By – As I was cruising the aisles at last week’s Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention, I happened upon this huge toroidal power transformer from Plitron, which makes power products for professional and consumer A/V systems under the Torus Power brand name. (Thanks to former Stereophile writer Barry Willis, who generously offered his shoe to provide a sense of scale in this photo.)
The WM60 power transformer pictured here must be connected to a dedicated 240V balanced power circuit and can deliver up to 60 amps of current at 120V/60Hz. It’s designed to be wall mounted—hence the model designation WM—which is no mean feat since it tips the scale at 165 pounds. And the price? $5900. If you need even more current, you can step up to the WM100, which provides up to 100A, weighs 228 pounds, and costs $8550. Obviously, either unit should only be installed by a qualified electrician.
Of course, most home theaters don’t need anywhere near that much power, and the Torus Power lineup includes many other options. For example, Stereophile reviewed the RM 20 power-isolation unit (PIU), which provides up to 20A of current from a 95-pound chassis for $3000. As Larry Greenhill concluded in that review, “I highly recommend the Torus Power PIU to increase any serious audiophile system’s powers of musical resolution and imaging.”
Publisher Name: Ultimage AV Mag