Shunyata's Guardian 4 vs Hydra 4s

Checkout the website 10Audio,then look under DIY HYDRA, you'll know what's inside the Hydra 4

Ok, that slash and maul article has been beat to death on the forums. I have responded to its content, and will again as it is an affront to how seriously we take our designs and the truth.

In 2005 I declined Mr. 10's offer of a "review" in exchange for us loaning him products. His response to my decline was one of someone being seriously affronted. He said with emphasis that he would get the product some other way and review it without our cooperation or permission. It doesn't take more than a cursory read by a 5th grader to see the effect my decline had on the tone and content of his comments. BTW, this happens a lot. Everyone with a blog thinks they are entitled to loaned products and act shocked when we decline.

He "reviewed" a product that was a long out of spec product by 2005, so it is no surprise that his "photo's" didn't match what we were producing then much less now, or the listed spec's on our web at that time. I wish once in a while people would question "pop-up" review info just for a moment, and not simply accept web-made-up negative information as accurate without looking a bit further. This fellow plowed ahead with half truths and made up garbage without question because we failed to accommodate him-- it was that simple.

There have been many advances within our products since the pictured H4 was made in 2002 and an entire board constructed with the multi-element filter array that is both pictured and described in detail on our web. That network did not exist within the first production run model that 10 procured and wrote about in '05. Our listed specs and tech have been _exactly_ accurate on our web related to current production every step of the way.

Now, to answer the QUESTION, the Hydra models all have dedicated filter network boards mounted and wired to the back of each duplex. Guardian models have only a single multi-element filter board per unit. In complex systems that use a single dedicated line and multiple components, the Hydras have a clear advantage as each duplex is more isolated from one-another internally. In more simple systems, or systems with multiple dedicated lines that have separate line/s for amps, the Guardians are amazingly close to the Hydras in performance.

I can answer your questions in more detail if you contact us directly. You are likely also to avoid the pot-shotting and half truths that appear from either the whimsy or agendas of others.

Regards,

Grant
Shunyata Research

Do Guardian models provide filtering among the outlets? For example, if one outlet is used for CD player and another one is used for preamp, will the noises from CDP get filtered out?

Thanks.

Hi, I'd be pleased to respond to any direct inquiry. I try to limit participation here to factual corrections and responses to ill informed comments or general statements made using inaccurate or incomplete information.

Since the original response had nothing to do with the question and pointed to a vindictive and inaccurate source of information, I simply answered the original question. Otherwise, I prefer to keep my participation on these forums to a minimum. Our contact information is listed on this site in the category sponsor section of power products. Thanks.

Grant

I Had the opportunity to hear these side by side & i much preferred the Hydra 4s refinement, more detailed and more blacker than background advantage compared to the Guardian 4.
Guardian 4 is no slouch though.
I'll probably get the Hydra 4s.

I have tried many shunyata products (have the pythons throughout with the Hydra 8) and can strongly say that with their product, you do get what you pay for. It's twice the price but sounds exponentially better. Go for the 4s and you won't regret it. It's in a totally different class then the Guardian. Background incredibly blacker, noise free and my amps threw out a beautiful soundstage--deeper and wider than my Richard Grey 1200s and incomparable to a Guardian; my preamp became more holographic and the CD player's dynamics and resolution went up dramatically. It bought the system to an amazingly new level. I suggest shuntaya power cables for the other components plugged into it as well. I started with diamond back power cords, upgraded to taipan and then python and in each step, the increased performance was easilly noticible.

Thanks Cerrot, yeah, have the same observations.
I will be using the Hydra4s with the python powercords.
Looking forward to having these in my system.

Now have the hydra 4s along with python 20amp cord. Nice ! Nice! good stuff & many thanks for those recommendations.