@oregonpapa
You forgot to mention your SR Fuses! :O
You forgot to mention your SR Fuses! :O
Perfect Path Tecnologies ‘The Gate’
Having been a music lover and audio enthusiast for more decades than I care to admit to I’ve had the privilege of owning some tremendous components over those years and thought I had attained a level of musical enjoyment that would be difficult to improve upon without spending more money than I could afford. Then along came The Gate to turn my audio conceptions on end.
While I was quite skeptical of all of the positive proclamations regarding the Perfect Path mats, cards and contact enhancer ( how could they possibly bring about such sonic improvements?) I took the plunge and purchased a nano bundle to see what the hubbub was all about. Much to my surprise they not only brought about improvements to my systems’ ability to recreate a more musical sound but did so in spades.
When Tim of Perfect Path Technologies asked if I wanted to try his new product, The Gate, I jumped at the chance thinking it would be a nice addition to what the other products provided. I wasn’t prepared for the quantum leap The Gate brought to my music listening pleasure. As much as the other products brought about a much lower noise floor, greater detail and delicacy, improved dynamics, richer tone and more realism The Gate does so in magnitudes difficult to describe. The best way I can describe its affect is unreal purity leading the most realistic musical sound I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.....outside of a live performance obviously. It has me listening to all of my CD’s as if for the first time again.
I have no idea how The Gate actually works or what it does I just know it’s the most dramatic tweak to my system I’ve ever experienced and I wouldn’t think of being without it. As to how it’s implemented, it’s installed in the electrical panel with one lead connected to the common buss and the other to a breaker ( preferably 220). Hope I got the terminology correct.....I’m far from being an electrician!
At $4,999.00 it’s not cheap but worth every penny to me as I’ve spent more on components with less sonic improvement.
Lastly, I realize some will scoff at something they can’t understand and I get not understanding it as I don’t, but I would hope people could keep their skepticism healthy and civil. I am not here to promote or sell, nor do I have any affiliation with PPT. I am only sharing something that I’ve found to be transforming in my system. Sorry for the lengthy introduction.
While I was quite skeptical of all of the positive proclamations regarding the Perfect Path mats, cards and contact enhancer ( how could they possibly bring about such sonic improvements?) I took the plunge and purchased a nano bundle to see what the hubbub was all about. Much to my surprise they not only brought about improvements to my systems’ ability to recreate a more musical sound but did so in spades.
When Tim of Perfect Path Technologies asked if I wanted to try his new product, The Gate, I jumped at the chance thinking it would be a nice addition to what the other products provided. I wasn’t prepared for the quantum leap The Gate brought to my music listening pleasure. As much as the other products brought about a much lower noise floor, greater detail and delicacy, improved dynamics, richer tone and more realism The Gate does so in magnitudes difficult to describe. The best way I can describe its affect is unreal purity leading the most realistic musical sound I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.....outside of a live performance obviously. It has me listening to all of my CD’s as if for the first time again.
I have no idea how The Gate actually works or what it does I just know it’s the most dramatic tweak to my system I’ve ever experienced and I wouldn’t think of being without it. As to how it’s implemented, it’s installed in the electrical panel with one lead connected to the common buss and the other to a breaker ( preferably 220). Hope I got the terminology correct.....I’m far from being an electrician!
At $4,999.00 it’s not cheap but worth every penny to me as I’ve spent more on components with less sonic improvement.
Lastly, I realize some will scoff at something they can’t understand and I get not understanding it as I don’t, but I would hope people could keep their skepticism healthy and civil. I am not here to promote or sell, nor do I have any affiliation with PPT. I am only sharing something that I’ve found to be transforming in my system. Sorry for the lengthy introduction.
