Dear Alan-

"Hi Alan,

Well its been a week now since I put the infinity on the breaker. It has finally come together. Here is my response:

Egads, what happened, this is amazing!!!!!!

Not only did the soundstage come back, it came back in spades. Huge, expansive, awesome.

The most amazing part is the bass. I have full range Lowther speakers that don't particularly go very deep. It sounds like there is a subwoofer in there now. I was just listening to some organ music, and no it doesn't actually shake the floor but it sounds like it should now. On several folk recordings I can now clearly make out the string bass counterpoint that I never knew was there before.

I sing in several choirs and am very much into choral music, but good recordings of big choirs never seem to come out right. When things get going strong I start hearing distortions, I always thought it was the amps distorting or the Lowthers not having enough Xmax, but not any more!! I was just listening to the Crystal Cathedral choir going full tilt and it was clean and pure all the way from pp to fff. Simply stunning.

And that was with just one infinity in the system, I have 5 more to go.

Yesterday morning things were starting to come back together but it still wasn't all there. This afternoon, WOW! What a difference a day made. And it probably hasn't finished yet.

This is BY FAR the best value in high end audio, $25 for this level of improvement is simply unbelievable.

I don't know exactly how you did it, but Thank You!" ~ John Swenson

"Hi Alan,

"This is follow-up to my 2007 review of Alan Maher?s PE (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=45312.0)

After recently upgrading ICs and speaker cables, I started to hear noise in my system (and that started driving my crazy because I started to focus on the noise and not the music).  I have long used an equitech balanced power unit for my source/preamp and have two dedicated lines.  In addition to other tweaks meant to reduce EMI/RFI (both inside and outside of equipment), I had seven of Alan's PEs installed (one in each dedicated outlet and five in non-audio circuits).  So, I wasn't sure if a new filter would solve my problem.  I contacted Alan, ordered a Quantum AC filter and replaced the PE that shared the equitech's outlet.

Five weeks later I'm in awe of this filter.  The noise is long gone.  In its place is music.  Big, expansive music with a level of micro detail that is surprising.  This filter obviously lowers the noise floor substantially and places a very solid image of the musicians in the room.  Compared to the PE it replaces, this filter is in a different league.  The changes are far from subtle.  Every disc sounds new.  A quantum change indeed. 

Timbre is uncanny.  The bass is deeper and better defined.  The mid-bass is much more solid.  The piano is finally portrayed in its full range.  The midrange is simply magical -- vocal nuance is greatly enhanced without any kind of artificial boost.  Highs are more extended and airy.  This is the first time I have truly enjoyed trumpet playback from a CD.  The sum total of all of these improvements is a much more nuanced, dynamic and exciting presentation -- closer to live music.  You just don't listen to this music you are embraced by it.     

I'd recommend the Quantum for anyone considering a new piece of gear because it doesn't seem to do what they expected as well as someone who wants to get the most out of the gear they love.  Info here:  http://alanmaherdesigns.com/PEQ.aspx" ~ Philip Lemanski

PE V Pro AC / IEC Review:

"Dear Alan-

Infinity DIY Review:

"OK Alan.  How do you do it??!!  A little plastic box of rocks on my curcuit breaker and I go on a roller coaster ride from the bottom to the top and everything in between.  But now it's been over a week and I am ready to declare that you are a friggin genius and I am an APM deciple.  This thing has settled in BIG TIME.  The soundstage is E X P A N S I V E and the texture of the soundscape is unreal.  I hear tiny details everywhere that I never heard before.  And so much more bass. (Tonight I was completely mesmerized by the Los Lobos cd The Town and the City). It really is just about at the point where I feel no desire for any additional improvment.

"Hi Alan;

Quantum IEC Review:

"Dear Alan,

One month ago, I purchased from you a Quantum/IEC filter, and connected this to my SACD player,having previously connected PE V/IEC's to both my amplifiers, and a PEV/AC to the wall outlet serving the system.  Previous to this I had placed various PE's in the different circuits, as well as also adding a PCR v2.

Infinity DIY Filter:

"I was recently fortunate enough to try out Alan’s newest offering; the Infinity DIY filter.  I took Alan’s advice and installed the first one inside by breaker box right near the breaker that feeds my dedicated audio circuit.  The second, I was not sure where to begin, so I installed it inside my SACD player atop its power transformer.  I figured that was a good starting point, based on all the literature I’ve read about other EMI/RFI blocking devices and the sensitivity of digital circuits to these forms of interference.

Alan had warned me that these things would produce mayhem with my circuits for several days, but I couldn’t resist a listen about 4 hours after install just to hear how things were coming along.  By now, I should know that Alan’s products always produce very strange effects upon initial installation and then, as they set up, more and more of their magical abilities are revealed.  Well, the new Infinities were no exception to this rule; my initial reaction was that I had taken several steps backwards in sound quality.  Everything sounded rather thin a bright, and the soundstage collapsed entirely down to the point that all sound seemed to be coming almost directly from my speakers.  There was no width, depth, or height.

