In addition to the main product categories described in previous sections—source components, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, and loudspeakers—you’ll need three additional components to complete your audio system—cables and interconnects, an equipment rack, and an AC power conditioner. We will refer to these products as “components” because they are important contributors to getting the best sound from your system and should be thought of as full-fledged components rather than as optional “accessories.”
Cables and Interconnects
Loudspeaker cables and line-level interconnects are an important but often overlooked link in the music playback chain. The right choice of loudspeaker cables and interconnects can bring out the best performance from your system. Conversely, poor cables and interconnects—or those not suited to your system—will never let your system achieve its full musical potential. Knowing how to buy cables will provide the best possible performance at the least cost.
Let’s start with an overview of cable and interconnect terms.
Cable: Often used to describe any wire in an audio system, “cable” more properly refers to the conductors between a power amplifier and a loudspeaker. Loudspeaker cables carry a high-current signal from the power amplifier to the loudspeaker.
Interconnect: Interconnects are the conductors that connect line-level signals in an audio system. The connection between source components (turntable, CD player, tuner) and the preamplifier, and between the preamplifier and power amplifier, are made by inter connects.
Unbalanced Interconnect: An unbalanced interconnect has two conductors and is usually terminated with RCA plugs. Also called a single-ended interconnect.
Balanced Interconnect: A balanced interconnect has three conductors instead of two, and is terminated with 3-pin XLR connectors. Balanced interconnects are used only between components having balanced inputs and outputs.
Digital Interconnect: A single interconnect that carries a stereo digital audio signal, usually from a CD transport or other digital source to a digital processor. A digital interconnect can also carry multichannel surround-sound, such as from a DVD player to an A/V receiver.
Bi-wiring: Bi-wiring is a method of connecting a power amplifier to a loudspeaker with two runs of cable instead of one.
RCA Plug and Jack: RCA plugs and jacks are the most common connection termination for unbalanced signals. Virtually all audio equipment has RCA jacks to accept the RCA plugs on unbalanced interconnects. RCA jacks are mounted on the audio component’s chassis; RCA plugs are the termination of unbalanced interconnects.
XLR Plug and Jack: XLR plugs are three-pin connectors terminating a balanced inter connect. XLR jacks are chassis-mounted connectors that accept XLR plugs.
Binding Post: Binding posts are terminations on power amplifiers and loudspeakers that provide connection points for loudspeaker cables.
Spade Lug: A flat, pronged termination for loudspeaker cables. Spade lugs fit around power-amplifier and loudspeaker binding posts. The most popular kind of loudspeaker cable termination.
Banana Plug and Jack: Banana plugs are sometimes found on loudspeaker cables in place of spade lugs. Banana plugs will fit into five-way binding posts or banana jacks. Many European products use banana jacks on power amplifiers for loudspeaker connection.
How to Choose Cables and Interconnects
Ideally, every component in the system—including cables and interconnects—should be absolutely neutral and impose no sonic signature on the music. As this is never the case, we are forced to select cables and interconnects with colorations that counteract the rest of the system’s colorations.
For example, if your system is a little on the bright and analytical side, mellow-sounding interconnects and cables can take the edge off the treble and let you enjoy the music more. If the bass is overpowering and heavy, lean- and tight-sounding interconnects and cables can firm up and lean out the bass. A system lacking palpability and presence in the midrange can benefit from a forward-sounding cable.
Selecting cables and interconnects for their musical compatibility should be viewed as the final touch to your system. A furniture maker who has been using saws, planers, and rasps will finish his work with steel wool or very fine sandpaper. Treat cables and interconnects the same way—as the last tweak to nudge your system in the right direction, not as a Band-Aid for poorly chosen components.
Cables and interconnects won’t correct fundamental musical or electrical incompatibilities. For example, if you have a high-output-impedance power amplifier driving current-hungry loudspeakers, the bass will probably be soft and the dynamics constricted. Loudspeaker cables won’t fix this problem. You might be able to some what correct the soft bass with the right cable, but it’s far better to fix the problem at the source—a better amplifier/loudspeaker match.
Good cables merely allow the system’s components to perform at their highest level; they won’t make a poor system or bad component match sound good. Start with a high-quality, well-chosen system and select cables and interconnects that allow your system to achieve its highest musical performance. Remember, a cable or interconnect can’t actually effect an absolute improvement in the sound; the good ones merely do less harm.
