They buried a separate ground rod. I wanted everything completely separate.
Audioquest Niagra 7000
- Thread starter Duke97
- Start date
They buried a separate ground rod. I wanted everything completely separate.
The Sandman
Member
Are the two ground rods bonded together? You can run into big problems if they're not.
Yes, with heavy gauge copper.
The Sandman
Member
Then you're golden! Or cupric?
kzhtoo
Active member
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- Nov 27, 2014
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- 1,615
Thank you, Mike. Only when you have absolutely nothing to do. 7000 is built like a jewelry store, very impressive internals.
Yes. And AQ has released the 5000 which fixes the issues of the 7000.
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Kuoppis
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- Jan 19, 2015
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Mike, I read the thread again and did not find the issue you are referring to. Maybe you could point me to it?
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Once I plugged in tube amps, tube preamp, tube DAC, tube phonostage, tube tape preamp, it developed a buzz/hum. The Dielectric-Biased AC Isolation Transformers in the 7000 negatively interacts with a full tube system. In a solid state system, the Dielectric-Biased AC Isolation Transformers shines. It performs flawlessly and is a champ.
AudioQuest has come out with the 5000 which does not have the Dielectric-Biased AC Isolation Transformers. It performs otherwise, just like the 7000, but at a much lower price point and works flawlessly with an all tube, all solid state or combination system.
AQ's approach to power conditioning is "active". Shunyata's is "passive". I cannot tell you which will work best in your system. I have both and use both and like both. Ultimately, you need to try both in your system (I recommend the 5000 over the 7000 if you have anything tube related or may have something tube related in the future and a 6000T).
limniscate
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- Aug 7, 2016
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I plan to audition the 7000 in a couple of weeks in my home and will report back.
laynesaddiction
Member
We found in our travels that even with solid state the Niagara 7000 can emit a buzz/hum. In some configurations, the hum was loud enough to be annoying from our listening position during quiet musical passages. What we found in our case is that if you play around with the configuration of "what you plug where" (keeping the high current devices on the high output outlets though), you can significantly reduce the buzz/hum. In our system's case we were not able to totally eliminate the buzz/hum, but reduce it to the point of not interfering with our enjoyment of music at all volumes. While it would be more ideal to have no buzz/hum, we feel the benefits (and there are a big amount of them) of having the 7000 in our system far outweighs the slight hum/buzz that is now at a point of not even being recognizable.
audio.bill
Active member
With all due respect for what is otherwise reported to be a ground breaking product, I personally wouldn't find it acceptable for a power device of any type to introduce additional noise into the system even if it is at a relatively low level. Maybe that's just me though?
laynesaddiction
Member
Hi Bill, no offense taken. I actually get what you are saying and almost didn't purchase the unit, but with the current configuration unless you are right near the unit with dead silence in the room; you don't hear any buzz/hum. I don't think of it as adding noise into the system, but more of a very slight ambient buzz/hum only when you are right at the unit with nothing playing. Obviously to our ears, the unit did wonders on the plus side, so we kept on with our purchase. However, I do get your point and would recommend others who are interested in the unit to use it with their own components and see if they get any hum/buzz. As I mentioned in the earlier post, reconfiguration of ""what you plug where" made a marked difference in our travels.
audio.bill
Active member
A new rave review from Part Time Audiophile. :congrats:
I have a quick question. I have a 7000 and am waiting for my Pass Labs X350.8 to arrive. I was told that Pass Labs amplifiers sound better when plugged into the wall (with the stock cord) rather than through a power conditioner. The stereophile article mentioned that unless all components are plugged into the 7000 it can potentially degrade the sound of the system. Amy thoughts on this?
The Niagara 7000 is designed to take high powered amplifiers plugged into its high current outlets. First try plugging the X-350.8 into the 7000’s high current outlet. Then try plugging directly into the wall outlet. Whichever sounds better to your ears should be the best option.
I did this test with my Vandersteen M7-HPA mono amps on my Audience AR6-TSSOX power conditioner. Consequently, the amps get plugged directly to the wall outlet.
Ken
a.wayne
Well-known member
I'm Amp directly to the wall type myself .....
I'm not sure it's sound degradation as much as it may be not as big of an improvement if everything is not plugged into the same conditioner.