About 5 days ago I installed e cards on the remaining “un covered” power chord connections, digital and analog interconnects and speaker connections in both my main and office systems. I did not think that they would provide this much of an improvement in resolution and dynamics on both of my systems. I had previously treated all of those connections with TC and have one Mat on the main power panel, one on the CD player’s power supply and one on umbilical chord from the power supply to the dac/transport. As stated before my main system consists of an approximately 15-20 year old dac / CD player amp and preamp.
The question I have is, if these cards can further improve my system to this level how much improvement will The Gate bring to the table once installed in this old of a system?
Thanks,
rc |
resolution1
If you are impressed by the improvements afforded to you by the PPT products thus far, The Gate will blow your mind. No joke ... it is that good. Old system or new system, it doesn't matter. Remember, there is a 90-day return policy, no questions asked. Frank |
For those wanting a much less expensive PPT product than the Gate I highly recommend their upcoming STOP IT. No, they don’t provide nearly the sound improvement of the Gate but at only $10 each they provide a definite increase to what the Gate already instills.
They are simple outlet covers that you plug into any unused outlet in the house. I purchased 12 and installed them throughout the house and they definitely build upon what I already have with the Gate, E-mats and cards. I had some Alan Maher devices throughout the house that thought might have made a slight sound improvement but replacing them with the PPT STOP IT plugs has made a noticeable and appreciated sound improvement.....even blacker background allowing more details and nuances to emerge.
Tim must never sleep! |
I wonder if it uses the same crushed quartz as the DR Acoustics Antigone.
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Those of you who are installing it on the 220 breaker, I am curious to know if you are talking of dual pole breaker and installing the Gate into one of them ? As per my limited understanding in US, the 220 breaker has two inputs and each take the 110 from the service line. In that case the Gate will be installed into one of the input which effectively means into a 110v line. How is this installation different from other 110 breaker ? I am not an electrician, so pardon my ignorance :-)
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I have recently become a believer in the goodness that comes from PPT products. I have used the TC paste on my entire system, including AC lines @ the breaker, and at the outlets of my 2x 20A lines, as well as tube pins, and internal power connectors within all of my components. Additionally, I have an Omega Mat at the breaker box, and 10 e-cards distributed between my DAC, Pre amp, and transformers on my tube power amp. I will be writing up a review shortly, but due to a recent power tube failure, I needed to re-tube my amp, and I wanted to ensure the new KT150s are fully broken in prior to doing so. But so far, the improvement is not subtle.... In fact, and as reported from others, my system sounds just as good at 5:00 pm ET as it does at 11:00 pm. Normally my system would sound like ass at 5:00 pm, not any more...
With the above in mind, my question revolves around the use of ’The Gate’
I am contemplating the purchase of either ’The Gate’ or a PS Audio P20 re-generator. I cannot afford to do both, but am wondering if there are any folks out there who have experience with both. What will provide the biggest bang for my dollar? I used to own a Power Plant Premiere (which admittedly was one of PS Audio’s worst re-generators from a reliability perspective). Mine died after 5 years of use (but since I bought used) I didn’t see the point of paying to get it repaired. Where I live, THD on the power line was never greater than about 3.6%. Question is, which helps produce better sound. A P20 regenerator that will lower output impedance and reduce or completely eliminate THD, or the Gate, that will significantly reduce noise, but likely not help the output impedance at the outlet, or reduce THD???? Anyone have both?
Thanks in advance.
Lou |
Good question Lou and congrats on your PPT success.
While I don’t have any experience with the newer PS Audio regenerators I prefer the sound of my system without any power conditioning since installing the Gate. I tried my old PS Audio P300 and a brand new Equitech Son of Q before and after installing the Gate and noticed an uptick in dynamics and overall fluidity with the Gate alone. Now I have two heavy power conditioners collecting dust!
My guess is that you’d be better served with adding the Gate. I’m sure the re-generator would bring about a nice sound improvement but I believe the Gate will bring about an even greater improvement......without any current limitations. Another advantage of the Gate is that all of your electronics in the house will benefit, my TV and computer screens have never looked better. |
Thanks Mac, That is what I figured. Hoping some others to chime in here as well ;-)
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My experience with the Bryston BIT 20 isolation transformer (no Gate) is that it smeared the sound and was slow sounding until I replaced the stock power cord with a high end cord. Bryston engineers informed me that their cord was specially designed for the unit-not! Does anyone have experience with isolation transformers and the Gate as opposed to power conditioners?
