Seeking a Power Conditioner


My system consists of the following:

  1. Martin Logan 11A Impression Loudspeaker (hybrid)
  2. Bryston 4B3 cubed power amp-300/channel into 8 and 500 into 4
  3. Bryston Bp-19 preamplifier
  4. Chord Qutest DAC with S Booster Linear power supply
  5. Lumin U2 mini streamer with LHY Linear power supply
  6. Read reviews on both Niagra 1200 & Puritan Audio PSM 156 power conditioners and the reviews were extremely positive. While reading I came accross a review of both products by Audio Science Review (ASR) who claims his reviews are objective with scientific data supplied and his reviews were not nearly as positive to say the least. Anybody have any thoughts on how I should proceed with the differing of opinions.  Thank you. 
kjl1065

Here's the deal.  As with all audio components, there's a million different conditioners/manufacturers out there to choose from.  And you can't believe or disbelieve everything people write or say about them.  That said, as always, all you can do is, go out there and see for yourself what works best for you and your audio system.  Ultimately, that's the only way.  Personally, the perfect conditioner that gets the job done for me, is the magnificent Audioquest Niagara 3000, which I plug everything into, including my amplifier.  Happy listening.      

marco1,  not sure I would take advice from someone that can't spell "wear "....

I recently picked up a used Shunyata Research Hydra Triton V3 that I am very impressed with.  It uses passive filtration.  The sound quality improvement was immediately apparent.  I began researching power conditioners when it was obvious to me that some evenings the sound quality was noticeably better than others.  Many satisfied users over at whatsbestforum.

marco1, not sure I would take advice from someone that can’t spell "wear "....

touche 

 

In reviewing the Puritan Audio PSM 156 on ASR, the author says "as always, we attempt to tease out the transfer function of the conditioner using normal audio level signals" and after many measurements with test signals concludes with "as you see, I have run a number of tests to give the PSM156 ample opportunity to show it can do something to improve audio but it can’t even move the dial one hair. There is no indication or logic that would tell us that it can make an audible improvement."

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/puritan-audio-psm156-review-ac-filter.26136/

It is important to note that at no point was it mentioned that music was played through a system with and without the PSM 156 in the circuit. I don’t spend my hours of relaxation listening to test signals - I listen to music.  The ASR review failed to assess the impact on music reproduction. This is just pure nonsense - ignore them. 

Imagine doing a wine review as follows - samples of 5 wines are given to a reviewer in a blinded fashion labeled A, B, C etc.  The reviewer measures multiple variables including light transmission, specific gravity, residual sugar, salinity, and boiling point and determines the winner based on those measurements and concludes that the other wines can't possibly be as good based on their measurements.  At no point does the reviewer assess the bouquet of the wine nor taste it.  That is the ASR approach to audio - drinking Kool Aid, not wine.

The PSM 156, PS Audio PP12, and Accuphase PS-1250 all had a significant and positive effect on the sound of my audio system with blacker backgrounds, more detail and dynamics etc - as if a veil had been lifted between me and the music.