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ISOTEK EVO3 Aquarius Power Conditioner Review

Rate this product:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 209 93.3%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 6 2.7%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 4 1.8%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 5 2.2%

  • Total voters
    224

pkane

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But it measures better, maybe you should just sell Topping kit.
Do you try to discourage them from listening when obviously you think it’s a waste of time?
Explain to them they must be Objective and stop being blind to logic.
Do you force them to wear blindfolds if they insist on listening?
LOL
Ron

Why is so preposterous to think that the basic requirement for audio equipment should be that it performs well? I'd much rather visit a dealer that sells only well-designed and engineered equipment. And while I may not buy equipment without listening to it first, I'd be much more comfortable knowing that the selection was already carefully curated based on measurements.
 

Purité Audio

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But it measures better, maybe you should just sell Topping kit.
Do you try to discourage them from listening when obviously you think it’s a waste of time?
Explain to them they must be Objective and stop being blind to logic.
Do you force them to wear blindfolds if they insist on listening?
LOL
Ron
Speakers, even if they measure pretty similarly still sound different, I don’t mind at all if the customer prefers to listen unsighted,
I recommend RME ADI devices perhaps a bit more expensive than Topping but they are packed with useful features.
Best place for a dac is in the speaker imho.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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But it measures better, maybe you should just sell Topping kit.
Do you try to discourage them from listening when obviously you think it’s a waste of time?
Explain to them they must be Objective and stop being blind to logic.
Do you force them to wear blindfolds if they insist on listening?
LOL
Ron
This is a review thread and not a place for these arguments. Please move on.
 

DWI

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Why is so preposterous to think that the basic requirement for audio equipment should be that it performs well? I'd much rather visit a dealer that sells only well-designed and engineered equipment. And while I may not buy equipment without listening to it first, I'd be much more comfortable knowing that the selection was already carefully curated based on measurements.
I'd be much more comfortable knowing that the selection was already carefully curated based on listening.

My dealer mainly selects products rather than brands. One brand they'd stocked for over 50 years, the brand expanded its range and insisted the dealer stock all or nothing, so the dealer decided to stock nothing. They did not want to stock products they did not want to sell. Some brands they just stock one product. Often when a new product comes in, another one goes out.

I recently bought a product. They offered 18 products in that component category from 10 different manufactuiorers, ranging fairly evenly from £150 to £50,000. There is no pressure on how much to spend or any particular brand, or to spend anything at all. Comparing how products sound side-by-side is a luxury you don't get shopping online and, as @Purité Audio says, many products measure very similar and sound different.

You do need a good dealer, like @Purité Audio. He stocks a very limited range with an intense focus on a particular type of technology. He's a rare and honourable breed.

The product I bought has no published measurements anywhere. I had the luxury of comparing it to two other products in my own home/system. If I had discounted it due to the lack of measurements, I would be the loser.

PS Audio may sell direct in the USA, but they have a 30 or 60-day return policy, so you can always get your money back. Since Covid-19 many more dealers and manufacturers do home loans, I've done four home loans since then and bought two items, returned the others, plus one more purchase in-store from four product options.

How do you measure phono cartridges? Possibly the most critical element of vinyl replay. I'm listening to one on home loan at the moment. For what it's worth, PS Audio make a phono amplifier that apparently measures extremely well.
 

pkane

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I'd be much more comfortable knowing that the selection was already carefully curated based on listening.
I'm not going to let a dealer, whose main incentive is to take as much money from me as possible, tell me what sounds good to me. Thanks, but no thanks!
 

Mnyb

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I'm not going to let a dealer, whose main incentive is to take as much money from me as possible, tell me what sounds good to me. Thanks, but no thanks!
Especially based on his biased sighted listening or “ years of experience “ you could end up with expensive duds like any audio note products !
 

Suffolkhifinut

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I'd be much more comfortable knowing that the selection was already carefully curated based on listening.

My dealer mainly selects products rather than brands. One brand they'd stocked for over 50 years, the brand expanded its range and insisted the dealer stock all or nothing, so the dealer decided to stock nothing. They did not want to stock products they did not want to sell. Some brands they just stock one product. Often when a new product comes in, another one goes out.