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Correct, talk to Tim as your concerns are leading you towards extreme statements of no real value here. Erik, you have gone from claiming snake oil to crying “fire...fire” in a crowded forum. Your desire to know more is both understandable and reasonable. It is really part of who you are. I enjoy reading your many posts and inquisitive nature. However the extreme statements are really not helpful. |
The master electrician who installed my panel last year is coming out to take a look at my Gate and do some testing. I’ll share his findings here but I don’t expect any problems. The Gate doesn’t exhibit any heat at all and there haven’t been any breakers tripped since its installation, so I can’t imagine there’s any short circuits anywhere. Like Frank, I checked out every component and cable in my system and not a single one is UL listed. It never occurred to me to look before now. While having the listing gives some additional confidence in a products safety I’ve had many electrical devices without it for decades without issue......so unless my electrician says otherwise I’m good without it. On an audio note the Gates sonic benefits increase daily, something I didn’t think possible. It amazes me as to how much purity, clarity, detail and ambience is now so effortlessly brought forth that I never heard before. I couldn’t go back to an audio life without the Gate. I know it sounds so hyperbolic but to be honest I’m actually tapering my enthusiasm over it. |
For a device such as this I would expect a spec sheet similar to the following which clearly states the safety and electrical compliance standards the device was built to http://ep2000.com/uploads/EP-2050_SeriesSpecifications.pdf http://ep2000.com/uploads/EP_Ground%20Filter.pdf While no one is expecting the manufacturer to disclose their trade secrets there is a certain standard one needs to apply when it comes to additions to the whole house circuit And yes I do own some PPT products, and have no reason to doubt the performance improvements noted, this is a reaction to this particular product |
^^^ I'm "tapering" my comments also, Mac. If I could find the words to describe what the system is doing now, I'd be under attack here. All I can say is, I've never heard anything like it. Last night, I was listening to a recording of unaccompanied cello music played on double bass. When the bassist hit the low notes, it resonated throughout the room. I could feel it in my chest. Only low organ notes have ever done that before ... and then only occasionally. Zowie! The CD is Edgar Meyer, Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites. Performed on Double Bass. Frank |
^^^ barbapapa I left the mats in the circuit breaker box. I didn't want to change anything so that I could gauge exactly what The Gate was doing. We installed The Gate at a friend's home this afternoon. Right off the bat, there was a nice improvement. By this evening, he's going to really be getting a brand new listening experience. It will continue improving over the next six weeks or so. Frank |
millercarbon ... Sorry, no. A couple of things ... First, this home was damaged in our last bout of fires. During the repairs, it had a brand new circuit breaker box installed. Its a large custom home with a bazillion switches in the box. Plus, there were two sides to the box with no room in the side with all of the switchs. So ... we had to feed the wires through the side box containing the mains, into the side with the switches. No problem there as it all went smoothly. Just took extra time, is all. We were pressed for time, so we listened prior to installing The Gate, and then again for about a half hour after installation. Then, we ran out of time and had to leave. It was a very noticable improvement right from the start. My friend will post some of his thoughts in a few days or so, after giving The Gate a chance to fully saturate the home circuits. Frank |
Unless this company indicates the safety of their product as indicated in @folkfreak posting, (did any of you look at them) proof of safety testing and operating voltages, anyone who installs one of these will be on their own if it takes their house down in a failure. No insurance company will cover the loss. |
^^^ Safety ... This seems to be the same concern that was brought up in one of the SR fuse threads. This morning, I went through all of the owner’s manuals for each piece of Audio Research Corporation electronics I own. While there were cautions printed on what to be aware of in terms of potential electrical shock, there wasn’t anything about "proof of safety testing and operating voltage." I’ve kept all of the boxes and instructions that came along with the SR after-market fuses that have been installed in the system. In reading the instructions, there’s nothing about "proof of safety testing and operating voltage." of these fuses at the SR factory either. Just out of curiosity, let’s all check the instructions that came with every tweak we have in our systems that are hooked up to either the equipment or the electrical circuit outside of the equipment and check for "proof of safety testing and operating voltage" claims made by the manufacturer. Are any