AudioQuest PowerQuest 3 Power Conditioner & Surge Protector Review

[Vini darko]

I like how the power sockets look like a row of aghast faces.

Thanks for the laughs they totally do look aghast.

 

[filter_listener]

@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.

 

[frogmeat69]

They did good with the headphones they sold, I'll give AQ that, I love my Nighthawks, even though the cable that came with it was a stiff, kinked up mess, which is kinda funny coming from a company known for selling "audiophile" cables, lol.

 

[Sonny1]

Another illuminating review by Amirm! Thanks for all of your efforts to expose the snake oil and audiofoolery in the industry. I’ll pass on this one.

 

[Racheski]

You forgot to wear their Dragon Power Cable around your neck while conducting the test. Results are therefore invalid.
https://soundapproach.com/audioquest-dragon-high-current-power-cable-single.html

 

[YSC]

Personally I use normal power surge protection extenders just for the sake of protection, these kidney costing ones with extra filter always sounds silly to me

 

[wwenze]

Well technically one can argue that the 30kHz noise can intermodulate and cause effects within the audible frequency range.

Maybe they want to avoid adding source impedance in the <22kHz range or people will complain of "no dynamics"

It's all marketing choices

 

[tjf]

Hi Amir,

Any chance of getting the Emotiva CMX-2 common mode AC filter that also supposedly helps with DC offset on the powerline?

https://emotiva.com/collections/accessories/products/cmx-2

Thanks in advance if you can!

 

[Kaiju]

You forgot to wear their Dragon Power Cable around your neck while conducting the test. Results are therefore invalid.
https://soundapproach.com/audioquest-dragon-high-current-power-cable-single.html

Legend has it, they have infused Dragon's blood which has zero resistivity and it opens chakra of Amps.

 

[stunta]

I cannot recommend the AudioQuestion PowerQuest 3

Deliberate typo?

 

[amirm]

Well technically one can argue that the 30kHz noise can intermodulate and cause effects within the audible frequency range.

The 30 kHz and above don't make it past the power supply filter either.

 

[amirm]

Deliberate typo?

. Fixed.

 

[GXAlan]

Hi Amir,

Any chance of getting the Emotiva CMX-2 common mode AC filter that also supposedly helps with DC offset on the powerline?

https://emotiva.com/collections/accessories/products/cmx-2

Thanks in advance if you can!

If @amirm has a way to test DC in his AC, I can add that to my contribution to power testing

 

[amirm]

If @amirm has a way to test DC in his AC, I can add that to my contribution to power testing

DC measurement is trivial using a multimeter so yes, I can do that.

 

[GXAlan]

DC measurement is trivial using a multimeter so yes, I can do that.

Do you think you have DC leakage in your existing AC? This is also supposed to “filter” so you can test too.

 

[BIG POPPA]

For this price you can get a Linear Power Supply off Ebay or a Synergistic Research receptacle to put in the wall. My two alternative choices instead of this.

 

[digicidal]

While I certainly appreciate the time spent on this review - the results were exactly what was expected. I kept refreshing the page and hoping it turned in to a review of the JBL SDP-55 but alas... it did not.

I don't understand the deal with so many of these powerstrip-plus form factor devices. If you need a surge strip or outlet-splitter there are much cheaper and more functional form factors. If it's a product targeting a 'hifi rack' - then I appreciate more the component style (though I don't expect better performance from them). At least some of those come with nice pull-out rack lights which are very handy when trying to see tiny little buttons on a device in the dark... whether that makes it worth the hundreds of dollars or not is up to budget and taste however (I've heard a flashlight also works).

 

[Laederofmen]

For this price you can get a Linear Power Supply off Ebay or a Synergistic Research receptacle to put in the wall. My two alternative choices instead of this.

I hope the receptacle recommendation is a troll. I can't tell any more these days.

 

[milosz]

Is it valid to look at the output spectrum without a load on the filtered power line? Seems like it would be more of an exact conditions test if you plugged in a class A or AB power amp delivering some level of power- and hence drawing a fair current through the filter. At least in terms of evaluating the filtering ability, this might be proper.

Also I think you need to look at common mode performance as well as transverse.

Just sayin'.

 

[solderdude]

How clean is the 5V USB out ?

Measurements are differential. One should realize that voltages below -55dB do not even get rectified by the always present rectifier and also are not not high enough in frequency (and above all power level) to even create the smallest change of DC level.

It's a good thing these devices are measured but it is important to realize the plots shown are from the actual mains (in Amir's house) and do not have any relation to similar plots of audio devices connected to mains.

Pulse spikes on mains can reach thousands of volts and will be 'clamped' which could reduce 'ticks' that can make it in the audio path when devices switch on or off.
For this you don't need to fork out $ 300.- though and many devices have these 'voltage clampers' on board to protect the electronics in SMPS anyway.

This is what's inside:

A filter and a (5V) power supply. Also looks like the connectors on the side of the device appear to connect the grounds to safety ground.
There also seems to be a DC removal capacitor inside.

Tie wrapping non filtered and filtered AC cables together and letting them run in parallel is something no EMC engineer would ever contemplate or do. Yet it seems to be done here. Above 1MHz or so the filter action will be greatly diminished because of this rooky mistake.