The FULL REVIEW: Inakustik’s AC-3500p power station and LS-4004 Speaker Cables


The Inakustik AC-3500P power station and LS-4004 Air speaker cables could be the Valedictorians of Power conditioners and Loudspeaker Cables!  Howard Milstein disseminates them and takes a serious look as to why!

Being a reviewer and commentator within this illustrious, though maybe sometimes, laborious hobby, I’m fortunate enough to be able to listen to some of the most demanding and exquisite audio components produced by some of the finest designers in the “high-end” community. Unfortunately, sometimes this can take its toll on the amount of time I spend listening to music.!

On the other hand, when new products are presented for me to evaluate and listen to, one usually finds that the time and effort spent was well worth the awards and satisfaction we may have gained in the process.

A few months ago, The Inakustik AC-3500P power station and LS-4004 Air Reference speaker cables were given a short preview in the Sound Advocate after having been immensely impressed from their initial auditioning within only a few weeks of introducing them into my system for testing.

As promised then, here is a full review of these 2 consummate audiophile products. I will outline some of their technical aspects while interpolating the various audible listening impressions I have perceived in the few months I’ve had the AC-3500P power station and LS-4004 Air loudspeaker cables installed in my system. If you would like to read more specifics about Inakustik’s background and products, please see the above link of my preview or at the Inakustik website.

Read Here:

https://www.thesoundadvocate.com/2020/02/report-inakustik-ac-3500p-power-station-and-ls-4004-air-speaker-cables/



128x128imaging1
Sure punk.
I see that you also have reviews posted about some components that you liked. And I am sure that they elevated your audio experience to a level that you were thrilled and decided to let the audio community know - which is a real good thing (to share). Similarly I am thrilled with what Inakustik products have done to my audio experience and hence I am sharing. Don't see how that is different than what you shared in your review.
Maybe your review should have focused on music than the gear - just saying - because you don't appear to practice what you are preaching :-)
Hi Cheng;
im currently doing a STRICT comparison between the two, with 2 or 3 loudspeakers. The initial differences are small and VERY MUCH depend on the amplifers and speakers involved — a post is coming on my website!!
Thanks
Howard
Hi hm1,

Can you please post your thoughts on how the Fideliums compare with the Inakustiks LS-4004s?

Thank you,
Cheng

The Audioquest Niagara 7000 really is impressive with my mono blocks.

ozzy
Loved seeing the inside pics of the 7000. I think having energy stored inside the unit to deliver more amps than available from the wall (for very short peakes) is something worth having for use with amps.
I wanted to do a head to head trial with my Audioquest Niagara 7000. Keeping the best unit.
Unfortunately, my attempts to get a trial unit has been unsuccessful. 

"You must first buy to try." I guess I understand, it is a risk for a retailer to send a unit. Although, I have done quite a bit of business with Worldwide (the USA distributor).

ozzy

Table jockey has a good point. - If you hear and “feel” that difference in your system that puts a self satisfying smile on your face... your set ; unfortunately only momentarily in this Hobby!!
see: https://www.thesoundadvocate.com/2020/01/just-launched-silversmith-audios-revolutionary-speaker-cabl...

WATCH and/ or Follow ( listen, or contact if possible) this product ( review forthcoming)!!! 👍👍
milpai-

High end audio is a combination of some really great, engineered products and marketing. If that same circuit was in a smaller, simple stamped metalbox, I imagine not many will be selling for $3500.00

That said, I too have ridiculously  priced cable, use AC regen unit(PS Audio Power Plant)another contentious subject. 

I do believe however, SOME companies are clearly cashing in on our naivety, with housing small circuits in big, fancy cases. Talk to someone who has been invlolved in the audio biz awhile, or someone technical. 

It's no different with products in other markets, outside of audio.

Again, if you like it and feel you got your money's worth-that's all that matters. Great!
milpai,

Thanks, I will try to get a unit to compare to my present conditioner.

ozzy
@ozzy,You have a great system going there. I really encourage you to try the Inakustik power conditioner in your system. The only issue could be - you have far more than 6 components. Check with Inakustik, if they can provide you a loaner.
@tablejockey ,I do not know your system. But I never open any component to show what's inside. I rather focus on the music that my friends like. See my response in another thread where, recently a friend decided to purchase his first system after listening to mine. See the post on 02/04/2020.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/all-in-one-1k-marantz-or-2k-hegel/post?highlight=Hegel%2BH90&postid=1877160#1877160

I would rather encourage you 2 things:1. Try this power conditioner in your system2. Check with Inakustik on why they have so much space in the box.
There must be some reason, I don't know. But I can see your and ozzy's point. As for "you paid HOW much for that", all I can say is that when I purchased my first system in 2005, I did not care for cables and power conditioners. Switching to the Clear Day double gunshots opened my eyes (and ears). Switching from Brickwall to Inakustik shocked me, since I was not prepared for the upgrade. I have decided that I would like to try some nice cables for my loudspeakers, since the speaker upgrade was from a $1.2k speaker to $12k speaker. Inakustik is what I would be looking into, after my positive experience and discussing with @wig who has experience with 30+ brands of cables, including the ones I currently have in my system.
milpai-
It's performance audio, I "get" that something will be priced for "whatever the market will bear" 
In the end, it's what the buyer perceives as value.

