Introduction
Our very own home grown brand is back with a new series of balanced power conditioners. According to James Soh, Plixir’s owner and designer, the Cube series was introduced to offer a premium product to customers that wanted a very high quality power conditioner, but were unable to afford the top-of-the-line Elite series of products.
The quality of finish of the Cube is top-notch, and a far cry from Plixir’s first models and significantly better than the present Elementa series. In fact, it would be fair to say that the level of finish and build is on par with the Elite series. However, to bring the product to a lower price point, the Cube uses a more affordable Noratel transformer that uses trickle-down technology from the Elite’s XQ transformer.
Size wise, the squarish footprint (240 x 270 x 245 mm) of the Cube enables easy placement and economical use of Singapore’s very expensive real estate space. It’s diminutive size is deceptive though, and the Cube weighs a back-breaking 30 kg.
The model on review offers 8 outlets of your choice (US, EU or UK) and supports equipment with total power of 2280 watts. A binding post is also offered in case you wish to ground any of your components to the Cube.
Like the rest of the Plixir models, the Cube runs warm to the touch (I measured about 8-9 degrees Celcius above ambient temperature) on standby. My review sample did not have any noticeable transformer hum or buzzing.
Sound Quality
My initial impressions of the Cube were very positive - an extremely low noise floor and powerful bass. I initially thought that the Cube even exceeded the Elite series in this regard. However upon extended listening, I found this to be not the case for reasons explained later.
Sonics wise, the performance of the Cube sits squarely between the first generation Elementa (I did not have the current Elementa series on hand for comparison) and Elite series. Tonally it is not as neutral and has a pronounced bass emphasis and darker midrange and top-end. While the basslines from the Cube appeared more impressive than the Elite at first, I found that the bass was not as tight and lacked the articulation and detail of the Elite. Double-bass had impact but you could not hear the inner detail - you heard more of a single note rather than the resonance from the body of the instrument and the vibrating strings. Similarly, the midrange and treble were smooth and refined, but lacking in the last bit of inner detail, expressiveness and air that only the Elite could deliver.
For most audiophiles, the Cube would be more than enough. I could have lived happily with it had I not personally owned the Elite BAC - perhaps ignorance could be bliss for an audiophile.
Cube or Elite ? The choice to me very much boils down to matching. Audiophiles who find their system too lightweight and shrill would love the Cube. Audiophiles who have dialled-in their system to perfection would be better off with the Elite. Like everything in hi-fi, horses for courses !
Conclusion
The Cube fits nicely into the gap in the Plixir series. The Elite BAC still remains at the top of the heap, but the Cube remains a very worthy model for consideration, especially in the right system. The high level of finish, compact footprint and competitive performance means that the Cube deserves a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED label !
Cube 8 BAC
S$3,300
Showing posts with label Sound Affairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sound Affairs. Show all posts
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Holo Spring Level 3 DAC - A mini review
Introduction
I recently spent a few quality days with the Holo Spring Level 3 DAC, courtesy of Sound Affairs, Singapore distributor for Holo. There is plenty of chatter in various audio forums on the Holo Spring DAC, especially on the high level of performance it delivers for it's price.
Description
The Holo Spring is a really nice looking DAC (I adore those copper side panels), and is solidly built. It probably has the largest display I've ever seen, and the dot matrix panel is fully legible even from my listening position.
The Spring DAC is a R2R DAC design. What differentiates the Spring from the rest of it's competition is that fact that DSD is decoded using a R2R circuit too. This is achieved by having two separate R2R circuits - one for PCM and the other for DSD.
The front panel has four buttons. The first button puts the DAC in standby mode, while the rest of the buttons control the display intensity, oversampling mode and source. There are four oversampling modes, NOS (no over-sampling), OS (both PCM and DSD are oversampled in their native format), OS PCM (oversampled PCM - DSD is converted to PCM), and OS DSD (oversampled DSD - PCM is converted to DSD).
The rear panel has both single-ended and balanced analog outputs, while a total of 6 digital inputs are offered - USB (galvanically isolated), coaxial, BNC, AES, Toslink and I2S via HDMI (PS Audio standard). The Level 3 unit utilises a silver wire power transformer and Jensen capacitors.