At 48-72 hours after install, things had changed dramatically for the better, and when I say better, I mean better than anything I had ever experienced.  Suffice it to say that it was as if the gates of Heaven had opened in my family room and from them was pouring forth the music of the cherubim.  Listening to The BIS SACD of Beethoven’s 9^th with Vänskä was a revelation!  The final movement with the choir and soloists was unlike I’ve ever heard it reproduced.  Each soloist could be placed at a precise location both side to side and front to back.  Moreover, I could actually hear the vertical positioning of the choir members, with some higher up, I suppose on risers, than others.  Starker playing The Bach suites for cello was almost a religious experience as was listening to Bono singing MLK on the Mobile Fidelity gold CD release.  Every subtle nuance and inflection is there.  Listening at night with the lights off is almost spooky; you’d swear people were in the room singing/playing just for you.

In conclusion, I don’t know what exactly the Infinities are doing to produce their effect (they don’t look like much; just little black boxes), but wow!  The soundstage is so big and clear you can almost walk around in it and the sound is like liquid gold!  It’s unbelievably clear and detailed, without even the slightest hint of harshness or brightness.  Alan hit it out of the park with this one.  I can’t wait to order more and treat everything I can find to see how far the magical spell the Infinities have cast over my system can be taken.

Thanks Alan for another great product that redefines what I thought was possible in audio reproduction." ~ Chris Porada

Reference II Review:

The Ref II has been with me for a month and a half, and I find it very musical to my ear.  To be more accurate, I feel that my audio/video components are very happy with the Ref II. 

At first, I struggled with finding the optimal placement:  what AC outlet should I plug in the Ref II for best results?  I tried several locations:  the outlet next to my main (where a PE V Pro Custom sits), the next room where I run computer/hard drives/router/DSL modem, and various places around the room and around the house.  So far, I prefer the initial instinct:  Unplug and move existing Ref I to an outlet where a PE II had been sitting, plug in the Ref II, move the PE II to the adjacent bathroom.  This configuration gives my system the warmth I needed and lowest distortion leaading to longer more relaxing listening sessions.

The setup in my room is half battery, half AC powered.  Optima RedTops are feeding juice to RWA SB2 (xport) and Altman's DAC, SinglePower MPX3 and AudioSector Patek SE are plugged in AM's power strip which in turn plugged in PE V Pro Custom.

For the last month and a half I have been listening to (and took notes of) mostly jazz and pop vocals, which I think are the forte of my single driver speakers - Bob Brines' FTA-2000s.  Classical orchestras, new age, operatic voices will be auditioned and reported later in a Part II.

Now, onto the sound.  Only a few hours in my room, the REf II already made an immediate and noticeable difference.  The music suddenly became warmer, edges around sibilant voices rounder, less harsh.  Bass line got more tuneful.  But beside the added warmth (pleasantly so, not the overly warmth associated with lesser tube gear) it's hard to pinpoint exactly where the improvements are.  Most if not every ingredients of music seems to come together, like the various singers of a choir hold their voices together, for the better and rendering a more organic performance.

There had been a weakness in my system that, even after installation of many PEs (PE I, II, II, IV, V) and Ref I's in the house, disallowed me to enjoy male vocals.  There was always some glare in male voices (Il Divo, Josh Groban, Nat King Cole tracks).  But after the Ref II came and stayed with me for a month, I found myself listening to (and enjoying) male vocals more often that I used to.  More so, female vocals are sounding better and better, not other way around.

Whether I play tracks of Diana Krall, Holy Cole Trio, Patricia Barber, Stacey Kent, Norah Jones,Sheila Chandra, Rene Olstead, Jacqui Naylor or Il Divo (Carlos, Urs, Sebatien, David), Josh Groban, Nat King Cole, the performers consistently sing in my room with warm, palpality and intimacy that I ever wished for.  Accompanying instruments (bass, guitar, percussions, sax) also play with colorful texture and good stereo separation.  Voices are presented as a huge body, rich in tonality, swift in speed, detailed yet not too much sibilance.  Makes me wonder if and how adding a few more Ref II's would further expand the big yet warmly intimate performance.  And yes, the background is blacker.  Quieter, lower distortion, that is.

Video, as a no surprise with Alan Maher's products by now, has improved as well.  Color gets a shade more vivid, black get blacker, there are less picture distortions.  Pictures are getting easier to look at, sounds more listenable, more pleasant.     

A side note:  A music lover friend stopped by, had lunch with me, and we both had a listen before driving off to a local audio store for an auditioning (he owns a pair of B&W 804s and is eyeballing a McIntosh MC-275 calssic tube amp).  At home we listened to a few "usual suspects":  Diana Krall's I Miss You So Much, King Buiett Trio's Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You, Nat King Cole's Autumn Leaves.  In the dealer's sound room we listened to a pair of B&W 805s first, then the B&W 802s - oh boy, do they look awesome!  The 802s were driven by an MC-275, music source was a McIntosh MS750 Music Server.  I was most impressed by the playing of The Fairfield Four recording.  The huge, fat, warm bass voice sits towards and hangs above the left speaker, while other three accompanying voices sing toward the right side, much smaller in image size.  When I got to hear the song I Miss You So Much (Diana Krall), her voice tends to be placed in the center but far back behind the two speakers.  Overall, the presentation at the sound room was somehow cooler than that in my room, and I think the Ref II contributes to it.  Otherwise, I didn't feel losing much of high fidelity and more importantly musicality after coming back to my room and listened once again to similar materials.

