power strip/filter/conditioner? W Audio W-3900.

M

mocwilson

Junior Audioholic
HI All,
im looking for opinions on this product, its sold on amazon but i cant find much on it online or any products quite like it.

herer is the one review i found, and Zero fidelity had made a video on YouTube under another channel name, he seemed to really like it.

W Audio. The W-3900.




thanks
 
Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
A power strip/filter/conditioner for $200? Advertised as "high-end audio grade"? Run away! A few other lines in that so-called review should set off alarm bells, warning you to stay away.
The only casualty was a $100 electrician visit plus the conditioner fault blew a $100 Sylvania NOS 4U5AG rectifier tube in the $16,500 phono stage’s power supply."
A $100 vacuum tube in a $16,500 phono stage pre-amp!!
… has 6 filtered, hospital grade outlets and 4 industrial, non filtered outlets. I plugged my amplifier into the wall—far too many inexpensive power conditioners rob the amplifier of power if the filtered outlets are not sufficiently managed by the transformers for reserve power."
More nonsense, enough alarm bells for 3 fire houses to respond!!!

It is ironic that fancy stuff like this is associated with high-end audio gear, when it can be argued that the cheaply designed, mass-marketed stuff should need it the most. If the power supply in an amp, receiver, etc. is well-designed, fancy power cords, outlets and power conditioners shouldn't matter much.

You don't need hospital grade outlets, spend $2.50 on a better quality outlet from Home Depot instead of the cheap 49¢ outlet, just so it is well-built and provides a good, reliable connection. Spend $50 on a good power strip with an EMI filter to protect your equipment, and you'll have most of the benefit you need.

Better yet, get a UPS power supply, as Paul DS said above.
 
M

mocwilson

Junior Audioholic
ya i thought it looked kinda sketchy but was confused by the good review by zero fidelity....weird maybe they paid him for the good review.

anyways thanks all
 
S

SimplyEpic

Audioholic
Just as a follow up to the UPS side of things as I was looking at them myself any guidance to how many VA are needed. I plan to protect Marantz SR6014, Monoprice 9 channel amp, PS4, Blue Ray Player and possibly the TV on one. Was thinking a smaller one for each PB-4000 to cushion the draws during loud listening sessions.
 
Speedskater

Speedskater

Audioholic General
While home hi-fi systems seldom need power conditioners, the only equipment that needs a UPS are:
units that have a DSP or processor or need to reboot or do nasty things when power fails.
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
A power strip/filter/conditioner for $200? Advertised as "high-end audio grade"? Run away! A few other lines in that so-called review should set off alarm bells, warning you to stay away.
A $100 vacuum tube in a $16,500 phono stage pre-amp!!
More nonsense, enough alarm bells for 3 fire houses to respond!!!

It is ironic that fancy stuff like this is associated with high-end audio gear, when it can be argued that the cheaply designed, mass-marketed stuff should need it the most. If the power supply in an amp, receiver, etc. is well-designed, fancy power cords, outlets and power conditioners shouldn't matter much.

You don't need hospital grade outlets, spend $2.50 on a better quality outlet from Home Depot instead of the cheap 49¢ outlet, just so it is well-built and provides a good, reliable connection. Spend $50 on a good power strip with an EMI filter to protect your equipment, and you'll have most of the benefit you need.

Better yet, get a UPS power supply, as Paul DS said above.
When someone is looking for a UPS power supply to connect to his AV system, would a UPS that features a Pure Sine Wave output be necessary to keep the AV regular performance, or would the one producing a simulated or modified sine wave be sufficient?
 
Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
While home hi-fi systems seldom need power conditioners, the only equipment that needs a UPS are units that have a DSP or processor or need to reboot or do nasty things when power fails.
Very good point.
When someone is looking for a UPS power supply to connect to his AV system, would a UPS that features a Pure Sine Wave output be necessary to keep the AV regular performance, or would the one producing a simulated or modified sine wave be sufficient?
I don't know the answer to your question. I doubt if that matters, as long as the power is uninterruptible. But that is a guess.
 
M

mocwilson

Junior Audioholic
Do you have whole home surge protection? Why are you shopping for "power conditioners"?
no i just use surge protectors, thought this looked interesting at first glance but was suspicious of it. more just curious to see what others thought of it.
 
Teetertotter?

Teetertotter?

Senior Audioholic
People over think and I have 5 surge protectors for HT section, plus TV's and computers at various locations. Some instances, 2 computers on the same surge protector. Since 2005, we have had numerous outages damaging none of our equipment. The latest was 4 years ago with transformer replacement 2 houses from us. And we have had the short on/off power times that were just fine. That's my story and stand behind it.
 
Paul DS

Paul DS

Full Audioholic
While home hi-fi systems seldom need power conditioners, the only equipment that needs a UPS are:
units that have a DSP or processor or need to reboot or do nasty things when power fails.
I disagree. Brownouts can cause as much trouble with electronic equipment as power surges. A UPS protects from both high and low voltage.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I disagree. Brownouts can cause as much trouble with electronic equipment as power surges. A UPS protects from both high and low voltage.
How do you define brownout? Where do you live? Guess I've never lived (about 20 different locations) where they are bad enough to take my gear out....
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
What fact? I've had what were described as brownouts that didn't take out gear....so what's the threshold where you need to get a UPS? Are you talking projector bulb type reasons or ?
 
Paul DS

Paul DS

Full Audioholic
What fact? I've had what were described as brownouts that didn't take out gear....so what's the threshold where you need to get a UPS? Are you talking projector bulb type reasons or ?
Have it your way, I don't wish to argue.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Have it your way, I don't wish to argue.
You don't make sense, either you have something valid to say on this point or not. Have it your way. I'll take it you have no valid point until you make one.
 
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