In use, the Spring DAC runs quite warm. It was left powered on for the few days I had it in my system.
Dimensions wise, the Spring DAC measures 430 mm x 300 mm x 55 mm, and weighs 8.5 kg.
Sound Quality
I was not able to do detailed comparisons of the Spring DAC using various digital inputs or its oversampling modes due to the short evaluation period I had. However, I did find that NOS mode sounded the most pleasing to my ears. While the tone of the unit was similar via SPDIF and I2S, I had a slight preference for I2S (fed via a Singxer SU-1 USB / SPDIF bridge) and stuck to that.
The Spring DAC struck me with it's highly detailed presentation, with excellent retrieval of details. At the same time, the detail is presented in a very light-footed, delicate and silky manner. There is a noticeably warm glow and sweetness to the sound. If you find digital sources harsh and cold, you will love the Spring DAC.
From a soundstaging perspective, there is a subtle emphasis to the midrange which is projected slight forward from the rest of the instruments. Otherwise, there is a good sense of width and depth.
Dynamically, the Spring DAC is slightly lacking in impact and speed. I also felt that strings and cymbals lacked the bite and shimmer of the best units out there. You could say that there was a certain amount of restraint and lack of rawness and energy to the Spring DAC - definitely not the first choice for Rock, Metal or EDM.
Conclusion
The Spring DAC is a very nice performer for the price. It's tonal balance tends to favour certain genres and it appeals more to the listener that prefers a sweeter and more easy-going sound. Thankfully it does not trade resolution to achieve this, and you get a highly detailed yet easy-on-the-ear tone.
A big thanks goes to Sound Affairs Pte Ltd (local agent for Holo) for arranging for the review unit.
Holo Spring Level 3 DAC
Price : S$ 3,500
Sound Affairs Pte Ltd
100 Beach Road, Shaw Tower #02-34/35 Singapore 189702 Tel: +65 9694 9704http://www.mysoundaffairs.com
I recently spent a few quality days with the Holo Spring Level 3 DAC, courtesy of Sound Affairs, Singapore distributor for Holo. There is plenty of chatter in various audio forums on the Holo Spring DAC, especially on the high level of performance it delivers for it's price.
Description
The Holo Spring is a really nice looking DAC (I adore those copper side panels), and is solidly built. It probably has the largest display I've ever seen, and the dot matrix panel is fully legible even from my listening position.
The Spring DAC is a R2R DAC design. What differentiates the Spring from the rest of it's competition is that fact that DSD is decoded using a R2R circuit too. This is achieved by having two separate R2R circuits - one for PCM and the other for DSD.
The front panel has four buttons. The first button puts the DAC in standby mode, while the rest of the buttons control the display intensity, oversampling mode and source. There are four oversampling modes, NOS (no over-sampling), OS (both PCM and DSD are oversampled in their native format), OS PCM (oversampled PCM - DSD is converted to PCM), and OS DSD (oversampled DSD - PCM is converted to DSD).
The rear panel has both single-ended and balanced analog outputs, while a total of 6 digital inputs are offered - USB (galvanically isolated), coaxial, BNC, AES, Toslink and I2S via HDMI (PS Audio standard). The Level 3 unit utilises a silver wire power transformer and Jensen capacitors.
In use, the Spring DAC runs quite warm. It was left powered on for the few days I had it in my system.
Dimensions wise, the Spring DAC measures 430 mm x 300 mm x 55 mm, and weighs 8.5 kg.
Sound Quality
I was not able to do detailed comparisons of the Spring DAC using various digital inputs or its oversampling modes due to the short evaluation period I had. However, I did find that NOS mode sounded the most pleasing to my ears. While the tone of the unit was similar via SPDIF and I2S, I had a slight preference for I2S (fed via a Singxer SU-1 USB / SPDIF bridge) and stuck to that.
