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for those of you with power conditioners in your rig

sickest beast

sickest beast

Apr 22, 2006
1,010
16
niagara falls, ON
#1
Is there any discernible difference when you plug a large all-tube bass amp into some sort of pro power conditioner versus into a power strip or even just the wall?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm planning on purchasing a Mesa Boogie 400+ and would like to protect it from any sort of power surges or anything, but would like to know if they also have any effect on the overall volume, tone, consistency, etc. of a tube amp.

I'm interested in something like the Furman Power Factor Pro Power Conditioner, musiciansfriend.com makes some pretty hefty claims about what it can do to improve the juice going into your rig.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Furman-Power-Factor-Pro-Power-Conditioner-?sku=181309

Forgive me if this has been gone over before, I did a search but didn't have much luck.
 
#2
no change in volume tone at all its just the power running to your amp. It will just provide clean power with no spikes which will prolong the life of your tubes. Power condidioner are great for bars that have sketchy power. I have a furman power conditioner
 
#4
well it will prevent pops from surges and it will let you know if you have enough power to play without hurting your amp so in that case yes you will sound better. but i highly recommend getting one. I prefer the rack modles but its up to you.
 
#5
Nope, sorry. A power conditioner doesn't have anything more in it than a standard power strip with noise filtering, which are available at any WalMart for $45. Hell, I use tube amps and I don't even bother with the noise filtering. I just use a regular power strip that cost like $10. Works great. The only thing a power conditioner is good for over a power strip is keeping a tidy rack, and you can get a basic model for about $50-60 that will do anything a more expensive one will. Otherwise you're just paying for the lights.
 
#7
If anything, your tube amp, because of it's transformers, is better protected against the vagaries of voltage variation (good band name!) than newer, digital amps, which really need steady 115~120 to work properly. Besides, the threat (to tube amps) is more from low voltage than spikes, and transformer-driven power conditioners that are able to BOOST voltage are expensive (that would be the $649 instead of the $389, if I read your linked ad correctly). In my area, most of the bars I play in have been recently remodeled, which means they pulled a permit, which means the electrical inpector did his job, which means they're up to code, which is STRICT here in MA. If you play lots of dives, especially in a state where the code is not so strict (deep south, some midwestern states) it may be a wise investment, but I really wouldn't bother until/unless you start noticing problems (i.e. you start eating tubes at your steady gig). Those puppies are expensive, and you might play for YEARS through a tube amp without problems.
 
#8
Ya i noticed pops coming from my cab when my band was all plugged in at my drummers old house (why is practice always at the drummers they are so lazy) so i got one to protect the tubes. but since then he has a new house and we got each outlet wired to a different breaker lol so now i just have it as a racklight and use it for shows.
 
#9
JeremyJJackson said:
Ya i noticed pops coming from my cab when my band was all plugged in at my drummers old house (why is practice always at the drummers they are so lazy) so i got one to protect the tubes. but since then he has a new house and we got each outlet wired to a different breaker lol so now i just have it as a racklight and use it for shows.
Click to expand...

Practice is usually at the drummer's place because they have a drum set to haul.
 
#13
I used to use my Furman Power conditioner all the time with my Mesa 400+ and now I use the 400+ without it. I don't notice any difference in sound. I just use a surge protector at the moment and it works just fine.

My Furman Power C told me that the voltage in one venue was 130Volts. The Mesa 400+ handles this with ease plugged into a surge protector or just plugged into a wall.

I think a $20-30 surge prtector is a good investment and you should not need much more.
 

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