What are peoples thoughts about mains voltage-regulating power conditioners? Are they a good idea if voltage is a bit high for the components? Note that Antipodes has been fine, but thoughts about the voltages below into S60 or others could be helpful.
NZ is supposedly 230V and I am measuring 235 to 244V in my wall outlets at different times. I know that should theoretically be within general tolerances, but; my DAC and Power Amp have just been repaired after failures from suspected over-voltage. (I can’t be certain if that is just from these elevated voltages or from another power ‘event’). The power amp is only rated for 220V (2004 C/J 350 solid state). The DAC has 220V and 230V written on the back in different places, so not sure about that.
I am a bit nervous about plugging that power amp back in, and am trying to decide on a system-wide voltage regulation/conditioning option, or a more basic isolating transformer designed to step the voltage down, say, 12V just for the boxes that might be more sensitive. It would be a shame to compromise the sound over this though.
It would appear that most conditioners don’t also regulate voltage, but I have read about the Furman SPR-16 E I (being expensive for me, and also requires changing the mains cable loom to suit the different outlet plug types). I have also been looking at AliExpress options like Integrity Chinchen Store, Canada PLITRON 3000W,
Whilst I’m unsure of NZ legal tolerances, I strongly suspect that 244 Volts would be deemed quite acceptable with a quoted nominal voltage of 230 Volts… For example, mainland Europe used to have a nominal voltage of 220 volts & here in the U.K we had a nominal voltage 240 Volts. However the legal tolerance in the U.K used to be 240 Volts + or - 6% (225.6V - 254.4V). When voltages between mainland Europe & the U.K were harmonised at 230 Volts back in 1995 they actually did nothing in either the U.K or Europe except alter their respective legal supply tolerances. The voltages actually stayed the same. So here in the U.K despite the nominal voltage now being 230V the goal posts got shifted to allow for 230V +10% / -6% (216.2 Volts - 253 Volts). As you can see the upper range of legally allowed voltage dropped by only 1.4 Volts but at the lower end it dropped by 9.4 Volts. So equipment sold here & despite the fact we now have a nominal voltage of 230 Volts needs to function within a legally allowable range varying by nearly 37 Volts & of up to 253 Volts…Excess voltage will shorten equipment life by some degree but most over voltage failures are caused by transient spikes/surges of which there can be many causes, These are best dealt with by fitment of surge protection devices both locally at the equipment & at the incoming supply position…However if your voltage still concerns you, it’s worth noting that Russ Andrews makes Balanced Mains units tailored to the customers particular voltage range & offers a few options on fitted sockets. It might be worth just giving him a call for his advice & to see if it’s possible to tailor a unit suitable for yourself. https://www.russandrews.com/new-balanced-mains-units/
The thing I picked up on & maybe I read into it incorrectly is that you stated in your original post that both your DAC & power amp have just been repaired due to suspected over voltage. If they both occurred at the same time (or even roughly, as the damage might already have been done to the other) then I’d point my finger towards a large spike/surge in voltage rather than the cumulative effects of slightly higher voltage than the equipment was originally designed for… At one time as part of an earlier employ as an electrical installations inspector for the power company, I also used to deal with high & low voltage complaints. Voltage recorders were installed & usually left in place for a period of two weeks. Not once did I remove a recorder that hadn’t recorded multiple high voltage transient spikes during that period. Irrespective of anything else, if you don’t have SPD’s (surge protection devices) fitted then it’s an area you seriously need to address.
It’s interesting that failures needn’t have occurred at the same time to have been from a spike (or a few of them). As it happens, they failed a week or two apart.
I will add surge/spike protection to the priorities of any solution. I’m also guessing this is likely to be possible in the same unit as conditioning and/or voltage regulation if desired.
Something I didn’t mention is, anecdotally, the power amp felt slightly cooler to me after it had been running a few hours at the repair technician’s place than it does at my place (being 50degC over the fins). I didn’t have a thermometer at the shop to confirm that theory, but did wonder if it might be voltage related as they weren’t playing it loud.
