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AudioQuest PowerQuest 3 Power Conditioner & Surge Protector Review

JohnYang1997

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I'm not defending AQ, but there is validity in filtering high frequencies outside the audible range as they could have negative effects in the form of EMC/EMI. This could affect the TV more than an audio system, but an audio system with very wide bandwidth could waste its efforts amplifying inaudible stuff:) like from Class D amplifiers or switching power supplies or even nearby cell phones. I'm not sure how any recommendation should be given, Amir, for its primary function of surge protection, unless that is tested. You can't assume anything these days :cool:
All the wide band noise will be greatly attenuated after transformer or any generous filtering capacitor. A transformer Amir used could have attenuated the noise greatly to begin with. Hence....
 

solderdude

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I have found some mains transformers work fine up to 20kHz (almost no attenuation) and some drop off sooner.

In fact I used 8 Panasonic VCR mains transformers as audio transformers for an electrostatic speaker and was flat up to 18kHz .
 

pavuol

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They advertise:
2 x 4K/8K Video Optimized Ultra-Linear Filter Outlets
..
Our power filtration removes more noise and distortion than most common power conditioners, dramatically improving your system's performance.
tenor.gif


I think this review is missing careful pixel inspection of 8K video output with magnifier glass..
 

pavuol

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Humor aside, there is no question every home shall be protected against power surges but I'd suggest going with products from companies outside "audiophile" businness (like..)
 

restorer-john

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In fact I used 8 Panasonic VCR mains transformers as audio transformers for an electrostatic speaker and was flat up to 18kHz .

So, above 18KHz the response was all chewed up on the edges and no amount of tracking adjustment cleaned up the overall picture, huh? Should have gone with Sony radio cassette boombox power transformers instead. ;)
 

w1000i

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what if there is many devices on this power conditioner. can this power conditioner isolate each device compare to other power strip
 

GXAlan

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@amirm, If you haven't packed it up for shipping, you should see if it takes away the blurriness of the IL10 ;). 99.9% confident there's no difference, but we won't know unless you try. :)
 
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amirm

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@amirm, If you haven't packed it up for shipping, you should see if it takes away the blurriness of the IL10 ;). 99.9% confident there's no difference, but we won't know unless you try. :)
You want me to hook up a speaker to power strip? If it didn't have distortion before, it would certainly have after. :D
 

solderdude

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what if there is many devices on this power conditioner. can this power conditioner isolate each device compare to other power strip

No
 

magicscreen

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I have bought an $6 power strip. Brand is Made in China.
Sounds better for me than the previous, also cheap power strip. As different as chalk and cheese. :)
 

bobbooo

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@amirm Would it be possible for you to do an A/B comparison using something like DeltaWave Audio Null Comparator or MusicScope (download still works)?

In his Power Demystified (pdf) white paper , Garth Powell uses MusicScope null difference comparisons to illustrate the effect of power conditioners on the output of an audio device. It would be interesting to see if you're able reproduce similar results.

Is there a good reason why null difference tests are not more widely used in audio measurements? To me they seem a great way to determine the objective transparency of any audio hardware device (or even software codecs) using not just test tones but real music.

SoundExpert do just this with DAPs / DACs, from which they produce a single metric summarizing the difference between the input test signals / music, and what the DAP actually outputs, so measuring its sonic transparency. This seems like a better method than the standard individual THD/noise/multitone tests, which do not fully account for all other forms of degradation such as IMD. Null difference measurements however guarantee to account for any possible degradation from the original source file to the device's output, and allow this to be tested with actual music, which is after all what we use them to listen to.
 
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AudioSceptic

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That's the sad part about high-end audio. There's no question that a nice JBL K2 9900, Revel Salon2, or KEF Reference 5 will beat a sound bar, but there truly is so much snake oil out there that hi-fi is a dying hobby/market. That Audioquest Niagara line conditioner is almost $10K. Think about what else you could buy with that money if sound quality was your focus?

Compare that to a Bugatti Chiron, where the practicality is low but there are measurably strengths or even a Rolex, where the precision may be poorer than a quartz give-way toy watch but brings some artistry/craftsmanship to the pride of ownership and is able to provide measurably superiority in terms of precision among other mechanical wrist watches or provide low-practicality but measurable strengths like impressive water resistance.
Also, you won't lose much money selling on a Rolex (other luxury Swiss watch brands are available). How much is an AQ Niagara worth on the used market?
 

ex audiophile

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That's the sad part about high-end audio. There's no question that a nice JBL K2 9900, Revel Salon2, or KEF Reference 5 will beat a sound bar, but there truly is so much snake oil out there that hi-fi is a dying hobby/market. That Audioquest Niagara line conditioner is almost $10K. Think about what else you could buy with that money if sound quality was your focus?

Compare that to a Bugatti Chiron, where the practicality is low but there are measurably strengths or even a Rolex, where the precision may be poorer than a quartz give-way toy watch but brings some artistry/craftsmanship to the pride of ownership and is able to provide measurably superiority in terms of precision among other mechanical wrist watches or provide low-practicality but measurable strengths like impressive water resistance.
I wonder if the hifi hobby is dying or not. AHB2 amps were/are backordered for weeks, I had to wait almost 8 weeks for a pair of Revel bookshelf speakers and yes that may be due to the virus. I do have a friend in the business and he is doing very well. So I really don't know the answer but if you've read something that shows the hobby in decline let us know. We may all end up streaming (I'm already there) but there will always be a percentage of people who demand quality.
 

ex audiophile

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Why would streaming not offer quality?
Thanks for the correction, I suppose I was associating streaming with smartphones and bluetooth speakers and lumping that image in with sound bars and the convenience options of modern life.
 

Willem

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OK. I stream with the CCA into an RME ADI-2 into a system with Quad electrostats and sound quality is as good as can be. Of course, a lot depends on the mastering quality of the recording. I notice that often the modern remasters that are used have a reduced dynamic range, but that would also be true for a CD of the modern remaster.
 

AudioSceptic

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Thanks for the correction, I suppose I was associating streaming with smartphones and bluetooth speakers and lumping that image in with sound bars and the convenience options of modern life.
Smartphones? Many of them offer audio output of CD quality and above. It all depends on the source.
 
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