Haven't heard of Steve offering such a unit, but it would be right up my alley to get one.
 What I prefer now is the BPT (Balanced Power Technologies) power conditioner. Main reason is that it provides balanced power at each one of it's secondary taps, which naturally cancels out common mode noise. Just a touch more efficient than the usual single ended power that we get from the wall outlet. Also, there is little/passive circuitry to fail. I really love the old PS Audio power re-generators, but there is a butt load of circuitry going on, and they weren't very efficient either. The newer models do not offer balanced power for some reason.

Steve mentioned in an email a few days back he has one coming out in 8 weeks or so ....you might want to wait a few weeks.

I'm interested in it (after my ZMA enhancements). I can dump my P3 on AudiogoN.

No, I don't.

I heard a while back that the power condition would be under $1000, don't know if that has held or not, I would imagine it has, it came from Steve.
Best,
Scott

I discovered over the weekend that my cheap power strip is causing most if not all of the glare I've been hearing the past few months.  So, I 'd like to fix that asap.

I originally had a budget of about $500, but I'm flexible.  I'd like at least 10 outlets.

Here is what I found so far....

A used P10 for $2,400 - is it really that good?

A blue circle BC660 for $999.
http://www.tlp-audio.com/powerConditioners.php

A Furman Elite 15 PFI for $800.  
https://www.furmanpower.com/product/conditioner-power-ht-15a-power-factor-ELITE-...

Or get a $100 Blue Circle power puck and wait for Steve to introduce his power conditioner.

Couldn't find the BPT gear that 4krow mentioned.

Any thoughts?

Hey Scott,

I’m waiting for Steve’s power conditioner to be released as well, in the meantime I’m using a Blue Circle PLC-FX2 which I have had for some time.  I was going to upgrade to the BC660 because of the performance that I got from the PLC-FX2.  I would like to spring for a P10, no doubt, It’s just not in the budget right now.

Recently I was evaluating digital coaxial cables and came across High Fidelity Cables.  In the process I discovered that they make a module that is supposed to be good - MC-0.5.  Right now the Cable Co. has these on at 20% off of $299.00 with the sale code MODULE20.  Never tried one, don’t know how it would perform as an interm step.  Might wan’t to call The cable Co. and see what they have to say.

Cheers
In a couple of weeks I’ll be moving my system to a new room in which I had a dedicated 10 gauge cable run from the panel to the receptacle.  At that time I’ll be reviewing the conditioning and power cable set up that I have and will be waiting for Steve’s power conditioner.

Something to keep in mind - I know we throw "power conditioner" out there as a blanket term for "something to fix my power" - but the fact is there are many different ways of doing this, and the different devices listed above are almost like comparing cars to boats to airplanes; Yes, they all move you, but they are completely different animals.

For example, a "Power Conditioner" is typically a device that uses some sort of electronic *filters* to attempt to clean the noise out of the line that's feeding your gear. There are many, many ways of doing this (electrically) so this is is a wide range of devices and even a bunch of snake oil in the form of carbon fiber tubes, crystals, and other crap.

A "Surge Suppressor" is typically a device that your power runs through that has sacrificial part that will take the hit if your lines are hit by lightning - sort of like a fuse. But these devices usually don't do much else. (does nothing for minor spikes or brown outs - and no filtration)

A "power regulator" is a device that tries to keep your power at a constant voltage, say 120v or whatever you dial it into. Again, lots of ways of doing this electrically.

A "power isolator" is a device that uses a 1:1 ratio transformer to electrically and physically separate the incoming power from the output power. This can act as both a filter of sorts, and can also isolate your gear from lightning strikes. You could add some extra filtration and cover a lot of ground with this one device - which is why I believe Steve went with this rout for the Decware power devices...you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

