- Workin' Man Audio with Dave Duvall

TAD SYSTEMS POWER PURIFIER

September 1996

Suggested list price $1,090.00

TAD Systems
245 S. Railroad Ave.
San Mateo, CA. 93940
Phone: (415)323-3030
Fax: (415)323-2007

Time for ol' Workin Stiff to clean up his act, and his AC power line. But we're not going to start off in the traditional sense with isolation transformers, fuses, breakers, surge and spike protectors, RFI suppressors and the like.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

TAD Systems of San Mateo has sent a me a new product for evaluation, called the "Power Purifier." Catchy name... pretty much self explanatory. Designed by Physicist Jack Bybee, this baby borderlines on the exotic.

The Purifier measures 15-3/4" wide x 3-7/8" tall x 6-5/8" deep, and is a hefty little thang. The front is plain Jane, with only their name plate showing. The rear panel has two removable power cords; one for the block of eight low amperage outlets (sources), and one for the block of four high amperage outlets (amplifiers). The two circuits are separated internally from each other, and the entire unit operates passively; merely passing the signal through it, without any further electronics involved.

Opening up the unit doesn't do a whole lot to demystify the Power Purifier. Each block of outlets are wired in series amongst themselves with solid copper wire, and then tapped off the last outlet with stranded. The power cord wires are also stranded. Now, here's where we crank up the theme from the "Twilight Zone", and things get a little different than the rest of the pack. The wires of the power cord enter two blocks-o-mass (one for sources, and one for amps) , and exit on their other ends to head to their respective outlets. Inside these blocks, is where the work really gets done. The potted devices inside are fabricated from ceramics containing rare earth metals such as Zirconium, Yttrium, Neodymium, Praeseadoyium, and Lanthanum oxides. It is the combination of these materials, which are very expensive and have only been used by the military, that create a barrier to isolate, block, and absorb specific electrons that create distortions in the audio signal.

The Power Purifier utilizes technology based on extensive research into the principles and materials relating to superconductivity. Renowned high-end designer John Curl offers his comments on the Power Purifier. "There may be other AC line filter systems that filter in the same frequency range, but the Bybee filter design does not use any caps or inductors, so the source remains resistive (.05 ohm-.3 ohm, depending on filter); this seems to be a big advantage. The Quantum filter does not eliminate line harmonics, and is not a super RFI filter...It does filter noise that would pass through most RFI filters." Curl is hoping to make a small version of the unit as a mod for his Vendetta phono preamp. "I have to keep improving the power supply system to keep up with other designs, or I must (use) battery power to get optimum. The Quantum filter helps me retain high current capability of AC line operation, rather than compromise with battery operation."

The Power Purifier is designed to operate over a limited range, just below where good RFI filters cut in; so don't expect this product to take care of any unwanted RFI problems. The use of an RFI filter ahead of the Purifier, or ferrite clamps, Red Rollers, etc., may still prove valid in conjunction with this product. I plan on examining this in the next few months, and will report the results. The Purifier also will not solve any ground loop problems you may have within the racetrack of cables and components downstream. If you still hear any 60hz. hum in your system with the Power Purifier on line, it's a safe bet it's coming from something else. It has been measured (by the designer-you know I'm not sharp enough to do such a thing) to reduce jitter in digital clocks; and is said that this may be the reason that it works so well with digital processors.

TAD Systems lists these reasons how Quantum Purification differs from other power conditioning products on the market:

1. The Power Purifier contains no filters or notch filters than can cause phase shifting.
2. No Isolation Transformers that allow trans mode noise to pass. Even though ISO source impedance is low, they can also contribute to constriction.
3. No Ferro Resonance devices that have high source impedance (z) and can create excessive heat.
4. No transit voltage surge supressors that add excessive impedance and additional noise due to capacitors and MOV's.

AND THE REASON YOU CAME............

Benefits were primarily in palpability and soundstaging; eliciting the suspension of disbelief without effort. Music would appear from a blacker background, letting the music seem to exist in space, as opposed to emanating from a finite plane.