A typical hi-fi system will need one pair of loudspeaker cables (two pairs for bi-wiring one long pair of interconnects between the preamplifier and power amplifier, and several short interconnect pairs for connections between source components (such as a turntable or CD player) and the preamplifier. Systems based on an integrated amplifier obviously don’t need the long interconnect between a preamplifier and power amplifier.
Once you’ve got a feel for how your system is—or will be—configured, make a list of the interconnects and cables you’ll need, and their lengths. Keep all lengths as short as possible, but allow some flexibility for moving loudspeakers, putting your pre amp in a different space in the rack, or other possible changes. Although you’ll want to keep the cables and interconnects short for the best sound, there’s nothing worse than having interconnects 6” too short. After you’ve found the minimum length, add half a meter for flexibility.
Interconnects are often made in standard lengths of 1, 1.5, and 2 meters. These are long enough for source-to-preamplifier connections, but too short for many preamplifier-to-power-amplifier runs. These long runs are usually custom-made to a specific length. Similarly, loudspeaker cables are typically supplied in 8’ or 10’ pairs, but custom lengths are readily available. It’s best to have the cable manufacturer terminate the cables (put spade lugs or banana plugs on loudspeaker cables, and RCA or XLR plugs on interconnects) rather than trying to do it yourself
Concentrate your cable budget on the cables that matter most. The priority should be given to the sources you listen to most. For example, you may not care as much about the sound of your tuner as you do your CD player. Consequently, you should spend more on interconnects between the CD player and preamplifier than between the tuner and preamp. And because all your sources are connected to the power amplifier through the interconnect between the preamplifier and power amplifier, this link must be given a high priority. But any component—even a tuner—will benefit from good interconnects.
Most dealers will let you take home several cables at once to try in your system. Take advantage of these offers. Some mail-order companies will send you many cables to try: you keep the ones you want to buy—if any—and return the others. Compare inexpensive cables with expensive ones; sometimes manufacturers have superb cables that sell for a fraction of the price of their top-of-the-line products.
If you’re starting a system from scratch, selecting cables is more difficult than replacing one length in your system. Because different combinations of cables will produce different results, the possibilities are greatly increased. Moreover, you don’t have a baseline reference against which to judge how good or bad a cable is. In this situation, the best way of getting the ideal cables for your system is your dealer’s advice. Try the cables and interconnects he suggests, along with two other brands or models for comparison.
How Much Should You Spend on Cables and Interconnects?
At the top end of the scale, cable and interconnect pricing bears little relationship to the cost of designing and manufacturing the product. Unlike other audio products, whose retail prices are largely determined by the parts cost (the retail price is typically a set multiple of raw parts’ cost), cables and interconnects are sometimes priced according to what the market will bear. This trend began when one company set its prices vastly higher than everyone else’s—and saw its sales skyrocket as a result. Other manufacturers then raised their prices so they wouldn’t be perceived as being of lower quality. Although some very expensive cables and interconnects are worth the money, many cables are ridiculously overpriced.
The budget-conscious audiophile can, however, take advantage of this phenomenon. Very often, a cable manufacturer’s lower-priced products are very nearly as good as its most expensive models. The company prices their top-line products to foster the impression of being “high-end,” yet relies on its lower-priced models for the bulk of its sales. When shopping for loudspeaker cables and interconnects, listen to a manufacturer’s lower line in your system—even if you have a large cable budget. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Because every system is different, it’s impossible to be specific about what percentage of your overall system investment you should spend on cables and inter connects. Spending 5% of your system’s cost on cables and interconnects would be an absolute minimum, with about 15% a maximum figure. If you choose the right cables and interconnects, they can be an excellent value. But poor cables on good components will give you poor sound and are false economy.
Again, I must stress that high cost doesn’t guarantee that the cable is good or that it will work well in your system. Don’t automatically assume that an expensive cable is better than a low-priced one. Listen to a wide variety of price levels and brands. Your efforts will often be rewarded with exactly the right cable for your system at a reasonable price.
What to Listen For
Cables must be evaluated in the playback system in which they will be used. Not only is the sound of a cable partially system-dependent, but the sonic characteristics of a specific cable will work better musically in some systems than in others. Personal auditioning is the on/y way to evaluate cables and interconnects. Never be swayed by technical jargon about why one cable is better than another. Much of this is pure marketing hype, with little or no relevance to how the cable will perform musically in your system. Trust your ears.
That said, poorly designed cables—or cables not designed for audio, such as “lamp cord” sold in hardware stores—will degrade the sound of any system, and in similar ways.