Then you have "Power Regeneration" - which is where the much more expensive devices like the PS Audio P10 falls into.  This type of device is taking  your 120v (nominal) power, and basically running it through a highly regulated power amp with a near perfect A/C sine wave coming out the other end.  Think about that, it's literally a power amp that plays one single note:  60hz   So, the P10 encompases a lot of the above with: *some* surge protection - it has regulation circuits that shut down when power looks really scary, as well as fuses (but can still be taken out by a lightning strike), digitally controlled power regulation that you can dial in to the output voltage *you* want (which helps with surges and brownouts), and filtration and isolation through its computer controlled sine wave and circuitry. And even goes as far as allowing you to tweak the output sine wave to allow for more "charge time" for your gear's power supply, *and* lowers the power circuits resistance making it easier/faster for your power demanding gear to pull the power it needs for transients...which is an issue some of the other devices listed above can actually make worse! Which is why I think Lon and I both have Isolation Transformers in storage - they are great for digital gear, but suck the life out of demanding amps. Note: Many of us have heard the ZMA plugged into Steve's Decware Isolation Transformers, and his certainly didn't suck the life out of the amp - I've read that toroid isolation transformers have less resistance and handle transients better, and Steve said he is using toroids so...

Anyways, that's just a general overview of different technologies. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and the better (passive) ones I've heard usually include multiple technologies in clever ways (for example isolation/regulation with further filtration on the output and big caps for transients). Just be careful what you buy into, as the more I research it, the more I see that these companies seem to be blind to or willfully ignorant to what their gear is doing to sound. What I mean by that is, they seem to focus on one thing; such as measurably lowering the RF/EMI interference, at the expense of regulation or transients. Sure the power measures well, but now my amp sounds flat. Or maybe they are really good at regulation - which is awesome if you're a computer and want perfect, uninterrupted power...but oh crap, my bass went to shit and my treble is harsh from all the perfectly regulated noise!

So my suggestion, no matter what you get...even if spending the big bucks on a P10, is to see if you can audition it with *your* gear, with *your* power situation. Make sure you can return/exchange (or easily flip) the device if it doesn't do what you hope/expect it to. I splurged on a P10 after doing a ton of research years ago, and after going through many devices that only seemed to suck the life out of amps. And to be completely honest, the power supply is so good on the ZMA, I hear very little improvement if any. However, every other amp I plugged into the P10 definitely shows improvement.

Final note (sorry so long) - if you can do it, I've found a much bigger bang for my buck by simply running a dedicated "home run" circuit from a quality outlet back to my breaker panel using the highest gauge wire the outlet can take - Including (or especially) the ground wire.. Giving your gear a low resistance circuit to draw from, and even better a really low resistance ground for noise to go down, will help your system get those "black backgrounds" people talk about. I was a skeptic till I tried it, and I'll be damned if it didn't help! Bonus points if you go one step further and have an electrician add an extra grounding rod to your house to further lower your resistance to ground.

Good luck, and do your research!  

LR,

 I will admit that I skimmed through your post, but knowing you from many past posts on this subject and others, I know that we share the same track. As much as I was capable about having my house electrical panel upgraded, I used the opportunity to do everything before and after the panel in order to get all connections, breakers, wire and more up to spec so to say. As LR has mentioned, it was my opportunity to run a dedicated line in order to maximize the power for the sound system. You can spend all you want on power cords and more, but starting at the breaker box will yield benefits per dollar spent.  ;)

LR, your comment about the ground rod, Driving a second longer rod next to the existing one would ensure a fresh and good ground.  I have heard in esoteric circles for sound healing (which is ultra precision) that there had to be 15 ground rods spaced at 4 inches apart in a straight line leading away from the first to get a black enough noise floor for accurate measurements.

I can tell you what a bad ground rod does....  A house I lived in had one once.  The lights would dim and raise in brightness.  Turning on a light in the kitchen would make a light in the living room get brighter.  Once night I saw the conduit from the fusebox glowing red with rings of blue plasma slowly moving up and down it.  Looked like something from star-trek.  Turned out the rod went almost completely bad so there was no neutral.  The two legs coming in were floating so the load on each leg had to be perfectly balanced or the voltage could raise or lower by easily 50 volts with just a few things turned on.

Haha, come to think of it, that was around the time I got into tube gear and was restoring old Harmon Kardon and Stromburg Carlson amps for myself.  Had some out of this world nights back then and it all makes sense now!

I found the ground rod below the meter, and went to drive a new 6 foot rod next to it and after the 3rd hit with the hammer the new rod disappeared into the ground.  Apparently a hollow cavity.  Took an extra long rod to fix that one.

