Help choosing Power Conditioner

Consider the Powervar ABC 1200-11 toroidal balanced power conditioner. For $229, it's a no-brainer, and it'll do what the uber-expensive balanced power units do...but for considerably less. Heck, if you don't like what it does in your system, you can re-sell it for nearly what you paid. What could be less risk than that?

dealers or even members that may be listing something should disclose that fact and only be responding if they can be adding something useful other then an advertisement to the discourse.

Hey Maineiac, if that comment is a dig at me it's unfounded. My recommendation of the Powervar is a real world, low cost, common sense approach to a widely used conditioner, and the link I provided is not an item I am selling, nor do I know the seller.

I suspect your objection is to the link to the Audiogon classified ad and not to the recommendation, so let me try this another way.

Powervar power conditioners are used by hospitals and industry. They provide power conditioning comparable to esoteric audiophile power conditioners for considerably less dough...an ABC1200-11 retails for $1200 but can be found on E-Bay or in the Audiogon classifieds for 81% less.

Maineiac, thanks for the explanation. No worries.

Jman66, you make a good point about the humming. I own a OneAC unit that does have transformer hum, and I have moved it to my HT system where it's located in an area that masks the hum. Readers should note that we are referring to hum coming from the conditioner itself and not a ground loop hum in the loudspeakers. At least that's not the hum I'm talking about. I suppose I shouldn't speak for Jman66.

It would seem one could use a product like a PS Audio Ultimate Outlet Humbuster ($299 new, or less used) in conjunction with a Powervar ABC1200-11, and have top quality, hum-free conditioning for $528 or less. That beats most of the audiophile transformer based conditioners.

Also, I have low level hum in my VAC power supply and in my First Sound power supply, so this is not limited to power conditioners with torroidal transformers.

A neutral power conditioner shouldn't impart any sonic characteristic other than perhaps making the music seem a little "louder" due to a lowered noise floor. Other conditioners may soften the highs somewhat, or impart other sonic characteristics, but these cannot be considered neutral, and are chosen for the flavors they add to the sound.

I've read that a PS Audio Humbuster may eliminate the transformer hum from the Powervar if the hum is an issue.