I recently bought a product. They offered 18 products in that component category from 10 different manufactuiorers, ranging fairly evenly from £150 to £50,000. There is no pressure on how much to spend or any particular brand, or to spend anything at all. Comparing how products sound side-by-side is a luxury you don't get shopping online and, as @Purité Audio says, many products measure very similar and sound different.

You do need a good dealer, like @Purité Audio. He stocks a very limited range with an intense focus on a particular type of technology. He's a rare and honourable breed.

The product I bought has no published measurements anywhere. I had the luxury of comparing it to two other products in my own home/system. If I had discounted it due to the lack of measurements, I would be the loser.

PS Audio may sell direct in the USA, but they have a 30 or 60-day return policy, so you can always get your money back. Since Covid-19 many more dealers and manufacturers do home loans, I've done four home loans since then and bought two items, returned the others, plus one more purchase in-store from four product options.

How do you measure phono cartridges? Possibly the most critical element of vinyl replay. I'm listening to one on home loan at the moment. For what it's worth, PS Audio make a phono amplifier that apparently measures extremely well.
Thanks a bit of common sense to a thread usually lacking in it. Think people should look at ‘Audio Science Review‘ and try to understand the word Audio! The site is about scientific reviews of equipment trying to get the best possible listening experience. With regards to HiFi dealers they come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to customer service and satisfaction. You can go to a dealer who’s philosophy is stack ‘em high and sell them cheap or to a boutique knowledgeable dealer, DWI mentions PS Audio in the UK as a knowledgable and trustworthy dealer. Keith and I have had run ins on this site yet I would never doubt his integrity. Do you honestly think Keith would still be in business if he went around bullying and conning his customers? There is an underlying tone of paranoia with some of the posts on this site. If you can’t trust a dealer buy elsewhere. I have on two occasions!
 
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pkane

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Thanks a bit of common sense to a thread usually lacking in it. Think people should look at ‘Audio Science Review‘ and try to understand the word Audio! The site is about scientific reviews of equipment trying to get the best possible listening experience. With regards to HiFi dealers they come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to customer service and satisfaction. You can go to a dealer who’s philosophy is stack ‘em high and sell them cheap or to a boutique knowledgeable dealer, DWI mentions PS Audio in the UK as a knowledgable and trustworthy dealer. Keith and I have had run ins on this site yet I would never doubt his integrity. Do you honestly think Keith would still be in business if he went around bullying and conning his customers? There is an underlying tone of paranoia with some of the posts on this site. If you can’t trust a dealer buy elsewhere. I have on two occasions!
If you don’t trust yourself to understand what it is you’re buying, I guess you’ll have to trust your dealer. Call it paranoia on this site or simply caveat emptor, the result is the same.
 

Suffolkhifinut

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If you don’t trust yourself to understand what it is you’re buying, I guess you’ll have to trust your dealer. Call it paranoia on this site or simply caveat emptor, the result is the same.
If only it was that simple? Stopped buying from private sellers years ago after too many bad experiences. Had very little trouble from dealers, only one really one bad experienc. Bought a new Funk Firm turntable unpacked it and the tone arm was in bits, the packing inside and outside was intact. Sent the arm back and he sent a cheaper arm as the replacement. The other side of the coin, rang a dealer to buy a Krell amplifier he asked about the rest of my system, then advised me not to buy it said it would impress my mates and give me a headache. Dealers trade on their reputation Caveat Emptor applies more to buying from Joe Public than a dealer.
 

pkane

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If only it was that simple? Stopped buying from private sellers years ago after too many bad experiences. Had very little trouble from dealers, only one really one bad experienc. Bought a new Funk Firm turntable unpacked it and the tone arm was in bits, the packing inside and outside was intact. Sent the arm back and he sent a cheaper arm as the replacement. The other side of the coin, rang a dealer to buy a Krell amplifier he asked about the rest of my system, then advised me not to buy it said it would impress my mates and give me a headache. Dealers trade on their reputation Caveat Emptor applies more to buying from Joe Public than a dealer.
No, it's not simple, but it is worthwhile (and ultimately, much more rewarding) to learn what you should be buying and why instead of relying on someone else to tell you.
 