Quote:


Steve, that's interesting - I've read the military specifications on installing ground rods (keep in mind, these guys have it figured out because they are installing gear in harsh environments around the world, so they learned the hard way). They say the rods need to be at least 6' apart (and at least 8' deep) to avoid possible ground to ground interference.  I'm wondering if having so many rods in one location basically acts as one giant rod then (and obviously lowering the resistance)

Of course having the rods in moist soil helps. I happen to have a bit of a gully behind my house, and next spring plan on adding yet another rod closer to the moist soil down the hill. I'm not sure I can get much better than what I've already done...but what I've done so far as been noticed by visitors so it's made a difference so far.

Thank you all for sharing your ideas and to LR for the excellent explanation.

I almost ordered the Tripplite product Lon mentioned to get by, but thankfully posted here first.  Apparently I would not have gotten rid of the glare.

I do have a dedicated circuit. I ran 10 gauge romex and used a hubel outlet.  At the time I was still getting a lot of hum/buzzing which turned out to be a solid state amp. I don't have an additional ground, but I'll inquire with my local electrical contractor about adding one.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Decware products for sure.  In the meantime, I'm aquiring a used Furman unit to get by and hopefully take another step forward.

LR,

 I like the example that you give here about the power supply. There is no doubt in my mind that a power supply designed for a given purpose may do it's job in one capacity, but will not improve the performance for another job. Having said that however, most things can be tweaked for a new direction. I err on the side of using a robust supply and then tailor it (by ear) to be what I am looking for.

Hmmm. . . yeah I was interested before the past week or two. Since then I've begun using my amps plugged into a PS Audio Soloist outlet and really like the sound. Every thing else is plugged into the P10 which is plugged into another PS Audio Soloist outlet, which is a "Special Edition." With the huge power supply and power regulation for both output and input tubes on the SE84UFO3 Monoblocks I find myself enjoying the sound this way a tiny bit better than with the amps plugged into the P10.
(Neither these outlets nor the P10 restrict dynamics or impart he sound in any way that I have experienced over the years).

So I'm less eager to spend 895 now. The big advantage to doing so would be with those six outlets on Steve's conditioner I could plug all my analog equipment into that, and the P10 could power all my digital audio and video equipment and I could have the analog and digital separated quite effectively. Would that make a difference worth the price, and would I like the sound of all my preamps and tuner also plugged outside the P10? Questions I don't have the answera to. At the moment, not having the 895, it's easy to just leave them as questions.

I've attached a photo that Lonely Raven posted here on the forum. Doesn't look that big to me. . . . .

I just found this page on the new conditioner:

https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZLC.html

No smancy lights on the front though.  

I will tell this is exactly what I would use for power needs. The unit I have is almost exactly the same in design, and has been trouble free for many years. Totally balanced is the way to go, and was the main reason that I liked the Original PS Audio power re-generators. Trouble with them was all that circuitry! I knew that sooner or later, the excessive heat and circuits would not get along, so I searched for another balanced design that was passive. I came up with a heavy BPT product and never looked back. Good to see that someone else is making a quality device for less than thousands of dollars.

Should be no problem in my experience.

Cool I'd like 2 units! My only nitpick is that I wish the voltage reader was on the front of the unit and not facing the back … the reader is of little use when facing the towards the back wall.

Great, I'll most likely get two as well!

Maybe the other version will have voltage on the front.

Meters on the back, meters on the front... I guess it depends on which photo that you are looking at. Yes, one photo does show these 'meters' all on the front, but the link that Steve posted shows no meters on the front, and a line voltage meter (to use the term loosely) on the rear panel next to the IEC power inlet. Personally, I wouldn't any more lights  on any piece of gear than absolutely necessary.

In terms of the Decfest pic that LR posted with all of the lights on the front of the power supply, versus the one that is on the main site.....

Maybe the one on the main site is using blanking plugs.  If the user decides to utilize a certain switch, he would pop out and remove the plug to expose the light indicator.  Hopefully Steve could we chime in and give us more clarification.  

Personally I don’t need any more lights than necessary, and the illuminated switch would be enough for me.

If my assumptions are true, then that setup would be cool and stealth.  If you blow up Eric’s picture ( by pinch and zooming on your mobile device) it even looks like the light housing is countersunk just enough to accommodate the plug.  

That's a good question.

