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Regardless of how exactly Bybee Purifiers really work, their effect proved unlike any other power-line product I have tried. Yes, they do appear to reduce some of that same fine layer of low-level haze which I think most audiophiles are familiar with but where these little buggers really impressed was the way dynamics especially of the micro variety come across so freely. The leading edges of notes and musical nuances are far better realized. Music flows more naturally and shows greater vibrancy. Dynamics open up but without upsetting tonal balance or highlighting other musical or sonic aspects.


The common side effect of many conditioning products is a tipped-up tonal balance and/or a dynamic restriction especially noticeable on amplifiers. To me, most do provide an overt sonic improvement but don’t always enhance also the musical aspects. For example, some may open up soundstage depth and width, improve image focus and more apparent detail which are all sonic traits. In trade violins may sound a tad thinner, vocals might lack that last degree of harmonic richness. Since the Stealth Power Purifier combines copious use of various Bybee Purifiers and additional capacitive filtering, I was keen to get close up and personal and see if further juice could be squeezed from my musical lemon.

I started by plugging everything into the Stealth and letting it run in for a couple of weeks before listening critically although the difference upon initially firing it up was impossible to ignore. It was all good. I noted the usual drop in the detail-masking low-level scrim of AC noise that tends to covertly insert itself in listening sessions. It’s always there but I’ve trained myself to ignore it as much as possible.


No need to ignore it any longer. It went bye-bye like the wind. Musical aspects of timing, flow, timbre, dynamics, nuance and silence between notes were all enhanced. Where the Stealth stood out to me—a trait of the Bybee Purifiers in my opinion—was startle factor as that ability to surprise you with just how explosive and dynamic music playback can be. Music also emerged from a far more potent background as opposed to the air and life-sucking dead space created by other conditioners of the transformer or series inductor sort. Transients like the rapid percussive technique of Flamenco guitar playing were wonderfully real. Everything seemed bigger, clearer, more visceral and palpable.


On the usual flip side the Stealth did nothing to blunt or dull musical energy. Nor did it alter tonal balance or timbre. Instead it enriched those traits. If there was an audible downside, I didn’t hear it. Yes, there were sonic benefits as well for those who crave them. Soundstage depth, width, separation and articulation between instruments and vocals all improved. Furthermore this was the first PLC where I actually preferred my Audiomat amp plugged into it. That alone seemed worth the asking price.