The Spring DAC struck me with it's highly detailed presentation, with excellent retrieval of details. At the same time, the detail is presented in a very light-footed, delicate and silky manner. There is a noticeably warm glow and sweetness to the sound. If you find digital sources harsh and cold, you will love the Spring DAC.
From a soundstaging perspective, there is a subtle emphasis to the midrange which is projected slight forward from the rest of the instruments. Otherwise, there is a good sense of width and depth.
Dynamically, the Spring DAC is slightly lacking in impact and speed. I also felt that strings and cymbals lacked the bite and shimmer of the best units out there. You could say that there was a certain amount of restraint and lack of rawness and energy to the Spring DAC - definitely not the first choice for Rock, Metal or EDM.
Conclusion
The Spring DAC is a very nice performer for the price. It's tonal balance tends to favour certain genres and it appeals more to the listener that prefers a sweeter and more easy-going sound. Thankfully it does not trade resolution to achieve this, and you get a highly detailed yet easy-on-the-ear tone.
A big thanks goes to Sound Affairs Pte Ltd (local agent for Holo) for arranging for the review unit.
Holo Spring Level 3 DAC
Price : S$ 3,500
Sound Affairs Pte Ltd
100 Beach Road, Shaw Tower #02-34/35 Singapore 189702 Tel: +65 9694 9704http://www.mysoundaffairs.com
Friday, July 31, 2015
Plixir Signature Interconnect
Introduction
Sound Affairs has expanded it's Plixir line to linclude high-end interconnects and power cables. You may want to have a look at my earlier post on the Plixir Elementa power cord.
I took a look recently at the Signature Interconnect, which sits above the entry-level model, Elementa.
Description
The Plixir Signature Interconnect is finished in a pale blue jacket and is available in both RCA and XLR versions. The cable utilises Ohno Continuous Cast (OCC) copper conductors arranged in a star quad geometry, and is shielded. The cable is marked for signal direction. While I did not try to use the cable the "wrong" way around, the braided shield is tied at the source end only and should sound different hooked up both ways.The RCA version I had on hand was terminated with DH Labs RCA plugs.
The cables are quite flexible and unable to suspend light components in the air, unlike some of it's competitors. The plugs lack jaws of death required to rip out your RCA sockets - thank goodness for that.
Easy to route, shielded to cut down on interference, and just the right amount of grip - my evaluation definitely started on a good footing.
Sound Quality
Bass notes are reproduced with control and a lack of smear. Midrange is a touch laidback but otherwise clear and natural. High frequencies are crisp, without sounding harsh or fatiguing. There is a commendable lack of grain to the sound.
This cable also performs well in staging and imaging, with a realistic portrayal of the recording venue and good separation of instruments and voices.
The Plixir Signature Interconnect has a certain rightness to it's sound and tonal balance.
Users do not get sonic fireworks, attention grabbing presentation and the like. Instead, you get a highly resolving yet neutral and natural sounding cable.
Conclusion
The Plixir Signature delivers a very competent and no-nonsense performance for it's asking price. Highly recommended.
Pricing
1 m pair $349 (RCA and XLR). Addditional lengths are charged at $125 per 0.5 m pair.
Sound Affairs Pte Ltd
100 Beach Road, Shaw Tower
#02-34/35
Singapore 189702
http://mysoundaffairs.com
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Plixir Elementa Power Cable
Introduction
Sound Affairs recently launched their in-house Plixir Elementa Power Cable. This is almost certainly a sign of things to come - Mr. James Soh, principal of Sound Affairs, hinted that a number of other cables are expected under the Plixir label.
Description
The Elementa is a supple and flexible cable which should minimise routing headaches. James advised that the Elementa is designed for low current applications, e.g. source equipment. It is also available in a variety of lengths and termination options.
The review samples provided were terminated in Japanese Meikosha AC and Schurter IEC plugs. In use, they provided a firm and reassuring grip.
Sound Quality
The modest price tag is likely to appeal to audiophiles on starter systems, or with tight budget constraints.
In comparison to a stock power cord, bass notes took on a tighter, deeper and more articulate quality. Midrange was a bit laidback with a smooth and warm tone. Some subtle detail was lost there, but as a trade-off, this flattered sibilant and harsh recordings. Treble had a slight uplift, with increased clarity and separation. There was also a noticeable improvement in image definition and soundstage stability.
