Tweakers' Asylum: REVIEW: Alan Maher Power Enhancers Quantum Studio, Quantum IEC, Reference II, PE V Professional IEC, Infinity CBF Accessory by smart845

Model:	Quantum Studio, Quantum IEC, Reference II, PE V Professional IEC, Infinity CBF
Category:	Accessory
Suggested Retail Price:	Various $
Description:	System and component conditioning
Manufacturer URL:	Alan Maher Power Enhancers

Review by smart845 on September 26, 2009 at 07:47:03
IP Address: 92.236.48.68 Add Your Review
for the Quantum Studio, Quantum IEC, Reference II, PE V Professional IEC, Infinity CBF

First a disclaimer. I am not involved with the company or related and submit this review as one happy customer with the sole aim of expressing my pleasure in using and listening to these remarkable products.

I've been on the tweak merry-go-round for as long as I've been involved in HiFi with some success and some failures. My only criteria is, if it sounds good to me then it must be doing something right. Usually I verify this by removing the tweak months later. If the sound worsens then I put the tweak back. If it improves then the tweak is dubious and may only have produced a change in sound rather than an improvement. Simple, but it works for me.

I believe I have a resolving system and can hear improvements such as capacitor changes in my amps (Sonicap Platinum caps are wonderful along with V-Caps) and have added three dedicated circuits and breaker box to the system. I also use VH Audio Airsine cables throughout. I mention this because I believe these are tweaks that are easily heard and could not live without in my system.

My search for ever more presence, body and an organic nature to the sound led me, after much internet searching and reviews, to Alan Maher's product range. I felt I had to give it a go and as the price of admission to the range was within my grasp, unlike the Bybee products or Nordost Quantum products, I took the plunge. Power regenerators and the like have never swayed me always prefering the raw main feed, something a few other respected component designers agree with.

After a few emails to Alan he recommended I start with a Quantum IEC for my CD player (Audio Aero Prestige Signature) in order to combat the digital nasties thrown back into the system and increase the power factor. A Reference II for overall system enhancement and an Infinity Circuit Breaker Filter. PE V Pro. IECs were also recommended but more on those later.

Delivery to the UK was swift and the Infinity was cable-tied to the incoming mains wire to the breaker box. The Quantum IEC inserted directly at the IEC of the CD Player and power cord attached to the Quantum. Luckily I had a spare socket on the VH Audio Hot Box in which to plug the Reference II. These are all on one of the dedicated lines. The other two lines are direct to each of the subwoofers of my Avantgarde Duos.

What was I hoping to get? A little improvement in resolution due to a lower noise-floor and maybe a bit more naturalism to vocals. What did I get? A sudden drop of all extraneous noise, something you don't notice until it's gone. Lifelike vocals and a sense of being able to see around a vocalist as though they were holographic. I was gobsmacked! Disc after disc was tried and all revealed an increase in detail and naturalism.

However all was not well, the dreaded roller-coaster of break-in began very quickly and one day the bass was missing another the treble and I believe it only settled down after 4 weeks. Alan told me the components will break-in without having to play music as long as they are powered. Finally, I had a better sounding system and to test myself I removed the items to revert back to a much smaller soundstage, less realism and what I hadn't noticed before, a bloated bass. The bass is now taut but not too lean. Which brings me on to the PE V Professional IECs.

Alan's recommendation for the PE Vs was for my monoblock amps (Welborne labs Starchief). I thought that if the lower priced components can do this much then what would the PE Vs bring. Off my money went and within the week came the latest addition. Could I live with the roller-coaster ride again by installing them on my amps? No, I couldn't, so I decided to put them on each of my subwoofers for break-in and then move them to my amps. I also took this decision as I may not have gone the whole hog and added two more for my subs at a later date. This way I could hear what they may bring to the overall presentation. After another 3 weeks I could detect a quicker bass, deeper bass and felt vocals had added strength and body.

Time to play around I thought. The PE Vs were moved to the amps and I was astonished by the impact they had.....all negative!! What happened? Did I break one or both? The bass almost disappeared and even most of the mid-bass. Was I going to have to break them in again? A quick email to Alan and he suggested that indeed the bass could be thinned out too much in some applications and again all very system dependent. I couldn't live with this so back they went onto the subs and all was well after a few hours.

I'd got hooked on these, I no longer call them tweaks, components and asked Alan what could I do to improve, if at all, the spectacular sound I now have. I wanted the resolution, tick, the bass, tick, the body/presence, tick,tick and now wanted an organic feel to the whole sound-stage. The only option left was to add a Quantum Studio to the source/amp line as this still had an IEC between the dedicated line and the Hot Box cord. So today I added the final component and would you believe the sound-stage exploded. Those quiet background or far off sounds now have their own presence and air around them and brought out in all their detail. The bass is as full and deep as it's ever been and yet there are no room related problems, just clean and clear. I believe I have what I am looking for and expect a few weeks of ups and downs but I am amazed at the changes brought by these products. I don't know how they work or understand the explanations on Alan's website but work they do and unlike any other tweak I have tried. Bloody amazing.

Alan tells me there is still more I can do by addressing the house wiring and filtering other components around the house, microwaves and refrigerators being some of the worse, but that will have to wait until funds allow.

For now, I am extremely happy to settle back and wallow in this new found luxurious sound. Give them a try, you may get hooked like me.

Smart

Product Weakness:	4 week break-in roller-coaster ride.
Product Strengths:	Expands sound-stage, enhanced naturalism, greater presence, quicker, deeper bass. Amazing value.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Welborne labs Starchief
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Audio Aero Prestige Signature
Speakers: Avantgarde Duo
Cables/Interconnects: Kimber select
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Allsorts
Room Size (LxWxH): 20 x 14 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: none
Time Period/Length of Audition: 8 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): none
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Welborne labs Starchief
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Audio Aero Prestige Signature
Speakers:	Avantgarde Duo
Cables/Interconnects:	Kimber select
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Allsorts
Room Size (LxWxH):	20 x 14 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	none
Time Period/Length of Audition:	8 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	none
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner