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The $200 K Works Empowered PC compared to the Nite, Elrod - Page 4

post #46 of 65
7/20/03 at 3:53pm
Bumpies
The two Empowereds I have continue to impress, they are definitley staying on my AM Digital Stealth and Bel Canto Dac 2, there is just more fine detail being extracted which was previously obscured. Again on the BC Dac 2 the Empowered replaced a VD Nite, I think the built in filtering is very effective on digital gear, allowing it to edge out Nite here. Also soundstage seems about the same which is impressive since this was real strong suite of VD Nite.

I will soon receive a 3rd Empowered cord which will go on Musical Fidelity CD transport again replacing a VD Nite. I think this will be tougher challenge since VD Nite made dramatic improvement when originally placed here......more on this soon.

I am selling off my VD Reference AC cords which seem to be outperformed by Empowered at less than 1/2 the price, allowing me to purchase 3 Empowereds with the proceeds. Also the Empowereds are much easier to use since they are lightweight and flexible......I am really starting to like this.

The Zu Mother has more treble energy vs Empowered, and if you have system that is too warm/rich you may prefer the Zu Mother. In my system the Mother tends to be too bright, while the VD Nite and Empowered seem very balanced and neutral overall, and also a bit more three dimensional.

PEEPS
Keep the impressions coming, fellow members need to know about great products at real world prices!
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post #47 of 65
7/20/03 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally posted by DarkAngel
Bumpies
Also the Empowereds are much easier to use since they are lightweight and flexible......I am really starting to like this.
This is one reason that I have changed all my cables (apart from the price). Using bearing isolation devices on some of my components which are rather lightweight was just too much of a hassle. And especially with the Nite, can negate the effectiveness of them especially if I did not place them properly. It was just becoming such of a pain. Even the AZ Silver Ref are heavy enough to drag the DIO off the device.

DA, glad to hear they are working out well. Hope other people will have impressions as well.
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post #48 of 65
7/21/03 at 1:47am
My impression of the Empowered so far is that it is fairly well balanced, if not a littlle tipped up in the mids. It images well with good detail top to bottom.

DA,
How does the Empowered beat the VD Ref? I have one on my transport. Also, what does the network consist of, and what is it's purpose?
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post #49 of 65
7/21/03 at 8:46am
Quote:
Originally posted by pigmode
My impression of the Empowered so far is that it is fairly well balanced, if not a littlle tipped up in the mids. It images well with good detail top to bottom.
DA,
How does the Empowered beat the VD Ref? I have one on my transport. Also, what does the network consist of, and what is it's purpose?
Acording to Igor the male plug has three high grade metal film capacitors and two Vishay HV ceramics, hand selected for their musical character.....this offers filtering with no restriction on power flow/transients etc. I am guessing this is similar concept to those "quiet line" filters you plug into empty AC outlet, but this is built right into Empowered cord.

The Empowered also has enhanced cable sheilding with large ferrite that stops few inches short of female end, this placement is all part of sheild design. Igor also makes special mention that cord filters in both directions, this keeps CDP or Dac from dumping digital noise back into you system.

I became acutely aware how important it is to seperate out and isolate digital gear when I added a AM digital stealth conditioner just for CDP and Dac.........this made very noticeable difference over all gear into common power conditioner.

Therefore I immediately put my 2 Empowereds on my digital gear to take advantage of the enhanced filtering capabilities which are in addition to filtering provided by AM Digital Stealth conditioner. The results are very impressive, as I discussed earlier.

As far as how the Empowered is better vs VD Reference, the Empowered just seems to lower the noise floor providing a blacker background from which more fine detail can emerge. This enhanced detail is provided with no sacrifice in soundstage or tonal balance.........Empowered seems very natural, balance sounding in my system. Of course everyone has different gear and musical taste so YMMV.
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post #50 of 65
7/21/03 at 9:18am
Igor sent me an e-mail to correct my description of what is inside the male plug of Empowered:

Quote:
Anyway, a minor correction so as to be sure no one is accidentally misled. There are 3 caps in the plug, total: an excellent but tiny film cap and two Vishay HV ceramics. You are quite right about the similarity to Quiet Line filters, though I started using the basic general technique inside my equipment mods where I thought necessary long before I heard of Quiet Lines. Not ad-byte glitzy "revolutionary technology" (though many of such are nothing more than inventive hype for nothing really new), just solid proven engineering applied creatively and practically in an advantageous way.