I like the Ref II for its effectiveness, high performance per dollar value, shorter break-in time, and its share of audio/video tuning capability among those products of Alan Maher. ~ Paul Bui

Reference II Review:

I have been a user of Alan Maher Designs products for a few years now. My collection includes 5 of the original Power Enhancer series parallel filters, a custom Power Enhancer, Reference Power Center V2, and now the Reference II. These products replaced a Running Springs Haley, BPT Pure Power Center (non-filtering model, customized with Litz wiring and 3 Oyaide SWO-GX duplex outlets), and 3 PS Audio Noise Harvesters that were previously used in my system.

In addition, I have also tried BPT and Equitech balanced power conditioners, as well as the Exact Power EP-15A in my system. Of these, the Running Springs Haley came closest to the performance of my AMD set-up.

Similar to my experience with other Alan Maher passive filtration products a significant break in time to allow the Reference II to "charge" and tune the circuit was required before results could be evaluated. Typically the break in period is 20 - 30 days. In addition, placement on the circuit can also influence the performance of the Reference II. Having had experience with other AMD passive filtration products I have gotten pretty adept at how to place these devices. Other users may need to spot test a bit more to find the optimal location.

Upon initial installation and listening two things were immediately evident. The first was the reduced noise floor and the second was the increased spaciousness and 3D sound stage. These factors remained very consistent through out the break in process. However, each week provided various results as it relates to tonality and balance. The first week found the system sounding fairly smooth overall. While the musical test selections sounded very good, they lacked the usual dynamics. Bass was sharp with snap and vibrancy, but the mid range was a bit dry and the upper frequencies sounded rolled off.

Week two was the torture test as the system went through significant mood swings. Bass was the most significantly affected at times sounding mushy, bloated, and even "disappearing" altogether. Mid-bass was most affected by the latter trait. While the high end turned bright on occasion, it smoothed out and snapped into focus sooner than the bass and mid-bass.

Week three saw the entire system snap together to arrive at the final sonic signature. In the end in addition to the previous noise floor and spatial benefits, there was increased extension at the frequency extremes, especially bass definition, and the mid-range was slightly warmer. Overall the system changes helped produce a very real and focused presentation, especially with recordings that featured vocals.

Musical test recordings used to evaluate the changes included:

Brian Bromberg - Wood: I use this recording frequently at audiophile shows and in home testing. Specifically, track 3 which is a bass solo of the Beatles Come Together. Adding the Reference II to the system created a more authoratative bass with increased detail that was very apparent in the fretting.

Todd Garfinkle - Further Observations. I generally like to listen to this entire CD when using it for testing purposes. This is a one point recording featuring a trio comprised of piano, bass, and percussion. As such the sound of the CD already possessed exceptional stereo imaging. With the Reference II added to the system space between the players was well defined and instruments were more stable and better focused within the sound stage. At the beginning of the song, After.....Before, the siren was crisp, clear, and dead focused on center. Additionally I noted that the cymbals on all tracks were a tad warmer with nice decay.

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio - Girl Talk: Another trio featuring piano, bass, and drums. Again, increased spaciousness between the players. The piano specifically appeared to move forward within the sound stage and went wider than prior to the Reference II being added to the system. Track 3 features an instrumental rendition of Gone with the Wind with a bass solo that now produced more snap and vibrations of the strings, as well as deeper extension.

Rob Wasserman - Duets: Deciding to hear the results on vocals I went straight to the version of Gone with the Wind on this CD featuring Dan Hicks on vocals. The addition of the Reference II to the system created a larger yet more focused image of the singer. The vocals were clear and more life like. The bass again had more snap and authority to it. The separation of lead vocal and instrument was larger, and as additional background vocals appeared on the track, they were distinctly separated from the lead vocal and instrument as well.

Yo Yo Ma - Abrigado Brazil Live. This CD is a good system test for me. With the increased number of instruments my small listening room has always presented imaging problems with this CD, most noticeably some left channel congestion. Adding the Reference II to the system did not eradicate the problem, but it did alleviate it as again, there was more space between the instruments. Overall the bass, previously a bit lacking and seemingly out of balance with the rest of the instruments, now was very present and acted like it felt right at home in the recording. The increased air provided by the Reference II was most apparent on this CD.

Philip Glass - The Low Symphony: Another challenging recording for my system, similar spatial improvements as in previous tests could be heard. Additionally, the strings which previously appeared to be a bit dry, were now more vibrant and the increased sound stage layering resulting from the addition of the Reference II to the system was more noticeable on this CD.

