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Powerquest 3 vs. Niagara 1200

Hi Everyone,

      Just wondering if anyone has had the opportunity to try both the Powerquest 3 and Niagara 1200 from Audioquest. I'm borrowing a friend's PQ3 and it's been a big change for my system. Was wondering if moving to the 1200 would be an exponential or incremental change from PQ3. Thanks!


peterclemens83
guakus's avatar
guakus
351 posts
 

@drowe 

Just curious, what power cable did you use with the Niagara 1200?  That can make all the difference as the Powerquest has a built-in, low-grade, cable.

drowe
34 posts
 

guakus, I started with Straight Wire's Black Thunder II power cord on the Niagara 1200, with satisfactory results. But since have upgraded to their top Pro Thunder and it has improved more than I would have expected. 

analogj
104 posts
 

The PQ3 has better filtering than the PQ2. The former is not merely the same unit but with more inputs.

goose
671 posts
 

Audioquest did a power cable shoot out at one of our dealers.  We then started to compare the power conditioners in a very modest system with only one cable going between the integrated amp and the wall.  We started with the Powerquest (not sure which model it was) and worked our way up the Niagara 5000 using a lower cost power cable.  My audio buddy and I thought the Powerquest degraded the sound - dull and grainy.  The Niagara 1200 didn't appear to have any of the issues of the Powerquest. 

mesch
3,411 posts
 

@drowe In your comparison was the amplifier also plug into the conditioners? 

I wonder about the differences when conditioner is used only for source components including preamp if using separates.

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