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This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 01-31-2008 2:27 PM by benjnz. 18 replies.
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  • 01-28-2008 6:51 PM

    Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I have a pair of Beolabs 3 in my living room as my stereo system playing an ipod.  I intend to buy a surge protector but would like to know whether an energy conditioner would also make any difference in the quality of sound.  I have read that a conditioner would make a great improvement in sound quality in stereo systems and wonder whether the same would be true for the Beolabs 3.
  • 01-28-2008 8:34 PM In reply to

    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I believe power conditioners do work. We have a Panamax that our Avant, Beosound 3000, and Beolab 9s are plugged into. I noticed an improvement in all components when we first purchased it, although at that time the speakers were either Beolab 6000s or 1s, I don't remember which ones we were using at the time. We also have the Panamax plugged into a Voltage Stabilizer.

    Beovision 7-55 with Beolab 7-4, 9s and 4000s

    Beovision 10-40 with Beolab 1s and 6000s

    Beosound 1, 5, 2000, and 3000

    Beotime, Beotalk, Beocoms

  • 01-29-2008 1:11 AM In reply to

    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Hi....after looking at all the standard plug in supressors.....I went for a "whole house surge protector".....similar to some of the larger ones here...it protects the whole house and when you break it down they are actually less expensive....

     I went off ebay and bought better quality ones than these....but these are similar....and below is one off ebay similar to one that I got...it protects everything.....from your dishwasher to all your BnO stuff....

     http://www.smarthome.com/_/Cable_Structured_Wiring/_/v/nav.aspx?Ntt=Whole%20House%20Surge%20Protector&src=WG1011089

     

    http://cgi.ebay.com/NIB-IT-SURGE-PROTECTOR-SUPPRESSOR-HP-480NNC-3-PHASE_W0QQitemZ170125712244QQihZ007QQcategoryZ100184QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

  • 01-29-2008 2:02 AM In reply to

    • Alex
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I've heard the IsoTek Titan mains conditioner with BeoLab 5s, and it definitely made a difference - there was more detail and the bass seemed even better controlled.

    The Titan is quite expensive though, around £1500ish I believe, although I've heard it also makes a similar kind of difference on the 9s as it does to the 5s, so I'd assume it improves the 3s as well...

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  • 01-29-2008 3:02 AM In reply to

    • Puncher
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I on the other hand believe it all to be a complete load of tosh! (although I will be honest and tell you that I've never tried it).

    My problem with it is that, regardless of the quality or purity of the ac power source into your amp (or active speaker) the very first thing that happens is that it is rectified (converted to dc) and heavily smoothed. This being the case there is nothing a pure sine input can add to the performance of the amp.

     I prefer a crystal on top of my BM5000 - you wouldn't believe how much it improves the top end (or maybe you would)!

    Generally speaking, you aren't learning much if your lips are moving.

  • 01-29-2008 3:15 AM In reply to

    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I'm with puncher here. Power conditioners are hi-fi boondoggles. A surge suppressor might be sensible if your net has a history of erratic power surges, but otherwise there is little to be gotten with the expensive conditioners -- no one is able to pick them out in blind tests.

  • 01-29-2008 3:21 AM In reply to

    • Puncher
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    soundproof:
    .........hi-fi boondoggles.

     They sound the biz, I need one - how much are they??SurpriseBig Smile

    Generally speaking, you aren't learning much if your lips are moving.

  • 01-29-2008 6:42 AM In reply to

    • symmes
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I tend to agree with the boondoggle crowd, though I respect the ability of people to hear what they hear.  Having witnessed the damage caused by power surges, I strongly recommend putting your good products on a good protector.  Just recently learned that excessive light bulb replacement on any given circuit should be a clue that something is going wrong.

    My question, can small power surges weaken the power supply in a device to where the last straw breaks the camel's back, or does it take one dramatic surge to wreak havoc? 

    r

  • 01-29-2008 8:12 AM In reply to

    • 355f
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    symmes:

    I tend to agree with the boondoggle crowd, though I respect the ability of people to hear what they hear.  Having witnessed the damage caused by power surges, I strongly recommend putting your good products on a good protector.  Just recently learned that excessive light bulb replacement on any given circuit should be a clue that something is going wrong.

    My question, can small power surges weaken the power supply in a device to where the last straw breaks the camel's back, or does it take one dramatic surge to wreak havoc? 

    r

    Very interesting one this!

    One year ago i was unfortunate enough to have a lightning strike on overhead lines that took out all my equipment.

    Despite being 'protected' with a surge suppressor it did not trip at all!- Subsequent investigations by the loss adjuster revealed that in 80% of claims where surge suppressors have been fitted- they appear to do nothing.