of us using any Bybee devices? How about after-market wall receptacles? Power Conditioners? What are the detrimental safety effects of all of Herbie’s tube dampeners I have throughout my system? Herbie certainly doesn’t say in the instructions that came with the dampeners. In fact, there aren’t any instructions at all that I can remember. Come to think of it, my phono cartridge is in the circuit ... and these miscreants at the cartridge factory didn’t supply any "proof of safety testing and operating voltage" either. While caution is encouraged in installing The Gate, it is a simple hookup consisting of two screws and two wires. If one doesn’t feel competent working in the breaker panel, then hiring an electrician would be the prudent thing to do. Oh, and turning the power off while installing The Gate would be a wise thing to do also. Most of us have after-market tweaks and devises that need to be checked out in the name of caution. Please read the owner’s manuals for "proof of safety testing and operating voltage" and report your findings here. Thanks. The world is coming to an end...!!! Frank |
nutella Unless this company indicates the safety of their product as indicated in @folkfreak posting, (did any of you look at them) proof of safety testing and operating voltages, anyone who installs one of these will be on their own if it takes their house down in a failure. No insurance company will cover the loss.My homeowner's insurance policy notes no such exclusion. Will you please cite the language in your policy that leads you to your belief? |
@yoby I have experience with the Total Contact enhancer. My experience was mixed. I found it highly beneficial in the speaker leads to my super tweeter (which I no longer have), neutral to slightly positive on RCA and XLR level interconnect (where it is still in place), no impact on power level connections and highly negative on digital and ground connections. In other words it has an impact but needs to be used carefully and sparingly in an already optimized system. I do appreciate that it is easy to clean off when you change or sell equipment. But overall since getting it some eighteen months ago it's not a product I've spent a lot of time with. |
@oregonpapa I think the point we were trying to make (obviously over your head) is that there is a difference between consumer items intended to be plugged in by the consumer and an item for professional installation in an electrical panel. For example have any of you had an electrical inspector by and signed off on this? When I had the Environmental Potentials equipment I referenced and my Torus on wall transformer installed I needed an inspection and sign off. |
@oregonpapa the language you are looking for relating to your consumer electronics is this https://standardscatalog.ul.com/standards/en/standard_60065_7 Even the ARC manuals I looked at contain language that to all intents and purposes complies with the above, as a rule ex US manufactures do a much better job of being more explicit and citing the rules they are complying with (probably it's that EU bureaucracy all us Brits are railing against 😏) |
The teachable moment in all this otherwise pointless scaremongering is, notice how all the alarmists have absolutely zero tangible direct knowledge of what they are nevertheless so eager to advise others all about. For certain they know absolutely nothing about what is inside the Gate. More than likely they know next to absolutely nothing about electricity, beyond probably getting a shock one time. And that was it for them! Electricity scary! Electricity bad! Tell me I’m wrong. Next scaremongering commenter, tell us all how many panels you’ve installed, components you’ve built or modified, and then instead of parroting regulations let’s hear you explain the risks in a way that demonstrates some understanding of electrical principles. At all. Because I sure haven’t seen any signs of it yet. And I actually have done all that stuff. And oh folkfreak, "obviously over your head"? Frank went to an awful lot of effort checking and you may not like what he found but that’s no cause for insult. I think you owe Frank an apology. |
@millercarbon I’m actually an EE by training so somewhat aware of how this stuff works. Its actually not scaremongering (I’m sure that given how this is connected it’s not going to cause issues, but do worry that the "home made" appearance is more than a little off-putting) but a more practical question of having the basic information needed to reassure a skeptical electrician that what he/she is doing is kosher. The very fact that PPT in their own advertisement state "Hookup is simple, but must be performed by a licensed electrician" implies that they are well aware of these issues and I (and others it seems) think it would seem reasonable to provide some basic information to convince the electrician installing this item for us what it is and whether it is safe and code compliant. Over the years with Balanced Power on wall installations, dedicated spurs in conduit and other power related changes have had many awkward conversations with the electricians doing the work and inspectors conducting subsequent sign offs. Perhaps one of the owners would post a copy of the installation instructions and this can help us all out? |
