How far does the HIFI Rabbit Hole goes? /W. Audioquest Powerquest 3 Review

Audioquest PowerQuest 3 Review

So power filters, power conditioners. A very ambiguous subject in the HIFI world; many say they don't do anything, while some swear by it.

Me, well, I bought them as a precaution. As my apartment is now housing some expensive HIFI, and if something happened to them, I would be really sad. And while researching, I discovered this power filter.

It is not cheap, but there is the Powerquest 2, which is a far better value, albeit with fewer features. But features that you might honestly not need.

But I wanted to test a theory, a theory of whether it's worth it. And not just that; I bought many advanced power cords to complement this purchase.

Will this help me? Will I have better sound? Will I be even remotely happy? Well, let's find out.

Let's first talk a little bit about what this is. It is an 8-outlet power conditioner and non-sacrificial surge protector. That last thing is super cool.

Its 8 outlets are organized so that it has 2 that are video-optimized, which means that it should improve the sound and picture quality of your projectors and TVs, etc. Four are ultra-linear filters, meant for devices that have a steady, one-way current that does not oscillate so much.

And 2 are most important: high-current outlets that are designed for amplifiers, subwoofers, AV receivers, soundbars, etc.

But also, Audioquest does not care only about your power cables; it also cares for USB A charging. But that is not all; you have inputs for telephone, network LAN cables, and two coaxial input protections.

I think a great thing that no one talks about that much is that Audioquest packs a quality PQ-315 power cable. Which alone can cost around 80 euros.

Regarding build quality and looks, I don't know; I like the design, but it is a bit plasticky in build quality. The good thing is that it is rather slim, so it does not take up much space behind your rack.

But the reason I took this device is powerful surge defense. It protects your device from sudden spikes of high voltage, preventing damage to your devices. It will shut down immediately if it notices extreme voltage approaching and will reset when it sees that it has calmed down.

It can withstand a 6000V/3000A surge without killing the power outlet, which some power outlets do when this happens. It just shuts down and restarts. It makes your mind at ease for such things.

I don't want to complicate this review. I do not want to waste anybody's time. Will this improve your sound? Depends.

Honestly, it depends on your problem. This is a tool, and like any other tool, it requires a problem to fix in order for it to be effective.

Do you experience ground hum, noise, etc., in your sound? This will help. If you live in apartment buildings, if you are a CEO and have your own hifi system in your office, this will help. As wherever there are a lot of devices on a single current, it does pollute the signal. This truly might help. So it might help at big residential buildings and office buildings.

But if you don't have any of these problems, and you buy this expecting a sudden rise in sound quality, it might be just a placebo. I cannot guarantee any improvements there.

Which, as I said previously, I do not think there is any value here. You might have problems, and many audiophiles have, at least to some degree, hum problems. Which are going to be noticeable if you have speakers that are 90dB sensitivity or above. Some cheaper amps, I did hear a lot of hum coming from them, etc.

Plus, you have all these inputs and outputs, and surge protection; it might be a perfect thing for versatility and protection.

So you have to ask yourself: do you have any of the problems I mentioned above? And do you need additional protection? If you do, this might be a solid offering. And if the price is high, look at Powerquest 2. It has two less linear filters, it does not have additional LAN and coaxial protections, but it does the same thing for less.

Going Down the Rabbit Hole

Now, is this normal? Is it normal that I spend so much money on power cables and power outlets?

I remember when I started this HIFI journey, I listened to music for 6-8 hours a day. And I just wanted something that would make my music more grand, more big, more like the real thing.

I bought my first amp and speakers without knowing how to connect them, and I used my TV with Spotify and Deezer to listen to music.

I was happy; it seemed like the perfect combination for me. Why would I want anything more? But I wanted to be a cool kid, so I bought a turntable, and like that, enough people at the store sold me also a phono preamp, as who could you listen to music without it?

But I collect Vinyls and CDs; if I have a Turntable, I should also have a CD player. And don't forget, all the people on YouTube are talking about music streamers for better music, so I need that as well.

After that, better cables, better speakers, better amps... But wait, my room is ruining my sound, so I spent a lot of money to buy anti-reflection panels and bass traps. And so on and so on.

Here I AM TODAY buying power outlets and power cables that cost as much as my first gear.

And does that make me happy? Yes... but shortly, when the high runs dry and I am at ground again, I just see problems and what-ifs? What if I buy more? What if I change this equipment? Will it sound how I want, and will it satisfy me to not look further?

I don't know, but it is hard to subdue that urge to try and experiment with new things, especially when I watch YouTube reviews and see something I really want.

But it all returns me to my first question: is this making me happy? And it is hard to explain, but I think I am less and less happy with new gear. There lacks excitement, passion, something to move me. It is rare that I now experience that often, especially not like before.

Now there are two wolves in me, one that says to go with the most separate for the best quality possible, as I deserve nothing but the best. Haha.

Another thing is to remove as much clutter from your life and have space between you and music, with fewer obstacles and objects. Music is what you are here for; keep it simple and just enjoy it. Great music will sound great on any system, whether it's a great system or an excellent, fantastic one.

I don't know; I think about that a lot. When will this HIFI rabbit hole ever end? When will I say, "This is it; this is the end game, the end of the road for me"? I don't know, but we will see. I hope to stick around YouTube for a long time youtube to share this journey with you guys.

What do you guys think? Can you help me clear my mind a little bit? What is your experience and thoughts about all this?

Well, just keep daydreaming and enjoy life, and see you in the next video!