I accomplish surge protection for my Monoblocks and my preamp by using PS Audio Soloist outlets (one is the standard, one an "SE" . . . .) PS Audio no longer makes these, but they can be found (one on amazon at present). Does noise reduction and offers surge protection.

https://www.musicdirect.com/power/ps-audio-soloist-in-wall-ac-power-conditioner

I've ordered one of the new ZLCs. I think I know how to get it into my rack, and without the "lights" it will get spousal approval. I think this will work out very well for my system: all my analog components (Decware and my Magnum Dynalab tuner) in the new ZLC, all my digital audio and visual components in the P10.

Steve, what fuse is used in the ZLC? Thanks.

No actually you paid the original price, that Musical Direct price that showed on that page I cited was a half-price clearance price and was a helluva deal at the time.

Great! I think you'll be very happy with them. I found they made a difference with my system. Good score.

You could use them beforehand. . . I bought one from busterfree and he had incorporated an innovative solution to using them without mounting them on the wall: he wired a quality Furutech plug onto the supplied wires. That way they can be plugged into an existing wall outlet. Works brilliantly and the quality of both the wall outlet and the plug will influence the sound. That way you could use them and break them in before they are installed in the wall. . .

Has anybody tried the whole house meter mounted surge protector?  My electric company has something that mounts behind the meter for around $150, I think.

Lon, awesome, you ordered one. I look forward your scenario's with it.

I'm going to take Steve's advice and plug my PS P3 in to it (and/or Lon's discoveries with the ZLC).

Timing of the ZLC could not be better. I recently and still am, experimenting with.....from the wall power cords to my P3. I will continue this when I get my ZMA (25th~so excited) back. First though, the 25th enhancments need to be seasoned in with my known/constant cord from the wall to P3. ....and of course, 25th ENJOYED!

Then, my ZBIT comes in February'ish. I just need to review my budg'....to when I can order the ZLC.....to follow my ZBIT.

Steve wrote:
".....it pays to know that a power re-generator is a large power amplifier. It simply plays a single 60 cycle note (sine wave) instead of music. It is, nevertheless, an amplifier whose performance is affected by incoming power quality just like anything else therefor it would make sense to plug a power re-generator in the Zen Line Conditioner."

With the soloist not available anymore...Archie's outlet surge protection idea for the ZLC, should not be detrimental to the ZLC? Then, of course what the ZLC is sending to my P3...the P3 has its own protection.

It will be interesting, plugging the P3 into the ZLC and using the ZLC directly (sans P3).

Yes, you have a lot of power hungry stuff. I will be fine with running my P3 from the ZLC.

Yes, hope Steve chimes in about the typical GFCI, et al...surge protector for his ZLC from the wall..... .
If no go/good? ....then, what does he suggest, or maybe, I'll be looking for a soloist..... .

The unit that was photographed during DECFEST with the "lights" is in development.  The idea was to display the current of each outlet across the top, the total current and the voltage at the bottom.  So far there have been two problems with this concept... the current readings are not accurate, the meters coming from China.  To make it work I'll have to scratch build digital current meters so they are accurate on low draw components like sources and preamps.

Really the only thing one would need to know is the total current the unit is seeing at a given moment, so we'll probably focus on that first.  

My thoughts so far with the prototype are that it will be expensive to get the concept to work properly, and in fact might be so expensive that it becomes impractical from a price perspective.

Rather than current meters, these locations could be used for voltage meters or lights.  Also it is possible to use illuminated switches.  The truth is that as some have already pointed out, the lights are a bit much in most listening rooms, and really not needed.  This is one reason why the one on the web page is light free, and the voltage meter is on the back where you can't see it.  The only time you need to see that is when you are plugging the unit into the wall, after that it can only be a distraction.  The other reason is because LED indicators might inject unwanted noise, and even neon indicators if not done right, so these are all good reasons why the other version is in development and not on the web site.  What's on the web site works well, is grain free and should make everyone happy when their gear sounds better!

Steve

The ZLC by it's nature does have spike protection, yes, but not surge suppression. Our tube gear doesn't need surge suppression or voltage regulation, and most solid state gear has that incorporated into their own power supply.

In the ZLC the noise filtration happens before the Toroidal transformer inside the IEC connector in a metal shielded case to keep the transmitted noise that was filtered away from of the inside of the ZLC metal case and away from the TOROIDAL transformer and internal wiring. Here is what that looks like:



From there we go into the TOROIDAL transformer and after being magnetically decoupled the secondaries are shorted across a beeswax cap which further lowers the noise floor.

