Do you use a power conditioner when playing live gigs?

Dennis

LOL :D Yes, I do NOW. But I just bought the thing two weeks ago. :D

But I have always known about the problems you have playing gigs. I have played clubs where you plug into one outlet and get a loud hum. I have played in clubs you got a hum and had to unplug a flourescent or neon light to get rid of it.

I had the experience about 6 months ago playing the wedding gig at a fancy Inn with a huge kitchen in the next room. My amp made a loud pop, and started humming, the only time it has ever acted this way. Even my Boss tuner and Zoom multi-efc acted up at this gig. So I believed I was getting surges when big motors kicked in in the kitchen. They had some big powerful equipment in there.

So this was when I really wanted a power conditioner, especially for my PA. I was worried I'd get a big surge that would damage my gear.

But it is also good to prevent AC hum. So I think a power conditioner is a good, worthwhile investment.

Certainly cheaper than buying a new amp or PA. :wink:

I broke down and bought a Monster 3500 power conditoner.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Monster-Cable-MP-PRO-3500-Rack-Power-Center?sku=182651

The lead guitar player in the band (computer engineer guy) said it's a waste of my money. Still, I've had noise issues at the last two gigs with Late Calling so I'm of the opinion to do whatever's necessary to eliminate that so I can concentrate on playing. Since I have not been playing long I really have want all my energy focused on playing and not the aggravation.

Most larger rental PA rigs that I have used had some sort of power conditioner for the FX rack and board, but everything else had to fend for itself.

I don't think I've seen more than a couple of musicians using anything more than a surge-supressor power bar (and usually a cheap one at that).

The lead guitar player in the band (computer engineer guy) said it's a waste of my money.

How ya been, Dennis?

I wouldn't call it a waste, maybe a little overboard if you are just using a few things on it. Furman gets good reviews and are really cheap (price wise). You can get two (16 outlets total) for @ $120. If you need that many outlets, that is.

Here is a really good read. Forum member "yep" has some great info on the subject of power conditioners (i.e. dirty power, brownouts and spikes).

Hope you have enough coffee/beer though. :lol:

Have a good one!

Mike

Hey Mike, been doin' good! Yea, the power conditioner may be overboard but I'm not worried. Nice read, and I didn't need beer or coffee. Well, I read it at work so....but I'm having a beer or 100 here on Saturday night.

I just made some modifications to my 4-space rack so the wireless guitar is on top (1 space) and the conditioner takes up the next two spaces. It's nice to have those two items in a rack. It's portable and does what it does. Now if I could only learn to play.... 8)

I wouldn't be without them. I use one in each rack case. They protect expensive equipment from power surges and unconditioned raw electric, they also keep your racks nice and neat so you don't have power cords hanging all over the place.

Joe

For the record, I'm not knocking them, heck, I have one and plan on buying more.

Also, better safe than sorry I always say so, I take back my overboard statement. It's most likely the fact that I don't have the money for an expensive one so, I never considered the Monster one, plus, the Furman's get really good reviews and are very nicely priced.

From the reading I've done, power conditioners, in general, get mixed reviews. I think it has more to do with what people "think" they do. On the other hand, people have done tests and found that certain equipment (excluding amps) actually run better and act like more expensive gear. I ran a test myself with my studio monitors. I hooked my mixer and my right speaker up to the conditioner and turned the volume up........ the right speaker sounded clearer than the left. So, I do buy into them.

What was really interesting was an article about amps. They said that amps can actually suffer from being hooked up to a conditioner. :?: I forget the details of why but, anyone else notice this/heard of this? Joe? Wes? I'll have to look for that article again.

Have a good one,

Mike

Mike

Very interesting stuff. I am not an electronics guy. I know a few basics, that's about it. So I cannot really contribute to discussions like this.

I just go by my ears really. I have never had a lot of noise problems with my amps. There have been times where I got a hum from a neon or flourescent light, simply unplugged the light and the noise was gone. I always look at this first, as there are always lots of lights like these in clubs.

I am only running my PA off the conditioner. I really purchased the conditioner for the multiple outlets so I could keep all the power cords inside my rack case. But I do like the idea of surge protection. I even like the voltage display. The club we played last night the display read 121 all night. Good to know.

Some amp noise is the effects and pedals going into it. Especially distortions, they cause lots of noise. So I bring gain down. I don't like super-duper distortion anyway, sounds like a chain-saw, very unmusical IMHO. I like just a good overdrive type tone.

And some noise is not bad at gigs. A little amp hum is only going to be heard between songs. You aren't gonna hear it at all when the music is going. I always turn my guitar all the way down between songs to eliminate any noise anyway. It is a habit by now, I just do it. So I don't have much noise problems at gigs.

Well, I used my conditioner at two gigs now and I've noticed a vast improvement. I used it at an open mic/jam at a bar yesterday and it worked well. Money well spent.

We have one in each of the FOH and the amp racks. And for places with completely crappy power and no outlets we have our own power bax that we hook directly into the power box for the building, bypassing everything else.

I may get another power conditioner. Just reconfigured one of the bands I'm in and we're practicing at two different places on alternating weeks. I leave my power conditioner at my main band practice and need to get another (hate lugging stuff). Oh my, the cost of playing this darned instrument get to be more and more!

Yes . All of my PA is conditioned , one for the effect rack and one for the power amps . In addition , I have one that plugs onto the end of my guitar amp power cord with one outlet only . I don't know if it makes anything sound better but I can rest a little easier knowing that my equipment is protected from surges .

they are good to have for getting clean power, and like wes said i like the multi outlets so i can keep it all tucked inside my rack...

I have one in my FOH that powers everything even my board, unfortunatley i can not put on in my amp ramp because the standard 15amp breaker in them will trip. I thought about looking for one without the breaker or one of those monster power things but really don't need it....I have a distro so I'm pretty safe as it is with it.