Type 1 & type 2 SPD’s are fitted at the supply intake position & which you’ll need depends on the supply arrangement & this is the most important area to address, but you’ll require the services of an electrician to carry that out. It shouldn’t be expensive as it’s a simple enough job & the SPD’s themselves are also fairly inexpensive. SPD’s are now generally fitted on most new installations in the U.K as a matter of course. The SPD’s generally have a small indicator window in the front as even they will eventually fail, though I’ve never had to actually replace one as yet (Green is O.K & Red means it’s failed). Replacement is something you’ll be able to carry out yourself as it’s simply a case of unplugging the old SPD module & inserting a new module… After that, it’s then not a bad idea to have additional surge/spike protection devices adjacent to your sensitive equipment, many of which can simply be plugged in to a spare socket outlet. Mains fitted SPD’s & other such devices will have zero negative effects on sound quality as they aren’t connected in series & are for the most part purely passive (except when absorbing spikes/surges)…As well as SPD’s fitted at the mains position I also use Puritan Audio Guardians & Russ Andrews Mega clamps, not just next to my main audio system but adjacent to my AV system, bedroom TV etc. In fact so many of them that it looks like the little buggers are breeding. They’re literally everywhere (11 of them in total).
Thanks again.
Is their a preference between Type 1 and 2 for audio systems, if/where a choice is viable?
I haven’t found any passive wall plug SPD’s and only one active with our local AU/NZ plugs, but ordered a couple of the iFi AC iPurifiers that I did find. Hopefully they are ok. Otherwise, I could order offshore ones to use with adaptors, or cable versions with the plugs changed over.
You don’t get to choose as such, as the type of SPD required is purely down to the particular supply arrangement at your property (underground, overhead, the earthing arrangement etc). Any decent electrician will be able to advise you on quick inspection.
I use a Thor PS10 power station, made in Australia. I bought it after lightning took out a transformer two doors down and my DAC blew up. Only the DAC, weird. So bought for protection initially.
Our supply voltage fluctuates from 224 to 240V but Thor provides a rock steady 240V output and that has to be of some benefit in my mind.
There is some opinion about plugging amps into these power conditioners but I’m pretty sure there was little to no change in the sound.
Check it out here https://www.thortechnologies.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/THOR0012-PS10-FS-V12.pdf
Thor PS 10 and 20 appear to have an option of 240 or 220V output (switchable). I would have thought the ideal for NZ (and perhaps AU?) , would either be both options at once, or 230V (being the official nominal voltage for most parts of both countries according to the most convincing interweb posts I found, and better for a mix of 220-240V components). It is a serious contender for this part of the world though. and may yet be a good part of the solution
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A little story of my experience of yesterday & today.
I live in Auckland - nominally 230v - but…
For some time I have had room lights flickering from time to time. Last night I thought I would measure the voltage - varied from 205 to 210v - well under spec.
With a bad supply like that Im guessing even a conditioner might not work well.
I called the lines company, who promptly (45 min - great service) sent out a team to check. Yes it’s low but all the connections to power pole (overhead line supply) seem OK. Left for another team to look at in the daytime. They made some adjustments to my lines and pole connections, but it seems I was the last house on that phase of the line. So all the new houses in the area dragging down the voltage and me being last was affected the most.
This area of the city is slated for high intensive housing. Already well underway with many single houses being replaced by 5 units etc. Yet the power companies have done nothing to improve the supply to the whole area to enable the large extra loading (never mind the huge extra loading from electric car charging). Another observation was that the phase lines were newer thick cable, but the neutral was an old, much thinner cable.
The solution was they moved me onto another phase, which came from a different supply transformer. Instantly my voltage jumped to 237v. Im now a happy man.
So there might be other reasons for a bad supply that need attending to.
I now have a dual step-down conditioning transformer from 240V to 230V (4 outlets) and to 220V (2 outlets). 27kg, but not that huge.
Antipodes and most other boxes are plugged into 230. Other than being happy to have everything back up and running and sounding nice, I’ve also found that the 220V class AB power amp is now running at 20-25 degrees C cooler than it used to (thermometer over the cooling fins). I would deduce that 18-24V above the design voltage can be hard on some units, even if it is theoretically within tolerance.
I will soon also be looking at a mains board surge protector with an electrician, as suggested by Chilli.