A transformer this size stores a lot of energy, so it's ability to deliver a sudden release of energy to your amplifier is superior to the wall outlet. To get an idea the kind of energy, the TOROID ways about 22 lbs.  Drop that on your foot and that's pretty close to the stored energy potential : )

With a good aftermarket power cord and a ZLC you will absolutely have blacker backgrounds and way better dynamics. That was actually the reason for choosing a noiseless TOROIDAL that can handle 10 AMPs of RMS current.  This is far more than any Decware system even with 6 components. But, even at 10 AMPS draw, there is a tremendous energy release available when compared to the smaller isolation transformers, that get noisy if you draw more than 2/3rds the rated power and go over 4 amps.  

There are a many "power conditioners" out there to choose from. I know that if what you make doesn't actually make an obvious improvement, then people will be disappointed. To make an obvious improvement I believe that in the DECWARE world where everything is tubes and doesn't give a shit if the voltage is +/- 10 Volts, regulation is less important than isolation, and grounding is probably as important as isolation. Having everything from source to amplifier plugged into the same device creates a single-point-ground equal to each component and that alone would improve the sound of a lot of systems. And if that didn't do it just having higher quality hospital grade receptacles with high tension contacts and heavier metals throughout tied together with high quality stranded copper wire, copper jackets on the receptacles and close spacing to set the proper stage for a good power cord feeding a good amplifier.

In the past I would use always at least two of the small ISO500 Tripplite units because anything larger would have unbearable mechanical hum, so never was it possible get everything into a single ground point.  Now that I can plug large amps together with source components and even my commercial power hungry tape machines all at the same time without not only hearing loud mechanical hum, but instead of experiencing sag, the stored energy gives everything a nice kick.  And of course the captive power cord on the Tripplite models, while not a deal breaker doesn't do you any real favors either.  As always, it's just a product designed to solve my own problems which I realize everyone else probably has as well.

I am anxious to see what Lon and everyone else who tries one here thinks of it! Call it confidence.

Steve






.

Thanks for that information Steve. When received I'll try it a number of ways and see what works best and what is "discernible" as a difference. I'm expecting yet another area of improvement. Eager to see what both this and a "fully modded" ZROCK2 bring to the table.

I'm gonna upgrade my ZP3 first...then I need to save for the PCond.

I have a question for you guys in the know. I currently have a 10g dedicated circuit running to a set of Cryod Hubbel Hospital Grade Duplexes in my room. I plan to order a Power Conditioner and am wondering this. Will utilizing my DIY 10g 15' (3 conductor copper/Made in U.S.) ext cable pictured below which will be feeding current to my MyTek Brooklyn+ DAC, Sonore ultraRendu and 7v Linear supply, and Woo WA6 Headphone amp which will be plugged into the Power Conditioner have any negative effects? My Torii MKIV, ZROCK2 (25th), ZTPRE will be plugged directly in the ZLC. Thanks for any thoughts on this.
Best
Scott

I'm pumped Archie! ZMA coming in tomorrow. I have a couple of Christmas Tree's to put up and keep me busy, till she arrives.

ZBIT in Feb + ZLC in March! I'm hooking my Transport, ZDSD, ZBIT & ZMA, directly out of the ZLC from the get go. Then, experiment with my P3. Look forward to your impressions and Lon's.

Today? Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Almost time for a Colorado gummy and Surly Furious! None of this tomorrow, the ZMA is its own psychoacoustic.

Yeah, I felt like my ZMA took a full week of regular use before it started to bloom. Lately I've been trying out all sorts of tubes, so it's been an excuse to keep the amp burning several hours a day.

Give it time, and wait for that one night where you're like..DAMN!

Quote:


So, has it put your Zen out of service for awhile?  Or, do you still like the Zen better?

Will do Archie & Lonely Raven!

ZMA out for delivery....she's roaming in the area!


gwng8, nice Amps.....they are made just down the road from me.

I just did the ol' W/V=A formula.  As far as what the total load a given circuit can take, I think the breaker capacity needs to be reduced by 20% (or something), as a safety factor, as per Code.

