POWER GAMES:Servo Stabilizer,CVT or Online UPS?

[hifiashok]

yes, Cadence does Siltech. i got all my ICs and speaker cables from them. not yet stepped in the power cable way, though.

if i am not wrong, Finolex and Cadence are now part owners of Siltech.

unfortunately, Cadence does not stock the cables. all are ordered back_to_back.

 

[hifiashok]

yes, Mr. Jignesh N. Khatiwala, Absolute Sound (Surat) handles Transparent. He was over for a recently concluded audio meet-up in Delhi NCR.

 

[ajay124]

Three weeks later
Having used the Emerson online UPS for a few weeks now, I would say it is brilliant. 10/10. The perfect,no hassles solution to power problems associated with HiFi.The best upgrade one can do for this much money.Roughly 25K for a 2 kva and 27.5 K for a 3kva.
There are 2 factors which need to be kept in mind before purchasing.
1.The power output of the UPS should be higher than the maximum power consumption of one's system.An online UPS works at 70-80 % efficiency.My 3 kva unit outputs 2.4 kva.I had confirmed that the peak power consumption of my system was roughly 2 kva.But I doubt whether that peak is ever being reached.Average consumption would be closer to 1.5 kva.The 2.4 kva output comfortably handles the load without impairing the dynamics.SQ is clean and transparent.Instruments sound amazingly real and Live.I don't think I can do better than this with my present set up.
2.The online UPS MUST be installed at a distance from the system preferably close to the distribution board.I tried placing it near to the audio rack initially.A complete disaster!Too noisy and I suspect that there was magnetic interference tor maybe it was the power cords I used for directly connecting the source/pre/power to the UPS which were responsible for the aweful SQ.Since I live in an independent house it was easy to do all the modifications like placing the UPS outside the house in a protected place near the distribution board.A 4 mm Havell cable delivers the power (from a phase dedicated only to that cable) directly to a box behind the audio rack.For apartments an 'outside' installation maybe a little tricky but achievable.A certain amount of fresh cabling would be unavoidable.

 

[ajay124]

The most important cable(I believe)is the cable which brings the power from the distribution board to the hifi system.At roughly 2200 inr for a 90 meter roll of 4mm Havell/Finolex,it's the cheapest and most essential cable that needs to be installed.Since most shops don't sell less than a roll,the only issue is what to do with the entire roll.Two lengths are needed.One for the phase and one for the neutral.And one length of 2 or 4 mm earthing cable which is available according to requirement.Plus a 32kva or 25 kva L&T mcb.Plus channels to cover the cable if it is being installed externally.It's done wonders for my system.A small expenditure which pays big dividends.Espoecially in houses with old wiring.For a newly built apartment/house where the electrical installations have been professionally done it may not be required.

 

[ajay124]

Has anybody bought stuff through VH Audio?
VH Audio - Audio cables, parts, and tweaks for audiophiles

 

[mandeep]

Three weeks later
Having used the Emerson online UPS for a few weeks now, I would say it is brilliant. 10/10. The perfect,no hassles solution to power problems associated with HiFi.The best upgrade one can do for this much money.Roughly 25K for a 2 kva and 27.5 K for a 3kva.
.

hello ajay

Does the UPS have internal or external batteries? and Backup=____ hours/minutes

 

[ajay124]

hello ajay

Does the UPS have internal or external batteries? and Backup=____ hours/minutes

Internal batteries.Back up is roughly 10-15 minutes.UPS starts beeping when it shifts to battery mode,giving me ample time to reduce volume to zero and then shut down the power amp,pre and cdp in that order.I don't know whether the order of shutting down makes any difference but that's the way I do it.The oppurtunity of gradually reducing volume to zero before shutdown seems to be important for the long term health of the speakers.I am very fond of the minimalistic BP6 remote control with its 'motorized' up,down,mute.
Bryston - BP-6 Remote - Hand Held Volume Control Only-Audio Advisor

 

[mandeep]

Internal batteries.Back up is roughly 10-15 minutes.UPS starts beeping when it shifts to battery mode,giving me ample time to reduce volume to zero and then shut down the power amp,pre and cdp in that order.I don't know whether the order of shutting down makes any difference but that's the way I do it.The oppurtunity of gradually reducing volume to zero before shutdown seems to be important for the long term health of the speakers.I am very fond of the minimalistic BP6 remote control with its 'motorized' up,down,mute.
Bryston - BP-6 Remote - Hand Held Volume Control Only-Audio Advisor

what is/could be the overall cost with external batteries

warranty is is 1 or 2 years? on-site or carry-in?

Does these new models still come with an external OVCD (over voltage cutoff device)?

 

[ajay124]

what is/could be the overall cost with external batteries

warranty is is 1 or 2 years? on-site or carry-in?

Does these new models still come with an external OVCD (over voltage cutoff device)?

On Site.One year.With external voltage cut off device.Model is GXT MT+.Price 27.5 K.Purchased from Sinewave Technologies.AMC after expiry of guarantee is 6.5 K for one year.Replacement cost of batteries after (hopefully) 3 years around 3K.No idea about the cost of adding extra external batteries.

 

[prem]

Hi Ajay

I have bought stuff from VH Audio. If i remember correctly some bulk wire and some connectors.

 

[ajay124]

Hi Ajay

I have bought stuff from VH Audio. If i remember correctly some bulk wire and some connectors.