I would encourage anyone interested in trying an inexpensive tweak to look into the Reference II. While one should give you a good idea of the improvements that can be had, as my experience from using the original Power Enhancers taught me, multiple properly placed Reference II's will generally yield even better results. AMD does offer a trial period, subject to a 15% restocking fee on returns. Also, while this review focused on how the Reference II performed in my 2-channel audio system, the results on my 26" Sony LCD panel were not subtle and even more noticeable than with audio. The changes included an increased level of blackness and sharpness, as well as deeper color saturation. So the product has applications for HT and video users as well. ~Anthony Chipelo

Reference II Review:

Having played around with Alan’s standard power enhancers and his PE V Pro Custom, I thought I was fairly familiar with what to expect when inserting one of his devices.  Normally, one expects a period of time during which the sound is noticeably worse and one wonders whether they have made the right choice in inserting the filter or not.  With the PE V Pro, this was a very long period of time, before the sound settled and changed for the better.  I recently had the chance to try out Alan’s newest offering, the Reference II.  Being quite happy with the sound of my system now that the PE V Pro had settled, I hesitated plugging in the Ref II, fearing that period during which the sound degraded.  Much to my delight, I found the Ref II to be a completely different beast altogether.  The PE Pro took a lot of faith to keep it plugged in after hearing what the system sounded like for the first week or so after its installation.  The Ref II, once I had picked the right circuit, happily settled in within a couple of days, never really causing that same period of bad sound to get the good sound afterwards.  Rather, things started sounding better right from the get go.  The changes with this filter were a bit more subtle than those with the PEV Pro, but are significant, nonetheless, since they occur in the important area of naturalness of the sound being reproduced.  Instruments have more “body” and the sound is, for lack of a better word, more “ripe” sounding.  This is especially apparent with string instruments and low brass.  More of the lower harmonics that give weight and body to the instruments seem to be present with the Ref II in place.  In the case of the cello, the sound doesn’t come from a flat plane anymore, but seems to come from a resonating 3-dimensional wooden instrument.  These changes make listening infinitely more pleasurable and lifelike.  Overall, I am thrilled with the improvements wrought by adding the Ref II filter to my system (system here meaning the electrical system of my house, since at Alan’s advice, the Ref II is installed in a non-audio circuit).  Even after being in the circuit for 2 weeks, things continue improving a bit each day, with the sound becoming more and more lifelike. Every CD sounds better and much more emotionally involving than before the Ref II.  Even CD’s I would cringe to listen to before are now quite enjoyable, with the Ref II having further reduced that upper frequency haze that can plague digital playback, especially when the CDs are poorly recorded.  The Ref II is a clear winner, and at the price Alan is asking, it’s nothing short of a steal!! ~ Chris Porada

Update: I do have one very informative experience from the other day, however, which I think speaks volumes about what the Ref II can do for one's system.  The other evening, I was listening to Janos Starker playing the Bach suites for Cello.  I had my eyes closed and was marveling at the unbelievable dimensionality and timbral improvements that the Ref II had wrought from my system.  It was like he was sitting in our family room playing.  You could actually visualize the cello, the chair, and Starker all in 3-D space.  It was unlike anything I had ever experienced from stereo sound.  Unfortunately, there was this annoying heavy breathing coming from the space in front of me which I knew had to be one of our dogs who always joins me for my listening sessions and usually falls asleep.  I tried to ignore it, but finally huffed and opened my eyes to see if I could get the dog to move elsewhere and stop making so much noise.  When I opened my eyes, I realized the dog was nowhere to be seen.  The heavy breathing I was hearing was that of Janos Starker!  Upon closer listening, I noted the breathing was perfectly synced with the musical phrases.  That's the first time I've ever been fooled by my own stereo system into thinking a sound was coming from the inhabitants of the room rather than the stereo!

All I can say is WOW!  I haven't had this much fun listening to music since when I was a kid and didn't know anything about good quality sound.  I could just get completely caught up in the music and forget about the stereo.  Thanks Alan for making such phenomenal products. ~ Chris Porada

Review of Alan Maher Designs - Reference II Power Filter.

In my time I've tried quite a few power filters including 1:1 Transformers, ferrites, chokes, commercial capacitor networks, DIY resistor-capacitor networks, Bybee filters and numerous commercial filtration strips. From all these trials a clear pattern has emerged - active, current limiting filtration such as generic surge suppressor strips is almost always detrimental to the sound of audio equipment.  1:1 Transformers are great for front ends like CD players and digital equipment, but terrible for pre-amps and amps.  RF suppressors like ferrite clamps on AC power are always detrimental to the sound of audio devices, even when placed on only the earth wire.  However they do have a place on video equipment and on non-AV equipment on located on different circuits to the audio system.  Usually the very mechanism used for filtering the power has an audible side effect which far outweighs any filtering effect.

Devices that I have found which are generally positive for audio systems are 'passive' filters. These don't suppress current surges, but rather use capacitor networks whose most basic function is to shunt high frequency noise away from the active lead of the AC power supply to stop it from entering your equipment.  This high frequency noise, or Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) is becoming worse in its prevalence due to computer use, wireless networks and radio communications. Even worse is the prevalence of 'switching power supplies' found in almost all household appliances.  All of these sources radiate RFI directly though the power line, or through the air and are picked up by power cables just like antennae.  Some components are not noticeably affected by this noise, but others, such as digital audio players, preamps, phono preamps etc can be quite profoundly affected and then amplified through the audio reproduction chain.  The audible results are not usually directly noticeable as white noise or gross signal breakup, but fatiguing, edgy treble or an unnatural murkiness to the sound.  Often you can't consciously hear the background noise, until it is taken away, making backgrounds sound 'blacker' and the audible signal is 'brought into focus' and made clearer.