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waltersl ...
My recommendation is to go with The Gate. I've gotten reports from some Gate users that their sound has improved by removing their power conditioner after installing The Gate. My approach was a bit different. Months prior to receiving and installing The Gate, I took my Sound Application power conditioner apart and used the TC paste to paste the entire interior of the power conditioner, including the inside of the lid. It took an entire tube of TC paste to accomplish the job. The result (after a few days of breaking in) was a very significantly improved overall SQ. After installing The Gate, I left the power conditioner in the system because I don't have enough outlets for the entire system. The power conditioner is plugged into a two-outlet wall receptacle. The turntable is plugged into the second outlet. The outlets have also been treated with TC. As good as the "modified" power conditioner was, The combination of the treated power conditioner and The Gate has provided clarity, musicality and a three-dimensional presentation that is absolutely stunning. Here's the power conditioner I use:
http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/revequip/soundapplication_xe12s.htm
Hope this helps ... Frank |
Corroborating @oregonpapa experience I also get great results from the combination of Gate and transformers (in my case both a Torus WM75BAL and Synergistic 12UEF) -- the former is an undefeatable part of my system upstream of the room and the latter acts as a distributor to my front and back end components (I actually have two 12UEFs and am in the process of upgrading them to the latest SR conditioners)
As what the Gate does is entirely different from what transformer based or other conditioners do I have no difficulty seeing these as complementary rather than mutually exclusive -- the sonic results certainly bear this out.
Obviously this does not really answer your question as to which gives the best return for your money but at least you can have some confidence that you may like the results from having both.
My personal bias if in your situation wold be to start upstream (i.e. with the Gate, or with other typical power moves such as a dedicated line(s)) and work down from there, testing the effect of adding each piece as you go.
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Thank you all for the great feedback. I do have dedicated lines, that are grounded to their own grounding plates, and not the rest of the house. I think due to cost (P20 is a greater expense than the Gate), the Gate may be the best place to start, and then I can determine if additional power conditioning is needed... at least that is my thinking so far. |
waltersl ...
You won't be disappointed with The Gate. It will not only enhance the other PPT products you already have, but it is a killer of a product all on its own.
Frank
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I started with a pair of emats and the improvements (along with joy) those sheets bought to the audio, I discussed with Tim and quickly ordered the Gate - always thinking at the back of the mind and feeling comfortable that I could always return if it didn’t meet my expectation. Honestly speaking spending that much dough on power conditioner and that too with vodoo (?) science (well, there is science, its just that we aren’t aware of it) is tough to digest, at least for me.
The Gate arrived, installed it as described and then what ? I was very much disappointed. After all these things are just hype and too good to be true ? I consulted with Tim (and few members here) and he assured that give it couple of weeks - so did I. The Gate has been installed for couple of weeks now and the result ? I will keep it short and simple - at this point I don’t think I can hear my audio without it. It has made an enormous impact to the system - music just flows in all directions without any barrier - that's the kinda effect it has on my system!
What a great innovative product!
The question now is where do I go from here ? Is it possible to further improve upon what the Gate does ? Will see...
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Hi debjit_g: Now, install some of the AC outlet "Stop Its" into various unused outlets around your system and around the house. The more the better. Tim describes their action as "completing what the Gate does". They cost $10 each, and look like the inserts that are used to childproof electrical outlets. Their effect is, for lack of a better word "spooky". The music really comes out of nowhere, with an even more organic and palpable presentation. I've had the Gate installed for a little over a month, so it's fully run in.I initially installed 5 around my audio system. Then, I added 12 more around the rest of the audio room and also the TV room. I'm now seeing more detail, less grain, and depth on my plasma TV. I've been told that some of my dealer's customers have had similar results without having the "Gate" installed. These things are a no brainer. |
debjit_g ...
Your Gate will continue to improve as the weeks pass by. As you dig through your record/CD collection to pull out old favorites that you haven't heard for a while, you'll gain a new appreciation for them. Read yobi's response above, as that is your next logical step. Be aware that there is another break-in period involved there as well. Frank |
Been a while since I’ve posted here. I’m finally getting around to buying some omega mats/cards and was wondering if those of you who had High Fidelity mc 0.5’s in your system how many omega mats did it take to replace the mc 0.5’s. I have eleven mc 0.5’s currently and am a little shy about replacing them because they’ve been such a good addition. But I’ve gone thru two tubes of the TC on all my cables and equipment so I know the mats and cards will be just as good.
