Why use a power conditioner

mferrand

mferrand

Inspired
Hey All,

It seems everyone uses a power conditioner with their Axe Fx. Is the consensus that this is necessary? We have a well regulated rehearsal studio and most of the venues that we play seem to be well wired.

What do you think?

Cheers, Mike
 
Yup. Cheap insurance considering the potential consequences of not using one. If you can afford a voltage regulator, I recommend that instead which also covers power conditioning.
 
I love my Furman P-1800PF R. It really does sweeten up the sound of everything you plug into it. My power's not dirty by any means but it made my friend's Budda Twinmaster sound a lot less crispy and much more smooth. I run two Matrix amps off the high current outs, and have my digital and analog items on different banks. No hum or noise, just crystal clarity ... everywhere I go :)
 
sgplayer76 said:
I probably should not admit this, but I use my power conditioner (Furman PL-8C) as a "on/off" switch for my Axe, monitors, and subwoofer.
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I do the same thing with my PL-8C. I've got my monitors, axe fx, sub woofer, computer, and computer monitor all hooked up. I don't see anything wrong with that. Its just a fancy rack mounted surge protector.
 
sgplayer76 said:
I probably should not admit this, but I use my power conditioner (Furman PL-8C) as a "on/off" switch for my Axe, monitors, and subwoofer.
Click to expand...

do you have any concern with everything turning on at the same time, rather than in "stages"?? (I know the Carvin conditioner does this, but I use a voltage regulator) - will it damage the speakers or axe-fx or anything if you have one turn on before the other??

Maybe its because I used to use tube power amps, and obviously you can run into problems with sequences of power with tube gear.. but I suppose all solid state stuff should be fine??
 
A convenient and nice-looking power-strip dampening noice from stage-lights transformers. But I switch it on as the first, preamp second and the power-amp as the last.
 
Skyze said:
do you have any concern with everything turning on at the same time, rather than in "stages"?? (I know the Carvin conditioner does this, but I use a voltage regulator) - will it damage the speakers or axe-fx or anything if you have one turn on before the other??

Maybe its because I used to use tube power amps, and obviously you can run into problems with sequences of power with tube gear.. but I suppose all solid state stuff should be fine??
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Remember to set the tube-amp in stand-by mode if you switch everything on via the conditioner. Especially if the guiitar-amp has solid-state rectifiers instead of a tube-ditto.
 
pdup said:
Remember to set the tube-amp in stand-by mode if you switch everything on via the conditioner. Especially if the guiitar-amp has solid-state rectifiers instead of a tube-ditto.
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well now im running Axe-FX II into a powered monitor, no more tubes at all.. so can I just plug it all into the conditioner, and use that as a "master ON switch" without any worry of damaging stuff?
 
Generally no need for a conditioner with an AFX - in fact with anything really. It can help with anything "tube" IF you get one that REGULATES power not just conditions it - two different things.

There are exceptions. If you power from a generator then a conditioner is worth investing in - well again a regulator is much much better, also if the country your in has poor power (most are OK though Ive heard of issues in the US - surprising considering even some 3rd world countries can get it right) - by which I mean inconstant voltage (more than 10% either way).

There is the possibility of high current/voltages caused by lightening strikes I guess - but a cheap standard power strip gives as much protection if not more than a conditioner.

As others have said though - it is a convenient master on/off switch for you rack - but so is using a standard 2/3/4 way with surge protection utilising the on/off switch on the mains socket.
 
paulmapp8306 said:
Generally no need for a conditioner with - in fact with anything really. It can help with anything "tube" IF you get one that REGULATES power not just conditions it - two different things.

There are exceptions. If you power from a generator then a conditioner is worth investing in - well again a regulator is much much better, also if the country your in has poor power (most are OK though Ive heard of issues in the US - surprising considering even some 3rd world countries can get it right) - by which I mean inconstant voltage (more than 10% either way).

There is the possibility of high current/voltages caused by lightening strikes I guess - but a cheap standard power strip gives as much protection if not more than a conditioner.

As others have said though - it is a convenient master on/off switch for you rack - but so is using a standard 2/3/4 way with surge protection utilising the on/off switch on the mains socket.
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+10 you wrote my mind! The manual states that the axe handles 100-240 volts, 47-63 Hz.
 
I use two power conditioners. One works as an on-off switch for my studio monitors and mic pre. I got this one because I found out the hard way that Adam A7 monitors have a problem where turning them on and off repeatedly will bust the switch (had to wait about a month for one to come in). The other protects my keyboard, computer, Axe-fx II, etc. and I got it just to be sure. We do have lightning storms in Idaho and also for some reason my apartment has a really low threshold on the breaker. If my wife turns on a hair dryer while I'm playing it'll flip the breaker. It's a small price to pay when you consider the price of the Axe-fx II.
 
Metlupass2 said:
I do the same thing with my PL-8C. I've got my monitors, axe fx, sub woofer, computer, and computer monitor all hooked up. I don't see anything wrong with that. Its just a fancy rack mounted surge protector.
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It is, but it's also (for me) mainly a good way to avoid RF/EMI. Venues that have odd lighting or dimmer circuits can prove troublesome, but I've never had an issue in years of using my Furman.
 
I'll be the first to admit, that the entry-level powerconditioners are big business with flashing rack-units etc. etc. BUT, I would rather have a MOV blowing inside a sturdy steel-cabinet than some plastic/aluminium strip.
And yes, the Axe has a swith-mode power-supply that is very good at suppressing noise and overvoltages. But when the shit hit's the fan and a spike around 1000 and up volt fries the small MOV in the Axe - something near the component inside the curcuit are fried as well.
 
Skyze said:
do you have any concern with everything turning on at the same time, rather than in "stages"?? (I know the Carvin conditioner does this, but I use a voltage regulator) - will it damage the speakers or axe-fx or anything if you have one turn on before the other??

Maybe its because I used to use tube power amps, and obviously you can run into problems with sequences of power with tube gear.. but I suppose all solid state stuff should be fine??
Click to expand...

There is a pop when you turn everything on/off at once. I don't know that it's going to cause damage, but I suppose there is some risk. I found it more annoying then anything else. The way I dealt with it is that my conditioner (a LiveWire house brand one from GC that was on sale) has a couple always-on outlets on the back. So I plugged the Axe into the always on, and everything else in the switched outlets. I turn the Axe on with its own switch, then use the conditioner's switch to turn on the powered monitor, wireless, and phantom for the Liquid Foot. Then I do it in reverse to turn off -- conditioner switch first, then axe. That eliminates pops. But I still get the benefit of doing it all from the rack, rather than needing to go between the rack and the powered monitor's little panel.
 
This is the main reason I use the monster power pro 2500, as it has 2 stage power on/off because the axe sends a really hot burst when powering on/off its nice that the monster power turns off the power amp outlets 1st then everything else after a few seconds.

Previous to the Axe, I've used the same conditioner to power 2 full Marshall stacks and a 9 space rack unit, my bass players massive rig and our rehearsal PA which included mic'd drums and vocals and its provided buzz free noiseless operation for the last 7 years.

Not a salesman or anything but IMO this is a major part of my set up and I really rely on it.
 
I don't believe in them. If the power supply is well designed there should be no need for something like a Furman. IMO it's just a convenient power bar.
 
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