RMB-1075 and power sources..

[SpOoNmAn]

I have heard a lot about NOT plugging your power amps into a line Conditioner. So when my 1075 arrives, I shouldn't plug it into my Panamax conditioner?

I have 2 dedicated circuits running into my livingroom. The Pioneer TV, pre/pro, dvd, cd, and clr2500 def tech powered center all plugged into the panamax thats running off the 20 amp line. And I thought I was doing the right thing by leaving the other Panamax thats connected to the 15amp line, empty, ready and waiting for the 1075.

If I don't use the conditioner, and plug it directly into the socket, I'll be worried about any surges/spikes, unless the amp itself has some sort of protection against this.

The amp will be arriving Wednesday(tomorrow), so any help is greatly appreciated. I was thinking about getting a 2 outlet "Brick Wall" protector to use for the amps, looks like I might have to do that afterall. Heres the item I'm speaking of... http://www.pricewheeler.com/prod2r.htm It's for high power amplifiers.

How do some of you have your amps plugged in?

By the way, my conditioners are the cheaper Max 4300's. 3 Unswitched outlets, and 4 switchable. I have always had the components that draw more power plugged into the unswitched ones.

Thanks in advance for any advice!




Life is short, Play it LOUD!

[Scarp]

First check the power rating of your amp and that of the power conditioner/filter. If the rating of the amp (plus other connected components) exceeds the rating the conditioner can handle, then don't use it with so much equipment.

E.g.: I use an APC Line-R as a power conditioner. It can "only" handle 1200 watt, so I will not put all my equipment in it, since I know the fuse will blow immediatly with my RB1090.

If the power rating is okay, then just listen to the resulting sound. Usually poweramps needs lots of power quickly. A powerconditioner needs some time to give it to that amp, which holds back the poweramp. So there can be a degradation in sound.

Note that I say "can be", so it is not always the case.

My suggestion: run a while with a conditioner and a while without (after the usual break in period). If you hear no difference in sound and your conditioner can handle the power, the use the conditioner. Otherwise think about not using it.

[SpOoNmAn]

Technical Specifications for the MAX® 4300

Maximum Current Rating 15A (1800W)

I will have JUST the 1075 plugged into the Panamax. All others will be plugged into the other Panamax thats on another dedicated circuit.

Seeing as the amp draws a max of 800, I will go ahead and try plugging it into the conditioner for now, and then try it later on running from just the wall.




Life is short, Play it LOUD!

[DSGCobra]

Totaly off topic, defently a noob question, and I don't mean to steal your thread but what does a line conditioner do?

[Danbry39]

It's not a noob question really seeing as I feel what they're supposed to do is a far cry from what they actually do. I own the Monster 5000 power conditioner. When I bought it, they sales person said I had to have it. The audio and video would be vastly improved. Well, I've done A/B's and noticed no real difference and this comes from the guy who swears power cords do make a difference.

Generally, and this may be good, power conditioners come with different connects for different components. For instance, the amp input is supposed to carry more current, the video input is supposed to filter out line contamination which might affect the picture quality. You get the picture. This could be good if you're running an amp that needs the extra current. The Monsters also have switches which can turn on several components in sequence by just turning on the Monster, which also can be a good thing. And, lastly, they have good surge protection and, from what I've heard, really follow through if components are attached to the Monster. Panamax, by the way, is supposed to be a step above the Monster.

The reason I'd recommend against leaving the amp unprotected against surges is that it could damage other equipment in a backdoor sense, even if they're protected by surge protectors. Remember, the amp will be connected with the preamp which will be connected to the sources, etc.
Damage done this way wouldn't be covered by the policy of the surge protector.

I want to state emphatically that I'm no electrician and these are only my understandings of the situation. Please, please correct me if I'm incorrect in any of this.

And lastly, SpOoNmAn, that Definitive Technology/Rotel picture is ultra-cool.




Keith

[SpOoNmAn]

Keith,

What you said made sense indeed. I do not have specific high current outlets on my Panamax, those are on the models above the ones I own.

I also agree that Panamax is a step above Monster as well. But lately I've been doing research into other alternatives, and I found out that Monster, Panamax, and some others are MOV based, and MOV's, by nature, supposedly detoriorate over time.

Brick Wall makes some interesting products, so they will be my next venture into protectors and so on.

For now, I will run comparisons to see if indeed the Panamax 4300 limits the current that the 1075 needs on demand. If I feel the receptacle itself coming from the wall sounds better, so be it.

And thanks for the avatar comment. I got bored lastnight and did some editing. Seeing as I am a Rotel/Def Tech freak, it was far too easy to slap that together Have a good one, and again, thanks for the input.

-Aaron-




Life is short, Play it LOUD!