Also, do you have to message or call Tim to order the stop it’s? I don’t see them on the website yet.
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t_ramey ...I've never used the MC 0.5s, but there are those who have gained performance increases by removing them when using the PPT products. Call Tim for the Stop Its. While you're at it, talk to him about his experience with the MC 0.5s. Frank |
Sell all the MC05. Magnets Make Money. With the money buy as many PPT as you can. (E)Mats Makes Music. |
Placed an order for 2 Omega mats, 10 Alpha cards, and 10 Stop Its. Can’t wait til the weekend |
I just ordered The Gate!
After using Total Contact and the Stop It A/C outlet plugs, I decided to get the granddaddy of them all. Tim’s products have transformed my listening experience to such a degree already that I can’t really imagine what the Gate will add...but I know it will be fantastic.
I will be posting my early impressions as soon as next week, and will add more posts as the Gate matures over the next month, or so.
I’m really looking forward to this! |
gcdrum ...
Congratulations on ordering The Gate. You are in for a very positive experience. Remember, it takes a while to reach its full potential. Once there, you will be wondering how you ever enjoyed the hobby without it.
Looking forward to your review.
Frank
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I decided to check out this thread.
Without haveing read the previous pages, can anybody explain or offer something about what this device "the Gate" is and how it works?
I visited the manufacturer's web site and I could not find any technical explanation. That is not a good sign.
I feel that it is a device that employs graphene, paramagnetic materials, or cyrstals, etc. So maybe it is a passive material tweak ala Bybee v2?
Or a hot-rodded v2. Graphene does have interesting effects and they are not always for better musical sound.
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Have any of you Gaters (or non-Gaters) installed any of the new Perfect Path Technologies "Stop It's" throughout your house? I installed 25 of them to fill every unused outlet in my home. The result was like supercharging "The Gate." Another amazing product from PPT, especially at only ten dollars each. Not subtle at all ... highly recommended.
Frank |
@oregonpapa
I just installed 18 of them in my place last Mon day and could hear a difference for the better as I turned my system on an hour later. The sound has continued to improve almost daily. I dont own the Gate but had Tim put his special sauce used in his new products, new since the Total Contact including the Stop Its, on the outside of the transformer that is within my Core Power Technologies 1800. That improvement was shoc kingly good as it continued to improve for 75 days before I installed the Stop Its in my system. Whatever this stuff is it makes the tone and timbres of the instruments in your system sound more lifelike, more dynamic and your soundstage increases in all directions with more space between instruments. This stuff is amazing. It has eliminated my need to spend money on new speakers.....at least for a while. Lol |
Frank - I've had them for weeks now. When I ordered my Gigapack Tim included a 10-pack at no charge. After hearing what 10 of them could do for my system, I ordered 20 more. Now the whole house is decked out with Stop It duplex plugs. Wow! I'll write about my experience when they are released on the PPT site which shouldn't be long now. I even made a video to demonstrate how they work. Pity the video can't show how they sound... |
I have 8 unused outlets in my dedicated listening room. 5 are among the 8 outlets controlled by the separate sub-panel audio wiring and the other 3 are just house panel power outlets for lighting. The rest of the house has about 80 outlets of which only 20% are unused and on three other subpanels. Will the biggest difference be heard in the listening room outlets or equally by placing them throughout the house? I suspect the biggest impact should be in the 5 unused audio only subpanel/wired outlets. Thanks
P.S. I already use a dozen E-Mats. As well as SR outlets, SR fuses and SR HFTs Great combo with Shakti Hallographs in a very live room. |
fleschler ...
According to Tim, putting the "Stop Its" throughout the house is more effective than putting them in the listening room. But, you should get enough to do your whole house, including the listening room.
Again, Steve ... come on up for a listening session. These Signature III's are sounding amazing.
Frank |
Whoa! What?! Hey, it sounds like my idea for anti RF inserts for unused wall outlets throughout the house is catching on. Good on ya! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Flying Saucers for Unused Wall Outlets. Accept no substitutes. When you have the itch but you don’t have the scratch. 😬
geoff kait
machina dramatica
We do Artificial Atoms Right! |
Probably best if you broach that subject with Tim directly GK don't you think...…..
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On another aspect is it just me or?
I do not see the Stop Its listed on the website?
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Just a quick update on The Gate in my system...
Day 4 after installation: The noise floor has dropped again which now reveals more micro dynamics. I didn’t think this was possible since I had already treated my system with Total Contact and installed dozens of Stop It A/C plugs in my house. But, somehow more detail is being revealed in the music. Amazing!