Being an industrial electrician dealing with mostly lethal high voltage lines of 480v I might know a thing or two about being careful concerning electrickery. I would likely agree that the largest hurdle here would be persuading a reputable outside electrician in a state that is very code conscious that it is "ok" to wire this into the main panel without a bit more than your say so that it is fine. Best approach would be just do it yourself paying due diligence to your own health and safety. As I obviously would do this in a heartbeat I am not at all concerned but can concede the point. Would not be the first time I had been presented with a piece of equipment on site with zero paperwork or electrical prints and been asked to "just wire it in" Uh uh, no way Jose! However we are talking 480v and 1200a plus applications, something that will pick you up and throw the leftovers across the room if you screw up! |
Well then its even worse than I thought. Because a genuine EE ought to know enough to be throwing water on this with knowledge and not fanning the flames with innuendo. Another teachable moment: saying you're an EE is not even remotely the same as demonstrating actual knowedge. Saying you're an EE only matters to people who think titles matter. Which sure ain't me. Which is why I asked for actual hands on experience, and a demonstration of electrical principles. Neither of which you've provided. Oh and, still waiting on that apology. |
millercarbon…."For certain they know absolutely nothing about what is inside the Gate."... We can expand on that, for certain we know absolutely nothing about what is inside any of the Perfect Path products (LOL). Not to worry, this will all be put to bed when Tim comes on here. millercarbon, you just became the last person anyone would apologize to. |
Please name one piece of AR gear that gets installed in an electrical panel. Also, you all realize there are 2 hot legs in a power panel, plus the neutral? This device connects to only one, and neutral, and fixes everything? That's certainly a level of engineering accomplishment I've never known about until now. |
uberwaltz Best approach would be just do it yourself paying due diligence to your own health and safety. Bingo! What a difference, between the armchair quarterbacks and the real deal. Thanks! Would not be the first time I had been presented with a piece of equipment on site with zero paperwork or electrical prints and been asked to "just wire it in" Just to clarify, talking about two very different things here- the residential voltage Gate you would install in a heartbeat, and the high voltage/current applications you would not on your life do without thoroughly understanding exactly what you're dealing with. Well, of course. Makes total sense. Would be nice if more people knew enough to make such distinctions. Or if not then would just keep their comments to themselves. Hard enough finding really good gear without all the distraction. |
millercarbon ... No need for folkfreak to apologize to me. I have a skin that is two feet thick, plus I've become accustomed to the outlandish arrogance exhibited by many (not all) of the EE's, and engineers in general, posting on this and other audiophile sites. I've learned to expect it, actually. Also, what is understandable, is the fact that folkfreak is a Brit; a man from a country whose subjects are accustomed to not doing anything that is not pre-approved by the state. Conversely, what we are used to here is to do anything we want unless the state expressly prohibits it. Its the difference between being confined by rules, regulations, edicts, red-tape and the whims of bureaucrats, vs an attitude of "leave us alone." American as apple pie. :-) To folkfreak's credit, he understands the importance of getting the hell out of the EU for a more enjoyable independent life ... including regaining his economic liberty. In the meantime, I'm listening to the lovely voice of June Christy on the mini-system while typing this. "The Gate" has made this little pipsqueak of a system very enjoyable, indeed. Frank |
I had my master electrician look at the installation of my Gate and did some testing and said I had nothing at all to worry about and that it’s perfectly safe. As a matter of fact he wants one for himself after hearing my system.....he heard it last year after installing my new panel and dedicated circuits and was quite impressed with the new sound. I did not have him install the Gate as it was so easy that I did it myself but wanted him to check it out for safety purposes. It’s not going anywhere now! |
Frank Careful with "The Brits" talk... lol. You never know who is reading! It really was not like that at all in England ,at least in my area ,but I was out in the stix. Shoot, an electrical colleague wired his main supply up to run his electricity meter backwards for half the quarterly charge period! Yes he did eventually get caught! However I did escape here back in 2000 and have no intention of leaving unless Uncle Sam finds me and throws me out.... lmfao. |
