Get your own electrical supply.

[1morerecord2clean]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-gift-for-music-lovers-who-have-it-all-a-personal-utility-pole-1471189463

[Dr.Ears]

I was thinking audiophiles should live in there own communities with our own nuclear reactors.

[Bill Hart]

Ears- you beat me to it. I need to talk to the powers that be in Texas to get a nuclear plant permit. It is the way to go--there are small, non volatile reactors- pretty safe- there's one on the UT campus, I think a few others scattered at physics labs throughout the country. They aren't used for power but with a couple tweaks, hmmmm.

http://www.ga.com/triga

[MylesBAstor]

Yes Columbia Engineering School had a Triga reactor campus in the middle of Manhattan. Imagine how that went over when politicians realized that.

[Joe Pittman]

Seriously, has anybody experimented with the Tesla Powerwalls? Nine 14 kWh Powerwall batteries cost $49,500, and could be an interesting alternative to running "off-grid". Adventurous audio wackos could just bypass the converters and use the massive pure DC to run everything and eliminate PSUs...

[dcc]

I am not there yet. Though I have solar panels, I am connected to the grid (no choice in my country - you must be connected). I am basically offsetting the insane consumption of my Krell Evolution One power amps. All the electricity I am producing and re-injecting in the grid is deducted from my overall consumption. My system is carbon neutral but is not immune from all the junk that goes through the grid

[Bill Hart]

Seriously, has anybody experimented with the Tesla Powerwalls? Nine 14 kWh Powerwall batteries cost $49,500, and could be an interesting alternative to running "off-grid". Adventurous audio wackos could just bypass the converters and use the massive pure DC to run everything and eliminate PSUs...

Didn't those guys in England have a battery set up a number of years ago? You know, the guys who make those Speakers for Sheiks--Living Voice/Definitive Audio? Apropos of your comment and the post by dcc, wouldn't it make sense to generate the power stored by those batteries from solar? I get the idea of isolating from the grid --I use a Veloce line stage which is battery powered--but to charge up the batteries, you are using conventional power, no?

[Alrainbow]

Batteries have noise too and need to be regulated right ? And you would need a DC bus fro each equipment Piece and I'll bet it would pollute the DC grid . I remenber reading about a DC battery setup ultra hi end system.
Red wine uses a type of capacitor that has a very low imp and very fast response . In my CUST caps I use 4 DC regulated battery supplies. They each have two batteries and switch as one depletes . So lays pure DC while the other one charges .
As for your own pole it's far cheaper to just use a large ISO transformer that uses 208 meaning two of the three phases and converts its own 120 for our equipment . In doing so you can be is isolated from grounds in your home making it your own grid in your home.
In my room I use this concept witha 10K ISO 208/125 one bus feed leaves the transformer to a pan array of hospital grade outlets . Like what joe has only I'll bet his is better due to parts he uses.
The artcle is nice but I must be missing something lol. No matter what pole is used its still on the grid of that area as such polluted .

[dcc]

Didn't those guys in England have a battery set up a number of years ago? You know, the guys who make those Speakers for Sheiks--Living Voice/Definitive Audio? Apropos of your comment and the post by dcc, wouldn't it make sense to generate the power stored by those batteries from solar? I get the idea of isolating from the grid --I use a Veloce line stage which is battery powered--but to charge up the batteries, you are using conventional power, no?

If you want to go off-grid, you need to assess whether solar panels will ensure self-sufficiency for charging the bank of batteries. I know a case where a family living in a very remote area in France has solar panels and a wind turbine as the panels will not provide enough juice in the winter.

It might also force you to rethink your approach regarding energy/electricity consumption by having highly efficient appliances etc.

Though I am not a eco-activist at all, I somehow adopted that approach for reducing the overall energy consumption of our household:
- better insulation of the house though there are some limitations with a 19th century house
- solar panels and I am thinking increasing my capacity in the coming years by installing a Smartflower in the backyard
- solar boiler
- highly efficient central heating system (the Germans are leaders in that area)
- installing a high efficiency wood stove in the living room (a converted barn)
- all light bulbs have been replaced

And I also drive a Merc C Class Hybrid that gets 47 mpg with still a comfy 230 BHP.

The only thing where I reckon that I have miserably failed is that I was not ready to give up on my big and mighty Krells... I could not imagine switching to class D amps

[Alrainbow]

Solar cells use an inverter to create 60 cycles AC we readily use. This type of inverter is a horrible choice for audio it has plenty of harmonics and is not a sign wave but a square wave. Now here are some expensive inverters made that use a sign wave type like a regen does

[cpp]

Ah just go solar and enjoy you're batteries or buy Powerwall2 from Tesla

[Kingrex]

Just to ameliorate any confusion, gear that is based upon batteries was designed around batteries. Most amps have a large input transformer that utilizes AC power. You cant just put a bank of batteries in series in front of your rack and expect it to work. There is no changing magnetic field in DC power to move the electrons in the secondary windings of the transformer. In my amp, the primary transformer produces 6 volts for the anode and some insanely high voltage for the cathode. From there a set of diodes or tubes rectifies the power to DC. If I went to DC power, I would have to have multiple DC voltages inserted into my amp. I would have to rebuilt most all of my amp power supply. It could be done. I agree inverters do not make clean sign waves. It actually makes me wonder if a solar grid on your roof, running at peak gain may be adding a lot of distorted sine wave into your power supply. I was going to blame my neighbor for my bad power, then I realized my power is also bad at night.

