Shunyata Hydra Users....Your Opinion please...

I have not tried a Hydra with other than Shunyata cords but I will share my experience. I was generally dissatisfied with CD's and digital playback. In the past year I purchased about 400 LP's to about 10 CD's because the sound of the CD's was so, flat and lacking in musical depth. I did listen to a $6000 BAT CD player with about $30,000 worth of other equipment and it sounded so good I thought maybe one day. Well a freind brought over a demo Hydra 4, some python, tiapan, copperhead and diamondback cables to play with. I was not planning on buying anything but what the heck, I was going to give it a try. The results were amazing. I tried every combination I could think of and came to the following conclusions. The Hydra was the biggest difference and it affected the sound quality, depth, base extension and soundstage of the CD player more than anything else. I was not able to tell much difference between the Python pc and the copperhead pc, but ended up with the Python at a demo discount. I used diamondback to connect the hydra to components. I was and still am amazed at the improvement in my system with the Hydra and upgraded powercords. I think that it tripled my CD players value, (it would have cost me at least 3X the cost of my CD player to make similar gains) and at least doubled my amplifier value. If you can demo a hydra I would recommend it, just balance your check book first.

I am running all Elrod Statement power cords. Not cheap, but provides incredible speed, detail, and lower-end control. It literally energized my system to a much higher level. I have everything in the Hydra, including 600 watt monoblocks. They clearly sound better with the Hydra compared to dedicated high-end lines. I believe the powercord to the Hydra is important, and needs to be designed for high-power situations. I would advise you to get the Hydra, use it on a dedicated line with the best cord you can afford. I have each component plugged into it's own outlet, so the Hydra-8 is perfect for my 4 components. Also, try Walker SST Contact Enhancer. The cord does not have to be a Shunyata cord.

Rob

I agree that the Hydra does a great job sonically by itself. I have the Hydra 4 and use the Supra Lorad PC which could be the best buy in Audio. Performance approaching and surpassing most cords costing over $1000.

I have the Hydra plugged into a dedicated line and lined with Stillpoint ERS cloth.

This is an old thread, but I will add my experience FWIW.

In short, the Shunyata Hydra and Sunyata power cords are NEUTRAL. They will reveal sonic signatures and imperfections in other cords and equipment.

I was using a mid-level Panamax power conditioner, fed by an Acoustic Zen Tsunami II and using an Electraglide Mini Khan Plus to my pre-amp and Kimber PK-10 and PK-14 Golds to my CDP and amp. And I was generally happy with the combination. The Mini Khan in particular, made a large improvement when I put it on my preamp (it was very sibilant on the CDP).

The equipment was well-resolved: Audio Aero Prima CDP, Rega P25 with MC, Audible Illusions Modulus 3A with Valvo NOS tubes, Belles 150A Reference SS amp, Kef Reference Model Two speakers; all kimber Select KS-1021 ICs and Kimber Bi-Focal speaker cable.

Before adding the Hydra, I was only using one of two dedicated lines I had put in with the Panamax into it.

I bought the Hydra with a 1 meter Python Alpha 20 amp cord (almost new, it was a return and I still had to break them in...which I did on other electrical items before plugging them into the audio system). I took out the Panamax, put the Hydra-2 on the dedicated circuit with the pre connected to it with the Mini Khan and the CDP with the PK-14 Gold; I plugged the amp into the other dedicated circuit with the AZ.

Music sounded cleaner, with more air, but generally awful: harsh, more sibilant, fatiguing. I was NOT happy. I conferred with the dealer (Galen Carrol) who conferred with Shunyata. Shunyata felt the Mini Khan was the culprit of the brightness. They advised that I stabilize the system by putting all my Kimber PKs back in (in Caelin Gabriel's words: "The Kimbers are a step up from a Belden; they don't do much right, but they don't do anything wrong either").

I did and the sibilance and harshness went away. So did ALOT of the resolution. :-( But I had to admit that the net effect was definitely positive.

I consulted directly with Caelin Gabriel, Shunyata founder/Head R&D guy/CEO, who was incredibly caring, sincere, and forthright. And boy, does he know about equipment! And the effects of different cabling. He said Shunyata's cables are designed to be neutral and also to create a synergistic effect when used in combination with each other. He advised me to get the new Taipan Helix Alpha for my preamp. (He even cautioned AGAINST moving up to the Python Helix Alpha as he said it would reveal some parts of the circuitry I wouldn't want to hear. Since when did you have someone tell you to spend less money on their products!)

I took the plunge and bought a new Taipan Helix Alpha (the first new item in my system!). When it arrived, I did some listening to my gold standard CDs and LPs with the Kimbers in place. Then put in the Taipan Helix. It was better out of the box, without break in, than either the Kimber or the Mini Khan. It was truly better than a component upgrade.

Both analogue and CD improved clarity, dynamics, speed, lost coloration and the veiling of inner detail. Especially the analogue. I've done alot of critical listening in the past, but I was really blown away. I tried some A-B-C's with the Kimber/Mini Khan/Taipan Helix and couldn't believe the dullness of the Kimber and the excessive harshness of the Mini Khan. It was now evident to me that the Panamax had a filtering, darkening effect and that the Mini Kahn had brightened the sound. Take away the dark Panamax and put in a neutral Hydra, and voila...you can hear the sonic signarture of the Electraglide.

I had told Caelin I was budget constrained and that after getting a Taipan Helix, I couldn't drop much more dough into more cables right now. He advised replacing the PK on the amp with a Copperhead. I picked one up for $200 on Agon, and again, the Kimber PK veiling was taken away.

I few weeks later, I got up a few more bucks and purchased another new Taipan Helix Alpha for the Aero Prima. I put it on the amp to break it in and immediately heard more bass definition and inner detail than with the Copperhead. Once it broke in, I put it on the CDP and my CDs sound magnificent.

However, haveing become accustomed to that level of resolution from my amp, my analogue has taken a small step backwards with the Copperhead returned to its service!

So I've bitten the bullet and purchased another Hydra for the amp circuit and will be adding a 20 amp Shunyata cord there as well.

This post has gotten to be a bit long, but I hope it is helpfule to someone. The Bottom Line from my experience is: There is synergy and there is SYNERGY. Small "s" synergy is when a defect in one product is compensated for by a defect in another. They balance each other out. But each defect means LESS of something is coming through. Big "S" Synergy is when a very highly resolved component or cable is combined with one equally lacking in sonic distortion or degradation. More music comes through untainted.

I really recommend reading the 6Moons interview with Caelin Gabriel: http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/caelin/caelin.html in which he takes the voodoo out of cable marketing and replaces it with good ol' empirical science.

Happy listening! - John

I bought the Hydra 2 and plug my mono block amps into it. As an experiment I put a Hubell 20 amp IEC on the end of a 20 amp dedicated line and bypassed the Shunyata power cord. In theory it should have sounded better- less connectors and all one cable.But the Hydra with the Diamond back sounded better than straight in with the dedicated line. So I then upgraded to the Taipan and haven't regretted it. In my experience there is something that the Shunyata power cords do to enhance the Hydra.