miller, for some of us A’gon is where we come to read posts and learn from fellow audiophiles with a common interest. Sure things are a little heated at times, but usually with posters familiar with each other. There are other audio sites where a constant confrontational style is the norm and is expected. Here it comes off as dull. |
uberwaltz... Ah-Ha ... Another Red Coat in our midsts. :-) Congratulations on your escape and successful camouflage among us "Rebels." As a devout rebel myself, your secret is perfectly safe with me. *lol* jetter ... I agree completely with what you’ve said. This is a great site with really nice, enthusiastic people contributing. I’ve learned tons ... (that’s tonnes to folkfreak) from members here, including contributing engineers. I DO like to poke fun at the engineers though. They are quite (ahem) different in their perspectives. I truly appreciate their cautiousness. Without their "measure a hundred times cut once" demeanors, the entire planet would be in upheaval and chaos. Just a few examples ... traffic control, bridge construction, rockets, and airplanes. In the meantime, they drive the rest of us batty. Frank |
Hey Fazee, That can happen when there’s a flurry of posts. Hopefully Tim or Krissy will see this post in order to answer your questions. I’m guessing the Gate will work just fine for you but Tim or Krissy will need to confirm that. I’m not sure about apartment usage either but I bet there’s something in the works for that. |
I had the pleasure of Frank, and his friend come over to my home yesterday, and we listened before, and after installation of the Gate. I now have 24 hours of 'burn in' time, and wish to share my observations. First, it took around 10 minutes to install, with volt meter, to ensure proper and correct installation. I am noticing a distinct improvement in resolution, and as others have pointed out, much better bass response, with both depth and clarity. On Karrin Allyson's track of 'April come she will', the guitar riffs from the left speaker during her vocals were much clearer, more evident than I heard prior to installing the Gate. The systems sounds 'cleaner', purer, with lower noise floor, and greater ease. I think my rig is pretty resolving, and I am using 6 eMatts, some TC paste, Shunyata Triton 3 Power conditioner, and NAS streamed digital files thru a dCS Vivaldi 2 DAC....I wouldn't classify this as 'jaw dropping' improvement yet, but after 24 hours, do feel its a worthy addition to my system, and I like what its doing to improve my listening enjoyment. I intend on keeping the unit. I like the ability of Tim to offer his in home trial. By the way, the unit is very well made, weighs 10 libs, comes in perfectly made hard shell flight case, and does for me what other uses have already posted. I am a happy camper, and Tim supporter. As I notice further improvements, or not, I will add to this post... Bob |
Re obsession with noise floor. In my experience there are two types of noise - the background noise you can hear all the time mostly due to limitations of power and componentry, and the noise which only manifests during play, due to vibration. Lowering the background noise is one thing, but I think the obsession mainly relates to lowering the vibration induced noise which could also be regarded as distortion. Because removing it unmasks detail, it appears to be lowering the "noise floor", but in effect it is a lowering of the "distortion floor". |
Technically noise and distortion are two separate things. But both noise and distortion are accounted for in the expression signal to noise +distortion ratio. Also written S/ (N + D), where S, N and D are expressed in relative power. It is actually not necessary to identify every single source of noise and distortion, only to measure the cumulative N + D. However, fair warning - the are some sources of distortion that cannot be measured. Please, no angry PMs. |
Regarding the noise floor, some time ago a poster was going on and on about the noise floor, saying it to be the most critical element in listening enjoyment. While not completely sold I did happen to locate a Balanced Power Technologies BPT Sig plus used. Later bought an Equi=Tech wall unit for further noise reduction with outstanding results. So I'm a believer. The Gate, if able to further reduce the noise to this degree is very enticing. |
I admit that I tend to lump all signal noise into the noise floor, but obviously there’s all kinds of noise entering our systems. Isolation has been very beneficial in lowering noise/grunge/distortion or whatever along with the PPT products, grounding products like the Gutwire grounding cables and now the SR active grounding block SE and the Uberbuss passive power conditioner. They’ve all contributed to a cleaner, more pure sound with blacker backgrounds but nothing to the extent of the Gate. |
^^^ Personally, I'm ready to give up on the usual terms we audiophiles use to describe what we are hearing from our systems. Why? Because with the installation of The Gate, all of the previous terms are passe'. Now, its more about an increase in perceived reality, or less perception in reality. With The Gate in the system purifying the AC, it is all about realism in spades. I'm just about two weeks in with The Gate installed, and still can't believe what I'm hearing (or not hearing). How is this possible?? Frank |
