Power conditioner or outlet?

Okay. So the opinion I read, plug your amp/preamp straight into wall is valid then. Perhaps okay for other components?

What I have read is that a good power conditioner can clean up the fed power and improve...i suppose much like a really good power cord?

I think the presupposition for those who advocate plugging directly into the wall is the circuit is dedicated to that plug/amplifier. Otherwise, and depending on the current requirements of the amplifier, I don’t think its advisable to share the power fed to the amplifier with other electrical devices in the house, especially dimmers or appliances which turn on/off thermostatically. A simple test for the circuit is plug in a high wattage hairdryer in the shared socket and measure the voltage drop when you turn it on. Try the same with your power conditioner. A good power conditioner will/should have no voltage drop with a high wattage hairdryer running with everything else plugged into it.

@erik_squires 

Which Furman do you use?  They have quite a range of products.  Thanks in advance.

My ears are not good enough to worry about power sources and power cords but I have lost some moderately expensive gear (big TV, home theater system) to a lightning strike that did not even hit my house (but close by).

How does one protect high end audio gear from lightning?

I'm aware that nothing is completely lightning proof from a direct hit but I suspect if I'd had anything in place between my TV etc and the wall outlet I might have saved my gear. How do you protect super expensive audio gear? Unplugging really ins't practical unless you do it every night and every time you leave the house.

@ghosthouse 

They do, which is why I specified SMP and LiFT as being the important features for me. 

I use an older model, Elite 15i something something, although sometimes I supplement it with a voltage regulator.