    I opened my 'large box with 6 sockets' surge protector to find sod all in it apart from 2 small capacitors across the L-N and one inline resistor- all for the bargain price of £160- I want to make these!! cant ebmore than $9 of components

    I bought an Isotec - I can see how it can improve sound if the mains supply is dirty to start off with- and although there is an argument that suggests the inbuilt power supplies are capable of handling transients- they are built to a price and with swtiching power supplies inbuilt they are less able to withstand nasty spikes! i doubt if it has improved the sound but looking inside with all the large filtering and protection it at least gives me hope that the product will actually protect from surges if nothing else!

     

     

  • 01-29-2008 8:13 AM In reply to

    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    I'm firmly with puncher on this, what a surprise!

    Although, it would appear that some people, including Alex will believe anything providing it is sold to them in the right way.Laughing

    Regards Graham

  • 01-29-2008 12:19 PM In reply to

    • Alex
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Laughing Not at all. I personally am not a believer when it comes to cables etc... but this mains conditioner really did make a difference...

    There was definitely a difference. For example, on Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue, I could hear details I had never heard before, such as the way Davis himself was playing, even breathing without taking his trumpet from his mouth...

    Believe what you want, I personally was highly dubious and didn't think I'd hear any difference having been through the whole 'expensive cables are better and mains conditioners are vital' thing before. You may even find a quote from me somewhere on the forum a while back saying how I don't think conditioners etc... would make any difference, but there was most definitely an improvement with the IsoTek.

    Don't get me started on cables though. As long as the cable is well shielded, and the actual cores not stupidly thin then there's no real difference. Good mains cable is as good as anything else for speaker cable...

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  • 01-30-2008 4:48 AM In reply to

    • Dave
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    has anyone ever heard of the word psychosomatic?

    Yeah i only go as far as power surge protecting, which is cheap as chips here anyway. 

    Although, i have to say, if it sounds different to you, then go ahead and swipe that credit card, as long as your happy, thats whats important.

    “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.”

    Your health and well-being comes first and fore-most.

     

     

  • 01-30-2008 1:46 PM In reply to

    • Alex
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Oh I wouldn't pay the price for the IsoTek. Unless we get up to BeoLab 5 or maybe 9 level, I would say the improvement is not worth the cash.

    I also know what you mean about 'believing' you want to hear a difference, and then doing so, when in fact the sound is exactly the same (which is what I believe happens when audiophiles go nuts over cables etc...). There really was a difference here though, I wasn't imagining things, because I heard things I couldn't hear before. Another example would be some very subtle rhythms going on in Faithless' We Come 1, which I had never heard before, even on the BL5s.

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  • 01-30-2008 3:08 PM In reply to

    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Do it double blind!
  • 01-30-2008 4:24 PM In reply to

    • benjnz
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Ah well after moving from sunny Durham to sunnier NZ I take a few extra steps.

    When we're lucky enough to have power http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=202&objectid=10487752 I find it useful in times of big storms to happily unplug all my B&O stuff from the wall sockets.

    Now if there was a crytaldonglehifiwidgetfandangledongle to do that for me I'd happily get that over a surge protector Stick out tongue

  • 01-30-2008 4:24 PM In reply to

    • benjnz
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Ah well after moving from sunny Durham to sunnier NZ I take a few extra steps.

    When we're lucky enough to have power http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=202&objectid=10487752 I find it useful in times of big storms to happily unplug all my B&O stuff from the wall sockets.

    Now if there was a crytaldonglehifiwidgetfandangledongle to do that for me I'd happily get that over a surge protector Stick out tongue

  • 01-30-2008 4:29 PM In reply to

    • Puncher
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    benjnz:

    Ah well after moving from sunny Durham to sunnier NZ I take a few extra steps.

    When we're lucky enough to have power http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=202&objectid=10487752 I find it useful in times of big storms to happily unplug all my B&O stuff from the wall sockets.

    Now if there was a crytaldonglehifiwidgetfandangledongle to do that for me I'd happily get that over a surge protector Stick out tongue

    Surely crytaldonglehifiwidgetfandangledongle is Mouri for wife!

    Generally speaking, you aren't learning much if your lips are moving.

  • 01-31-2008 1:29 PM In reply to

    • Alex
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Peter:
    Do it double blind!

    I would happily!

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  • 01-31-2008 2:27 PM In reply to

    • benjnz
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    Re: Beolab 3 - energy conditioner

    Puncher:

    Surely crytaldonglehifiwidgetfandangledongle is Mouri for wife!

     

    Narrrr that's "Beer" Laughing

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