Since you're worried about lightning and surges, DMi makes a good suggestion: install a whole-house surge protector at the junction box of the house. I, too, live in a thunderstorm-rich environment---rural Minnesota---this summer, I installed a unit from Environmental Potentials that was adapted from their industrial model, the EP 205. Since I have no way of monitoring surges and/or pikes caused by lightning, etc., I really cannot say how effectively the unit worked, but having the unit in place lessened my anxiety throughout the storm season, so much so that I left my system plugged in and running in spite of numerous storms. The unit also had another benefit in that it lowered a bit of high frequency hash that I was not aware of until I installed the EP 2050. This enhanced resolution and soundstaging. The unit was reviewed in Enjoy the Music by Bill Gaw in one of his "Audiolics Anonymous" columns several months ago.
I agree with our guru, Klaus, that in general, amps should be plugged into the wall. However, on the issue of low-level noise and distortion caused by mains hash, I think there is so much crap coming in on the AC that scrubbing it clean is mandatory. While I am aware of the current limiting characteristics of many devices, there are those that operate in parallel or otherwise do not limit or whose effect is negligible. Now, I am no authority on this matter and I am simply sharing MY experience with experimenting with only a handful of cables, conditioners, regenerators, and filters, but for MY ears and MY system---mono extremes, placette passive pre, custom battery operated phono pre, sony scd-777es with level 5 VSE mods, and a pair of mod'ed Apogee Duetta Signature ribbon speakers that are very current demanding---cleaning the AC is a major enhancement to my enjoyment of the music.
I use a balanced transformer unit ---BPT 2.5+, that is rated at a mere 15 amps that I plug the amps and cd player into and do not experience, at least to my ears, current limiting from the BPT unit. And, yes, I have listened with and without the unit in place, plugging the amps directly into the wall. And, I also forgot to mention, I have a dedicated AC line to feed the amps, and nothing other than the amps and cd player are fed off of this line.
I also use other noise reducing devices: diy parallel capacitor filters at several places, Bybee purifiers at numerous places including the BPT conditioner, speakers, and phono pre. I am a tweaker from way back and I find that clean AC is a major, essential, vital, prime (whatever term in your vocabulary you use to emphasize extreme importance) ingredient of a high definition, musically satisfying hifi system.
Also on the subject of noise and distortion, I use various devices to reduce or damp or redirect vibrations. Aurios, tip-toes of various shapes, sizes, and material (brass and stainless steel), lead-shot whatyamacallits, marigo tuning dots (tiny, tiny miracle workers). In general, these devices lower the noise floor and reduce distortion resulting in an enhanced soundstage and more resolution and transparency. My Extremes are more defined and have better resolution when mounted on the huge brass tip-toes from Mapleshade (the tip-toes are set on maple planks). Like AC mains conditioners/regenerators, I consider these devices essential. Each affects the components and sound differently. As Klaus reminds, experimentation is the key to finding that synergy for our system.