Cables and interconnects can add some annoying distortions to the music. I’ve listed the most common sonic problems of cables and interconnects. (A full description of these terms is included here.)
Grainy and hashy treble Many cables overlay the treble with a coarse texture. The sound is rough rather than smooth and liquid.
Bright and metallic treble Cymbals sound like bursts of white noise rather than a brass- like shimmer. They also tend to splash across the soundstage rather than sounding like compact images. Sibilants (s and sh sounds on vocals) are emphasized, making the treble sound spitty. It’s a bad sign if you suddenly notice more sibilance. The opposite condition is a dark and closed-in treble. The cable should sound open, airy, and extended in the treble without sounding overly bright, etched, or analytical.
Hard textures and lack of liquidity Listen for a glassy glare on solo piano in the upper registers. Similarly, massed voices can sound glazed and hard rather than liquid and richly textured.
Listening fatigue A poor cable will quickly cause listening fatigue. The symptoms of listening fatigue are headache, a feeling of relief when the music is turned down or stopped, the need to do something other than listen to music, and the feeling that your ears are tightening up. This last condition is absolutely the worst thing any audio component can do. Good cables (in a good system) will let you listen at higher levels for longer periods of time. If a cable or interconnect causes listening fatigue, avoid it no matter what its other attributes.
Lack of space and depth Using a recording with lots of natural depth and ambiance, listen for how the cable affects soundstage depth and the sense of instruments hanging in three-dimensional space. Poor cables can also make the soundstage less transparent.
Low resolution Some cables and interconnects sound smooth, but they obscure the music’s fine detail. Listen for low-level information and an instrument’s inner detail. The opposite of smoothness is a cable that’s “ruthlessly revealing” of every detail in the music, but in an unnatural way. Musical detail should be audible, but not hyped or exaggerated. The cable or interconnect should strike a balance between resolution of information and a sense of ease and smoothness.
Mushy bass or poor pitch definition A poor-quality cable or interconnect can make the bass slow, mushy, and lacking in pitch definition. With such a cable, the bottom end is soggy and fat rather than taut and articulate. Low-frequency pitches are obscured, making the bass sound like a roar instead of being composed of individual notes.
Constricted dynamics Listen for the cable or interconnect’s ability to portray the music’s dynamic structure, on both small and large scales. For example, a guitar string’s transient attack should be quick, with a dynamic edge. On a larger scale, orchestral climaxes should be powerful and have a sense of physical impact (if the rest of your system can portray this aspect of music).
We must reiterate that putting a highly colored cable or interconnect in your system to correct a problem in another component (a dark-sounding cable on a bright loudspeaker) isn’t the best solution. Instead, use the money you would have spent on new cables toward better loudspeakers—then go cable shopping. Cables and interconnects shouldn’t be Band-Aids; instead, cables should be the finishing touch to let the rest of your components perform at their highest level.
Binding Posts and Cable Terminations
Binding posts vary hugely in quality from the tiny spring-loaded, push-in terminal strips on cheap loudspeakers to massive, custom-made, machined brass posts plated with exotic metals. Poor binding posts not only degrade the sound, they also break easily. When shopping for power amplifiers and loudspeakers, take a close look at binding-post quality.
The most popular type is the five-way binding post. It accepts spade lugs, banana plugs, or bare wire. Some five-ways are nickel-plated; higher-quality ones are plated with gold and won’t tarnish. Five-way binding posts should be tightened with a 1/2” nut driver, not a socket and ratchet or wrench that could easily overtighten the nut. The connection should be tight, but not to the point of stripping the post or causing it to turn in the chassis. When tightening a five-way binding post, watch the inside ring or collar next to the chassis; if it begins to turn, you’ve over-tightened the post and are in danger of damaging the power amplifier or loudspeaker.
If you have a choice of bare wire, banana plug, or spade lug on loudspeaker cable terminations, go with the spade lug. It forms the best contact with a binding post and is the most standard form of connection.
Bi-Wired Loudspeaker Cables
Bi-wiring is running two lengths of cable between the power amplifier and loudspeaker. This technique usually produces better sound quality than conventional single-wiring. Most high-end loudspeakers have two pairs of binding posts for bi-wiring, with one pair connected to the crossover’s tweeter circuit and the other pair connected to the woofer circuit. The jumpers connecting the two pairs of binding posts fitted at the factory must be removed for bi-wiring. You must remove the jumper connecting the two sets of binding posts (as seen in the right pair of binding posts) for bi-wire operation.