DWI

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If you don’t trust yourself to understand what it is you’re buying, I guess you’ll have to trust your dealer. Call it paranoia on this site or simply caveat emptor, the result is the same.
I know one or two dealers like that and I wouldn't go anywhere near them.

I emailed one about a year ago for some mains flex to run from my consumer unit. He recommended a cable at £120 ($150) per metre. Didn't even bother replying and will never contact again. Got Belden and Neontech from hificollective.

If you have a good dealer, whose aim is not to impoverish you, it's a very satisfying way to learn about and buy hifi.
 

DWI

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No, it's not simple, but it is worthwhile (and ultimately, much more rewarding) to learn what you should be buying and why instead of relying on someone else to tell you.
Most of my hifi comes from one dealer and he has never told me what to buy. I have attended many open days where there is no intention to sell me anything, just open my ears to what's possible.

Most of the people telling you want to buy are online keyboard warriors.

Audio journalists are fine for describing new products and technology, I tend to ignore their opinions on performance.

My favourite example is when I went to buy a Sony A7RIII camera. Rave reviews, great tech, good price. Went to a store and asked the salesman (a Sony brand salesman) to change a setting. He faffed around for a few minutes, went to ask some, eventually had to reset the camera. So much for specifications and measurements, I was lucky to go to a store, but most people would just buy one online. Of course, I didn't buy the camera.
 

DWI

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Thanks a bit of common sense to a thread usually lacking in it. Think people should look at ‘Audio Science Review‘ and try to understand the word Audio! The site is about scientific reviews of equipment trying to get the best possible listening experience. With regards to HiFi dealers they come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to customer service and satisfaction. You can go to a dealer who’s philosophy is stack ‘em high and sell them cheap or to a boutique knowledgeable dealer, DWI mentions PS Audio in the UK as a knowledgable and trustworthy dealer. Keith and I have had run ins on this site yet I would never doubt his integrity. Do you honestly think Keith would still be in business if he went around bullying and conning his customers? There is an underlying tone of paranoia with some of the posts on this site. If you can’t trust a dealer buy elsewhere. I have on two occasions!
PS Audio's problem in the UK is a fairly small dealer base, and apparently none in Scotland. There are far more dealers of IsoTek and Isol-8, which are UK brands. So it is harder to arrange a dealer demo or preferably a home loan. On a product claiming to give sonic benefits related to your domestic mains supply, only a home loan would seem to make any sense. I needed a device and my dealer delivered a home loan by had the same day, because he spends most of his time visiting customers and he was driving by my house.

There are a few hifi retailers, like one in Peterborough that you may be aware of, perfectly decent people, but they stock hundreds of brands and I wouldn't know where to start. I like a limited but select choice. Other people may want to wade through dozens of product options. @Purité Audio takes a select choice to an extreme.
 

Suffolkhifinut

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PS Audio's problem in the UK is a fairly small dealer base, and apparently none in Scotland. There are far more dealers of IsoTek and Isol-8, which are UK brands. So it is harder to arrange a dealer demo or preferably a home loan. On a product claiming to give sonic benefits related to your domestic mains supply, only a home loan would seem to make any sense. I needed a device and my dealer delivered a home loan by had the same day, because he spends most of his time visiting customers and he was driving by my house.

There are a few hifi retailers, like one in Peterborough that you may be aware of, perfectly decent people, but they stock hundreds of brands and I wouldn't know where to start. I like a limited but select choice. Other people may want to wade through dozens of product options. @Purité Audio takes a select choice to an extreme.
There are several good dealers in Scotland, including Audio Emotion and Elite Audio found them easy to deal with and trustworthy.
No, it's not simple, but it is worthwhile (and ultimately, much more rewarding) to learn what you should be buying and why instead of relying on someone else to tell you.

