BOLDER AC Power Conditioner

Wayne1 · « **on:** 22 Nov 2004, 08:39 pm »

I have been working on a new series of products to clean up AC power.

These have come about due to requests from folks who are using the new digital amps and receivers. They are also very useful for CD/DVD players and analog front ends. They also work great on video gear.

Here is my first prototype

This is a small balanced power transformer with 2 AC filters after the transformer. this prototype also has a filtered IEC before the transformer and a ACME Audio Silver Plated fuse holder.

All internal wiring is Nitro 14 awg. The outlets in this prototype are WattGate 381 and FuruTech Gold Plated.

What I am working towards are two units. One will be a balanced power transformer with surge protection and a DC blocking circuit before the transformer.. Ther will be an Acme Audio Silver Plated IEC and fuse holder. There will be pair of Acme Audio Silver Plated duplex AC outlets.

The largest transformer that can be used in this case is 650 VAC. This is fine for most of the digital receivers out there and just about all front end components. A fair amount of RPTVs can be used with this. You cannot use this with large analog power amps.

The 2nd unit would be built into the same size case. It would have anywhere from 1-4 AC line filters built into it. This would be for gear with switching power supplies. The filters will isolate the digital components from anything else. Bybees will be an option to lower the noise floor even more. Surge protection can be added to it.

My reason for two units is I am trying to keep the size of the unit down. A lot of the conditioners on the market now take up a fair amount of real estate. The two units can be used together for folks who have a system using both digital and analog components.

For folks that have a smaller system with just two components with switching power supplies, I could build a unit like the prototype, with filters built into the same case as the transformer.

Ballpark price for the transformer is $400.00. The AC filter box will start out at around $200.00 or so and go up depending on options and how many filters.

All comments are welcome on these ideas.

I have been using the prototype for the past week on my DVD player and RPTV. Colors are more intense, blacks are blacker and there is a quiter background on the audio from isolating the switching power supplies.

The balanced power transformer can also be configured to allow folks who live in countries that have 220-240 VAC to use balanced 120 VAC.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Nov 2004, 04:07 pm »

Wayne, can you give us the size of this unit? Looks to be around 3-4 inches in H, 6 in W, and maybe 12 in L?

Wayne1 · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Nov 2004, 04:50 pm »

Mark,

The case is roughly 3" H x 6 1/4" W x 8 3/4" deep.

I removed the input AC filter on my prototype and installed the DC blocker circuit and surge protection.

There was a mild mechanical hum coming from the transformer when I first installed it. Now with the DC blocker in place, There is no hum or noise at all.

Very small amounts of DC may be present on almost any AC lines. This may originate from an appliance, light dimmer, or even from outside the house. Toroidal transformers are fairly sensitve to DC and can vibrate or hum when this is present. the DC blocker totally eliminates this problem.

This circuit can be installed in front of the balanced transformer and in front of the filter box, if no transformer is used.

I was even thinking of offerring a small adaptor with the DC Blocker and surge protectors built into it, so it can be added to any existing transformer that might have a bit of a hum to it.

It could be built into something similar to the AC Purifier with Bybee Inside

MaxCast · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Nov 2004, 05:44 pm »

You could call the add on adaptor a "hum-dinger."

Wayne1 · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Nov 2004, 06:19 pm »

GREAT Name, Rich.

Hum -Dinger it is

zybar · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Nov 2004, 08:45 pm »

Looks like a winner Wayne.

Best of luck.

George

Marbles · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Nov 2004, 08:49 pm »

I bet you could sell a lot more of them if you called them Hum - Jobs

Jay S · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Nov 2004, 08:13 am »

Looks good! Glad you were able to fit a 650 V/A transformer in the case. It should be big enough to power a plasma TV as well (which uses about 300 watts, not that I have a plasma TV yet!) plus maybe a cd and pre. Even tube pres use very little power so this would be more than enough for anyone's front end, esp if a tv isn't plugged in.

Hantra · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Nov 2004, 12:39 pm »

That's cool! I've been looking for something simple, and cost effective for my front end. Looks like this might be the ticket.

And I've got a better name for it.

The Bolder Mediator

Wayne1 · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Nov 2004, 03:21 pm »

Thanks for all the kind words, guys.

You too, Marbles

JayS was the inspiration for this project. He asked me if I could come up with a good quality transformer so he could use a DVD player made for the US in Hong Kong. After a lot of thought and research I decided that a balanced power transformer would fit the ticket. I added on the AC filters to isolate the units plugged into it from each other. The DC blocker has been proving very helpful.