After trying my own hand at a couple of DIY passive filters, I thought I would try some of the Alan Maher Designs "Power Enhancer" filters. I liked what I heard, which was a cleaner purer sound where I could hear more resolution in the midrange and higher frequencies. It was clearly better than my DIY attempts and other commercial passive filters I have tried.  Since then I have tried almost the entire range of "Power Enhancer" filters, and now the subject of this review, the "Reference II" filter.

Soundwise the Reference II seems to combine the sound qualities of the Power Enhancer I, III and IV and roll them up in a single general product - highs and midrange are cleaner and bass is more defined. It seems as though I can 'see into' and enjoy the midrange more.  The Reference II also seems more neutral tonally compared to other Power Enhancers.  As with all of these passive filters the Reference II seems to interact with different components in different ways, and synergizes with some components more than others.  So trial and error is highly recommended which for which component it works with best and where on your audio circuit find its most effective location. In my system the Reference IIs have settled into the adjoining socket to each of the duplexes feeding each of my Channel Islands monoblock power amplifiers.  I cycled through this configuration without any filter and also with other filters in their place.  The result was that the Reference IIs always sounded better than anything else in this position.

Some other information about the Reference II filters.  In my experience the effect the filter has on the sound does not stabilize until they are 'burned-in' which takes about 5 weeks.  So don't judge them until they have been in circuit for a while. These filters come packaged in 'wall-wart' style cases with a USA plug without a ground pin.  The way they plug in is very important, in fact integral to the way they function, and must be positioned the correct way around, so that the active and neutral prong goes into the correct hole in the socket.  This usually means that the hanging end of the case must face ground, or be oriented towards the where the ground pin in the socket is.  They should not be plugged in 'upside down'.  International users must use a reasonable quality plug adapter which preserves absolute polarity. Note that European and Australian plugs swap active and neutral positions so if there is a one to one correspondence in your adapter plug then the Reference II will need to be plugged into the adapter upside down compared to a USA socket, in order to preserve the AC polarity.  Since the filter is a 'wall-wart' with quite a wide case, users may also find that this becomes cramped or physically impossible to plug it into some power boards or double duplex sockets.  In this case a short IEC power cable ('jug-plug') can be used with a PC burn in adapter to plug the filter into tight spots.  Also note that the Reference II uses X-rated capacitors which are safety compliant for 110-240V applications.

In conclusion, my opinion is that the Reference II is the best low cost passive filter product on the market.  It is the culmination of many iterations of passive filter design based on empirical testing of how the unit sounds and not just how it measures.  I recommend it as great standalone filter or for use in concert with other power treatment devices. ~ Carl Braga

"Hi Alan;

I wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying the addition of the Quantum Studio PLC to my system.  Now that I am comfortably past 200 hours I can tell you my initial impressions have been confirmed.  The system already has a PE V Pro-IEC and PE 1 on a dedicated 20 amp circuit.  I have the Quantum Studio PLC plugged into the wall next to the PE V.  The PE 1 is plugged into the balanced side of my balanced power conditioner.

The first impression I had was one of larger scale; the entire presentation seemed to physically extend farther in all directions.  The sound stage was higher, wider, closer and deeper.  At the same time the low end felt more solid and better defined.  I am seated pretty close to a fairly large powerful system and the increased immersion impact was very noticeable.

The 2nd significant impression was that I was listening to more of what was on the disk.  Voices and brass could be heard more clearly.  The highs felt more extended as well, with more ability to hear the initial strike of a cymbal, bell or synth sound and then the final decay of that sound.  I also appreciated a greater "floating in space" character of some of the notes that didn't "float" quite the same way before the Studio.

As I listened to some standard favorite recordings I was caught by surprise by subtle sounds and effects that had been intended by the engineer that I had never heard so clearly. My system was already pretty revealing.  But if I put on an old disk to hear one cut it was never enough, I had to hear more...and that's why I have my system, to enjoy music.

While I use the system almost exclusively for music, my wife watches movies frequently.  She just finished one of her spy adventure films and made very positive comments.  She said the picture on our old Elite RP looked better than ever, something I hadn't expected.  I tried it for myself and had to agree with her.  And she loved the improvements in the sound.  So Alan, thanks again!

In the interest of total disclosure I should say that I have been using Alan as my "system power guide" since we met on the Internet in 1999.  He has helped me understand and control the use of electricity in my system in very thoughtful and practical ways.  I have had great success with the numerous power cords, interconnects and cables and filtering devices that he has provided over the years.  Of course, Alan's very best feature, as we all know, is Jen!

To obtain full benefit of Alan's products I suggest making sure your room's acoustic issues are addressed first." ~ Bob Pachner

PE-V-Pro listening impressions:

24 hours: Sound is awful.  Could only listen for about 5 minutes before taking CD out in horror.  Sound is terribly bright and etched.  Soundstage has lost all depth, width, and detail.  Sounds like the tweeter is the only driver functioning. No bass at all.  Everything sounds very metallic.  Impression: Where did my stereo go?

