Best Power Conditioner?


Just wondering what people's view on different power conditioners are. What could be considered the best?

Audio Magic Stealth
Shunyata Hydra
Sound Application CF-12XE
PS Audio Powerplant 1200
5 dollar 6 outlet electrical strip

Obviously there are others. What have you had the best sucess with?
smjason
I agree with KF...

I have used PS Audio with very good results on less expensive gear (eg. Sunfire Amp, Theta Miles).

Improvement in the Theta was nice but the sunfire was a different story...
It was like I had bought and brand new amp. it was incredible..

In my opinion, the sonic improvements gained by a regenerator such as the PS Audio are proportional to the quality of your incoming ac and the power supply(s) in your gear.

When I upgraded to very good amps (Atma Sphere MA1 mkII.2) the improvements were positive, but far less dramatic than the sunfire.

I still use a PS300 for front end.

Although, I was most suprised by the installation of dedicated balanced ac lines with good receptacles?

I have heard great results with these and it was somewhat less expensive than the very big and good generators/conditioners.

I have not heard the other choices but have read great reviews on Hydra.
You may want to add Foundation Research into your list. FR makes passive in-line conditioners that take the place of an aftermarkter power cord. These are about as expensive as most active power conditioners but I believe do as much if not more that most in the list above.

Of course, the Foundation Research in-line conditioners, passive conditioners that they are, do not regenerate electrical current.

Foundation Research is a little known company a few hours outside of Toronto, Canada with Ed Wolkow as the Chief owner/designer. He also makes SS amplifiers and tubed preamplifiers that are supposedly out of this world. His new V6 preamp has been touted by some as the very best.

I am using two LC-1's for my source and pre and an LC-2 for my amp. At the very least, you would notice a much lowered noise floor, better imaging and soundstaging, and a vast reduction in sibilance with the addition of each LC into the mix.

-IME
I have owned the PS 300 the Hydra and the CF-X. In my systems the CF-X is clearly the best, second to the CF-X would be the Hydra and then the PS Audio unit. Word has it that the Audio Magic Stealth is better than the CF-X and quite a bit cheaper too.
The PS Audio products are current limiting and choke down the sound. The do quiet things down a bit, but the expense of what is lost is not worth it.

I did not get a chance to spend a whole lot of time with the Audio Magic Stealth (1 week with a broken in unit), but my experience was that of being underwhelmed to say the least. It probably is a good value at the price, but that is it.

The Sound Application is excellent. It can sound a bit lean and thin in some systems, but it really does a good job.

The HYDRA is my favorite out of the bunch. It limits nothing and allows everything you want to hear come through. Although I am a Shunyata dealer, I can say that this recommendation should be taken seriously because they are not available anymore. There is a new model called the HYDRA Guardian (?) which will be out in a few months. I cannot comment on it as I have not heard it yet. What I have heard is that it is projected to be quite a bit less expensive than the HYDRA with uncompromising surge protection to boot.

Another recommendation I have which is not on your list is the Jena Labs Fundamental Power 6.1. It is an all out assault on power conditioning and has done amazing things in my system. If you decide you want to listen to it, I am sure I can setup an audition for you. The only drawback is that it is very expensive. The retail cost is 6k.