The only dealers in Peterborough I’ve dealt with are HiFi Trading Station and Analogue Seduction, never had problems with either of them. The only thing I would say about Analogue Seduction is their advertised prices no longer include VAT. Can’t figure out why as all it’s likely to do is put people off?
 

Suffolkhifinut

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No, it's not simple, but it is worthwhile (and ultimately, much more rewarding) to learn what you should be buying and why instead of relying on someone else to tell you.
I research everything to death before committing to buying, including looking at it’s measured performance. Also want to eyeball it as an example someone was adverting a Topping DAC on ASR a used item think it was about $700. A cheap looking folded pressed steel box was enough to put me off.
For me it’s the only way to go!
 

DWI

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There are several good dealers in Scotland, including Audio Emotion and Elite Audio found them easy to deal with and trustworthy.


The only dealers in Peterborough I’ve dealt with are HiFi Trading Station and Analogue Seduction, never had problems with either of them. The only thing I would say about Analogue Seduction is their advertised prices no longer include VAT. Can’t figure out why as all it’s likely to do is put people off?
I've dealt with those Scottish ones, sold to them and bought Auralic, still being used 7 or 8 years later. There is a lack of PS Audio in Scotland, no lack of audio generally.

Technically, by law consumer retailers have to advertise inclusive for VAT.
 

Togakure77

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So with this conclusions we can say that this video is a scam? What happend in this video? Because at least in this video the sound change a lot when he change from the wall to the isotek conditioner.


 

solderdude

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Must be a scam.

When you can even hear it on crappy YT quality video with a camera mic it must be very measurable.
Maybe someone with analysis fu can disect the video.
 

voodooless

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Maybe someone with analysis fu can disect the video.
I put the sections after one another. Suddenly the difference is not so large anymore... Second sample appears to bit a bit louder, but could also be microphone distance (camera is moving all the time).. They seem to look very similar:

1646754151197.png

There might be a bit more dynamic range in the second section:

Left Right
Peak Amplitude: 0,00 dB -0,02 dB
True Peak Amplitude: 0,00 dBTP -0,02 dBTP
Maximum Sample Value: 32767 32703
Minimum Sample Value: -32768 -31791
Possibly Clipped Samples: 277 0
Total RMS Amplitude: -15,94 dB -16,11 dB
Maximum RMS Amplitude: -2,53 dB -3,47 dB
Minimum RMS Amplitude: -41,26 dB -37,66 dB
Average RMS Amplitude: -18,22 dB -18,28 dB
DC Offset: 0,00 % 0,00 %
Measured Bit Depth: 16 16
Dynamic Range: 38,73 dB 34,19 dB
Dynamic Range Used: 30,65 dB 29,65 dB
Loudness (Legacy): -12,87 dB -13,40 dB
Perceived Loudness (Legacy): -13,83 dB -13,05 dB
ITU-R BS.1770-3 Loudness: -15,30 LUFS

0dB = FS Square Wave
Using RMS Window of 50,00 ms
Account for DC = true
vs the first:
Left Right
Peak Amplitude: 0,00 dB 0,00 dB
True Peak Amplitude: 0,00 dBTP 0,00 dBTP
Maximum Sample Value: 29649 29625
Minimum Sample Value: -32768 -32768
Possibly Clipped Samples: 79 44
Total RMS Amplitude: -15,76 dB -15,76 dB
Maximum RMS Amplitude: -4,97 dB -5,27 dB
Minimum RMS Amplitude: -42,68 dB -35,83 dB
Average RMS Amplitude: -17,84 dB -17,78 dB
DC Offset: 0,00 % 0,00 %
Measured Bit Depth: 16 16
Dynamic Range: 37,71 dB 30,56 dB
Dynamic Range Used: 25,15 dB 26,10 dB
Loudness (Legacy): -13,61 dB -13,43 dB
Perceived Loudness (Legacy): -13,71 dB -13,30 dB
ITU-R BS.1770-3 Loudness: -15,35 LUFS

0dB = FS Square Wave
Using RMS Window of 50,00 ms
Account for DC = true
Feel free to dig deeper :)
 
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