The biggest thing I heard yesterday, on day 4, was the holographic imaging changing. There not only seems to be a better defined space and localization for the instruments (guitars are most impressive) and lead vocals, but there even seems to be a three dimensional presentation of the lead vocal and acoustic instruments such as acoustic guitars, etc. They have a depth and realism that actually make me “see” the three dimensional source of the sound coming from between my speakers...not just the strings on the guitar, but the body of the guitar; not just the mouth of the singer, but the entire head and shoulders, front to back, of the vocalist. I usually end up listening to music with my eyes closed but I really enjoy opening my eyes and sort of “seeing” the source of the sound in space. In three demensions. Crazy, huh?
I will post more comments as the days of break-in progress on The Gate.
Also, many thanks to Tim at Perfect Path Technologies, as well as others, especially Frank/Oregonpapa, who have posted here. The PPT products have changed this hobby for me forever! |
Yo mrs_ppt, happened to notice this link and I am very intrigued about the gate. I am at work and will call tim to ask some questions when caught up this weekend, but i have a few questions i hope you can answer when you have time. My stereo system has 3 20A dedicated lines, one for each JL Audio F113 sub and other for main system. The unused plug-in from stereo outlet has a Nordost Qv2, Qk1 and a ifi ac purifier plugged into it. I have 5 bybee quantum signal enhancers under cables and such and 2 of new v2 enhancers on speakers. There is a 4 box stein music system with harmonizers. Also 2 Nordost qx4s purifiers. I am totally turned on by my system, but by either turning off the stein system, the qx4s or remove the bybee units will cause music to collapse and lose that ability to seem alive. What issues do you foresee? What may need to come out, ect. I am a 67 year old rocker and my stereo, thru tweaking connects with me to such a degree a rarely ever sit down so I am skeptical there is room for improvement, BUT that is same thing I thought before the stein music system and the qx4s. So wrong i was. thanks for any feedback |
gcdrum ... Nice review. Last night I was listening to Duke Ellington's "Blues in Orbit" CD. The three-dimensional presentation you described was there in spades. The Gate is a phenomenal addition to a serious stereo system. When you get around to it, put a couple of Omega E Mats in the circuit breaker box. That will further enhance the effects. Here's the CD: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ellington-Duke-Blues-in-Orbit-CD/173454213762?epid=30805141&hash=item2862ad4282:g:8WkAAOxyrM5TGBrs
marc777 ... Remember ... there's a 90 day, money back return policy on The Gate if you're not satisfied with the results. To date, I don't believe that anyone has returned one. Frank |
I just listened to Blues in Orbit last week. I have 3 Omega E-Mats on 2 breaker boxes and no Gate. I also experienced really wonderful 3-D soundstage with this ordinary CD. Great sound, great performances. |
Day 7 with The Gate:
Just as Tim said to expect, the soundstage has expanded further. It now washes over me from the front of the room to the back of the room. Taller and wider too.
Beautiful!
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marc777 ... Remember ... there's a 90 day, money back return policy on The Gate if you're not satisfied with the results. To date, I don't believe that anyone has returned one. Frank I had noticed the 90 day trial when I quickly read through this forum the other day. Also noted that some tweaks may need to be taken out. Since I did not hear from mrs_ppt (probably asked too many questions) my plan is to read through this info again so I can know what to expect from the gate. And what other tweaks may have to come out or adjust. Work wore me out last week, but now I can turn my attention back. |
marc777 ...
