Am i missing something without a power conditioner?

I forgot to mention that power conditioners often have multiple circuits fit with different filters [and manufacturer twaddle to accompany].

The 5300 has two 'Regular' and 1 'High' current circuits. One  Regular switched and the other not. The Regulars are recommended for TVs, preamps, CD, etc. and the High ostensibly for Amps and Subs.

FWIW, my PrimaLuna 5 sounds best when connected to the Regular direct rather than High current outlet. OTOH, the NuPrime ST-10 loves the High current outlet. The PL5 has a much simpler higher voltage, lower current PS than the ST-10.

Bottom line is not only will power conditioners themselves have varying effects, various circuits therein, if fit, may react in audible ways with the load device power supply.

Then Ieales
By your thought process there really is no point ANYBODY making any recommendations then?
Makes me wonder why we are even commenting on this thread.

Surely part of the process is for readers to base an opinion of what they MIGHT expect ?
If say 95% of respondents state they had similar results with product X then it would be a safe bet to assume you would as well. Of course you could be in the unlucky 5% but sometimes you take that chance.
I base my purchases of peer reviews, recommendations, popularity and a good dose of common sense.

there really is no point ANYBODY making any recommendations

Pretty much sums it. In ancient times, a recommendation from someone whose system I'd heard and judgement I trusted would carry some heft. Your system gives you a slight uptick but "Sublime even on cassette" skotches it.<vbg>

A large problem is naiveté and owner enthusiasm for the latest and greatest which they of course own. The cost of my system wouldn't cover the tax on many, but no one who has ever heard it [or any far more costly predecessor] has failed to make complimentary comments about the precision, musicality and emotion. 

A miniscule proportion of posters have any iota of a musical reference other than HiFi and even then their reference is that it sounds better than their laptop, iJunk or smartphone. Even then some play severely bitrate limited incoherent MP3s and rave about the sonics.

After decades of being an audio recluse, recent auditions of popular/well reviewed/very expensive gear has left me non-plussed. An advantage of the modern era is stores can pull down almost anything. When I cannot distinguish multiple backing vocal tracks or piano solo instrument from tracking piano in a different studio, there is something seriously flawed in the playback. These demo's are supposedly optimized in single systems rooms. A great system draws the listener into the music. None did. Quite the opposite. I just wanted to turn it off.

in evaluating, they must be as rigorous as possible in establishing baseline conditions. It's patently worthless to insert one system, play for a while, then insert another and play different source material. My recommendation is to have a library of reference tracks, note ambient and electrical conditions,  play the system for N minutes with the same 'warm up' disc while out of the room. Only then evaluate, making notes all the while. Rinse and Repeat for additional units.

The most that anyone reading here should infer is that power conditioning MAY be beneficial and they MUST evaluate for themselves in their own system, preferably with multiple devices.

See there YOU go making a generalization about cassettes and then assuming I obviously am tone deaf and would not know hifi if it whacked me around the side of the head!
Granted there ARE a number of poor tape offerings but that can be said about EVERY medium tbh.

Taking again part of somebodys post and quoting just that one tiny part changes the entire meaning and context of said post. A very bad habit that quite a number do around here.

And FWIW on nearly every comment I make about equipment or tweaks (unless I forget) I will state in my system, in my room and to my ears, obviously EVERYBODY else will have differing results.

@atmasphere , does the Elgar give you any protection for surge, like a close lightning strike?

If not, what would be your suggestion to use along with the Elgar?