the only way it is leaving is to get the upgraded 3.5 Signature Plus!!    

I run ALL my 2 channel gear through it and it improves things in the ways Mike and Andy have already stated.

I did try plugging my amps directly into the wall (each amp on a dedicated 20 amp line with nothing else on it), but that didn't improve dynamics and hurt in other areas.

All that being said, I haven't yet heard another conditioner that performs like the 3.5 Signature.  I have tried both Hydras, various Monster units (anybody want to buy an AVS 2000?), Exact Power, Tice, and Panamax.

I think that unless you can spend some money, you might be better off plugging the amps directly into dedicated lines (with good outlets and wire from the panel).

George

[BikeWNC]

are you running anything else into your bpt or just the xtreme monos?

Vasu, I am running everything except my Rel sub into the 3.5.  The only reason the sub isn't plugged into it is I don't have a PC long enough to reach.  What I do have plugged into the BPT are the two amps, my tube pre and universal player.  As George said, it's indispensable.

Andy

[JoshK]

can the odyseys be wired for two phase 220?  You could put in a 220 line for the amps.  Lot cheaper and more effective conditioners.

[mgalusha]

can the odyseys be wired for two phase 220?  You could put in a 220 line for the amps.  Lot cheaper and more effective conditioners.

From a past look at the transformers, I believe they could be wired for 220 but I'm not 100% certain. Of course most people should not attempt this.    I can just hear the call to Klaus - "I um, uh, uh, kinda fried my mono's trying to rewire them to use 220V balanced lines. Is that covered under warranty?" possibly followed by a stream of German expletives.

I actually considerd this with my Outlaw amp in the home theater system as it would be much easier to get 220 to that system than the stereo. Unfortunately the stereo gear is just about as far from the breaker box as one can get in our place. Even running dedicated lines would be a challenge. I'll just keep my BPT's.