48 hours: Sound still too bright and etched, but a bit more listenable. Still very little low bass.  Sounds like subwoofers are turned off; I actually went to check the amps to make sure they were in fact “on”. Soundstage still completely diffuse; no focus. Can’t pinpoint instruments in soundfield. Instruments all sound like they are metallic even if they are made from wood (guitar, violin, cello, etc). Sounds lacks “body”, timbre is hollow sounding.

72 hours: Things seem to be settling down. Instruments are starting to get some “body” again. Timbre is still kind of bright/metallic sounding, but definitely heading in the right direction. Still very anemic bass.

96 hours: Much improved today. Sound quality and timbre are much more real sounding. Starting to sound like music and not like stereo. Voices have good deal of palpability to them as do brass instruments.  Just the right amount of “bite” without being edgy or overly bright. Now the sound is becoming full and harmonically rich, not hollow like before. Bass is better, but still a bit thin. Strings, however, still sound a bit “glaring”.

168 hours: Things are sounding much, much better. Soundstage has opened up in width and from front-to-back.  More front-to-back depth than before the PE-V, but still a bit narrower side-to-side than before PE-V install and less focused, i.e., cannot yet pinpoint precise location of specific instruments. Timbre of male voices now very good; better than before PE-V.  Nice richness without boominess. Wood instruments sound like wood again, not metal. Listening to didgeridoo on stereo is freakishly “real”. There is still a hint of glare or haze when listening to loud orchestral music, especially violins and violas. Some details are have never heard before are now emerging from recordings I thought I knew very well.

240 hours: Things are definitely still improving. Sound has now become very lifelike with all instruments. Some startling so; gongs, bells, and other percussion is so real it’s almost eerie.  I play trumpet and would have sworn, had my eyes been closed, that the solo trumpet fanfare playing on a SACD was actually a person standing playing in the room. Imaging is getting better still, but not yet holographic. Bass is suddenly subterranean.  Very deep, taut, and solid. Definitely improved over pre-PE-V. Instruments have wonderful resonance and the decay at the end of a note/piece is fantastic.  It just fades seemingly forever. Still just a wee bit “hot” on top, but perhaps this will still settle.

Days 14-16:  WOW! I don’t know what transpired during the past couple of days without listening, but when Alan says everything will “click” and come together, he’s not kidding. I popped a CD in and turned to leave the room and go back to work on my computer.  I took all of three steps before I stopped dead in my tracks and spun around to stare in amazement at the stereo. Something profound has definitely taken place within the AC in my house and the PE-V. The soundstage has blown wide open and has become truly holographic. Sitting in the listening chair, I’m enveloped in sound.  The orchestra stretches well beyond the outside of the speakers and I can position each instrument exactly where it should be on stage. The timbre of instruments is literally to-die-for.  I didn’t know stereo reproduction could sound like this, and all this improvement is coming from the components I’ve been listening to for years without realizing all of their hidden potential.  Although Alan has assured me “things can always get better”,  I truly can’t believe it can get better than this! ~ Chris Porada

Update: The PEV Pro continued to settle/improve a bit more for about 4-5 weeks or so, but the changes after the first 3 weeks were more subtle; small nuances I had not heard before on recordings, even more real sounding timbre from instruments, and a bit more “space” in the sound being reproduced so that you have a better sense of the performance venue. ~ Chris Porada

Review of the Quantum IEC and PE Quantum Filters

UNBELIEVABLE!!!  After approximately 3-4 weeks of the Quantum IEC and PE Quantum filters going through a sonic stabilization and condition phase, the end result was well worth the wait.  The Quantum filters dramatically transformed my system from subtle into a BEAST!  The end result was a substantial upgrade in dynamics, much better defined bass reproduction (the lower bass now sounds similar to a good subwoofer box), and there was a noticeable drop in the noise floor.  The difference in audio quality was astonishing!  The system was profoundly improved on every level - tonal pitch, timing (musical pace, speed), inner detail, upper and lower extension, pitch definition, soundstage size, imaging, vocal dynamics and especially the bass output.  This innovation lent a fabulous realism to the sound that brought it to an exciting new level of excellence.  I couldn’t hear any hint of negativity at all with the Quantum filters on my system.  There was simply no comparison before and after … especially in the lower bass reproduction and dynamics.  It was like I ended up purchasing a more expensive system.  BTW, my Pioneer Elite 60-inch Plasma Display also noticeably improved in picture quality.  Alan, kudos! ~ Will Chow (Vancouver, BC)

"Alan, What I really like about your product is that I bought your cheapest PE and it made an immediate impact on my system. I tried 3 places and once I found the right one it just locked in. The bass response was tighter and more detailed. My system sounded more dynamic and organic, less glare. Thanks again." ~ John Rokke

"Alan, the reference v2 power cord was a dramatic improvement over a PS Audio power cord.  The depth of the music, the believability of the music, increased to a higher level.  In addition, my Definitive Technology speaker's came ALIVE! when I added the PE IV to my set up." ~ Isaac Perry

"Hi Alan,

I haven't been listening to my system much lately as I am in the process of building a new amplifier, and that is eating up my spare time.  That said, I have noticed that the PE 3 seems to have settled down over the last week or so and sounds quite "stable" from day to day.  I was surprised to notice how significantly the sound of my system changed as the PE was breaking in.  Some days the highs seemed to be muted and other days they seemed quite prominent.  Same story with the bass.  I never really knew what to expect, but I would remind myself that the PE was settling in, and to just relax and go with the flow.   At this point I am no longer noticing any swings with any aspect of the sound. 

