Musical Fidelity M3i-voltage stabilizer

[Divakar7]

I recently bought a Musical Fidelity M3i integrated amp from Audio People in Hyderabad. The warranty says it would be valid only if I use a voltage stabilizer. Can anyone advice me on whether the Krykaard servo stabilizer is an appropriate product? Thanks for your advice.

Divakar

 

[Shivam]

I have been using a lot of Musical Fidelity components without any voltage stabilizer.

Do you really need a voltage stabilizer in your locality ? If the voltage doesn't go very high or low, then just choose a power conditioner with good surge and brown-out protection.

 

[BLASTO]

Voltage stabilizer is required in hyd.

 

[reignofchaos]

IMHO any voltage stabilizer is gonna ruin the sound. I say this after trying many of them. The only thing that works for audio is an Online UPS/Regenerator sort of device. However that too works best with sources/preamps and the like.

I prefer to run my power amp direct off the wall as everything in between seems to constrict the dynamics.

 

[anm]

You can look at emerson 3KVA ups. I got it on recommendation from ajay124, for (26.5k + vat). It is running my entire HT setup quite fine. Need to see how it works when I add more subwoofers. Load is 20% most of the times, but shoots up to 65% on a dynamic scene. It gives 10 mins backup, which is sufficient for mostly, when the genset backup of the society kicks in.

 

[Divakar7]

@Shivam @ Blasto My electrician says I don't need a voltage stabilizer since the appartment complex has a dedicated transformer. But the receipt I received from Audio People states explicitly that warranty would be valid only if I have a voltage stabilizer.

@reignofchaos @anm I do have an Emerson UPS with batteries. When there is a power failure, there is appreciable dip in the voltage. So my Marantz amp would switch off and re-start by itself while the CD player wouldn't skip a beat.

I am not sure my ears or my equipment is high-end enough to make out the degraded signal due to a voltage stabilizer. But I sure know that my wallet is sensitive to equipment failure or non-compliance with warranty

 

[Shivam]

If your apartment complex has a dedicated transformer, then you don't need a stabilizer but you do need a power conditioner for sure.

Don't worry about non-compliance and warranty. Musical Fidelity products are built like tanks (even on the inside). Even if they get spoilt, nobody can say with certainty if there was a stabilizer or not. They have to be sent to their 'factory' for repairs and any repairs done in India will once again spoil the warranty !!!

Just get a good power conditioner with the necessary protections and then enjoy your music.

 

[baijuxavior]

How are they going to know that you didn't use a voltage stabilizer?

 

[musicbee]

How are they going to know that you didn't use a voltage stabilizer?

Not sure but they do have a fair idea. I had my Panasonic LCD blow out (a loud noise and it would not start). They repaired it free of cost but said some (ICs or something) had blown and I needed a voltage stabilizer.

I'm not an electronics guy and I did have a voltage stabilizer but that day I had moved the TV to my work den and had it connected to the PC. TV was connected direct to wall socket... PC always runs on UPS. Did not notice anything with PC but loud noise from TV and it was dead.

Since then I've always run my TV via the voltage stabilizer and no problems whatsoever.

Anyways to get to the point... the guy knew a voltage stabilizer was not used.

 

[Divakar7]

@Shivam thanks for your advice. I have contacted Furman's rep in Bangalore (Reynolds) for power conditioners that also protect against voltage spikes. Price range is around 9k, so will explore that option. From audio perspective that may be a better solution than Krykard and will also protect equipment from surges.

 

[anm]

Divakar - voltage doesn't dip on my ONLINE ups. Yours may not be an online UPS.

 

[Divakar7]

Furman's Merit Series M10 LXe offers power conditioning and surge protection for about Rs9000 from Reynolds in Hyderabad. The classic series PL-8C that I was interested is out of my budget at Rs17,000. Here are more details in terms of performance:

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=03&id=M-10LxE

@anm what's the difference between an "online" and "offline" UPS? Mine comes on automatically when there is a power failure.

 

[anm]

an online UPS always uses battery to supply output current, while offline UPS comes to action only when there is a power failure.
In my online UPS, output voltage ALWAYS remains 230V (changed yesterday to 240v) - and frequency always remains 50 Hz. It is important to me as my backup power is on genset and frequency can vary when power comes from a genset.

This is not the case with offline UPS, despite having a voltage regulator.

 

[Divakar7]

Hi folks,

I am planning to sell my Marantz PM7200 for Rs27,000 as I have upgraded to the M3i. As a newbie on his forum, I can't put it in the sales section yet. But if you are interested, please PM me for pictures and more info.

It is an award-winning amp and is in excellent condition. It offers 25 watts a channel in pure Class A and it delivers in Class A/B 2 x 95 Watts (RMS into 8 Ohms), rising to 155 Watts with 4 Ohm speakers. A single push-pull amplifier, symmetrical circuitry with independent heat sinks, anti-resonant, metal front panel and hand selected customized components including HDAM, assures extremely dynamic sound reproduction with accurate tonal and image balance. Gold-plated input and output terminals and heavy duty speaker terminals. With full system remote control operation.