Conclusion
The Elementa power cable is a sensible and cost-effective upgrade, far exceeding my expectations.
There are better power cords out in the market, but at much higher price brackets. The Elementa does a lot of things right and given the very reasonable price tag, this is definitely a winner.
Highly recommended.
Pricing
1 m $89
1.5 m $1192 m $149
Sound Affairs Pte Ltd
100 Beach Road, Shaw Tower
#02-34/35
Singapore 189702
http://mysoundaffairs.com
Friday, February 13, 2015
Sounds Affairs Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply and Balanced AC Power Conditioner
Introduction
Sound Affairs is a relatively new name in the local hi-fi scene, although it's principal, Mr. James Soh is a name familiar to many local audiophiles, especially for his previous work under the banner of Effective Audio Mod.
Sound Affairs marks his move into a full-time retail business, with both sales and distribution of a complete range of hi-fi equipment, while continuing with modification work.
Sound Affairs offers a number of unique made-to-order products, including a DC power supply, and balanced AC power conditioner, which are the subject of this review.
I took the opportunity to ask James some questions about his approach to design in coming up with these products.
Design and Philosophy
James explained that that the Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply takes a unique approach. The custom wound transformer provides a balanced AC voltage supply (read on further for benefits of balanced AC power). Only two diodes are used for rectification instead of four. James believes that this is beneficial as all diodes create noise and distortion, so the less diodes used, the better. This topology, however requires the transformer to be double in power rating, increasing size and cost. The voltage regulation is done in two stages. The first regulation stage eliminates most of the voltage ripple, leaving an easier job for the second stage to handle. This also allows the heat to be distributed across both regulators, lowering temperature conditions. As a result, you get lower thermal noise and drift, better reliability etc. James mentioned that many single stage DC power supplies boast high attenuation of ripple at lower current, but as load current increases, the ripple increases as well. Only a two stage (or more) design can effectively solve this issue to ensure a low noise power supply to the load at high current.
Other design features include high speed, fast recovery diodes, and used of snubbers across these diodes.
Coming to AC power conditioning, I asked James on his views on balanced AC power versus other methods, e.g. noise filtering using capacitors, chokes or power regeneration. He drew parallels between the use of his balanced transformer to the output transformer of a tube amplifier. A tube amplifier output transformer couples the high impedance of the power tubes to present a low output impedance on the amplifier's output. Similarly, his balanced transformer is designed to couple the high impedance of the power line to present a low output impedance source of AC power. He mentioned that balanced power is commonly used in professional audio to resolve ground loop and noise issues. The transformer used in his Balanced AC Power Conditioner is also lossy at high frequencies, while being efficient at the 50 Hz mains frequency used locally. This helps to filter out high frequency pollution on the mains line.
In comparison, James felt that mains filtration using capacitors is a hit-and-miss affair, as there is guesswork involved in the effective range of the filters. Further, the choice of capacitor influences the tone of the system. As for inductors, his view was that these limit current and adversely affect impedance by adding resistance, and distort the AC wave form.
James acknowledged that power regeneration has many benefits but had reservations on the transient speed and dynamics. The AC/DC/AC conversion was to him an unnecessarily complicated approach. The "speed" of DC supply was also a question mark, as the chemical conversion to electricity (whether through the discharge of capacitors, or drawing from a battery supply) may not be quick enough to cope with fast fluctuations in current demand. Long term reliability is also impacted by heat and the complexity of the design.
Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply
The Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply is a compact power supply housed in a simple but smartly finished aluminum box. The rear panel contains the IEC inlet, a fuse holder, the power switch, and a socket for the detachable DC lead. The supplied lead is of high quality and comes with a locking collar.
In operation, it runs cool to the touch even when left on permanently.
I purchased a 15 V DC model to power my Auralic Aries. Prior to that, I was using another well regarded linear power supply, which sounded better than the stock switched mode power supply, but too dark and lacking in air for my taste.
