power conditioner?

[spdam]

We practice in our drummers unfinished basement and I'm concerned about the power not being adequate etc. I've had times where I've had dips in my volume levels and some distortion at times. I'm not a totally sure that it is due to faulty electrical wiring or if there is enough power to supply all five of us.

I want to protect my equipment and I'm wondering if my surge protector strip is good enough. I also heard some gig/venues may not have great electric systems. I've read some of the posts here on power conditioners but I feel I need some more info before making a decision. There also seems to be some controversy of whether they are worthwhile etc.

Do any of you power conditioners? I was looking at a Live Wire model for $99. thet seems to have good features for the price.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/live-wire-power-power-conditioner-and-distribution-system

Thanks!
Steve

 

[happyrat1]

I'd suggest going beyond a simple surge suppressor and buy a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) instead.

For two to four keyboards a budget priced unit would work well enough and you'd really only need it to plug in the keyboards which are CPU based and not the amps or other cheaper hardware.

I use a couple of these for my computers at home and they work quite well.

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE750G

Remember, a surge protector will only protect you against power spikes and surges. A UPS will protect against brownouts as well.

 

[delaware dave]

Surge suppressors do not maintain a steady voltage. The apparatus that you are explaining is a voltage regulator. I've been using a voltage regulator since the early 90's, I don't leave the home without it, it has been a permanent fixture in the gig bag for 20 years. It keeps the voltage around the required 117V. Dips in voltage can be a disaster for electronic equipment. I use this one and swear by it:

http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtSeriesID=838&txtModelID=208

Here is one at a great price:

http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-LC1200-Conditioner-Outlet/dp/B0000512LA/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1361460267&sr=1-4&keywords=tripp lite power conditioner

 

[spdam]

Thanks Guys! Good ideas. I think I'm going with that Tripp-Lite. Amazon seems to have the best price.