There are at least 10 distinct types of power problems, which we  refer to as the “power gremlins”, that can negatively affect your audio equipment. Effects range from audible noise or hum in your components, loss of dynamic range, reduced quality of sound or video, slow burnout of components, loss of presets, complete loss of sound or picture, ruined recordings, burned out video projector bulbs, speaker damage, all the way to the complete destruction of electronic circuits leaving nothing but smoke and charred ruins.

Many audio power conditioning products have addressed either a single problem (such as surge arrestors) or only a few of the problems. These products are designed to reduce the effects of one or more of the gremlins, but none have offered a fully effective solution to the full range of power problems. While some are effective at their intended task, a surprising number have made extravagant claims of effectiveness, or promise sound system improvements based on questionable engineering principles. Others operate so inefficiently that they are unable to deliver the full current required by high power audio equipment. 

PurePower AC regeneration is the ONLY technology that provides one perfect solution to eliminate all 10 Power Gremlins. 

See the chart below to see how various power protection and conditioning technologies deal with the power gremlins. 

 

1. Blackouts        
A total loss of utility power 

2. Frequency variation
A change in frequency stability

3. Transients 
Instantaneous high voltage increase in the range of nanoseconds
           

4. Harmonics    
Distortion of the normal waveform, generally transmitted by non-linear loads

5. Over Voltage 
Increased line voltage for extended periods of a few minutes to a few days  

6. Brownouts           
Reduced line voltage for extended periods of a few minutes to a few days

7.  Sags            
Short term low voltage  
                 

8. ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI)  
Also a
high Frequency waveform  - often referred to as noise
    

9. Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
High Frequency waveform  - often referred to as noise               
            

10.Surges
Short term high voltage 

The 10 Power Gremlins (based on IEEE definitions of power quality problems)

TECHNOLOGY

Examples Blackout Frequency
Variation
Transients Harmonics Overvoltage Brownout Sag EMI RFI Surge
Surge Arrestors Monster Powerbars  
Noise filters  Panamax Max 5300      
Choke / Inductor Richard Gray Power Company

 

 

   
Voltage regulation transformers Furhman AR series  

limited

limited

limited

     
Computer grade power conditioner w/ battery backup  APC S15   

limited

limited limited      
Waveform Correction Exact Power  

limited

limited

limited

     
Transformer Based Regeneration AC regenerators with no battery       

limited

limited

limited

     
PurePower™ APS All Models                    

* A "limited" reference to a particular Power Gremlin indicates that the given technology has some capability of addressing it within limits under specific circumstances, or in a way that can not fully mitigate the problem. This chart is based on manufacturer's specifications and product claims, some of which are unsubstantiated. 

 

 

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Copyright 2003 - 2004 PurePower Partners LLC.