I would describe the effect of the PE 3 now as having increased the resolving power of my system.  Subtle artistic or dynamic inflections (voice and/or instrument), background harmonies, small sound stage cues etc are all more clearly revealed.  My sense if that this is probably a result of a generally reduced noise floor since there does not appear to any frequency range that is emphasized or brought to the forefront.  I've heard products that initially appear to offer more detail when inserted in my system, and many of them seem to do so by shifting the overall spectrum of the system, usually tipping up the upper midrange and lower treble.  The PE 3 does not seem to be doing that at all.  If anything I believe the PE may be giving me a wee bit more extension at the extreme top and bottom end, and this has had no detrimental consequence through the midrange.  I've also noticed an increase in my ability to hear the harmonic overtones and decay of instruments, particularly piano and lower pitched brass and stringed instruments.  With respect to sound staging I would say the PE seems to be fleshing out the players a bit more, and I am also (as I mentioned before) noticing more hall or venue cues with recordings that offer them. 

Overall I am quite pleased with the results of adding the PE 3 to my system.  It has taken some time for it to settle in and settle down, but it has been well worth the wait. Like the PLC, which immediately improved and enhanced literally every aspect of my set up (and didn't seem to change as drastically from day to day as it was breaking in) I consider the PE 3 an essential component in my system now and would not part with it under any circumstances." ~ Neil Walker

RPC v2:

"Dear Alan. You asked to let you have my comments  on the selected days after the introduction of the Reference Power Centre v 2.  I hope that they make some sense to you:

"I just came back from a short listening session.....OMG....WOW.....I have had the three PE V Pro IEC's in for four days....All I can say is that the

blackness of my bacground is like sitting in the eye of a hurricane. I have never heard anything even approach the noise floor that is being portrayed." ~ Paul Rodier

"I just got the PE V S/AC from Alan that replaced a PE II.  It's a no brainer.  Snatch these up before the price goes up.  Alan's products are the best parellel conditioners I've used so far." ~ Jeffrey Lazicki

PE V Pro:

"It Is Awesome !!!" ~ Tim Dube

Reference Power Cable:

"I have only used this cord with my ARC SP16 preamp. I have been looking for awhile now for a reasonably priced power cord (in the scale of my system) for this application. I had tried a number of contenders but always came back to the stock power cord, preferring it's ability to impart what seems to me to be a sense of life to recordings. Yours is the first to preserve this, while improving upon the stock cord in other areas. There was a slight sense of extra hardness to the sound of struck cymbals that is now gone. Also plucked bass which used to lose some definition at the lower range of the instrument is clear and defined from top to bottom. Overall there is a little more there there and that is not a small thing.  Aside from sounding absolutely abysmal for the first several days this is a wonderful product." ~ David Leap

"Hi Alan,

Just a short note: Received the box yesterday, didn't expect the PE II, III and IV all at one time, was thinking they would trickle in. Polished the blades and plugged them into the one week old modified Hammond power strip. A half hour later, no bass; the subwoofer didn't seem like it was turned on but was also getting more body and detail from the main speakers. One day later, bass is back plus there is an increase in spaciousness, even noticeable from outside the room in the hallway. A bit of in room listening (I guess you've got to do that sometimes) shows more depth, a fuller arc of placing sounds from the left to right speakers and more clarity (like less mechanical sounding and more of the sound of gorgeous music). This last point shows in a dropped volume with no loss of info or satisfaction - even on a TV show - and the fact that, right now, the music is playing in the living room and I'm on a bedroom computer and the sound is just killing me - I need to get off this PC and enjoy listening. What the future brings as your units break-in, well, we'll see.  Lovin' it!" ~ Todd Southworth

"Hi Alan

The PE made a tremendous improvement to my system. I plugged it into an outlet on the Monster Power Center and let it sit about 2-3 days before trying to listen to anything. I fired up the system and took a listen, pessimistically expecting to hear pretty much what I always hear. Wow! I was bowled over with the improvement that this affordable tweak wrought from my system. It's like having living musicians inside the room. Everything improved; the clarity, the timbre, the detail, even the sibilance I heard before is pretty much gone, even with massed strings. I had been planning to replace my speakers, but now I’m not so sure; you may have saved me a lot of money!" ~ Chris Porada

"In my previous emails i was trying to make sure you know just how impressive the pe iv is in my system. it has extended the life of my amps my making them smoother and easier to listen to. the natural way in which detail is delivered makes my earlier efforts to accomplish the same results with the harmonix 999's seem midguided. (they improved detail and soundstage but at a cost of ultimate volume, harshness when louder and loss of mid bass info and at over 10x the cost). the pe iv has improved the system across the board. the one area you didn't tell me would improve so much was lower bass; it now has way more definition and fullness. From top to bottom, I am enjoying music on my system more than ever!" ~ Robert Pachner