The Plixir was noticeably superior in all aspects, sounding more open, faster, while retaining a solid bass foundation and quiet background. Unlike most upgrades that involve some kind of trade-off, this was an all round improvement and easy to recommend.
Plixir Balanced AC Power Conditioner
I was provided two different models for purpose of this review, a BAC 150 and BAC 800 (the model number denotes the rating of the conditioner in watts).
A number of build options are offered, including upgraded AC outlets, UPOCC internal wiring and Bybee Quantum Purifiers. The units I tested were stock models, which were supplied with high quality Meikosha outlets from Japan.
Similar to the DC power supply, both units ran cool (neither were loaded beyond 50 % of their maximum rating throughout my period of review).
A number of combinations were tried in both of my setups.
1. BAC 150 with source equipment in my main listening room
I tried the BAC 150 first with an Audio-Gd NFB-10ES2 headamp / DAC and also my Cary CD-500, which are in my main listetning room. The power quality there is the highest and most of the audio equipment do not share power lines with noisy household appliances and the like.
Bass quality improved with a nice increase in heft and slam. There was also a noticeable reduction in the noise floor, and the enhancement of detail. The midrange took on a smoother and more laidback feel. I felt that this came at the expense of a darker tonality and a slight reduction of "air".
I did not try my amplifiers with the BAC 800 as their current draw exceed the unit's rating.
2. BAC 800 with Antelope Zodiac Platinum and Job 225
My bedroom setup is less fortunate. It sits on the same line with a whole range of things, including a Plasma TV set, a cable set top box, alarm clock and a computer.
First, I tried the much bigger BAC 800, with both my source and amplifier plugged into the conditioner.
Interestingly, I did not notice any mellowness, or reduction in "air" here. I would think that most people would be suitably impressed with this combination.
Bass was tighter, more extended, and dynamic. You could really feel the added extension, drive and energy of bass lines.
Soundstaging also improved in depth, while there was improvement in detail, separation and refinement. This was most noticeable on heavy mixes, where the additional coherence and detail retrieval allowed you to follow the separate instrument lines clearly.
3. BAC 800 with Antelope Zodiac Platinum
I also tried hooking up just my source to the BAC 800, with the Job 225 plugged directly into the wall.
The reason I tried this was to see whether the conditioner was restricting current to the power amplifier. This did not seem to be the case here.I actually thought that this sounded worse compared to having both my source and the Job 225 plugged into the BAC 800.
4. BAC 150 with Antelope Zodiac Platinum, and BAC 800 with Job 225
James had in fact suggested that I try out using two separate conditioners,and had supplied me with two sets for this purpose.
While the system tonality was similar to just using the BAC 800 alone, there was significant improvement in soundstaging, high frequency extension, low level resolution, and a modest improvement in all the other audiophile niceties observed earlier.
I happened to be listening to a live recording, and you could really feel the acoustic space of the venue, and the reverb from the vocalist and accompanying instruments.
In fact, I would rate the step-up in improvement moving from one to two balanced power supplies to be on par with the improvement going from stock to a single balanced power supply. I had no reservations using this combination and it was nice to be able to have your cake and eat it too !
Conclusion
I was very pleased with the performance of both products. The DC Power Supply makes an excellent alternative to the multitude of other power supplies out on the market, and the ability to work with someone locally to provide custom options is a boon.
While the benefits of the Balanced AC Power Conditioner is more dependent on the quality of your mains power supply, I was suitably impressed with the BAC 800, and even more impressed using the BAC 800 in combination with the BAC 150.
The Plixir line impressed me with it's good build quality, reasonable pricing and outstanding performance. Highly recommended.
I would like to thank James Soh of Sound Affairs Pte Ltd for his time in answering my questions and for supplying the review units.
Specifications and Price
Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply
Specifications and dimensions vary with voltage and maximum current.