In a bi-wired system, the power amplifier “sees” a higher impedance on the tweeter cable at low frequencies, and a lower impedance at high frequencies. The opposite is true in the woofer-half of the bi-wired pair. This causes the signal to be split up, with high frequencies traveling mostly in the pair driving the loudspeaker’s tweeter circuit and low frequencies conducted by the pair connected to the loudspeaker’s woofer circuit. This frequency splitting reportedly reduces magnetic interactions in the cable, resulting in better sound. The large magnetic fields set up around the conductors by low-frequency energy can’t affect the transfer of treble energy. No one knows exactly how or why bi-wiring works, but on nearly all loudspeakers with bi-wiring provision, it makes a worthwhile improvement in the sound. Whatever your cable budget, you should bi-wire if your loudspeaker has bi-wired inputs, even if it means buying two runs of less expensive cables.
You can bi-wire your loudspeakers with two identical single-wire runs, or with a specially prepared bi-wire set. A hi-wire set has one pair (positive and negative) of terminations at the amplifier end of the cable, and two pairs at the loudspeaker end of the cable. This makes it easier to hook up, and probably offers slightly better sound quality.
Most bi-wired sets use identical cables for the high- and low-frequency legs. Mixing cables, however, can have several advantages. By using a cable with good bass on the low-frequency pair, and a more expensive but sweeter-sounding cable on the high-frequency pair, you can get better performance for a lower cost. Use a less expensive cable on the bass and put more money into the high-frequency cable. If you’ve already got two pairs of cable the same length, the higher-quality cable usually sounds better on the high-frequency side of the bi-wired pair. If you use different cables for bi-wiring, they should be made by the same manufacturer and have similar physical construction. If the cables in a bi-wired set have different capacitances or inductances, those capacitances and inductances change the loudspeaker’s crossover characteristics.
Interconnects: Balanced and Unbalanced
Line-level interconnects come in two varieties: balanced and unbalanced. A balanced interconnect is recognizable by its three-pin XLR connector. An unbalanced interconnect is usually terminated with an RCA plug. An RCA-terminated cable (left) carries an unbalanced audio signal. An XLR-terminated cable carries a balanced audio signal.
Why do we use two incompatible systems for connecting equipment? At one time, all consumer audio hardware had unbalanced inputs and outputs, and all professional gear was balanced. In fact, balanced inputs are often called “professional inputs” to differentiate them from “consumer” unbalanced jacks. But what exactly is a balanced line, and how is it different from a standard RCA cable and jack?
In an unbalanced line, the audio signal appears across the center pin of the RCA jack and the shield, or ground wire. Some unbalanced interconnects have two signal conductors and a shield, with the shield not used as a signal conductor.
A balanced line has three conductors: two carrying signal, and one ground. The two signals in a balanced line are identical, but 1800 Out of phase with each other. When the signal in one of the conductors is at peak positive, the signal in the other conductor is at peak negative. The third conductor is signal ground. (Some balanced interconnects use three conductors plus a shield.)
The advantage of a balanced connection is that any noise picked up in the cable will be rejected by the component receiving the signal—a power amplifier, for example, when a balanced interconnect is run between those two components. This is why balanced lines are used almost exclusively in professional audio, particularly for very long runs that are subject to picking up noise.
In a high-end system, there’s no clear-cut preference for using balanced or unbalanced connections. If you have a choice between connecting your equipment through balanced or unbalanced connections, try both and decide for yourself which sounds better (your dealer will often lend you interconnects). As in all things audio, the proof is in the listening. Let your ears decide if the component works best in your system when connected via the balanced or unbalanced lines.
Cable and Interconnect Construction
Cables and interconnects are composed of three main elements: the signal conductors, the dielectric, and the terminations. The conductors carry the audio signal; the dielectric is an insulating material between and around the conductors; and the terminations provide connection to audio equipment. These elements are formed into a physical structure called the cable’s geometry. Each of these elements—particularly geometry—can affect the cable’s sonic characteristics.
Conductors are usually made of high-purity copper wire. So-called “six-nines” copper is 99.9999% pure. Some cables and interconnects use silver-plated copper, or even pure silver conductors. The latter are extremely expensive, and have a characteristic sound.
The dielectric is the material surrounding the conductors, and is what gives cables and interconnects some of their bulk. The dielectric material has a large effect on the cable’s sound; comparisons of identical conductors and geometry, but with different dielectric materials, demonstrate the dielectric’s importance. Dielectric materials found in today’s high-end cables include PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, or even Teflon in the most expensive cables.
