Perfect Path Technologies - "Stop It" AC Duplex passive line conditioners


I've been using some of PPT's latest passive line conditioning devices for a few months now. Grouped under the "Stop It!" monicker, the current range consists of AC Duplex plugs and RCA plugs. This will soon be expanded to include UK AC and Schuko (international AC) varieties. I'm very favourably impressed with the improvements in my system, and with the value for money they offer.

My first Stop It AC Duplex samples arrived unexpectedly 3 or 4 months ago, together with a bundle of PPT products I purchased. It's not unusual for pleasant surprises to happen spontaneously when you invest in a PPT bundle! I unwrapped and examined the offering - a pack containing 10 small plastic AC infant safety stoppers, with some very unusual visual characteristics. They are treated with a silvery gray hybrid mixture, which appears to contain pearly particles of some kind. I have no idea what's in the mixture, but it looks pretty. Although the pack was an early production run and came without instructions, it didn't take me long to figure out how to use them. The two protruding prongs really gave the game away, so I fired up the sound system and plugged just one Stop It Duplex into the wall. I have to admit that the small size of the plug and the relatively thin coating had me expecting a very minor effect, compared to a PPT mat for example. But not really - the effect was...

BIG and obvious from the first track. Not the same as a mat, which lifts the entire soundstage, the Duplex plug exposed top end detail and enhanced specific imaging, which I found immediately exhilarating and exciting. I should never have doubted Tim to come up with something special and surprising. So in went the 9 remaining plugs, into all remaining empty AC wall outlets in the room, and into the empty outlets on the back of my SR PowerCell 12 UEF. This magnified the effect as you would expect, and I began to notice the same kind of lift you get with the PPT mats, as well as further enhanced top end sparkle, and a laser-like exposure of inner detail which contributed to enhanced image specificity. All the plugs were used in my listening room, and I was very happy with the result.

After a quick email to Tim to thank him for the bonus gift and to offer my unqualified approval and praise, the reply came back indicating that further improvements could be expected by treating every unused AC wall outlet, with Stop It Duplex plugs. So I placed an order (at full price) for 20 more Stop It plugs to treat the entire house. By this time I knew they were going to work. But how great an effect, when the outlets to be treated are nowhere near the sound system, not even on the same floor?

It has taken me a while to come to a conclusion about this. In my experience, I found that in general, the closer the plug is located to the sound system, the more instantaneous the positive effect. However, the plugs placed in remote locations around the house, over a period of a few weeks, eventually intensify to contribute a similar additional AC cleansing power. It's initially more subtle and it takes longer to activate, but it's definitely worth treating every unused outlet in the house.

Dirty AC power is obviously a problem, we all know that. So should you "Stop It" with PPT duplex plugs? It's a great product that works as advertised, it's reasonably priced and can be purchased individually as the budget permits. If your results match mine, you'll hear a worthwhile improvement with each treated outlet, regardless of its location in the house. So I say Go For It!

whostolethebatmobile
Hi aniwolfe: May I ask if you're still using the High Fidelity Cable products in your . system? My experience has been that they don't play well together. Good listening.
@yoby

Yes I am using HFC interconnects and Hemisphere Conditioner. I believe they play fine together in my experience. What I didn’t like was the MC-05’s with the Emats. But just to clarify, 2 other Audiogon Members here that I know, have experienced the brightness or excessive detail with emats installed in the circuit breaker panel. If they want to come forward to validate, it’s up to them. BTW none of them own any HFC products. Don’t really want to make a big deal about it. I think everyone should try at least 1 emat because of the risk-free trial period.
^^^ You’re welcome David.

aniwolf ...

I’ve had a LOT of Omega E Mats in my system all at one time. It was amazing. Ozzy alluded to that in one of his above posts.

I asked Tim to send them to me so that I could have various audiophile friends here on the West Coast try them out completely risk-free without having to send any money for the trial. Tim agreed. Tim trusts me, and I trust my friends.

Each person got six mats to try. Of all the mats I let my friends use, one returned them all, and said that he didn’t hear any difference. I suspect he never got around to trying them at all. Then another friend kept one for his circuit breaker box and returned the other five. Everyone else kept the mats and sent a check to PPT. They also have used the TC paste, and a couple have purchased The Gate.

I suspect that in some ways, the mats may not be compatible with other tweaks. I believe that it is not the fault of the mats, because of all of the positive feedback received.

But then ... there’s that 90-day risk free trial period, right?

Frank