I have done a bit of experimenting with line isolation transformers. My latest was using a Topaz 2.4 kva transformer. I have also used the Isotec Syncro. I installed the transformers in my basement since they hum a lot. I run 10 AWG conductor to and from them to my wall outlets. On every piece of gear I plugged into the circuit, I heard a change in the tone of the gear and usually a veil over the sound. My Rega Osiris actually benefited from the Isotec Syncro. It added just enough smoothness to get rid of the grain in the music. It also shut down the mechanical hum that could be heard all through out my living room. The Topaz transformer worked well with my Conrad Johnson Premier 140 power amp. It took a lot of mechanical noise out of the amp. It did add a little veil to the sound but it was not significant. The Syncro with the CJ just shut down the air. Big veil on the music. It did a better job of eliminating mechanical noise than the transformer, but it spoiled the music. The topaz has also ran my Altec Lansing 1570B that were modified by Transition Audio Design. For some reason my amps reacted to the transformer and you could very audibly hear the 60 hertz buzz. None of my front end gear benefited from any power supply conditioner I installed.

I guess what I am saying is altering the power supply is like tuning with interconnects and power cords. Some work and other detract. You really need to know what the manufacturer did at the plant. If they already put passive devices to clean the power in their equipment, adding more may be detrimental. Isolation transformer also cost money to run. Mine added $15 per month to my power bill.

I have the Mercedes ML550. It sucks gas, but it sure has power to spare.

[MylesBAstor]

Just to ameliorate any confusion, gear that is based upon batteries was designed around batteries. Most amps have a large input transformer that utilizes AC power. You cant just put a bank of batteries in series in front of your rack and expect it to work. There is no changing magnetic field in DC power to move the electrons in the secondary windings of the transformer. In my amp, the primary transformer produces 6 volts for the anode and some insanely high voltage for the cathode. From there a set of diodes or tubes rectifies the power to DC. If I went to DC power, I would have to have multiple DC voltages inserted into my amp. I would have to rebuilt most all of my amp power supply. It could be done. I agree inverters do not make clean sign waves. It actually makes me wonder if a solar grid on your roof, running at peak gain may be adding a lot of distorted sine wave into your power supply. I was going to blame my neighbor for my bad power, then I realized my power is also bad at night.

I have done a bit of experimenting with line isolation transformers. My latest was using a Topaz 2.4 kva transformer. I have also used the Isotec Syncro. I installed the transformers in my basement since they hum a lot. I run 10 AWG conductor to and from them to my wall outlets. On every piece of gear I plugged into the circuit, I heard a change in the tone of the gear and usually a veil over the sound. My Rega Osiris actually benefited from the Isotec Syncro. It added just enough smoothness to get rid of the grain in the music. It also shut down the mechanical hum that could be heard all through out my living room. The Topaz transformer worked well with my Conrad Johnson Premier 140 power amp. It took a lot of mechanical noise out of the amp. It did add a little veil to the sound but it was not significant. The Syncro with the CJ just shut down the air. Big veil on the music. It did a better job of eliminating mechanical noise than the transformer, but it spoiled the music. The topaz has also ran my Altec Lansing 1570B that were modified by Transition Audio Design. For some reason my amps reacted to the transformer and you could very audibly hear the 60 hertz buzz. None of my front end gear benefited from any power supply conditioner I installed.

I guess what I am saying is altering the power supply is like tuning with interconnects and power cords. Some work and other detract. You really need to know what the manufacturer did at the plant. If they already put passive devices to clean the power in their equipment, adding more may be detrimental. Isolation transformer also cost money to run. Mine added $15 per month to my power bill.

I have the Mercedes ML550. It sucks gas, but it sure has power to spare.

Hmmmm....you jogged my memory. Maybe I'll plug the VPI power supply into the Silver Circle PLC. I didn't plug the older SDS PLC into it because it was digital and put a lot of crap into the line. But the new power supply is all analog and the PLC may benefit the sound. Only one way to know. Try it.

This product that measures line noise was mentioned in another thread. Have you had any experience with it or something like it?