Why do we use two incompatible systems for connecting equipment? At one time, all consumer audio hardware had unbalanced inputs and outputs, and all professional gear was balanced. In fact, balanced inputs are often called “professional inputs” to differentiate them from “consumer” unbalanced jacks. But what exactly is a balanced line, and how is it different from a standard RCA cable and jack?
In an unbalanced line, the audio signal appears across the center pin of the RCA jack and the shield, or ground wire. Some unbalanced interconnects have two signal conductors and a shield, with the shield not used as a signal conductor.
A balanced line has three conductors: two carrying signal, and one ground. The two signals in a balanced line are identical, but 1800 Out of phase with each other. When the signal in one of the conductors is at peak positive, the signal in the other conductor is at peak negative. The third conductor is signal ground. (Some balanced interconnects use three conductors plus a shield.)
The advantage of a balanced connection is that any noise picked up in the cable will be rejected by the component receiving the signal—a power amplifier, for example, when a balanced interconnect is run between those two components. This is why balanced lines are used almost exclusively in professional audio, particularly for very long runs that are subject to picking up noise.
In a high-end system, there’s no clear-cut preference for using balanced or unbalanced connections. If you have a choice between connecting your equipment through balanced or unbalanced connections, try both and decide for yourself which sounds better (your dealer will often lend you interconnects). As in all things audio, the proof is in the listening. Let your ears decide if the component works best in your system when connected via the balanced or unbalanced lines.
Cable and Interconnect Construction
Cables and interconnects are composed of three main elements: the signal conductors, the dielectric, and the terminations. The conductors carry the audio signal; the dielectric is an insulating material between and around the conductors; and the terminations provide connection to audio equipment. These elements are formed into a physical structure called the cable’s geometry. Each of these elements—particularly geometry—can affect the cable’s sonic characteristics.
Conductors are usually made of high-purity copper wire. So-called “six-nines” copper is 99.9999% pure. Some cables and interconnects use silver-plated copper, or even pure silver conductors. The latter are extremely expensive, and have a characteristic sound.
The dielectric is the material surrounding the conductors, and is what gives cables and interconnects some of their bulk. The dielectric material has a large effect on the cable’s sound; comparisons of identical conductors and geometry, but with different dielectric materials, demonstrate the dielectric’s importance. Dielectric materials found in today’s high-end cables include PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, or even Teflon in the most expensive cables.
The terminations at the ends of cables and interconnects are part of the transmission path. High-quality terminations are essential to a good-sounding cable. We want a large surface contact between the cable’s plug and the component’s jack, and high contact pressure between them. RCA plugs will sometimes have a slit in the center pin to improve contact with the jack. Some RCA plugs have a locking mechanism that allows you to tighten the plug around the jack.
How all of these elements are arranged constitutes the cable’s geometry. Some designers maintain that geometry is the most important factor in cable design—even more important than the conductor material and type. Geometry affects the magnetic interaction between the individual strands, among other factors.
Cable designers balance all these factors—conductor material, dielectric, and geometry—in an attempt to get the best-sounding cable possible.
Equipment Racks
You’ll often see mid-fl audio gear housed in “stereo stands” with flimsy shelves. But to get the best performance from your high-end equipment, you’ll need a solid, vibration-resist ant platform for your components. A quality equipment rack does more than provide convenient housing for your equipment; it also isolates equipment from vibration. There is no question that vibrations degrade the sonic performances of preamplifiers, CD players, and particularly turntables. This vibration is generated by transformers in your components’ power supplies, motors in turntables and CD players, and from acoustic energy impinging on the electronics. Yes, racks can have an audible effect on a system.
A good equipment rack fights vibration with rigidity, mass, and careful design. The massive, inert structure of a high-quality rack is much less likely to vibrate when in the presence of sound pressure generated by the loudspeakers. Moreover, the equipment rack can absorb, or damp, the vibration created by power transformers and motors. Many equipment racks have built-in vibration-damping mechanisms in their shelves.
Many equipment racks are supplied with spikes to couple the stand to the floor and “drain” vibration from the rack. For a spiked rack to be effective, the floor must be sturdy and flat so that the rack doesn’t rock. The heights of most spikes are adjustable; you can level the rack and get good contact between the floor and all four (or three) spikes. Rack spikes are usually much heavier duty, with more rounded points than loudspeaker spikes. Note, however, that both types of spike will damage wood floors. Some racks are supplied with small plates to hold the spikes, preventing floor damage.
