Power Conditioner
Summary
Abstract
Power conditioning is discussed in the community primarily in the context of surge protection, noise filtering, and EMI interference. The general consensus is that basic power conditioning is sufficient for most home studios, and expensive “audiophile” power conditioners are rarely necessary. For surge protection, an APC UPS (battery backup) is recommended alongside a Furman Power conditioner. The most critical advice: during serious storms, unplug everything — no conditioner will save you from a direct hit.
Key Characteristics
- Basic power conditioners are essentially surge protectors in rack form
- True power conditioning includes voltage regulation and noise filtering
- APC UPS units provide battery backup for safe shutdown during power failures
- EMI from computers (especially PCs/Hackintoshes) can cause noise in tube gear
- Power surges can destroy equipment — an Orion 32 was fried when power came back on after an outage
- Ground loops and power-related noise are common troubleshooting topics
Use Cases
- Surge protection for studio equipment
- Battery backup (UPS) for safe computer shutdown during power events
- Noise filtering for studios with dirty power or EMI issues
- Sequenced power-on/off for studio gear racks
Settings & Sweet Spots
- Pair a Furman rack conditioner with an APC UPS for comprehensive protection
- Keep the computer and audio gear on separate circuits when possible
- Ground lifts can help diagnose power-related noise but are a band-aid, not a solution
- Faraday shielding and physical distance help with EMI from PC enclosures
Comparable Alternatives
| Product | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Furman Power (basic rack) | ~$50-100 | Basic distribution + surge protection |
| Furman Power IT Reference 15i | ~$2000 | Industrial-grade conditioning |
| APC Back-UPS | ~$150-300 | Battery backup, ~5 min runtime |
| Pyle Rack Power Strip | ~$30 | Bare minimum |
Common Mistakes
- Assuming a power conditioner will protect against a direct lightning strike — always unplug during serious storms
- Not having a UPS for the computer — a sudden power loss can corrupt sessions and damage drives
- Ignoring EMI from a PC enclosure as the source of noise in tube gear
- Spending thousands on power conditioning before addressing basic grounding and circuit issues
See Also
Source Discussions
Bryan DiMaio
“I have an APC, it gives me about 5 minutes of power on the important stuff so I can save and shut down. I use Furman for general power conditioner duties.”
chrissorem
“I’ve had my Orion 32 blow up when the power came back on. Just unplug it from the wall if you aren’t using it.”
SoundsLikeJoe
“APC and Furman have such a wide range of products — some are industrial but others are cheap consumer things. Most of the rack mount Furmans are just basic power strips in rack format.”
kc_kasey
“I use a tube summing mixer and LOVE it, but I recently changed over to a Hackintosh and now the summing mixer picks up a ton of noise from the PC enclosure… It’s all powered through my Furman 1500 UPS power conditioner.”