Equi=Tech power systems - anybody using

[WildHoney]

Thinking about getting one of the smaller models for my room. Anybody use these or have any experience with them? Which model would you need for a small, mostly in the box PT rig? Do they really remove all that nasty line noise?

[danms66]

I use an et2r (20 amp, 2 ru model) It's the only power product I've ever used that actually works. I have a room with track lighting with a cheap dimmer, and transformers on all the halogen lights. It completely solved my problem, and my C24 is much quieter now. As a matter of fact, my noise floor dropped by 20db!

[ADwest]

Excellent Box! - Plug it in and say goodbye to almost all noise issues. I use a 20Amp system and power my whole studio.

[WildHoney]

know anything about the q series, or the 1.5Q to be more specific?

[Jeffrey Talbot]

just out of curoisty.. should this type of device come before or after a UPS in the studio..

[Jeff Ulmer]

From Equi=Tech's FAQ:

Can I use a UPS or voltage regulation equipment with an Equi=Tech system?

Yes. However, make sure the Equi=Tech is plugged into the output of the UPS or line voltage regulator, never the other way around. Also, it important that the UPS or voltage regulation equipment has at least the same capacity as the Equi=Tech system.

This means that the whole studio needs to be on the UPS, not just the computer gear, which means a much larger (and therefore noisier) UPS.

[Jonathan Wales]

Equi=Tech is quite simply the best power conditioner by MILES. The differences using and not using are amazing.

[1m1]

Equi=Tech is quite simply the best power conditioner by MILES. The differences using and not using are amazing.

A client gave me one of these, because he got a much bigger one for his studio. I tried it in my studio and there was pretty much no difference in the noise level of my studio. My studio was already quiet and had no hums, but I wanted to see if the signal-to-noise ratio would get any better since I had the unit at my disposal. That's what a Equi=Tech rep claimed would happen when I talked to him at NAMM or AES (one of those shows).

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Lee Blaske]

A client gave me one of these, because he got a much bigger one for his studio. I tried it in my studio and there was pretty much no difference in the noise level of my studio. My studio was already quiet and had no hums, but I wanted to see if the signal-to-noise ratio would get any better since I had the unit at my disposal. That's what a Equi=Tech rep claimed would happen when I talked to him at NAMM or AES (one of those shows).

Exactly. If your studio interfacing and electrical service are installed properly, you do not need such a unit, and it won't make any difference if you add one. I'm not using one, and my system is dead quiet.

That being said, some of the most legitimate uses for such devices are in larger facilities or venues where electrical ground potential of multiple circuits is not the same in different areas where equipment is being run.

It would be a big waste of money to buys such a sophisticated unit to solve problems with cheap light dimmers. Just replace the dimmers with quality units, and also put the lighting on the opposite leg of your 120-0-120 service.

Lee Blaske

[Electrox]

I disagree with the above statement. I have spent much time with installations where everything was placed carefully and correctly in position. However, no one has control over the electricity that is being sent through the towns that feeds your studios. If you want to check your own systems, remove all sound sources and crank everything feeding your speakers to 10. Listen to the garbage there. Want to remove that? Well, some of that is being introduced by the designs (or poor designs) of whatever equipment you are feeding into those speakers (pre amps, mixing board, etc.). The OTHER half is being created because of the distortion your town is delivering across your power lines. Do you hear a slight buzz when someone is shaving in the apartment below? Do you ever hear a click when someone turns on/off a light or a computer? Do you hear ANY 60 cycle hum? Come on, turn it up! Listen to that white/pink/brown noise cackle that exist at every outlet of your studio! Once I bought into the idea of balanced power, I bought one of these heavy suckers (rack, with 2 15 amp outputs to feed everything in studio off of) and it just worked like magic! A HUGE transformer which returns your AC voltage to the pure sine wave it was meant to be! It's wonderful to hear how great pre amps can actually be. You want to get rid of all your grounding problems in a flash? The unit was expensive, but was one of the better things I did for the studio. If you've got a studio that you think is good enough to invest sound treatment for, then you need to check this stuff out. Clean voltage produces clean sound. I sound like a blanking commercial! Good luck.