This is an old thread but what the hell does the sentence the "sonic result was a substantial increase in realism, among other things" actually even mean??? What other things? Are you saying the system did not sound real before hand? How is a power conditioner going top make your stereo sound more like live music unless you have some serious drugs and a negative feedback loop? Talk about wishful thinking.
I love music and I love how a great system can transform you emotionally. Actually it is the music that does that not the system.I have been just as moved in my car by its stereo going 100mph with the windows down as I have by any $100k system I have ever owned.
I also acknowledge just how deep in bullshit the entire industry is in this kind of word salad. It is no wonder people will spend $1500 on a stupid power cable that does NOTHING other than shine on.
High end audio is dying and it is dying by its own knife.