CS-3K Outlet Stabilizer ($406 USD)
I reviewed the original CS-F2 outlet stabilizer back in 2009 in Issue 42. The CS-3K is the latest version of the Acoustic Revive outlet stabilizer. The CS-3K is about the size of a premium AC plug for a power cord, but is a little longer, has AC prongs on its backside, and plugs directly into an unused wall outlet, or a power distributer (like the RPT-6 Absolute NCF Power Distributor I use), or any piece of equipment that has an AC-style receptacle. The CS-3K damps the vibration coming through the AC mains connection, reducing the noise and distortion that can be transmitted into your audio equipment, and thus improving sound quality.
The CS-3K description from Acoustic Revive:
"The outlet stabilizer CS-3K has a vibration damping structure that combines multiple heterogeneous materials such as phosphor bronze, brass, aviation level aluminum alloy, and natural smoky quartz, which attenuates the resonance of the electrode of the outlet and has the rectification effect of the power supply line. It greatly improves the sound quality."
"It is equipped with a special RPC-1KM noise reduction circuit used for noise countermeasures when developing infrared mice, and the audio system is used to absorb and annihilate high-frequency noise on the power supply line. It is possible to dramatically improve the overall S/N ratio."
"If the CS-3K is placed in a vacant outlet, it will exert a high-frequency noise annihilation effect even if it is not near the audio system."
"It is also possible to improve the performance of the clean power supply itself by attaching it to a clean power outlet such as an isolation regulator or isolation transformer."
"CS-3K does not have any side effects such as sound quality signature, energy sensitivity and sound pressure attenuation, like other outlet countermeasure devices. It improves sound quality with an extremely natural and vivid tone, texture, and sound quality full of dynamism."
A CS-3K listening example: On that classic audiophile jazz album, Waltz for Debby, by the Bill Evans Trio, the Analogue Productions 24K Gold Limited Edition CD version of the album played through the Audio Note (UK) 5.1x CD player was absolutely beautiful sounding: liquid, flowing, beautiful tone, realistic timbre and tone color, dynamic, and of course an incredible performance by the Bill Evans Trio.
When I inserted the CS-3K into the spare receptacle of my AC outlet, there was a marked improvement in clarity and a sense of spaciousness in the recording. Bass lines became more articulate, more nuance was recovered, overtones trailed off for longer, and the sense of timbral realism was uncanny. Cymbals sounded more natural, were more resolved. Bill's piano had a markedly improved clarity of tone, and tone colors were more resolved. Recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York City, I could hear with greater clarity and articulation all of the little cues of the live audience, the background comments, the servers doing their thing the applause.
Comparing the sound quality of Waltz for Debby without and with the CS-3K in place was a stark difference. Without the CS-3K in place in the outlet the timbre of the instruments, and the visuospatial aspects of the recording, all seem slightly blurred, in comparison to what it sounded like with the CS-3K in the wall outlet.
Sometimes improvements with audio accessories are more subtle, but not with the CS-3K. It was immediately apparent that this was a notable improvement in any category you care to name; sound quality, musicality, or conferring emotions from the music, for example. It turns out controlling vibration at the outlet is a pretty big deal. With the CS-3K in place I had a deeper and more meaningful look into the music and the recording.
For those of you who like to spin vinyl records, I would say the difference in sound quality with the CS-3K in place was on the order of magnitude I hear when going from a good 33 1/3 rpm LP to premium 45 rpm remaster - big.
Highly recommended.
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