You won't be disappointed with The Gate. It is a revolutionary device that improves audio and/or video systems to beyond what you've ever expected. This is especially true when combined with other PPT products. Adding the new PPT "Stop Its" throughout the house was like supercharging The Gate. I was surprised at the improvement these little gems brought to the system that was already way beyond what I ever thought was possible. So far, I'm using the Total Contact (lots of it), Omega E Mats (lots of them), Alpha E Cards (lots of them), The Gate, and now the Stop Its (25 of them). I keep saying it can't get better than this. Knowing Tim and Krissy, there will be something coming down the pike to prove me wrong. :-) Frank |
Frank, that is one subject that will take time. I like to limit variables to ascertain effect of individual tweaks. I have many bybee quantum signal enhancers, versions 1 under cables and units and the two version-2 of enhancers on speakers.. A 4 box stein music system. From nordost two qx4 units with a qv2 and qk1 also. Many dark matter and sonic tonic units from the tweek geek along with shatki stones and onlines placed at crossovers, plugs, connections,ect. recently added an ipurifier by ifi which is an active ac power purifier that surprised me with improvement. All contact points are first cleaned with kontac and then furutech’s nano liquid contact enhancer for all contact points. Also some of furutech’s new ncf products. This took months to sort out and am frankly thrilled to the marrow with outcome. Some, supposedly, use spintronics and slipstream. Some combat rfi and emi and other improve power issues. All improvements are obvious to anyone. Not knowing the mode of operation of the gate and other product from ppt i want to garner all the info i can gather before testing the gate. Hoping to be forewarned of any potential issues and what may have to come out per users experience. I am so energized by my stereo, as is, that my legs tire out due to music that is so alive sounding i rarely ever sit down as the music draws me in and i do not want to insult the band there with me. So maybe you can see why i am slow to jump. Thanks! PS Any help pointing out potential conflicts are welcome. |
marc777Wow! You’re as much of a tweakaholic as I am. You go about tweaking as I do ... one at a time in order to gauge the effectiveness of the tweak. I haven’t tried any of the products you’ve listed in your above post. The closest one is the Shakti stones. I don’t have the stones, but I do have four Shakti Holograms, one in each corner of the room. Very effective, setting aside their flimsy construction. On what to remove when installing The Gate ... I know that some members have removed devices using magnets and have gotten better results with the PPT products. Other than that, I don’t have a clue. Maybe some other members will chime in here with their experiences. My suggestion would be to call Tim Mrock, the PPT designer, and ask for his advise. You’ll find him to be very helpful with no BS. By the way, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and more than one way to reach audio nirvana. Your description of how much you enjoy your system parallels mine for sure. I’m still in disbelief that a home audio system can do what this system is doing. Honestly, there is no longer a system involved ... only the performers spread out around the room. Last night my friend Robert came over for a listening session. I put on a reissue of the Chico Hamilton Quintet from a Mosaic box set that I haven’t listened to in ages. My God ... that group was so present, I felt that I could reach out and touch Fred Katz’s cello. Oh, and these are early recordings before plastic was used for drum heads. We could clearly discern that Chico Hamilton, the drummer, was using drums with animal skins and not the modern acrylic. Here’s the Chico Hamilton album. The original has been one of my go-to demo albums for at least 30 years. This one is mono ... you'll want to find the stereo version. No stereo versions offered on eBay at the moment. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chico-Hamilton-Quintet-self-titled-Keith-Finch-Cover-Pacific-Jazz-PJ-1225-MINT/173870077849?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160811114145%26meid%3Dec04a1bb494c47c0b62f16f357700859%26pid%3D100667%26rk%3D7%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D392332352111%26itm%3D173870077849%26pg%3D2045573&_trksid=p2045573.c100667.m2042 Give Tim a call ... Frank |
I’ve been away from audio the last few months and am pleased to see this discussion still going on.
I installed 20 or so Stop It’s to great affect. They add to what the Gate provides. I think it’s time for more mats as I’m constantly and pleasantly surprised with each addition of of PPT’s products.
As as far as removing other products after adding PPT I will say that I experienced a nice sound improvement after removing the six MC 0.5’s I had. The sound opened up with greater dynamics and purer tone after removing them.
I concur with frank, marc777......a call to Tim would be very informative and beneficial to you. |
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Thanks guys I do plan to call tim just hope I have time this weekend. Just found out our editor had a heart attack this morning so need to find someone, till he recovers, or to delegate his work to other coworkers. Hope all is good for you. marc |
I just tried to get to website of perfect path technologies and will not open. Do you know why? Thanks |
My apologies to any and all that have not been able to access the website. It was attacked, we will have it sorted out soon.
Feel free to contact me directly with any questions or for product.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Mrock
603-203-4486 |
marc777
Were you able to get in touch with Tim? If so, were your questions answered to your satisfaction? Frank |
<3 New website is coming!
<3 Thanks to all who contacted Tim this weekend! <3
Krissy
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Yo Frank, no the extra load at work got me. Finally, tonight will get back in gear. Plan to read and absorb what I can. Was hoping the website would be up also, maybe soon. Plan to call tim this weekend to garner what info i can. Marc |
For those who have multiple Omega mats on the breaker panel. I have one currently on the door that when closed has the label facing the breakers. I would like to add another at some point but was curious do most of you stack them or place them next to the other? |
