Power conditioners

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sam Laming
  • Start date Start date
nbarts":1dk4186p said:
You should probably look into ac/dc-dc/ac units, but I should warn you that they are really expensive.
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When you see the price, you'll be...

THUNDERSTRUCK!!!

:hys: :hys:

sorry, been listening to a lot of AC/DC on Sirius the last couple weeks...
 
Voltage Regulator version

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=AR-1215

Power Conditioner (model I have; I have 2 of these, and one older version)
http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=PL-PLUS_II

As stated, the more expensive voltage regulation keeps a constant voltage whereas the power conditioner protects from power surges, spikes, filters line noise, and will shutdown at too much voltage. So I was only looking for something that would commit suicide before frying my gear. If you have the cash, the voltage regulator version is better. In my experience, I never operated in the red zone of the voltage meter leds so I never upgraded to the voltage regulator. One thing you might consider is to get the power conditioner version with the voltage meter, if you play in locations where you are in the red, you can sell it and upgrade; if not operating in the red and you just want gear protection from frying....

My half farthings worth.
 
Sam Laming":1ykposgv said:
Haha, I'm getting mixed opinions here :lol: :LOL:

Well I've already got the tuner + G Force + plan on the rest. The only reason I said maybe another effects unit and emulator is because I'm going to have 2 rigs running at once it seems (Got an 8 string coming with Piezos that has a separate output)... Crap? I adore my G-Force and Korg, the rest of it I'll find out sooner or later :gethim:
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I also have a G-Force. It's great for what it was designed to do 11 years ago but it doesn't even come close to the effects in the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx standard. I mean, the G-Force runs all of its effects on one 8-bit processor!!! The memory is purely negligible, and it is on the brink of discontinuation - EOL.

The G-Force even to this day will cost you more than $1,500 and you can get the Axe-Fx Standard alone for that much. All the other effects that you have mentioned in this post will not only be unnecessary, but it will become extraneous soon.
 
Well something like the Furman AR-1215 would do the job, but so far i can only find the 120v versions on the net...

Maybe call up Furman UK's customer support and see if they can hook you up with a 240v version? :)
 
Pimp my power power conditioner y'allll hmmm... maybe I'll do so, probably to no avail.
 
MrDan666":gfb8g68k said:
If you are powering your main amp off the Power Conditioner.. personally i would opt for the Voltage Regulation...

Purely because it will help keep your amps tone consistant night after night. Without the voltage regulation, some venues can absolutely kill your tone and make it sound like utter shit. It can be a massive difference and i know because i have experienced it more than once. In some places the incorrect incoming voltage to the amp, can make the amp sound all shrill and ear piercing or can make it sound like pure mush with a severe lack of gain.

If you can get one for a great price, a Furman which does the actuall voltage regulation (eg taking the incoming voltage and keeping it constantly at 120VAC or within a small range around that number) and also power conditioning then it would be worth the extra dough.
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This is SO true. I used to rehearse in spot that would sometimes jump around. I just have a Furman with the dig read-out. Whenever it was at one extreme or another, it sounded like shit. Most of the time it was 118-122, but there were some days......ugh.

A regulator will also make your tubes last longer, correct? If the voltage is running high, you send more juice to the tubes-wearing them out faster?
 
Voltage regulation is good if you can afford it. I have played gigs (usually outdoor) where the voltage sag was so extreme that tube amps were distorting on 1 and digital devices were going haywire. At least get something with a line voltage meter so you can see if there's an issue. If you're putting a lot of stuff on it and maybe operating near it's peak output, get one with a current draw meter - like the PM-8.

I have one of these: http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=PF-PROR doesn't regulate voltage but has a capacitor to help with sag. Offers non-sacrificial suppression circuit, advanced noise filtering, full metering, blah, blah... I use it, with a few SS-6B power strips, to supply stage power for amps live and in the studio.

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=SS-6B
 
Sam Laming":15l0xdri said:
Hmmmm, just found this one:

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php? ... d=SPR-16Ei

But it's not quite as erm... small as the others? Ha. What's the deal on us Brits getting the short straw?! :cry:
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Not sure on your options in the UK, I missed that fact in the thread. I like the LEDs, in my power conditioner so I can see if I'm deep in the red or yellow - or in the green / light yellow. The closest thing to what I have that I think will work in the UK is this: http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=03&id=PL-PLUSE_II

The version with the digital number readout is more exact, it will tell you the voltage near exact. The one with the LEDs (PL-Plus Series II, that I have) is fine in the green and in some yellow zones. As I said, I never played in the red so I didn't upgrade to the voltage regulator version.
 
Generally speaking - A power conditioner is designed to condition the power but does not regulate voltage. A voltage regulator is designed to regulate voltage to a specific point (IE: 120V, etc). For example, A 120V voltage regulator will regulate the voltage to 120V when the power fluctuates up and down. Varying voltage to an amplifier will cause the tone to change and will also effect how the amp responds/feels.


Merry Christmas & happy holidays
Trace
 
voodooamps":3tikokj6 said:
Generally speaking - A power conditioner is designed to condition the power but does not regulate voltage. A voltage regulator is designed to regulate voltage to a specific point (IE: 120V, etc). For example, A 120V voltage regulator will regulate the voltage to 120V when the power fluctuates up and down. Varying voltage to an amplifier will cause the tone to change and will also effect how the amp responds/feels.


Merry Christmas & happy holidays
Trace
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What Trace said! :D

IMHO, I never noticed power in the red on my power conditioner so I never upgraded to the voltage regulator; and I just wanted something that would sacrifice itself and save my rack gear. I also never noticed a dramatic tone change due to power as it was always in the green or in the yellow, I suppose I just attributed any tone changes to the room acoustics not the power.
 
Would be nice to find one that can cut out at a set low or high parameter... I've blown up a couple power amps and a least a dozen diaphragms from overtaxed generators browning out.
 
MrDan666":1tfi912u said:
King Crimson":1tfi912u said:
MrDan666":1tfi912u said:
If you are powering your main amp off the Power Conditioner.. personally i would opt for the Voltage Regulation...

Purely because it will help keep your amps tone consistant night after night.
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WTF are you talking about? Voltage regulation has absolutely nothing to do with the tone your rig produces. Unwanted noise, 60 cycle hum maybe, but tone, no. Some of guys are simply spending too much time whacking off and should be playing your guitar and rig more...

Sam, just get a furman pl-plus series II and you'll be fine.
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No.. WTF are you talking about?

Im talking about ACTUAL experience i have had when playing live many times in various venues. When playing in venues where the voltage is either WAY lower or WAY higher than the set 120v or 240v your amp wants to see.. then it screws with your tone big time!!

IF you dont believe me then power your rig through a Variac and change the incoming voltages to anything higher/lower than 120v. Listen with your ears and then tell me im wrong. There's a reason why guys like EVH/Steve Stevens/Lynch used variacs to change the voltage, because it CHANGES the tone!
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I have a variac, and it absolutly does change the tone. I'm not so fond of using it. It kinda scares me :scared:
 
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