Country of Origin
Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (4GHz quad-core with Turbo boost, 32GB RAM, 3TB FusionDrive, OSX Yosemite. iTunes 14.4), PureMusic 3.02, Audirvana 3, Qobuz Hifi, Tidal Hifi, COS Engineering D1, Denafrips Terminator, Soundaware D300Ref as USB bridge/SD transport, Jay's Audio CDT2 MkII
Preamplifier: Nagra Classic, Wyred4Sound STP-SE Stage II, COS Engineering D1, Vinnie Rossi LIO (AVT module)
Power & integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs XA30.8; FirstWatt SIT1 monos, F5, F6, F7; Goldmund/Job 225; Wyred4Sound mINT; Nord Acoustics NC500 monos; LinnenberG Audio Liszt monos; SAG AIO; Crayon Audio CFA-1.2; 2 x Gold Note PA-1175 MkII [on review]
Loudspeakers: Audio Physic Codex; Cube Audio Nenuphar; Kroma Audio Mimí; Albedo Audio Aptica; EnigmAcoustics Mythology 1; Boenicke Audio W5se; Zu Audio Druid V, VI & Submission; German Physiks HRS-120; Eversound Essence; sound|kaos Vox 3f [on review]; Davis Acoustics Courbet N°5 [on review]
Cables: Complete loom of Allnic Audio ZL 3000; Zu Event; KingRex uArt double-header USB cables; Tombo Trøn S/PDIF; van den Hul AES/EBU; AudioQuest Diamond glass-fibre Toslink; Black Cat Cable redlevel Lupo; Ocellia OCC Silver
Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all source components, Vibex One 11R on amps/sub; Furutech e-tp80 & RTP-6; Puritan Audio Labs PSM156 [on review]
Equipment rack: Artesania Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc Krion and glass amp stands
Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators
Room: 4 x 6m with high gabled beam ceiling opening into 4 x 8m kitchen and 5 x 8m living room, hence no wall behind the listening chairs
Review component retail: standard PS106 £545; PS106-DC with added DC filter £675; PS108 omits filtration except for cleansed star earth at £575, adds DC removal for £695
PS106-DC as reviewed on top; Purist 108 version below which, by eliminating the central filter block, can accommodate eight outlets instead.
Would you have that again?
When my wife and I eat out and order unfamiliar dishes, that's what we ask each other afterwards. It's far more relevant than whether we liked it.
After my review of the British Puritan Audio Labs PSM156 flagship active line conditioner, my answer was an unequivocal yes. But what if your budget were only half its £1'450 ask? Sometimes eating out wants kebab or burrito. Rice with refried beans can be most satisfying when rolled up with some guacamole, cheese and hot sauce in a grill-striped tortilla. No need to get all poncey. Starched linens don't fill empty stomachs.
To find out what today's £675 power strip with less intense filtering leaves under the table versus the range topper, I asked Mike Lester for a loaner whilst his big boy was still in residence.
"All of its output sockets now have the same 15A path to them, with 15 amperes being the overall limit for all outputs combined as its big brother. The supplied power strip also has the new non-sacrificial gas voltage spike clamps. The current up-rating is not yet reflected on the top print as we are awaiting fresh front-plate metal work."
Lifted straight off its web page, today's entrant packs multiple cumulative sympathetically-tuned stages of purification with 19 independent elements; 6 x 15A outlets each with independent re-filter stages to eliminate cross contamination between connected equipment; direct maximum power routing to all outputs to realize full dynamic performance; cleansed earth to remove noise from the earth; star earthing to eliminate ground loop hum, reduce the noise floor and improve definition; massive 30'000A of three-dimensional surge protection; internal silver-plated OFC copper wiring with PTFE insulation; C14 type IEC; electrically and magnetically shielded casing of 43 x 23 x 11cm WxDxH and 2.7kg; available with all common output sockets (UK, Schuko, France, Belgium, Switzerland, USA etc).
The companion power cord must be terminated with a 20A plug to fit. Obviously Puritan's own which comes with it is.
After my same-brand comparison, I could then set up a proper strip joint with our 6-outlet Furutech RTP-6 [€800 at its time] and e-tp80 [€650] passive power strips. Zen purists, greet British puritan. Who would have the last laugh? If the PS106-DC were only as good as the passives and no better for adding active AC/DC filtering, just one lightning strike as we once had in Cyprus would settle that score. As building contractor, our landlord had overspec'd our mains circuit breaker. That clamped down fast enough to protect all of our electronics. Three telephones and two answering machines weren't as lucky, however. The deafening strike which left my ears ringing for hours had melted them over the phone line. At our small local computer repair shoppe the next day to buy replacements, the guy behind the counter grinned. He knew exactly what had happened. Regular lightning over Coral Bay was good for business.
Active version on top, passive 'purist' version below.
To properly understand PAL's no-nonsense approach on the power delivery subject, read my first review. That dispenses with more formalities to let us go straight for sonics.
