Hey Alex,
Apologies for not having yet dedicated the time to get my detailed review written and posted here... as it would/will directly address your questions. Rest assured this is one of those rare cases where they hyperbole is warranted... and perhaps more importantly... benefits (almost?) every system/component. It’s not a case of "sounds good with system A, but not system B" as it’s not "tuning" the sound the way some tweaks might (not taming highs, or accentuating mids etc.). Rather, it’s like someone took the focus on a projector and suddenly dialed it in correctly, and subtle details that weren’t apparent before (which you had been blaming on your screen or your blu-rays, or the fact that you only had a 1080p projector and not 4K) suddenly appear... rendering an image that’s more natural, more relaxed, more "real" looking than before. And that same benefit would apply to any projector that’s out-of-focus.
It’s sort of like that. I’m using a Hegel H30 amp, HD30 DAC, Ansuz cables, stillpoints under almost everything, and right now my "undeserving" AVS-Rocket RS760s (The Sopra 3s that I had weren’t working well... imaging was obscured and bass had no impact, which at the time I sold them, I assumed was all based on room acoustics and lack of system synergy). Now that I’ve got the Inakustic 3500P in the system, it sounds BETTER than it has with any other speakers previously *without* the Inakustik (I think this is why Bob says get this thing *first* as it then lays the foundation to actually allow your present system to sound as it should... then you can start making changes to other components and really know what you're hearing). Now, and with my Rockets that have always sounded dry and with no soundstage-depth before... Imaging is shocking... the holographic soundstage is scary-good, and there’s so much ease and subtle nuance to the sound it’s a joy to listen and rediscover everything. And this is with mid-fi speakers that I never would have imagined could reveal these characteristics. Now I’m wondering what it would have been like had I kept the Sopra 3s... but I honestly had no idea that just power-conditioning could affect everything so profoundly.
I should add that yes, I had tried other power conditioning devices prior and each had pros/cons (mostly Ansuz... like their Sparkz and power bar). Plugging different devices in, or in a different order in the outlet strip, or moving the sparkz from the wall outlet to the power strip or from outlet to outlet all would affect the sound differently, and in some ways it was objectively "better" when I had the sopra 3s (as it tamed their brightness and aided in overall imaging). But depending on what was plugged in and where (for instance, I found running the amp to the wall with no Sparkz/power-strip always sounded the most "alive") there was a trade-off in top-end and "life". With the Inakustic... it’s 100% improvement in every category with no downside at all... and that includes running the amp off it too.
If you have any questions I’d be happy to chat with you off-line as I know how nerve-racking it can be when shelling out cash based on 3rd-party reviews from folks with different gear (and rightly so). But in this case I think you (and anyone else) are "safe" to give the Inakustik a try. And let Bob know I said so :)
-Dave
Apologies for not having yet dedicated the time to get my detailed review written and posted here... as it would/will directly address your questions. Rest assured this is one of those rare cases where they hyperbole is warranted... and perhaps more importantly... benefits (almost?) every system/component. It’s not a case of "sounds good with system A, but not system B" as it’s not "tuning" the sound the way some tweaks might (not taming highs, or accentuating mids etc.). Rather, it’s like someone took the focus on a projector and suddenly dialed it in correctly, and subtle details that weren’t apparent before (which you had been blaming on your screen or your blu-rays, or the fact that you only had a 1080p projector and not 4K) suddenly appear... rendering an image that’s more natural, more relaxed, more "real" looking than before. And that same benefit would apply to any projector that’s out-of-focus.
It’s sort of like that. I’m using a Hegel H30 amp, HD30 DAC, Ansuz cables, stillpoints under almost everything, and right now my "undeserving" AVS-Rocket RS760s (The Sopra 3s that I had weren’t working well... imaging was obscured and bass had no impact, which at the time I sold them, I assumed was all based on room acoustics and lack of system synergy). Now that I’ve got the Inakustic 3500P in the system, it sounds BETTER than it has with any other speakers previously *without* the Inakustik (I think this is why Bob says get this thing *first* as it then lays the foundation to actually allow your present system to sound as it should... then you can start making changes to other components and really know what you're hearing). Now, and with my Rockets that have always sounded dry and with no soundstage-depth before... Imaging is shocking... the holographic soundstage is scary-good, and there’s so much ease and subtle nuance to the sound it’s a joy to listen and rediscover everything. And this is with mid-fi speakers that I never would have imagined could reveal these characteristics. Now I’m wondering what it would have been like had I kept the Sopra 3s... but I honestly had no idea that just power-conditioning could affect everything so profoundly.
I should add that yes, I had tried other power conditioning devices prior and each had pros/cons (mostly Ansuz... like their Sparkz and power bar). Plugging different devices in, or in a different order in the outlet strip, or moving the sparkz from the wall outlet to the power strip or from outlet to outlet all would affect the sound differently, and in some ways it was objectively "better" when I had the sopra 3s (as it tamed their brightness and aided in overall imaging). But depending on what was plugged in and where (for instance, I found running the amp to the wall with no Sparkz/power-strip always sounded the most "alive") there was a trade-off in top-end and "life". With the Inakustic... it’s 100% improvement in every category with no downside at all... and that includes running the amp off it too.
If you have any questions I’d be happy to chat with you off-line as I know how nerve-racking it can be when shelling out cash based on 3rd-party reviews from folks with different gear (and rightly so). But in this case I think you (and anyone else) are "safe" to give the Inakustik a try. And let Bob know I said so :)
-Dave