"From the day of installation, the PE IV has made a positive impact on my sound system. Currently I have the PE IV and PE upstream of my HIFI system and another PE downstream that is connected in series (same outlet) with my sub. Previously I was using a PS Audio Ultimate Outlet (UO) to power my HiFi rig. The UO did clean things up, but I also found it to be a little subtractive in terms of dynamics. With the PE products in use I find no need for the UO. The PE products have obviously cleaned up my mains without any sonic penalty. In fact my HiFi rig now sounds much more toe tapping dynamic with improved non fatiguing clarity and texture to the sound. Great products!" ~ Glenn Hughes

“Your PE made across the board improvements in my system immediately after installation, and things have only gotten better. I cannot not believe what a dramatic effect this little device has on my sound….it is nothing short of amazing! I have & will continue to enthusiastically recommended your PE to my customers.” ~ Robert Fritz

"Sorry that I have not gotten back to you with my read on the PE IV, as usual no time for audio, so I decided to offer my impression of our bedroom system, $10,000 worth of retail leftovers and your latest and greatest!!!  The bedroom location in the house is furthest from subpanel, 60 feet or so, and on the opposite phase from audio system.   As a reminder, my home is still wired with the 1950's style of wiring three pronged duplex outlet that I had installed four years ago.  

Video duplex: upper receptacle has a RGPC 400 installed, plugged into the 400 I have 2 Hammond 193M chokes, a PE, and a PE IV.  Plugged into the lower receptacle I have a Sound Application 12XE, I also have a PE plugged into the 12XE and my Sony 34XBR960, Directv HDDVR, Verizon HDDVR, Dish receiver, Quantum Symphony PRO.  All power cords used are KK Palladians, I also have Z-der blocks plugged into HDDVR's with 193L's and liberator cable for added filtering.  Everything was superb before the chokes and PE IV were added, after, the picture quality of the SONY was incredible, perhaps the best picture short of a pro monitor.  First, the 193L provided a nice improvement.  Second, the 193L offered even more of an improvement, really looking good, to my directv, which looks about as good as Fios before the additions (Fios adds no compression).  Next, I added the PE IV to the RGPC, I had a PE into it several days earlier....WOW....major, dude.....took out the PE IV and replaced with a charged PE, I aborted this after a day since I was no longer emotionally drawn into the experience.  Swapped the PE  with the IV and immediately the magic had returned, a day later it restored the video quality to my reference level experienced a few days prior!!!  I cannot even fathom what this will be like in the audio, awaiting four more plugs and a few liberators totaling 12 chokes and accessories!!!  I got four M's...lol... I guess the PE IV stays with the video :-)  The IV is really good. Video is more objective......how black and clear can a picture get?  I thought I had maxed it out a year ago...WRONG....I do have many PE's on the video phase to keep you up to date!" ~ Paul Rodier

"Hi Alan

I was going to let it settle in some more before commenting, but I can say it is settling in quite well! It arrived on 1/7, so it hasn't been in for a week yet. Some of the highlights are:

Overall, my system is more revealing - more detail in the upper and mid ranges - lots more!. Haven't noticed as much in the bass, but that could be because my speakers are set to 'small' for HT so most of the bass goes to the sub which is on the same circuit as the PE IV, but not the same duplex. I have the PE I in the same duplex as the sub.

I'm listening at lower volume levels since I don't have to push my speakers as much to get the most out of them. Right now, I'm listening at about 2/3rds of the volume I used to.

I'm rediscovering 2 channel listening since it has substantially increased the sound stage. Don't need to listen through 5 channels to feel I'm 'right there' - can get the same feeling on 2 channels. It sounds so much better that I'm thinking of setting up a zone B parallel system with a tube amp with a phono input and dedicated speakers to fully appreciate 2 channels.

Finally, video. Really didn't see how there could be an improvement over the PE I, but I was pleasantly surprised. Colors are so much richer, picture is clearer. All I can say is WOW.

You've got one happy customer here!" ~ John Reiber

"Hello Alan,

I have been running your standard PE for 2-3 days now and from the first minute, I was blown away by the improvement this little unit yields....its fantastic, thank you very much....!

I have just built a new mid-fi system with about $12,000 of well rated components. The system has been frustratingly quite unsatisfying to me and I preferred listening to my buddies $3,000 system! Although highly detailed and accurate, the system had HF glare which made audience applause quite painful and a lack of body and bass presence (even with a Spectron 650w amp!). The first major improvement came with the addition of a Burson buffer and the second came with your PE. The PE improved the bass presence enormously and made the HF glare much more endurable and smoother while rendering more detail from the lowered noise floor. The system is now finally starting to have synergy and make real music. The TV and video performance is also much improved with more vibrant and realistic colors, depth and texture." ~ Mark Owen

"Hi Alan - I'm playing around with different configurations (currently both PE and PEII on the same circuit so I'm not sure if it's only due to the break-in on the II but the bass is slightly stronger and more defined and treble seems a little reduced in amplitude. The treble reduction was a plus as it seemed very slightly overdone before. Still a very clear and extremely positive impact on the noise level and clarity. Great product Alan!" ~Bert Siewert

"Alan,