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Gryphon Amp Owners: Results with AQ Niagara?

As many know, amp vendors including Gryphon urge power cords to be plugged directly into the wall.  I also read a review of an account where a Gryphon Diablo 300 was underwhelming at a show, until they removed the power conditioner and connected the amp to the wall.

I’m not looking to debate whether that logic is correct or not, but rather, to see if any Gryphon owners have had good real world results when powering their amp(s) from an AQ Niagara 5000 or similar.

Another option is to have the Niagara power my source only and keep my Diablo 300 powered directly from the wall.  However, my worry is that the Niagara is not a passive device, and might consume additional current from the AC circuit that won’t be available for my amp, since I am doomed to having everything on a single AC circuit (don’t ask, not easy to change to dedicated lines in my house).

Thoughts?

 

 

 

nyev
nyev OP
1,026 posts
 

Not sure how true this is, but someone at some point (could have been Gryphon) told me my amp is highly unlikely to be damaged even from a massive surge / lighting strike.  I think they said the transformer in the amp will easily deal with it.

I also confirmed something interesting directly from AudioQuest today. Their conditioners are active, so if you have a Niagara and an amp on the same AC circuit, but you have the amp plugged directly into the wall, the Niagara will draw current that will no longer be available for your amp. In other words, this configuration will diminish performance. Maybe that’s obvious but I asked the question to confirm.

 

geof3
1,125 posts
 

Oh, I’m not buying the amp would “absorb” a full lighting hit. I’m in CO in the mountains so surge protection is a must. Full house and local. I prefer Shunyata power products, just seem to do better for me overall.

jpan
110 posts
 

If Gryphon recommends it then I’d lean that way. But, I would try it both ways and find out.

I used to follow the rule of plugging my main amps into the wall. Just recently I decided to try it running them into my power conditioner. I think it definitely sounds better through the PC. I'm not switching back. (I had already been running my sub amps into the PC.)

I also read the manuals of my PC and main amps and it didn’t say anything about it. The PC basically said plug whatever you want into it.

For reference I have Pass mono blocks and a Running Springs Dmitri.

I’m very curious about the Audioquest Niagra 7000. And because it’s designed to allow you to plug your amps into it, this is one reason I tried it with my set up.

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drrsutliff
834 posts
 

I run my Gryphon Diablo 300 into a Synergistic Powercell 12 UEF SE with no degradation of sound quality.  I have spent time with the Diablo plugged directly into the wall as a comparison. 

divertiti
223 posts
 

I have used Boulder 1160 into the high current output of a Niagara 5000, to me that sounded as good if not better than into the wall. Things are more refined and polished.

Would it be possible to try both configurations and see which you like better?

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