There is also a huge advantage in putting them where I do as they do filter-separate digital equipment from each other and other items in your system, and without additional connection interfaces (every set of prongs and receptacles cost some bit of loss), plus this way each piece of equipment served by an EC gets its own dose of filtering, which is additive. The QL's are meant to be plugged into a wall, which means that it often ends up serving some sort of multiple tap/splitter with more than one piece of equipment plugged into it. For instance, plugging two EC's into a common supply will put two of these networks between the pieces they serve, improving intercomponent isolation nicely, where two separate QL's would have to be added, one at each plug, with all the attendant connection interfaces, and the extra cost, as well. Also, the location means that noise is shorted right at the plug, before it can even reach the rest of the cord - from where it can be re-radiated (RF, after all...) to the rest of your system, using the power cord as a transmitting antenna. Something I bet no one has thought much about. As you observed, being parallel circuitry, there can be no transient suppression. I really do try to think things through thoroughly when I design.
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post #51 of 65
7/21/03 at 1:48pm
Thanks for the update DA. I'm thinking of getting an Empowered for my cdp and keeping VD stuff on my power supply and amp.

BTW DA, if you haven't alread seen the "Virtual CD" thread stickied in the Lounge, you might want to check it out.
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post #52 of 65
7/23/03 at 3:10pm
Bumpies
Any updates from the Peeps out there...................

I got my 3rd Empowered and it is breaking in, will appear in main rig this weekend. Also sold my last VD Reference yesterday, main rig now using only VD Nite & K-works Empowered AC cords.
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post #53 of 65
7/26/03 at 11:52pm
Okay, I'll be a guinea pig. I e-mailed Igor about possibly purchasing a cord just now!
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post #54 of 65
7/27/03 at 12:34am
Quote:
Originally posted by DanG
Okay, I'll be a guinea pig. I e-mailed Igor about possibly purchasing a cord just now!
I think the word you are looking for is Lemming.
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post #55 of 65
7/27/03 at 2:48am
Hm, yes that is more correct, isn't it. The guy's Russian so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and told him I'd send off a check on Monday. I'll let you guys know what I think!
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post #56 of 65
7/27/03 at 9:13am
Quote:
Originally posted by DanG
Hm, yes that is more correct, isn't it. The guy's Russian so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and told him I'd send off a check on Monday. I'll let you guys know what I think!
I think you will be very happy with your purchase, especially for any CDP/Dac usage, keep us posted......we have to get Igor to open a paypal account, would make things much easier.

Also it will just be a matter a time before Hirsch breaks down and tries some Empowereds, I can sense his will power weakening.........he did finally succumb to Bogdan BSSR ICs, he he.

SE is on the verge (if he hasn't already got one)

Same for Radrd..........keep us posted PEEPs
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post #57 of 65
7/27/03 at 2:30pm
You shouldn't be so happy, you're making me spend almost twice what I originally intended! Wait, that is a good thing at Head-Fi, isn't it. It's like I haven't been here the past two years. This will be my first upgrade in a long time!
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post #58 of 65
7/27/03 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally posted by DarkAngel
Also it will just be a matter a time before Hirsch breaks down and tries some Empowereds, I can sense his will power weakening.........he did finally succumb to Bogdan BSSR ICs, he he.
All things in their proper time. Got to get the Bogdan's and hear them before doing anything else
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post #59 of 65
7/31/03 at 10:53am
FYI: Igor says that he does not and will not accept PayPal in the near future.
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post #60 of 65
8/8/03 at 8:26am
Bumpies
Hey peeps, anyone else get an Empowered cord? Dan just got one in.......lets hear what you think vs existing AC cords you own.
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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories (DBT-Free Forum) › The $200 K Works Empowered PC compared to the Nite, Elrod