How Do I know if Need a power conditionner?

[Dwetmaster]

I've got a few usb/FW noise issues and while searching for how to fix it I started to ask myself if I need a furman or something like that? weither it would help my usb noise problem is it still a must to have one? If yes, why and what kind. Furman has like 10 different model. Which one should I go for?

I have a basement studio so I'm not going for the Highest end, but I still take my work seriously so I don't make my purchases thinking on the amateurish side either.

Thanks for your insight.

[echohaus]

I personally think a power conditioner is always needed. AC is just dirty and spiky, everywhere.
For starters, I'd look hard at the quality of the USB cables you're using; perhaps the brand you have isn't very well shielded. Next, look at your gear, and how it's situated... do you have power lines next to audio lines next to USB cables next to Firewire cables, etc? If so, get them away from each other, and bundle like cables together, i.e., all AC together, all Firewire together, etc.
Do all of that, first, then check your system noise.

[mhschmieder]

If you own equipment, you need a power conditioner. That's how you know .

[davedempsey]

See here: http://www.tortech.com.au/balanced_stud ... upply.html
This device is good for Australian voltage, being 240 volts @ 50Hz and , as such, not so good for you guys on 110@60Hz, but the concept is very important. Our power supply here in Oz (and I would imagine same elsewhere) is unbalanced MEN (or main earth neutral) in which neutral is tied to earth, leaving audio equipment susceptible to all sorts of spurious harmonic distortion spat down the neutral, which is tied to earth. There's only one earth in a building power supply and many devices such as fridges or fluro lights send reactive loads to earth. Separation of neutral from earth, thus creating a balanced power supply, is the only way to isolate audio equipment from these distortions (via common earth) created by other electrical devices in the building.
I use this balanced power supply designed by Dave Peach at Peach Audio in Sydney Australia, http://www.peachaudio.com/ . I also use his preamps, which are the best pres I have ever heard - see here: http://www.peachaudio.com/pdfs/Peach_M1 ... ochure.pdf
This man is a genius and fully deserves his creations finding a market beyond these shores - where his creations are held in the highest regard by all who accept no compromise. I don't think it would be a difficult task for him to have these devices made for US voltage, so why not send him a request?

[HCMarkus]

Also note that if you have ground-induced hum, you can sometimes quiet your system by lifting USB and/or Firewire grounds. I have experienced this issue with Yamaha keyboard gear via USB, and cutting the USB shield and ground wire solved the problem nicely.

[jeff sanders]

i would recommend buying one used off ebay. just because their resale value is so low. i seen them less than half retail for most furman models. however i do not know if they go 'bad' or whatever. so keep that in mind in case people are just unloading faulty gear once it becomes goofy.

i found by moving cables away from other ones can makes hums and buzzes go away. you gotta just experiment though, i have no standard method except just keep away from wall warts, amplifiers, computer gear, audio cables, power cables. if possible use the same ac leg for all gear. i mean power from the same breaker so theres less 'difference' in the source.

good luck

[MIDI Life Crisis]

If you are in a critical environment (IE- you make a living doing this stuff) then you want an uninterruptible (battery backup) power supply. DON'T SKIMP! Get more power than you think you need. You always need more than you think you do. Then connect at least your Mac and monitor and any regularly used external drives to the backup outlets.

The first time you loose power in the middle of a save, you will wish you had listened to me.

[Tonio]

Yes SIR !!


T

[Resonant Alien]

It's like a vacuum cleaner...they suck (pun intended), but they are necessary - a millisecond voltage spike (which happen all the time) can be enough to fry your delicate electronics. Think of it as very affordable insurance. Definitely buy off eBay. I just bought a new MonsterPower 3500 for $179 on eBay. Other "traditional" places sell that model for $299. The thing I like about the 3500 is that it has 12 outlets, instead of the typical 8, it has power sequencing (so your monitors always get turned on last and turned off first automatically..nice), and it comes with a little gooseneck light, plus it looks nice

I have been wondering whether I need to go the next step and get a voltage regulator. Now that I have a real time display of my voltage on the 3500, I can see how much it fluctuates. It seems to be anywhere from 121V up to 125V. I have heard that voltages above 120V can possibly harm equip..

[echohaus]

Yes. Necessity.

[mhschmieder]

I would NOT recommend buying one used, as most likely it is shot. Most power conditioners only protect the first event. Back-to-back events and you're toast. I use three-level power conditioning and this helps against back-to-back events, but I still suspect one of them needs to be taken in for warranty service before the warranty expires in two more years (five year warranty), as the plug light flickers and I frequently have to force the circuit breaker, unplug, reboot.

[jeff sanders]

I would NOT recommend buying one used, as most likely it is shot. Most power conditioners only protect the first event. Back-to-back events and you're toast. I use three-level power conditioning and this helps against back-to-back events, but I still suspect one of them needs to be taken in for warranty service before the warranty expires in two more years (five year warranty), as the plug light flickers and I frequently have to force the circuit breaker, unplug, reboot.

good to know thanks

[Resonant Alien]

I would NOT recommend buying one used, as most likely it is shot. Most power conditioners only protect the first event. Back-to-back events and you're toast. I use three-level power conditioning and this helps against back-to-back events, but I still suspect one of them needs to be taken in for warranty service before the warranty expires in two more years (five year warranty), as the plug light flickers and I frequently have to force the circuit breaker, unplug, reboot.

Agreed. But still check eBay. The one I mentioned was new and was still considerably cheaper than non-eBay sources.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I would NOT recommend buying one used, as most likely it is shot. Most power conditioners only protect the first event. Back-to-back events and you're toast. I use three-level power conditioning and this helps against back-to-back events, but I still suspect one of them needs to be taken in for warranty service before the warranty expires in two more years (five year warranty), as the plug light flickers and I frequently have to force the circuit breaker, unplug, reboot.

Agreed. But still check eBay. The one I mentioned was new and was still considerably cheaper than non-eBay sources.

Especially where battery backup is concerned, a new unit that is 5 years old (still unopened and in the box) probably needs a new battery, which is most of the cost of these units. How much is your equipment worth? $25k? $50k $150k? Is it too much to go buy a $300 battery backup power conditioner to protect it?

I bought a killer unit as Office Depot 2 years ago and thought I'd never need it. Then about 6 months ago, power blinked on and off quickly in Burbank. Fried one unprotected recorder, but my Computer and monitor and HDs were all safe and powered down without incident. That's worth $300 to me.

[Resonant Alien]

For battery backup, absolutely make sure you are buying a new, i.e. recently-manufactured, unit. I was strictly talking about the MonsterPower 3500 power conditioner I picked up. I'm just saying you can find good deals on this stuff sometimes. Doesn't mean you don't need to do some homework before buying - like asking the seller to send you the manufacturing date code so that you can pinpoint exactly how long its been sitting in storage, etc. That's all.