what is a power conditioner used for?

[bermuda_]

what is the point of having one and are they expensive to purchase?

 

[SteveO]

They ensure stable voltage and protect against power surges and spikes. You can spend as little as $50 on one.

 

[bermuda_]

So is it an essential piece of equipment to have?

 

[dfrady]

Yes. I have used one for many,many years.

 

[t0aj15]

Just remember you get what you pay for. If you spend $50 you ain't gonna get much, and there are different types of "power conditioners" in all price ranges. I use two in my rig, the first is a "Furman Power Factor Pro" which cleans (filters) & stabilizes the current as well as reducing RFI & EMI noise. The second unit in my power supply chain is a "Furman AR-1215 Voltage Regulator" which stabilizes the voltage so the equipment gets a steady 120v all the time, and it further filters out noise that may make it through the Power Factor Pro. Since using these two units all my amps sound better then they have ever sounded, but these two units aren't cheap. But then too I figured why run a $4000+ rig on dirty unfiltered power that will only degrade the great sound the rig is capable of. So as I said you get what you pay for.

 

[domct203]

Just remember you get what you pay for. If you spend $50 you ain't gonna get much, and there are different types of "power conditioners" in all price ranges. I use two in my rig, the first is a "Furman Power Factor Pro" which cleans (filters) & stabilizes the current as well as reducing RFI & EMI noise. The second unit in my power supply chain is a "Furman AR-1215 Voltage Regulator" which stabilizes the voltage so the equipment gets a steady 120v all the time, and it further filters out noise that may make it through the Power Factor Pro. Since using these two units all my amps sound better then they have ever sounded, but these two units aren't cheap. But then too I figured why run a $4000+ rig on dirty unfiltered power that will only degrade the great sound the rig is capable of. So as I said you get what you pay for.

+1

Just about all the ones from Monster and Furman in the $150 range give good filtering and spike/surge protection. For voltage regulation you'll be in the $500 range for sure.

Stay away from the $50 units. Think about it, why buy a $2000 amp then skimp on the AC voltage filtering/protection? $200 is only a 10% investment to protect your gear.

Dom

 

[LegGodt]

+1 for the Furman AR-1215 Voltage Regulator.

Search eBay for them. I got my new and much less than the current street price of $550.