Price - S$ 449 upwards
Plixir BAC 150 Balanced AC Power Conditioner
150 watts
Two outlets
Weight - 4 kg
Dimensions - 220 mm x 50 mm x 225 mm
Price - S$ 450
Plixir BAC 800 Balanced AC Power Conditioner
800 watts
Four outlets
Weight - 9 kg
Dimensions - 144 mm x 155 mm x 250 mm
Price - S$ 1,190
Sound Affairs Pte Ltd
100 Beach Road, Shaw Tower
#02-34/35
Singapore 189702
http://mysoundaffairs.com
Sound Affairs is a relatively new name in the local hi-fi scene, although it's principal, Mr. James Soh is a name familiar to many local audiophiles, especially for his previous work under the banner of Effective Audio Mod.
Sound Affairs marks his move into a full-time retail business, with both sales and distribution of a complete range of hi-fi equipment, while continuing with modification work.
Sound Affairs offers a number of unique made-to-order products, including a DC power supply, and balanced AC power conditioner, which are the subject of this review.
I took the opportunity to ask James some questions about his approach to design in coming up with these products.
Design and Philosophy
James explained that that the Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply takes a unique approach. The custom wound transformer provides a balanced AC voltage supply (read on further for benefits of balanced AC power). Only two diodes are used for rectification instead of four. James believes that this is beneficial as all diodes create noise and distortion, so the less diodes used, the better. This topology, however requires the transformer to be double in power rating, increasing size and cost. The voltage regulation is done in two stages. The first regulation stage eliminates most of the voltage ripple, leaving an easier job for the second stage to handle. This also allows the heat to be distributed across both regulators, lowering temperature conditions. As a result, you get lower thermal noise and drift, better reliability etc. James mentioned that many single stage DC power supplies boast high attenuation of ripple at lower current, but as load current increases, the ripple increases as well. Only a two stage (or more) design can effectively solve this issue to ensure a low noise power supply to the load at high current.
Other design features include high speed, fast recovery diodes, and used of snubbers across these diodes.
Coming to AC power conditioning, I asked James on his views on balanced AC power versus other methods, e.g. noise filtering using capacitors, chokes or power regeneration. He drew parallels between the use of his balanced transformer to the output transformer of a tube amplifier. A tube amplifier output transformer couples the high impedance of the power tubes to present a low output impedance on the amplifier's output. Similarly, his balanced transformer is designed to couple the high impedance of the power line to present a low output impedance source of AC power. He mentioned that balanced power is commonly used in professional audio to resolve ground loop and noise issues. The transformer used in his Balanced AC Power Conditioner is also lossy at high frequencies, while being efficient at the 50 Hz mains frequency used locally. This helps to filter out high frequency pollution on the mains line.
In comparison, James felt that mains filtration using capacitors is a hit-and-miss affair, as there is guesswork involved in the effective range of the filters. Further, the choice of capacitor influences the tone of the system. As for inductors, his view was that these limit current and adversely affect impedance by adding resistance, and distort the AC wave form.
James acknowledged that power regeneration has many benefits but had reservations on the transient speed and dynamics. The AC/DC/AC conversion was to him an unnecessarily complicated approach. The "speed" of DC supply was also a question mark, as the chemical conversion to electricity (whether through the discharge of capacitors, or drawing from a battery supply) may not be quick enough to cope with fast fluctuations in current demand. Long term reliability is also impacted by heat and the complexity of the design.
Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply
The Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply is a compact power supply housed in a simple but smartly finished aluminum box. The rear panel contains the IEC inlet, a fuse holder, the power switch, and a socket for the detachable DC lead. The supplied lead is of high quality and comes with a locking collar.
In operation, it runs cool to the touch even when left on permanently.
I purchased a 15 V DC model to power my Auralic Aries. Prior to that, I was using another well regarded linear power supply, which sounded better than the stock switched mode power supply, but too dark and lacking in air for my taste.
The Plixir was noticeably superior in all aspects, sounding more open, faster, while retaining a solid bass foundation and quiet background. Unlike most upgrades that involve some kind of trade-off, this was an all round improvement and easy to recommend.
Plixir Balanced AC Power Conditioner
 |
| Plixir BAC 800 |
I was provided two different models for purpose of this review, a BAC 150 and BAC 800 (the model number denotes the rating of the conditioner in watts).