If the inakustic works, great.

It's like anything else audio, so I really like to poke fun at these prices. I would be embarrassed  showing my friends my new box full of....... not much stuff!

The unit is designed to work, but packaged in a box proportioned to give the illusion of "more" and justifying price?

I would buy something like that on the used market, for half at best. Just don't see the value.

I have my share of things that fall into the "you paid HOW much for that?"
Milpai,

I would like to try it.
That is why I think that with the relative few parts involved it could have been made much smaller/cheaper by omitting the huge chassis.

Says a guy who has purchased many SR fuses for big $$$. LOL!
ozzy
Embarresing. I would never show anyone that picture.
@tablejockey,What is "embaressing"?

Anyways, it is more embarrassing that people who have not listened to a product have the capacity to make judgement. On what basis?

Owners of Tesla or the most modern gadgets must have missed the memo to first open the products, check inside and only them make a buying decision. No doubt the "computers" from 1960s went out of style and the PC/laptop markets emerged. What were people thinking? They could have got a room full of humongous parts if they had decided to look inside. But no, they just opted for performance. Buying decision should NEVER be based on the benefits it provides. Quantity over quality is the way to go! That should be the mantra for new technologies or even newest amplifiers. Pass, Curl and other accomplished designers should stuff their amps/preamps with tons of capacitors, transformers just to impress their clients. Looks like Inakustik as a company don’t know what they are doing; spending millions in research to come up with products that stay in their line for years.
All you Inakustik owners, the satisfaction/benefit you experienced with the Inakustik products are all meaningless. You have to listen to the folks who DON’T have any experience with Inakustik products - because they are saying so :-)
Its changed currently for North America- $3000. It is as good as an investment of any piece of electronic gear you may want to purchase. As I stated, it is MUCH more than a Power Conditioner— but I’m still amazed at and why it adds so much to anything it is hooked up to!!
"Actually sells for $3500."

$500 more embarrassment.  That Ayre is dissapointing as well. 
If you it works, power to all the owners.
tablejockey,
Actually it sells for $3500.

twoleftears,
Pitiful, then compare that to the inside of a Audioquest Niagara 7000
https://www.audioquest.com/content/aq/img/niagara-7000-inside-2.png

ozzy


If that $3K box improves anyones system, great. 

That sure is a lot of case for $3k.
Embarresing. I would never show anyone that picture.
@twoleftears ,
That review indeed shows close-ups, at the very end of the article, that I had not seen before. Thank You for sharing.
But here is the (translated to English via Google) line that stuck me:

How simple the guts of the AC-3500P look (which might discourage someone, despite the verified fact that quantity never automatically delivers quality), so its effect on energy flow cannot be underestimated. It's an honestly functioning filter that's cool.
It is no doubt that folks used to seeing massive transformers and such are disappointed when they see the internal pics. Can we have a new idiom - "Don't judge a book by it's content" :-))

I see wires disappearing under the large black board.  I wonder what else is under there.

Also: aren't the receptacles isolated from one another?

milpai,

Yes thanks.
It just seems to me that the unit could have been made with a IEC and a single duplex outlet. That way, it could be placed before a power strip / other conditioner etc. and would be much smaller, lighter and hopefully much cheaper.

ozzy
@ozzy ,While what you say is correct, this conditioner improved the SQ in my system. And the change was not subtle. I am not a reviewer, but I am super impressed by the performance of this unit. Just because it does not use 100lb transformers, does not mean it cannot sound good. It uses a different technology to filter out noise.
If you want to see the pics, I had posted a link of a review on the other Inakustik Power conditioner link, that has the internal pics. A 1960s computer was room sized. It does not mean it can beat a standard laptop from this day age. Same thing with cars. Tesla does not have the bulk of engine that regular cars have. Technology changes. I hope you get a chance to try it in your system before judging it.
You should post pictures of the insides of the unit.
There is one very small circuit board inside a big heavy empty metal box.

ozzy