Stephendunn,
First off I should mention that despite being a Brit, I live in Melbourne Australia and all my Ayre gear was configured at the factory to run on 240v / 50-60hz. I moved to Australia about 5 years ago from Denver Colorado which is where I met Charley Hansen. My Ayre components were shipped to Melbourne. Therefore my Yeti 1400 puts out 230v / 50hz which seems to still work fine for the Ayre QX-5 20 and AX-5 20.
So today with a few more hours running time on the Yeti 1400 I have compared running:
1. the QX-5 directly from the Yeti via Ayre PC (though I had to use a US to Aus plug adapter as PC has US plug)
2. QX-5 and AX-5 powered from the L-5xe connected to the Yeti 1400
3. QX-5 and AX-5 powered from the L-5xe connected to the AC outlet.
Clear winner was option 2 ie powering everything with the Yeti 1400 via the L-5xe. Significantly bigger soundstage in all dimensions with better spatial separation of instruments / vocals compared to wall AC power and still ahead of just powering the QX-5 (option 1) where soundstage was not quite as big or well defined. Bass impact speed and depth are now just as good using Yeti option 2 as when using the AC outlet. Quieter elements in some tracks are now also more clearly defined in terms of their resolution and within soundstage.
So best SQ overall with Yeti 1400 connected to Ayre L-5xe power conditioner.
I used the Yeti 1400 last night for 4 hrs to power my HT system (Oppo 203, Marantz AV8802A and three Exposure 3010S2 monoblocks plus AX-5 to combine for 5.1 system with KEF R series surrounds plus Blades. HSU VTF15 Sub powered separately from wall outlet.
Turned out I got the best sound when just powering the Marantz with all else on wall AC power. However most of the HT system is plugged into an Isotek Polaris power strip and not the Ayre L-5xe which likely accounts for this result (Ayre L-5xe far better at isolating components outputs).
So, I agree with your idea that the greater headroom between the load and maximum output provided by the Yeti 1400 over the 400 allows the 1400 to more rapidly respond to system load demands, certainly for my relatively low to mid-range power demands (150 to 170W). Whether the fact that my system runs on 230V is making a difference compared to US 120V / 60hz, I leave for discussion by experts on the forum.
I have not tried placing the Yeti 1400 on isolation footers but well worth testing. The way I have my Quadraspire racks configured at the moment there is not enough vertical space to insert Nordost sort kones under the L-5xe. I tried using some Isoacoustics Orea Indigos under the L-5xe but they just killed the richness of harmonics / musicality that using myrtle blocks provides. Charley Hansen insisted the L-5xe be placed on myrtle blocks and so far they are the best. I’m not sure he would approve of the Nordost BC sort kones I have under the QX-5 and AX-5 which made the SQ slightly brighter but provided a big jump in soundstage which is a forte of the KEF Blade 2s. While we are on the subject of isolators, adding Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers to the Blade 2s also made a significant improvement in staging and clarity.
First off I should mention that despite being a Brit, I live in Melbourne Australia and all my Ayre gear was configured at the factory to run on 240v / 50-60hz. I moved to Australia about 5 years ago from Denver Colorado which is where I met Charley Hansen. My Ayre components were shipped to Melbourne. Therefore my Yeti 1400 puts out 230v / 50hz which seems to still work fine for the Ayre QX-5 20 and AX-5 20.
So today with a few more hours running time on the Yeti 1400 I have compared running:
1. the QX-5 directly from the Yeti via Ayre PC (though I had to use a US to Aus plug adapter as PC has US plug)
2. QX-5 and AX-5 powered from the L-5xe connected to the Yeti 1400
3. QX-5 and AX-5 powered from the L-5xe connected to the AC outlet.
Clear winner was option 2 ie powering everything with the Yeti 1400 via the L-5xe. Significantly bigger soundstage in all dimensions with better spatial separation of instruments / vocals compared to wall AC power and still ahead of just powering the QX-5 (option 1) where soundstage was not quite as big or well defined. Bass impact speed and depth are now just as good using Yeti option 2 as when using the AC outlet. Quieter elements in some tracks are now also more clearly defined in terms of their resolution and within soundstage.
So best SQ overall with Yeti 1400 connected to Ayre L-5xe power conditioner.
I used the Yeti 1400 last night for 4 hrs to power my HT system (Oppo 203, Marantz AV8802A and three Exposure 3010S2 monoblocks plus AX-5 to combine for 5.1 system with KEF R series surrounds plus Blades. HSU VTF15 Sub powered separately from wall outlet.
Turned out I got the best sound when just powering the Marantz with all else on wall AC power. However most of the HT system is plugged into an Isotek Polaris power strip and not the Ayre L-5xe which likely accounts for this result (Ayre L-5xe far better at isolating components outputs).
So, I agree with your idea that the greater headroom between the load and maximum output provided by the Yeti 1400 over the 400 allows the 1400 to more rapidly respond to system load demands, certainly for my relatively low to mid-range power demands (150 to 170W). Whether the fact that my system runs on 230V is making a difference compared to US 120V / 60hz, I leave for discussion by experts on the forum.
I have not tried placing the Yeti 1400 on isolation footers but well worth testing. The way I have my Quadraspire racks configured at the moment there is not enough vertical space to insert Nordost sort kones under the L-5xe. I tried using some Isoacoustics Orea Indigos under the L-5xe but they just killed the richness of harmonics / musicality that using myrtle blocks provides. Charley Hansen insisted the L-5xe be placed on myrtle blocks and so far they are the best. I’m not sure he would approve of the Nordost BC sort kones I have under the QX-5 and AX-5 which made the SQ slightly brighter but provided a big jump in soundstage which is a forte of the KEF Blade 2s. While we are on the subject of isolators, adding Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers to the Blade 2s also made a significant improvement in staging and clarity.