Thread: AudioQuest Niagara 7000 vs. 5000

Has anyone done a direct comparison of the AudioQuest Niagara 7000 vs. 5000? If so, can you articulate the difference in sound quality?

Thanks,
Ken

Originally Posted by audio.bill

Hey Ken - Thought you may have missed these related threads since they're not in the AQ forum, being in "Power Conditioners & Regulators":
AudioQuest Niagara 7000 Low-Z Power-Noise Dissipation System- Don’t Call It a Power Conditioner
AudioQuest Niagra 5000
http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...l=1#post187278

Thanks Bill,

I read those threads and there seems to be an issue with tube components being plugged into the 7000’s low current outlets (humming), which go through its transformer. However, the high current outlets on the 7000 don’t go through the transformer. Since my amplifiers are my only components with tubes and are plugged into the high current outlets, in theory, the 7000 should provide more noise reduction to my Select II DAC than the 5000 and still not hum.

Ken

Why are you using one on amps?

Originally Posted by Kingrex

Why are you using one on amps?

Because it is specifically designed to be used with my amps through its high current outlets. It is non-current limiting as it can provide over 90 amps of peak instantaneous current.

Ken

Originally Posted by Alpinist

Thanks Bill,

I read those threads and there seems to be an issue with tube components being plugged into the 7000’s low current outlets (humming), which go through its transformer. However, the high current outlets on the 7000 don’t go through the transformer. Since my amplifiers are my only components with tubes and are plugged into the high current outlets, in theory, the 7000 should provide more noise reduction to my Select II DAC than the 5000 and still not hum.

Ken

Any power product that adds hum to your system should be a non-starter. The power supplies in your gear were designed to clean the incoming AC from your wall outlets.

Originally Posted by mep

Any power product that adds hum to your system should be a non-starter. The power supplies in your gear were designed to clean the incoming AC from your wall outlets.

God I wish that were true. If it were the case, power conditioners would not be needed.

Originally Posted by Kingrex

God I wish that were true. If it were the case, power conditioners would not be needed.

You are an outlier. From what you have stated numerous times, you have all kinds of weird electrical phenomena at your house that even power cleaning products can't get rid of. You said your system always hums. You obviously have some unique issues.

Originally Posted by mep

You are an outlier. From what you have stated numerous times, you have all kinds of weird electrical phenomena at your house that even power cleaning products can't get rid of. You said your system always hums. You obviously have some unique issues.

Power conditions get rid of humming at my house. Some equipment such as my Rega Osiris benefitted and sounded better with the Isoteck Syncro. A balanced power transformer benefited my Conrad Johnson Premier 140. Neither of those products benefited my front end as they added a lot of Vail or just altered the sound in ways I did not like. My current amps have not responded well to any power conditioners I've tried. But that wasn't the point of my comment. My point was I don't think manufacturers design power conditioning into their gear. If they did design power conditioning into their gear, no one would be purchasing anything from PS audio, Isoteck, Audioquest, Furman ETC.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they all have built in power conditioning. Consumers of external products maybe like to change the sound the manufacturer thought was best.

Originally Posted by Kingrex

Power conditions get rid of humming at my house. Some equipment such as my Rega Osiris benefitted and sounded better with the Isoteck Syncro. A balanced power transformer benefited my Conrad Johnson Premier 140. Neither of those products benefited my front end as they added a lot of Vail or just altered the sound in ways I did not like. My current amps have not responded well to any power conditioners I've tried. But that wasn't the point of my comment. My point was I don't think manufacturers design power conditioning into their gear. If they did design power conditioning into their gear, no one would be purchasing anything from PS audio, Isoteck, Audioquest, Furman ETC.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they all have built in power conditioning. Consumers of external products maybe like to change the sound the manufacturer thought was best.

Your amps still hum right? That's what you wrote yesterday in your first listening impressions of your new speakers. And yes, manufacturers of high end gear build robust power supplies that are well regulated and that do an excellent job of filtering out noise and hum from the AC input. Many amp manufactures are emphatic that they want their amps plugged straight into the wall. I'm sure you can find gear that has crappy power supplies and wasn't designed by an electrical engineer, but it's best to buy gear that was designed well in the first place and not have to use outboard bandaids IMO.

Originally Posted by mep

Your amps still hum right? That's what you wrote yesterday in your first listening impressions of your new speakers. And yes, manufacturers of high end gear build robust power supplies that are well regulated and that do an excellent job of filtering out noise and hum from the AC input. Many amp manufactures are emphatic that they want their amps plugged straight into the wall. I'm sure you can find gear that has crappy power supplies and wasn't designed by an electrical engineer, but it's best to buy gear that was designed well in the first place and not have to use outboard bandaids IMO.

I have no idea what amp manufacturers due today. But I 100% agree with your belief in how to power amps.