I am interested in the the Furutech F-11M Cu or G along with the F-11 IEC.Two pairs for cdp and pre.The copper is 75 dollars a pair,the gold 100 dollars.For the power amp I would probably need the 15A Fi - UK Gold as my crabtree 15A power socket will not accept a US plug.But that is for 100 dollars :sad: + 38 dollars for the IEC.Total cost without shipping/customs is working out to 338 dollars for three pairs of the gold series.
Could you look into it and let me know whether it is worth the expenditure and what the final landed cost in India may work out to.I would still need to buy 6 feet of cable,2 feet for each unit.Audiovision quoted 13 K for 6 feet of Kimber PK 14 and the sales person proudly announced We don't offer discounts!I wonder what class of customers are patronising them.Everytime I have visited/contacted them I have come away with the impression that their target market is the very rich AND the very ignorant

 

[arj]

Has anybody bought stuff through VH Audio?
VH Audio - Audio cables, parts, and tweaks for audiophiles

Ajay, i have bought from him couple of times..have shipped it to bangalore as well using regular USPS post...jut need to make sure
1. it is the priority mail with tracking
2. request him to declare a lower value (below 100 USD)

it should come through in 10-15 days

 

[prem]

Hi Ajay

I have all such stuff normally shipped to my brother in law in US. If its over $600 and not heavy i have it shipped by USPS express to India. It cost about $35. As Arj has mentioned ask for a lower declaration. Customs, if any, is nominal. USPS Express gets it you in 3 days. They actually have Fedex delivering this.

 

[arj]

....For the power amp I would probably need the 15A Fi - UK Gold as my crabtree 15A power socket will not accept a US plug.But that is for 100 dollars :sad: + 38 dollars for the IEC.Total cost without shipping/customs is working out to 338 dollars for three pairs of the gold series.

if it is the modular sockets on the crabtree, you get an universal socket as well..should be easy to change.
better still get a socket also from VH audio and have your electrician install it with a Box.

 

[prem]

Hi Ajay

Since you are building the cable yourself, get bulk wire from Acrolink. Their stuff is very very good. if you are using the Furutech Gold connectors you need to buy good wire.

 

[ajay124]

Thanks prem,arj
I think I will go with the Furutech gold connectors in the near future.
The 15 amp crabtree socket is not available in 'universal'.For the power amp I can buy the Furutech Plug/IEC/Socket.

 

[mandeep]

On Site.One year.With external voltage cut off device.Model is GXT MT+.Price 27.5 K.Purchased from Sinewave Technologies.AMC after expiry of guarantee is 6.5 K for one year.Replacement cost of batteries after (hopefully) 3 years around 3K.No idea about the cost of adding extra external batteries.

You should recheck/confirm again with the dealer as the warranty for previous models used to be 2 years.

AMC cost is too high:sad:

 

[amuthanr]

Hi,

I have been using ALPHA 3KVA servo stabilizer for my onkyo S6200 HTIB for the past one year. This device was flawless and the SQ was simply superb. Lately i have been facing severe voltage fluctuation in my new house and since this servo has a input range of 170-240V, it could not work when the voltage droped below 150V. So i approached vertex and the guy suggested me to go for a 5KVA servo stab (Range 100 - 270V)for my entire house. SInce the power drops horribly bad in the evening, i thought it is better to go for a stabilizer for my entire house. Yesterday the 5KV servo was installed and it has been working pretty well since then. I could see a drastic improvement in fans and tubelights.
However, since this model is not customized for AV requirements, I feel that the SQ has been drastically deteriorated. My sub used to blow my ears of with the old 3KVA ALPHA servo. But now i hardly get that feel and also the sub makes some dhuk dhuk noice occasionally. I feel it is due to the lack of EMI/RFI filter in the servo. I have asked the vertex guy to provide me an EMI/RFI filter and he has agreed to do it for an additional cost. I would like to know if this will solve my problem? are there any surge protector with a built in EMI/RFI filetr? Please advise.
btw, i got the 5KVA servo for 19K from vertex. Not sure if its a good deal. Pls Let me know your thoughts.

Cheers,
Amuthan

 

[ajay124]

I would say the deterioration in SQ is because you have bundled the entire load of the house on the same servo which is supplying power to your audio/video.
For your AV system you need a separate servo or preferably an online UPS which can output enough power to satisfy the requirements of your system.If possible keep one phase only for your AV with no other load on it.
Before you spend any more cash remove all other load from your Vertex and connect it only to your AV to check whether the sound improves.You should find a good electrician to investigate the cause of the severe fluctuations.I doubt whether a satisfactory long term solution can be found for such wild swings in voltage.
For further clarity you can pm borg,venkatcr,arj

 

[ajay124]

More power games!Courtesy the Chandigarh Electricity Board.Early morning my broadband router went dead.Apparently the adapter had given up the ghost.Then when I switched on the UPS to play music,it kept going into battery mode after a short while.Further investigations revealed that the cut off unit meant to protect the UPS (which allows input voltage in the range 170-270V to pass through to the UPS) was cutting off the power supply and it's red light signaling overload was switching on.The conclusion I drew was that the electricity board was generously providing an input voltage of more than 270V.

Luckily the router adapter was the only casualty.Replaced for 250 rupees.The Belkin surge protector used with the router proved to be USELESS!Probably the MOV inside the power strip has been destroyed long ago by earlier surges.Therefore my 'surge protector' is functioning merely as an extension board with no surge protection.

I also purchased a Chinese voltmeter to check the voltage.Two of the phases are receiving an input of 245-250V currently.Therfore I deemed it 'safe' to connect the new adapter and get the broadband functioning.Without the net I feel desolate!
The phase connected to the UPS and the music system is still showing 270V.Therefore I will have to wait until the voltage comes down a bit,in which case the cut off will allow voltage to pass through to the UPS and the UPS will convert it into the 230 V for my system!I am happy that I have developed a little bit of awareness about what kind of power is being fed into my hifi system.In earlier times I would have merrily kept running the system,until something refused to power on