A number of build options are offered, including upgraded AC outlets, UPOCC internal wiring and Bybee Quantum Purifiers. The units I tested were stock models, which were supplied with high quality Meikosha outlets from Japan.
Similar to the DC power supply, both units ran cool (neither were loaded beyond 50 % of their maximum rating throughout my period of review).
A number of combinations were tried in both of my setups.
1. BAC 150 with source equipment in my main listening room
I tried the BAC 150 first with an Audio-Gd NFB-10ES2 headamp / DAC and also my Cary CD-500, which are in my main listetning room. The power quality there is the highest and most of the audio equipment do not share power lines with noisy household appliances and the like.
Bass quality improved with a nice increase in heft and slam. There was also a noticeable reduction in the noise floor, and the enhancement of detail. The midrange took on a smoother and more laidback feel. I felt that this came at the expense of a darker tonality and a slight reduction of "air".
I did not try my amplifiers with the BAC 800 as their current draw exceed the unit's rating.
2. BAC 800 with Antelope Zodiac Platinum and Job 225
My bedroom setup is less fortunate. It sits on the same line with a whole range of things, including a Plasma TV set, a cable set top box, alarm clock and a computer.
First, I tried the much bigger BAC 800, with both my source and amplifier plugged into the conditioner.
Interestingly, I did not notice any mellowness, or reduction in "air" here. I would think that most people would be suitably impressed with this combination.
Bass was tighter, more extended, and dynamic. You could really feel the added extension, drive and energy of bass lines.
Soundstaging also improved in depth, while there was improvement in detail, separation and refinement. This was most noticeable on heavy mixes, where the additional coherence and detail retrieval allowed you to follow the separate instrument lines clearly.
3. BAC 800 with Antelope Zodiac Platinum
I also tried hooking up just my source to the BAC 800, with the Job 225 plugged directly into the wall.
The reason I tried this was to see whether the conditioner was restricting current to the power amplifier. This did not seem to be the case here.I actually thought that this sounded worse compared to having both my source and the Job 225 plugged into the BAC 800.
4. BAC 150 with Antelope Zodiac Platinum, and BAC 800 with Job 225
James had in fact suggested that I try out using two separate conditioners,and had supplied me with two sets for this purpose.
While the system tonality was similar to just using the BAC 800 alone, there was significant improvement in soundstaging, high frequency extension, low level resolution, and a modest improvement in all the other audiophile niceties observed earlier.
I happened to be listening to a live recording, and you could really feel the acoustic space of the venue, and the reverb from the vocalist and accompanying instruments.
In fact, I would rate the step-up in improvement moving from one to two balanced power supplies to be on par with the improvement going from stock to a single balanced power supply. I had no reservations using this combination and it was nice to be able to have your cake and eat it too !
Conclusion
I was very pleased with the performance of both products. The DC Power Supply makes an excellent alternative to the multitude of other power supplies out on the market, and the ability to work with someone locally to provide custom options is a boon.
While the benefits of the Balanced AC Power Conditioner is more dependent on the quality of your mains power supply, I was suitably impressed with the BAC 800, and even more impressed using the BAC 800 in combination with the BAC 150.
The Plixir line impressed me with it's good build quality, reasonable pricing and outstanding performance. Highly recommended.
I would like to thank James Soh of Sound Affairs Pte Ltd for his time in answering my questions and for supplying the review units.
Specifications and Price
Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply
Specifications and dimensions vary with voltage and maximum current.
Price - S$ 449 upwards
Plixir BAC 150 Balanced AC Power Conditioner
150 watts
Two outlets
Weight - 4 kg
Dimensions - 220 mm x 50 mm x 225 mm
Price - S$ 450
Plixir BAC 800 Balanced AC Power Conditioner
800 watts
Four outlets
Weight - 9 kg
Dimensions - 144 mm x 155 mm x 250 mm
Price - S$ 1,190
Sound Affairs Pte Ltd
100 Beach Road, Shaw Tower
#02-34/35
Singapore 189702
http://mysoundaffairs.com
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