Gryphon Amp Owners: Results with AQ Niagara?

I use the less expensive Niagara 1200 with my Amp and it sounds just fine as is. I also receive many Thunder storms, so I feel better having some protection, albeit no guarantee, should I forget to unplug the Amp during a storm. 

Install a whole house.

Not sure how true this is, but someone at some point (could have been Gryphon) told me my amp is highly unlikely to be damaged even from a massive surge / lighting strike.  I think they said the transformer in the amp will easily deal with it.

I also confirmed something interesting directly from AudioQuest today. Their conditioners are active, so if you have a Niagara and an amp on the same AC circuit, but you have the amp plugged directly into the wall, the Niagara will draw current that will no longer be available for your amp. In other words, this configuration will diminish performance. Maybe that’s obvious but I asked the question to confirm.

Oh, I’m not buying the amp would “absorb” a full lighting hit. I’m in CO in the mountains so surge protection is a must. Full house and local. I prefer Shunyata power products, just seem to do better for me overall.

If Gryphon recommends it then I’d lean that way. But, I would try it both ways and find out.

I used to follow the rule of plugging my main amps into the wall. Just recently I decided to try it running them into my power conditioner. I think it definitely sounds better through the PC. I'm not switching back. (I had already been running my sub amps into the PC.)

I also read the manuals of my PC and main amps and it didn’t say anything about it. The PC basically said plug whatever you want into it.

For reference I have Pass mono blocks and a Running Springs Dmitri.

I’m very curious about the Audioquest Niagra 7000. And because it’s designed to allow you to plug your amps into it, this is one reason I tried it with my set up.

I run my Gryphon Diablo 300 into a Synergistic Powercell 12 UEF SE with no degradation of sound quality.  I have spent time with the Diablo plugged directly into the wall as a comparison. 

I have used Boulder 1160 into the high current output of a Niagara 5000, to me that sounded as good if not better than into the wall. Things are more refined and polished.

Would it be possible to try both configurations and see which you like better?

@divertiti, yes, it may be possible to set up a demo.  I’ve been keeping my dealer busy providing me with demo power cords now (Shunyata Omega QR BB and Sigma V2 NR, and also AudioQuest Dragon HC and Firebird HC).  I will wait until I get the PC purchase sorted before overloading them with demo requests :). I will ask towards the end of my demo to see if I can borrow their Niagara in the shop just for an afternoon.

Others may have a different view, but I’m thinking you should audition the Niagara before deciding on a power cord upgrade.  

I have a Niagara 5000 and it made a remarkable difference in my system - such that it negated much of the benefit of using more expensive power cords.  When I auditioned the 5000, the dealer gave me fair warning - every customer who tried it in home also purchased it.  For me, it was obvious in the first 30 seconds.  I have since auditioned some very well regarded power cords (including AQs), but have found little benefit. Interconnects and speakers cable differences are plainly obvious.  Power cables? Not so much anymore.

As I’m sure you know, the upper Niagara units are not current limiting, but actually help in this regard as they “bank” power for supply more current than the wall can provide for short term transients.  No downsides to an audition up front that I can see.  

Let us know how it goes.

Best,

The Niagara 5000 has transient power correction which gives 90A of current reserve on the high current outlet, this is something Audioquest 1000/1200 does not have, and will make a huge difference to amps.