Sell your $$$ cables and conditioners... affordable LITHIUM is here!


I wanted to give you a frame of reference as to where I'm coming from and most importantly a first impression after 24hrs!
I've been an addict since my first system of KEF Concord speakers, Crimson Electric amps and an Ariston turntable back in college in '81. Since then I've been down the entire Linn system with Active Kabers, Full Meridian active system with DSP5200's as well as some burly NZ Perraux mono blocks with Sonus Faber when I lived in NZ. Since moving to the US in 2001 I've been through years of altercations between solid state camps from Bel Canto, Levinson stereo 336 to mono 436's, 532H and Mac 452 to speakers from B&W 802N and D2 to Wilson Sophia 2's, Sonus Faber Amati Homage and Revel Studio 2's. I've tried conditioners from Transparent, AQ Niagra, Isotek and others and every time come back to a decent cable straight from the wall.
Three years ago I took the plunge and went down the Devialet rabbit hole, streaming direct from a MacBook Air with ROON my Devialet D200 (soon to become a D400) drives my Focal Utopia Diablos via Analysis Plus Solo Crystal 8 speaker cables (and that's another whole can of worms with enormous cable differences), a JL Audio Fathom F110 (also about to be doubled up) rounds it out. My livening room is about 22x25 with 10ft ceilings and partially treated as best I can accommodate. 
Suffice to say, I've been around the block with hifi, listened to way more than my fair share at dealers and friends with diverse systems and currently run one of the most reveling systems I've ever heard. Sure, there's not that thick syrupy warmth the tube guys will clammer for, but then I'm hearing so much further into not just tonality but intent within the playing. 

If you read the review in Enjoy the Music from Tom Lyle, you'd see he equates the GZ Yeti to the $30k Stromtank. His review was the $400 Yeti 400. The Yeti 1000 was $1099, the 3kW Yeti 3000 is $2999 and will power almost anything. So, like Tom I took the plunge and bought a Yeti 1000 figuring it'd have plenty of 'headroom' for my meagre 600w consumption. (Though I have since plugged my JL Audio Fathom in too)

After playing the "FedEx f'ed up" again game, I finally went to their depot and picked up my new toy myself. After a handful of songs to establish a baseline for the evening, I simply plugged the Yeti 1000 in, reconnected the Devialet and sat back... My girlfriend was first to break the silence and then immediately regretted it as I couldn't help myself interrupting her for the next half hour of gushing over what a profound difference it was making.
H-U-G-E. Truly component level and an absolute game changer. 

I was immediately texting my good friend with his PS Audio Directstream, Gryphon Diablo, Audio Physic Avantera III all powered by the latest Synergistic Research Powercell 12SE and Gallileo power cord with AQ Hurricane to each component - SELL- SELL- SELL it all, get a Goal Zero! 

We stayed up until 2am listening, flipped it back for a handful of now unlistenable tracks and then back again to Yeti 1000 happiness. In over six hours of powering my Devialet and Fathom at 90+db levels it'd dropped to a laughable 98%. I'm guessing that means it'd run off the grid for 300hrs or more? That's probably a several months of listening for most people. Who even cares, it simply sounds spectacular and the single biggest improvement I've ever heard from anything less than a major amp or speaker upgrade. 

I know my system is fairly frugal and green running, my buddy Matts, Gryphon would probably need the 3000W Yeti as his amp pulls 1900W at full song and his full stack of components albeit front end certainly add a few hundred more.   He's headed down to me in a couple of week with a stack of exotic power cables and conditioners  to try and I can't wait to share my results - I'm guessing he'll want to steal it away for his own demo right after. I would imagine he'd even get away with the Yeti 1000, so long as he doesn't run it too hard?
leeagc

Showing 10 responses by stephendunn

I just plugged in a Yeti 500 Lithium for my front end (pre, DAC, Relocker, music server, TT) which draws 123 watts according to the read out.  The fan, which is loud, has been on since I powered up and has not shut down even if I start charging unit while I'm playing.  The benefits to SQ are not subtle, in fact startling, but the fan is a killer--at least with my set up where the equipment rack is on the right hand wall 8 or so feet from my ears.  Too bad. Have to return.

Question: would the Yeti 1000 not have to go into fan mode given my relatively light load? 

Thanks,
Steve
I unplugged my pre from the Yeti 400, so just DAC, relocker, and music server are being powered.  The fan has not turned on so I've had a chance to do some critical listening.  (FYI the load is now only 70 watts.)

