2. member-reviews
  3. 1186686063

Review: Allan Maher Power Enhancer AC filter

Category: Accessories

Alan Maher Power Enhancer and the Noise Destroyer

Ok, here is my set up.

I have 3 dedicated circuits all with 10 gauge Romex and all with the Wattgate 381 gold plated outlets.

Electrical Set Up and Equipment
#1 one circuit is used only with my APL 3910 Player. Connected with Purist Anniversary Power Cord
#2 one circuit for only my Pass labs X350.5 Amp Connected with Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2 Power Cord
#3 one circuit for my Hydra 8 (Connected with Virtual Dynamics Master Power Cord) where all my video is plugged in. LCD TV, DVR, DVD, CDR, Cable Box etc.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Review
Originally, I plugged the Alan Maher PE’s into outlets outside of those 3 dedicated circuits (I used other outlets in the same room) to break them in. In those locations, I actually thought they sounded pretty good. But I was told by Jen Maher not to do that. Jen said to plug them into my Audio outlets and don’t move them from place to place, if I did, she said, they would go thru break in all over again.

Well, I moved them as instructed into the #1 dedicated outlet used on the APL Player and on the #2 dedicated outlet used with my Pass Labs Amp.

A few days later, (about 4 days) the bass and treble sounded less impressive, the dynamics was gone. After a week, the system remained “Dark Sounding” and unenjoyable. I finally said to myself, what the hey, and moved the PE’s back to the Original placement I had at the beginning (outside of the 3 dedicated outlets).

Well folks that is it, they sounded great once again in that location. The dynamics and the upper frequencies returned slowly. But the change was noticeable somewhat right away. After about 15-30 minutes the treble started sounding more extended and the dynamics returned. For some reason, when I plugged the PE’s directly into my dedicated Audio outlets the sound gets dark, I believe the Audiophile word for this is, overdamped. Your results may vary.

So, am I better off with the Alan Maher or the Noise Destroyers in my system??? I would say, yes, they make noticeable positive improvements, but extreme placement is necessary.

Results were about the same with the Allan Maher units as compared to the Noise Destroyer units. I would give the nod to the Alan Maher units over the Noise Destroyers due to price and slightly better performance. I have placed the Noise Destroyers into my Video System where they have improved that quite nicely.

APL Denon 3910 CD Player
Pass Labs X350.5
Eggleston Works Andra mkII Speaker
Purist Dominus Ferox Rev C Balanced 2M Interconnect
Shunyata Hydra 8 AC filter
Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2.0 Bi-wire Speaker cable
Purist 20th Anniversary Contego Power cord
Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2 Power cord

Associated gear
APL Denon 3910 CD Player
Pass Labs X350.5
Eggleston Works Andra mkII Speaker
Purist Dominus Ferox Rev C Balanced 2M Interconnect
Shunyata Hydra 8 AC filter
Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2.0 Bi-wire Speaker cable
Purist 20th Anniversary Contego Power cord
Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2 Power cord
128x128ozzy
sherod
1,690 posts
 
Okay Clio09, the weekend has passed and I'm "chomping on the bit" waiting for your impressions. By the way, I recall reading that you had your video gear plugged into an Electroclear QRT. I also had a single QRT-1 in an outlet and I found that my system sounds so much better with the QRT unplugged. It somehow clashed with what the PE was doing to the circuit. The PE is sufficient by itself to my ears. I just ordered another one to experiment with a 2nd unit in the circuit.
clio09
3,355 posts
 
Sherod,

Ironically Alan Maher asked me the same question last night. Basically things have settled in and I think the PEs on their own are doing an adequate job of filtering. I really don't miss the Haley although I think the power factor correction it provides is an added benefit. I have a PE-IV and Studio Reference power cord on the way and I'll probably add these to the mix later next week when I return from a business trip. After that I'll decide what to do with the Haley.

As for QRT, I actually use their power strip which is no longer available. I used to use the QRT-1's a while back well before the PEs arrived on the scene but sold them off. I don't hear any negative effects from the QRT and Alan uses their Symphony products with the PEs in his system if I recall. In any event maybe when I throw the PE-IV in the system I'll unplug the QRT power strip and see what happens. I just have a LCD TV panel and cable box plugged into it so it's not a big deal to remove it.
apmaher
29 posts
 
I have recently removed the Quantum products so I could evaluate the PE III designs. I am starting to prefer the non-Quantum set up. YMMV.

Alan
ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,461 posts
 
I have re-installed the Alan Maher and the Noise Destoyer units only in the bottom outlet and plugged the components only in the top of the outlets.

I have also once again, removed all the Quick Silver Gold off all of my contacts.
The Noise Destoyers work best with Video Signals.

Things seem to be better for now, I will leave it this way for a couple of weeks.
ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,461 posts
 
Update: I have had the Allen Maher PE's for about a year. During this time , I have replaced the CD player , cables, and added a Preamp.
Still there was something missing. The sound quality was not what I thought the components were cable of.

I actually thought about selling everything and just using my Home theater set up.

One day , I took out all of the Allen Maher PE's that were in my system.
Once the Allen Maher PE's were all removed , the treble became extended and the bass and soundstage improved. I found that the sound of my system was dulled or was being choked by the Allen Maher PE's.

These Allen Maher PE's definitly do something , but for my system it was not a good thing.
More to discover