Dynamics on "Allelujah! Laudamus" from the HDCD encoded "Pomp and Pipes" (Reference RR-58CD) were more stunning than without the Power Purifier. The bass drum whacks are more visceral and the crash cymbals explosive. Yet, the mid and upper ranges of the pipe organ are rendered sweetly, when called upon for the delicate solo work. On "The Vikings" track, the snare drums sound further back in the soundstage, than when listening through the unfiltered line. Layering of the symphony is further enhanced . When the Purifier is removed there is a slight compressing of the soundstage from front to rear. I could also tell the difference in the bloom around instruments and voices; the Power Purifier providing more air.

Listening to "Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)" from the Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Sessions" (RCA 8568-2-R), showed the Purifier gave more "heft" to Margo Timmins alluring voice; becoming more distinctive and unique. Soundstaging appears larger in all dimensions. The expansiveness of the soundstage now seems only limited by the recording. My favorite cut on this disc, "200 More Miles", now has a new level of ease with the Purifier, that I had not experienced prior.

On the soundtrack to the "Patriot Games" conducted by James Horner (RCA 07863 66051-2), there is more of a roundness and three dimensionality to the score. This is an incredible spacemeister disc on my already excellent sounding system. When the Purifier let this disc just cut loose and fly, I remember a big ol' smile pushing on my jaw muscles. I'd like to start guessing at things like lack of phase shifting and whatnot, as being the reason that the soundstage has opened up, but I'll have to leave that kinda stuff to those who can backup their theories.

With tracks from my best reference CD "The Ultimate Demonstration Disc" (Chesky UD95), the improvements of the Purifier were very obvious. These tracks are selected to demonstrate different Audiophile terms and to educate the listener. When you've heard Sara K. croon "If I Could Sing Your Blues" hundreds of times; the fact that the drums are now set back further from Sara's voice is eye opening. On Monty Alexander's rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown" the overall presentation is less forward and aggressive. I say less aggressive in the sense that the music is not pushed upon you, once again referring back to the sense of ease mentioned earlier. This sense of ease is not at the expense of rhythm and pace however, as this track rolls like a locomotive train.

Now here's a surprise. Out of curiousity I plugged my laserdisc player and my VCR into the Purifier. Both video sources showed a noticeable improvement in picture quality. The colors were more vivid, the overall brightness was higher, and the pictures had less grain. Go figure? I haven't put my 32" Sony XBR to the test, as it's too far away without an El-cheapo extension cord. Besides, this ain't Widescreen Review (which I happen to read and enjoy).

Does the TAD Systems Power Purifier make the experience 100% real, obsoleting live music? That's not where I'm going when I lay accolades upon a product of this refinement. Certainly that would be asking a hell of a lot from a bunch of black boxes. I will go so far as to say that the Purifier contributes vitally to the extreme pleasure (and therapy) that my system gives me. I was on the skeptical side going in, not having a lot of exposure to power conditioning. There's also the "how does this thing work" feeling you get when you read of the exotic materials and passiveness of the product. While I'd love to know and share all the answers with you, I can't. I'm willing to accept the fact that it does work, and that it does make a difference I enjoy.

Being human means that by nature we adapt to our surroundings. Can I live with my system without the Power Purifier. You betcha. This rig is capable of good things. The real question is, "would I be reminded too often of the increased realness, spaciousness, and the blackness of the background that's provided with the Power Purifier?"

I don't know about you, but there'd be a little gremlin in my head reminding me of how good it was. I highly recommend you try the power conditioning field, once your system reaches a static state of high quality. I recommend the Power Purifier as an excellent product, capable of taking you that one next step closer to real thing.

See Ya....Dave Duvall

Manufacturer's Comments from TAD Systems

Dear Dave,

Thank you for the positive comments, it is obvious that you took the time to review the purifier correctly. Your subjective observations concur with other "Golden Ears."

Your review confirms our design objectives: to economically purify the AC line power without introducing any extraneous noise artifacts or phase shifting. We fully realize that the Power Purifier will not benefit all systems, only those that have reached a higher level of resolution. That is why we offer a 30-day money back guarantee for anyone who does not believe the purifier is of benefit to their system.

If you think the purification manifests itself positively in relatively "good" AC, you should experience the difference it makes in Europe's and Asia's current.

We have just installed new phone systems that will enable anyone interested to contact the proper TAD Systems personnel directly. These phone numbers are:

Sales and Factory line: (415)323-3030
Fax: (415)323-2007

Thanks for being involved-we really value your input! Keep up the good work!

Jay Endres