Hi all,
So the ZLC delivers 10A (1200W, I think) continuously, but the use of a toroidal transformer allows it to store and therefore deliver much more "juice" when called for. Does anyone know what kind of peak power can be delivered? I would like to use this to power my whole system, which includes a GoldenEar Forcefield 5 subwoofer, and am concerned with the amount of current the sub may draw when pounding out those really low frequencies. The rest of the system shouldn't draw much current, as I'm using a Torii MK III without a preamp.
Thanks so much for any insights/help.
Chris

Thanks, Steve!  So that should be plenty of juice for my system
Just to be sure I understand correctly, is the ZLC balanced, like an Equi=Tech PLC or is it just using the transformer to filter/purify the AC like a Bryston BIT, leaving the neutral tied to ground like standard AC power?
This is all new to me, so I'm just trying to understand the differences between various PLC approaches.
Thanks so much,
Chris

If your subwoofer has a 3 prong power cord then there is a possibility although if it's not a problem now, it shouldn't be then either.

Quote:


Scott, I realized nobody attempted to address your question.

The short answer - anything you *add* to your system could cause problems. K.I.S.S. method usually helps with audio power, so the fewer links/parts/cables/plugs the fewer chances of having problem. That said, it looks well made, and the only way to tell really is to plug it in and see.

Well, if they are all going to the same buss, then the "cross contamination" just happens there instead of at the outlet.

On a positive note, this forces you check all connections and make shure they are firm.

I don't recommend using the push-in spring loaded wire connections and always recommend using the screws. (see here for why)

https://www.handymanhowto.com/electrical-outlets-side-wire-versus-back-wire/

That is exactly what I thought, but figured there was something I was missing. Oh, well, it's done and with torqued, screwed, solid wire connections so it is what it is and I won't be going in the box anytime soon, it's pretty tight now!
Best,
Scott

Thanks!  So, by "home run" you mean each conductor for each outlet would have to be wired directly back to the IEC inlet? Do you know if there is a way to measure the resistance of your main electrical system's ground to see if additional grounding rods are needed to lower the resistance?
Thanks again for the helpful info!
Chris

Boy, it sure will be nice to get some impressions of the ZLC from future users! It's an exciting product.

When I uploaded the newest firmware, SnowMass for my PS Audio DirectStream DSD DAC I was thrown for a loop by the evolving sound (which has stabilized) and did a lot of system changes chasing the tail of the best sound. In the process I took out PS Audio Soloists out of the electrical change, and returned the power cord plugs of all my equipment to the P10. I'm really enjoying the sound I am getting as a result and have a real great sounding baseline to experiment with when my ZLC arrives. (I know that will not be soon, that it will take time with all the orders that have come in since I ordered one on 11/11--mine will be No. 2).

What struck me when viewing the new product info of the ZLC is how similar in design it was to the "Mr. T" line conditioner from Shindo. I am not sure if the Shindo also has a cap to help suppress the line noise, but it has a large torroidal transformer and six outlets, though they are not switched individually. The Mr. T has been very favorably reviewed. . . and it lists I believe over three times the cost of the ZLC!

May be to early to really know but I'm sure some of you have a better understanding than I do. How would the ZLC compare to an UberBuss?

You're right Jeff, ZLC #1 has not made it to the build bench yet. only Decware staff would have substantial experience with the ZLC at this time.

May I please inquire why hospital grade outlets are recommended as such outlets are intended to withstand the rough handling and mechanical stresses expected in industrial settings which of course no audiophile would subject them to. Kind Regards Cheerios

Is a balanced isolation transformer still the preferred method for power conditioning, or are any newer filtering products in a similar price range capable of similar performance, like the AQ Niagara 1200 for example.

If a balanced iso transformer is the best method, would something like this balanced toroidal transformer (https://toroid.com/product/balanced-transformer-with-enclosure-1500va/) be significantly different than the ZLC? I’ve seen a few recommendations for this brand and could get up to 2000VA and 8 outlets for $900.

Thanks Geno! I’ve been looking at power related posts on here but missed that one. I’m steering away from power regeneration for the reasons Steve mentioned. They’re also all above my budget.

It seems like a balanced iso transformer is the way to go, but I’m mainly wondering how the ZLC differs from other balanced iso transformers. Im guessing the ZLC has that added filtering stage before the transformer whereas similar designs would go directly to the transformer.

Does the quality of the toroidal transformer heavily impact the overall sound, or is the main concern just having a transformer with a power rating well equipped to handle your gear’s power?

My 1 cent:  I never had a regenerator but the ZLC is far superior to the Trip-Lite I tried.