The transformer is actually 625 VA and has a secondary current capability of 5.2 amps

I should get Jay's unit out to him next week, he already had a case and outlets from a previous project I built for him.

Bubba has asked about a quality transformer so he could use Japanese Laser disc players (which run off 100 VAC) here in the US off of 120 VAC.

It would be fairly simple. It would require a different transformer than I am currently using, but it is not a special order type. The cost would be about the same for this item and would have a current capability of around 6.5 amps

zybar · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Nov 2004, 03:28 pm »

Wayne,

What would you recommend if I wanted to connect the following:

plasma
panny xr-45
panny rp-82 dvd player
HD directv receiver
tivo directv receiver

Thanks,

George

Wayne1 · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 Nov 2004, 07:21 pm »

Hello George,

Sorry for the delay in answering your question.

if you are planning to use your Monster Power filter, you would only need the balanced transformer box.

If you are looking to replace your current filter, I would say both boxes with one filter built into the transformer box. The other box should have 4 additional filters. This would provide balanced and separately filtered power to each of your components. It would also isolate all the switching power supplies from each other.

Jay S · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Nov 2004, 12:33 am »

I've just gotten word from Wayne that my Bolder AC Power Conditioner has been shipped out to me. Its got a transformer wired to take in 220v and output 110v balanced power, AC filters for each Acme silver duplex outlet, DC blocker, slow start circuit, NITRO internal wiring, ACME Silver Fuse holder and a hard-wired 3' long NITRO power cable.

Now, all I've got to do is decide on which modded universal player to get... but I'm confident that the Bolder AC power conditioner will ensure that a 110v player will now sound better than the same unit wired for 220v, but not hooked up through the Bolder AC power conditioner.

By the way, in case my post creates any confusion, please note that the step-down transformer was a special request to Wayne from me as I want to use U.S. gear in Hong Kong. For you guys in the U.S., the Bolder AC Conditioner won't change the voltage so you can plug it into a normal household outlet and use your usual audio gear.

Jay S · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 02:27 pm »

Hi Wayne,

Just wanted to let you know that the Bolder AC Power Conditioner is now sitting safe and sound at my home! It arrived in HK on Jan 8 (surface shipping took ~6 weeks, which isn't bad for an 8,000 mile trip over the x'mas holidays) but I had been out of town until last night.. I dropped by the post office this afternoon to pick it up... before heading off to the airport again.

As my modded universal player is still a work-in-progress I am planning on breaking in the Power Conditioner with the LCD TV and dvd player in my bedroom (I have very few 110v or multi-volt appliances right now) -- at least I'll be able to "see" an improvement. With a bit of luck, the cable TV set top box is multivolt as well so that I can plug it in as well and get more of an improvement in video quality.

Now that CES is over I hope to make progress on my universal player... which is the main reason that I got this power conditioner.

For now, what I can say about the power conditioner is that it has the solid Bolder Cable build quality that I have grown accustomed to. The box is not very bulky but it feels like it is full of stuff inside (see pic above). Its got a nice weighty feel to it. I'll post listening/video impressions once I'm done with break-in.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Jan 2005, 02:17 pm »

Jay,

I am VERY glad the Balanced Power transformer finally arrived.

The prototype I built to test here has been working out great for my RPTV and DVD player. It took some time to break-in and settle down. Your's won't take quite as long with the broken in outlets.

Keep us informed of your impressions of the unit.

Cheers,
Wayne

Jay S · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Jan 2005, 03:43 pm »

Wayne,

Thanks! Am thinking of separating the video and audio systems... I haven't tried running a TV on balanced power yet but if it works out well then I guess the ol' Jon Risch filter box could use a transformer...

Cheers,

- Jay

Jay S · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 06:30 am »

Here's a quick update: I am now using the Bolder AC conditioner in my bedroom, where it is powering a Sharp LCD tv, a set-top cable box and a JVC DVD player. Fortunately, they are all multivolt (100-240v).

The set-up is not optimal since the Bolder conditioner is not plugged straight to the wall. Rather, it is plugged into an el-cheapo generic extension cord... where I've also plugged in a cordless phone, my cell phone charger, an electric blanket, a lamp and who knows what other noise-producing electronics.

Nonetheless... my wife and I both feel the picture of the LCD tv is now clearer and more vivid. I am hoping it will improve further as the Bolder conditioner warms up and breaks in.