Still a huge bump in SQ--even with just the digital being powered it sounds very close to what it did with the pre plugged in.  Making me think most of the benefit is realized by digital front end.  Most noticeable improvements are to sound stage: wider, more separation between instruments, greater air and presence.  Then tone and timbre being cleaner and richer--very noticeable on strings.  Bass is bigger and better defined.  Voices are spooky present.  My background was already pretty black (ZOTL Ultralinear Amp), but now even more so to where I can detect the walls of a room in live recordings.

I am motivated to make this work.  Will return the 400 and try the 1400 I believe.  Just can't give all this good stuff up.  Game changer.
runeenur
Thanks for the tip, but the odd thing about the fan on the Yeti 400 is that it comes on immediately with a load over 130 watts or so.  Meaning the battery is totally at room temperature.  Then it will stay on for 20 minutes or so and go off--even though, theoretically, the battery is continuing to get warmer.  So the fan appears not to be entirely thermostatically controlled.

I've been listening with just my pre amp powered by the Yeti and the improvement in SQ is not as great when I have my digital front end plugged in.  Mainly a loss of the richer tone and texture.  But most of the sound stage improvement is there.  Interesting.
benzman

From my experience with my Yeti 400 with a 70 watt load (exactly what my Shindo Giscours draws) you will get about 45 minutes (less time if you listen loud) before the fan comes on.  It stays on for about 3-4 minutes, then won't come back on again for 20-25 minutes.  

As I mentioned in previous post, if I plug in my entire front end, about 130 watts, the fan turns on as soon as I power up and stays on.

I'm send the 400 back and going with a 1400.
ayrefan

Thanks for your insightful analysis.  From what you say about the difference in SQ between the Yeti 400 and the1400, one might deduce that the greater "headroom" between the load and maximum output yields better results--beyond just getting the fan to remain silent for longer.  I'm interested to see once I get my 1400 on board.

Also interesting to consider there might be a burn in time for these devices.  Why not?  Everything else I've used in my system has improved after burn in.

It also will be interesting to test whether the Yeti benefits from isolation footers.  I see you use Kones.  Have you tried those under the 1400?  My SR power conditioner benefits from Stillpoints, so I'll A/B those on the 1400 down the road. 

One issue that has been raised but not really resolved--and it may be system dependent--is whether to use your power conditioner with the Yeti or not.  I have not done extensive listening, but my initial impression is that it sounds better without my power conditioner, even though I've been using a run of the mill power strip instead.  Would be interested to know what your ears tell you about this issue.  The slight softening of transients and warmer tone you allude to might be related to using the PC.

Lots to learn.


One last quick update before my Yeti 400 goes back (because of the lithium battery GZ has to send a special return box). 
I tried the 400 powering just my ZOTL Ultralinear amp--all front end components back to the SR power conditioner.  I noticed a slight loss of dynamics and softening of transients (that aryefan also alluded to).  The amp drew 120 watts at rest and 140-145 during peaks.  We'll see what happens with the 1400.
gme109

Unfortunately I am temporarily buried by the avalanche of moving.  I should surface around the end of the month and then plan on installing the 1400 in the new digs.

I can say that having sent the 400 back, I totally miss what it was doing for my SQ.  (Yes, I'm listening while I pack all my LPs.  Help!)

Steve
BTW, I am somewhat surprised by the mixed response to hearing SQ enhancement using the GS battery as a power source.  I would not think the improvements to be that system dependent--everyone should benefit from cleaner power--but the difference is likely attributable to two factors: 1)  everyone's home power is different 2) the effectiveness of your power conditioner.   

We have no consensus (if there is such a thing in audio) if the battery pack is best with or without a conditioner--again probably system dependent--but those who are hearing little or no upgrade using the GS probably have very clean power and/or a good conditioner/regenerator.  Mine is a SR Powercell 10 SE which brought an remarkable improvement to my system.  And I've never thought of my house power as particularly bad--I prefer my amp plugged directly to the upgraded wall socket.  But just to be on the safe side, I'm not purchasing the 1400 until my system is installed in the new house and I'm familiar enough with the new SQ to be sure the battery pack sounds as good there as it does here.
Totally agree!  My hope is the 1400 will give me 2-3 hours of power without the fan coming on.  I hardly ever listen for more than two hours at one stretch...
After my move into a new house/listening room, I never purchased the Yeti 1400.  The wall power at the new place is much cleaner, although it doesn't give me that three dimensionality the Yeti imparted.  So it's still on my list after I recover from landscaping expenses...