What about front end gear. Do you believe they also utilize devices to mitigate noise pollution. If so do you also believe all front end gear should be plugged directly into a wall?

Originally Posted by Kingrex

I have no idea what amp manufacturers due today. But I 100% agree with your belief in how to power amps.

What about front end gear. Do you believe they also utilize devices to mitigate noise pollution. If so do you also believe all front end gear should be plugged directly into a wall?

I don’t use any external power filtering devices in my system. My preference is to plug all gear straight into the wall if possible.

Originally Posted by Kingrex

I have no idea what amp manufacturers due today. But I 100% agree with your belief in how to power amps.

What about front end gear. Do you believe they also utilize devices to mitigate noise pollution. If so do you also believe all front end gear should be plugged directly into a wall?

I prefer my amps plugged into the Denali 6000T. I plan on trying Transparent Opus Power Cords in the near future and will see if I prefer them into the 6000T or directly into the wall.

Originally Posted by Kingsrule

FYI I believe there was a recent update/change to the 7000......not sure of details

Please post any details you have.

Thanks,
Ken

Originally Posted by still-one

I prefer my amps plugged into the Denali 6000T. I plan on trying Transparent Opus Power Cords in the near future and will see if I prefer them into the 6000T or directly into the wall.

So you have tube or SS. Did you have noise issues that drove the purchase. Thanks

Originally Posted by Kingrex

So you have tube or SS. Did you have noise issues that drove the purchase. Thanks

He lists his gear under his name.

Did anyone try AQ Niagara products with Vitus Audio amplification?

I made some major changes since my last post. I traded in my Niagara 7000 for two Niagara 5000’s. The Niagara 5000’s agree much better with my quirky power situation (big swings in voltage and EMI).

Each of my MSB Select 2 power supplies gets its own low current duplex in my first Niagara 5000, which is plugged into my first dedicated 20 amp line. I find the treble and midrange has more ease than the less noise reduction high current outlets, yet retains outstanding dynamics.

My entire network (modem, router, NAS and Roon Nucleus Plus), each device gets its own low current duplex on my second Niagara 5000, which is on my second dedicated 20 amp line. Lastly, each monoblock amplifier and subwoofer monoblock amplifier gets its own high current duplex. Much trial and error to come up with this configuration. I am very pleased with the results.

Ken

Originally Posted by Alpinist

I made some major changes since my last post. I traded in my Niagara 7000 for two Niagara 5000’s. The Niagara 5000’s agree much better with my quirky power situation (big swings in voltage and EMI).

Each of my MSB Select 2 power supplies gets its own low current duplex in my first Niagara 5000, which is plugged into my first dedicated 20 amp line. I find the treble and midrange has more ease than the less noise reduction high current outlets, yet retains outstanding dynamics.

My entire network (modem, router, NAS and Roon Nucleus Plus), each device gets its own low current duplex on my second Niagara 5000, which is on my second dedicated 20 amp line. Lastly, each monoblock amplifier and subwoofer monoblock amplifier gets its own high current duplex. Much trial and error to come up with this configuration. I am very pleased with the results.

Ken

Thanks for the update. If I didn't have all my front end gear plugged into my Denali I would probably give the Niagara unit a go.

I see my last post on this topic was over 15 months ago. As I noted then I was waiting to try Transparent Opus Power Cords on my amps. I liked them more than the Shunyata's I was using connected to the Denali. I now run my Momentum's with the Opus connected direct to the wall. All my other gear goes into the Denali 6000T using Shunyata on my digital gear and Transparent on my analog.

Originally Posted by Kingrex

How much hum were you guys actually getting. I sit in the middle with my friends. 2 have dead quiet systems. One uses no power conditioning. I wired his system. Another uses equitech. Another has all sorts of noise and uses all sorts ot gear and still has noise. Another is strait in the wall and has fluctuating noise. I helped on some of the wiring on the last. Mine has minor constant noise that comes and goes. Never very loud but always there. I want mine dead quiet but the 3 of us with noise have tried so many devices out there but hear them all.

FWIW, better grounding, isolation of branch circuit wiring in the panel and running to the rack as well as separation of all wires behind the rack got rid of 70% of the noise, i'm still styck with 30% I can't clear. I am actually starting to think I have radio interference. I wonder if a shield around the equipment would stop the noise. My CJ amp was more quiet with the tube shield onm but it compressed the power and shunted the highs. Or so I thought I heard. Maybe it doesn't even hum and its all in my head.
Hahaaaaa

I had an audible buzz with the Niagara 7000. The Niagara 5000’s are dead quiet.

Ken

Kingrex, all of my previous c j amps, at least a dozen over the years, could hum a bit. Especially the monoblocks. They suggested lifting the grounds. That always worked. They also recommend going direct to the wall with the power amp.
Best,