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Line-Line-EMI-Meter/dp/B00OY2NKAC

[astrotoy]

Batteries have noise too and need to be regulated right ? And you would need a DC bus fro each equipment Piece and I'll bet it would pollute the DC grid . I remenber reading about a DC battery setup ultra hi end system.
Red wine uses a type of capacitor that has a very low imp and very fast response . In my CUST caps I use 4 DC regulated battery supplies. They each have two batteries and switch as one depletes . So lays pure DC while the other one charges .
As for your own pole it's far cheaper to just use a large ISO transformer that uses 208 meaning two of the three phases and converts its own 120 for our equipment . In doing so you can be is isolated from grounds in your home making it your own grid in your home.
In my room I use this concept witha 10K ISO 208/125 one bus feed leaves the transformer to a pan array of hospital grade outlets . Like what joe has only I'll bet his is better due to parts he uses.
The artcle is nice but I must be missing something lol. No matter what pole is used its still on the grid of that area as such polluted .

I had Art Kelm install one of his IsoTransformers, he calls them Ground One, which supplies all the power for my system. He mostly installs systems for recording studios and recording artists (and a couple of years ago was hired by Capitol Records to manage their redo of their studios). Definitely lowered the noise level of my system to essentially inaudible. You can google him.

http://www.ground1.com/client_list.htm

Larry

[Kingrex]

Oddly I have never run an analyzer at my house. I was going to take one home when I worked at Square D, but it was a complicated machine. I never did. I am no longer with Square D. I am working as a journeyman Electrician. I am not an electrical engineer. I DON'T know what I am talking about when it comes to the physics of power. All I can do is wire a house or commercial building. I am good at troubleshooting.

I got back into audio about 5 years ago and have a pretty nice system now. I love audio and am looking to branch out into helping people have better power supplies feeding their equipment. I started on this path when I introduced an amp into my house that hummed like the dickens. It did not hum at 2 of my friends houses. It did hum, but to a lesser extent at the local Magnolia Hifi. I took home their Furman power conditioner to see if it would help. It just clouded the music and hummed almost as loud as my amp use to. I returned it the next day. This lead me to try and resolve the issue. The first thing I did was install conduit to my audio rack with 10AWG wire and Porter Port outlets. That amazed me. There is nothing like good dedicated power. Lots of power, air and ease in the music that was not there before. Of course the hum was still there. That lead me to experimenting with different power designs, grounding, devices, elimination of devices in my house etc.

I am by no means any expert, just a guy with a little practical experience. I am trying to learn more about what works, and does not work in other peoples audio environments. Any input is very much appreciated. I hope I can find practical answers to our power issues and spread what I am finding that works.

I looked through the Ground One website. Art looks like he know what he is doing when it comes to equipment protection and reduction of noise. I agree with most of what he does accept for adding an additional #14 ground wire to mechanically ground any boxes, frames, conduit etc. If he is creating an isolated ground system, he could inadvertently create differing levels of resistance between the chassis and the power or signal ground. High end phono stages or preamps may pick this up and it could become a source of hum (ground loups). Art's resume is all about recording studios. I can see a need for what he does in that environment. It's kind of like creating a clean room. My personal experience has been, in a home environment with high end 2 channel audio gear. You can hear isolation transformers and capacitors that are in the signal chain. In some instance it is positive, in others negative. Either way, it does insert its own voicing. I would actually be interested to know what Astrotoy hears if you were to one by one, move a piece of equipment off the isolated circuit, and onto the same circuit feeding the transformer. Your very efficient horn speakers should resolve the difference quite audibly. Also, Why did you add the transformer. Was it poor utility power? Were your amps humming? Ground loups? Did you replace all the dimmers in your house with Lutron Maestro dimmers. Those have a filter in the dimmer that keep the noise from polluting back into your power. They work very well. For $30 each they better. If you have under counter lights in the kitchen that have a high low switch those put all sorts of sine wave distortion onto your power. Put them on high and dim from the Lutron.

Take care.

[Socrates]

Hi Kingrex,

Just to say for your and other members to note re the "problem"of Humming components--I had this prior to my installation of the PurePower Regenerators

I have the early models (2000i)which sit in the Listening Room and are whisper quiet and stay on 24/7. On these models you adjust the level via aTrimpot on the front panel of the Unit.

Any residual/etc Hum from my components is virtually eradicated with these in the line--I have 850KVA Toroidals --these can be the WORST offenders as well--ha!

Here is the note from Damian at PP that fixed my situation --so if you have these -- any remaining Hum/buzz/etc would be eliminated or brought to a level not audible

Good luck

Soc


"The current balance adjustment on the PurePower AC Regenerators will help with almost all potentially humming amps.

The balance is best applied with all of the components you intend to power connected. It is a load-

feedback based adjustment and will balance the current far what you have connected, so it will only help any component attached. The correction may be clockwise or counter,

depending on the current setting and the level of adjustment needed. Feel free to experiment to find the best setting for lowest hum level.


On our new PurePower 3000+ models, this adjustment is automatic and processor controlled rather than manual."