Your system might sound clean, clear, even well-balanced. But every so often, it just feels a little… restrained. Like the dynamics don’t quite open up, or the transients feel a bit soft around the edges. You’ve dialed in setup, cleaned connections, treated the room. Still, something doesn’t always take off the way you know it can.
Could it be that your AC isn’t just noisy—but a little underfed?
What to Do
The easiest is to add a Power Plant to the system. But, if that's right now a future option, check the circuit your system is on. If your hi-fi shares power with HVAC, lighting dimmers, or kitchen appliances, you’re likely dealing with voltage sag or noise injection. Run your system on a dedicated 20A line if possible—separate from major appliances and lighting. If you can’t rewire, at least isolate the audio gear on its own outlet cluster with surge protection and power conditioning appropriate to your gear’s draw.
Here’s Why That Works
High-current appliances cause voltage dips and introduce line noise. When dynamics sag, it’s often not the amp—it’s the line. Power amps require clean, stable current to maintain headroom. Poor mains quality can also increase transformer hum and degrade DAC or preamp performance through ground instability.
When your system has its own power, everything lifts. Dynamics expand, bass firms up, and clarity improves—not because the gear changed, but because the electricity finally caught up.
