The End of My Search for a Power Conditioner

I posted recently about my search for a power conditioner.

Previously I tried a PS Audio PowerPlant 3. It apparently did what it was supposed to do but I could not hear much of a difference except the soundstage seemed a little narrower and darker which I did not like. So I returned it.

I then decided to try a power conditioner with active filtering, I ordered an AudioQuest PowerQuest 707 which is the top of the PowerQuest line before the Niagara line. It did lower the noise level slightly and improved imaging. Initially I liked what I was hearing. After a day or so I noticed that the soundstage was not as big or open and that the upper midrange and lower treble were more forward than I liked. Upper strings were less refined and more upfront. This was not a perspective I enjoyed as I prefer a more relaxed and laid back presentation so I retuned the unit. Now the Niagara line which gets excellent reviews may present a much more refined sound. However I did not want a larger and heavy power conditioner that also has been noted to have a potential issue with hum. A fact noted in their user guides with steps to eliminate it. Plus they are expensive.

Reading reviews of a few other active Power Conditioners I noticed that reviewers also mention this forwardness in perspective. It seemed this might be a characteristic of the active filtered conditioners although I'm sure there are some that may not do this. So I decided to try a power conditioner with passive filtering. And the best reviewed I could find were those offered by Shunyata.

I called The Cable Company and borrowed a Shunyata Gemini 8 Power Conditioner and a Gamma XC Power Cable. The XC (Xtra Current} cables are specifically designed for their power conditioners

This unit was excellent and transformative for my system. Every aspect of the musical spectrum was positively impacted. At first I noticed more and better bass. Actually a little too much bass. I had just completed the blending of my REL T3 sub (an older model I had connected to my Keyboard system) with my Harbeth C7ES-XDs. The bass with the Gemini was so impactful I turned off the REL. There was too much low end with the sub. Most notably the overall dynamics of the system improved as a result of the darker background. My system was very low noise before the Gemini but now an even blacker background emerged. Detail improved and the upper midrange and treble were beautifully rendered with no forwardness. In fact the soundstage got bigger and wider. Soundstage depth improved slightly as well. Upper strings were more silken and refined. The overall presentation was balanced. I could increase volume without any part of the frequency standing out. Also I could now play my system any time of day and it sounded the same. I played through my 50+ reference tracks several times enjoying every one and hearing a more dynamic and live presentation.

Now I thought what would a Shunyata Denali 6000/V2 sound like at over 2.5x the price of the Gemini?  I had to find out. So I borrowed a Denali and a Theta XC power cable from the The Cable Company. After speaking with Shunyata they said don't audition the Denali unless you can buy it. It's that good. My expectations were high.

Well my expectations were not met. I found that at least in my system I preferred the Gemini. I found the Denali sounded similar to the Gemini in general with maybe a little better bass but again with the upper midrange and lower treble a little too forward and emphasized for my taste. Now according to Shunyata the Denali should be powered by the Alpha or Sigma power cord. So using the Theta may have been hampering it. But adding another $3k for a power cord to the $6k for the Denali was not something I was interested in paying considering the wonderful performance of the Gemini in my system.

I also tried the Gemini with the Theta power cord and found that cable added a slight brightness to the treble and I preferred the Gamma with the Gemini, The Gamma is a copper cable while the Theta has a silver core that is lined with copper. Maybe that's the source of the brightness. Thinking about that I tried the Denali with the Gamma and it did slightly smooth out the treble but not entirely. I really think the Denali may need a Sigma or Alpha power cord. But the overall sound characteristic of the Denali is not significantly different than the Gemini. The Denali 6000/V2 has been on the market for about 5 or 6 years while the Gemini is a new product which I believe was introduced in 2023. So I think there has been a significant trickle down of Shunyata Technology into the Gemini 8 making it a really good value at $2.5k. It has a 20 Amp output and can be used with amplifiers up to 200 watts. I did try my Accuphase P4600 150 Watt amp plugged into the Gemini. It sounded pretty good but I slightly preferred the sound of the amp into the wall. At some point I will try it again with an upgraded power cord. BTW the Gemini is a beautiful piece of equipment that is solidly built, weighs in at 10 pounds, has a Lifetime Warranty and offers a Grounding System you can implement if desired.There is also a Gemini 4 that offers a 15 Amp output priced at $2k. The Gamma power cord is $498.

Bottom line is if you are looking for a small and light weight power conditioner take a look at the Shunyata line. In any case whatever brand always try one in your system as the synergy between power conditioners, cables and components can not be over emphasized.

@lalitk 

You were right. A quality power conditioner can really be the foundation of a system.