A rack’s performance can often be improved by adding aftermarket spikes, cones, or other vibration-isolation devices underneath your components. These devices further decouple the audio component from the rack and sometimes deliver a significant sonic improvement for a relatively small investment.
Avoid racks with large, unsupported shelves, flimsy construction, low mass, and poor vibrational damping. And don’t even consider the generic “stereo stands” sold in furniture and department stores. Get a rack specially designed for high-performance audio systems. Consider a good equipment rack an essential part of your hi-fi system; it will help your system achieve its full musical potential.
You’ll need to decide whether to house your equipment in an open-air rack or stand (see Fig. below), or behind closed doors in a cabinet. The open-air rack is the preferred choice of audiophiles—it allows easier access to the connections, affords better ventilation of heat-generating components, and showcases your equipment.
A high-quality equipment rack provides a stable, vibration-resistant
platform for your components and keeps them well ventilated.
AC Power Conditioners
Once your equipment is housed in a rack or enclosed cabinet, you’ll need to plug the gear into your power AC source. Rather than plug the components into an AC wall socket, you should invest in an AC power conditioner. An AC power conditioner plugs into the wall outlet and provides multiple AC outlets for plugging in your audio equipment. An AC conditioner is the single most important “accessory” you can add to your system. In fact, I consider an AC conditioner not just an accessory, but an essential component of any high-performance audio system.
An AC power conditioner provides enough outlets for
your system, protects your equipment from lightning, and improves the
sound quality. (this one made by Monster Cable Products)
AC conditioners act in two ways to improve the sound of an audio system. First, AC conditioners filter noise from the AC line before it gets to your audio components. This noise on the AC power line is generated by light dimmers, refrigerators, motors, and household appliances. Industrial motors connected to the power grid also pollute the AC line with hash and high-frequency noise. This noise gets into the audio signal and degrades the sound.
A second source of dirty AC is your equipment itself. Any component using a microprocessor or other digital circuits (all digital source components, A/V controllers and receivers, and even some analog preamplifiers) put noise on the power line through their AC power-line cords. This noise then gets into your other components and reduces sound quality. The AC ground connects all the chassis of an audio system. If you’ve got a noisy ground on one component, you’ve got a noisy ground on all your components. For example, digital noise in a CD player’s ground can get into your pre amplifier, with the AC power line acting as a conduit for this noise.
All of these problems can be controlled with a well-designed AC power-line conditioner. First, nearly all conditioners filter the incoming AC line to remove the high-frequency garbage generated by factories, neighbors, and your own appliances. The filters allow the 60Hz AC to pass, but remove noise from the line. Second, some filters isolate the components from each other with small isolation transformers on some of the conditioner’s AC outlets. These transformers break the physical connection between components, preventing noise from traveling from one component to another. The isolated outputs are often marked “digital” for plugging in digital components, preventing a CD player from polluting the AC supplying the preamplifier, for example. Third, a good line conditioner will reduce the amount of noise coupled to signal ground. Finally, AC line conditioners can protect components from voltage spikes, lightning strikes, and surges in the power-supply voltage. Not all conditioners perform every function listed here; conditioners vary in their design principles, with some addressing one problem but not another.
When choosing a line conditioner, make sure its power capability exceeds the power consumption of the components you’ll be plugging into it. Each component’s owner’s manual will state the component’s power consumption in watts. Add together the individual power-consumption specs to determine the total amount of power to be drawn from the conditioner. Compare this number with the power conditioner’s maxi mum rated power delivery. Also look for the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or CSA (Canadian Standards Association) seal of approval, indicating that the power conditioner meets certain safety requirements. Choose a conditioner with a sufficient number of outlets for your present and anticipated needs. As with all accessories, try the power conditioner in your system before you buy. Expect to pay a minimum of $200 for a conditioner with just a few outlets, to several thousand dollars for a state-of-the- art system. Many excellent conditioners cost less than $300.
A power-line conditioner can’t make poor audio components sound good; instead, it merely provides the optimum AC environment for those components so that they may realize their full potentials. The sonic benefits of a good line conditioner include a “blacker” background, with less low-level grunge and noise. The music seems to emerge from a perfectly quiet and black space, rather than a grayish background. The treble often becomes sweeter, less grainy, and more extended. Soundstaging often improves, with greater transparency, tighter image focus, and a newfound soundstage depth. Midrange textures become more liquid, and the presentation has an ease and musicality not heard without the conditioner.