A Serious Problem A Powerful Solution

Mainselectricityispollutedbynumerouscontaminants.WeareconstantlybathedinaseaofRFIandEMI,whichcorruptstheelectricitysupplyanddegradessoundandpicturequality.

IsoTekistheworld’sno.1manufacturerofpoweroptimisationproductsforaudioanAVsystems,trustedbymorethan50,000musicandmovieloversin51countries.

Furthermore,alltheelectricalitemsinyourhome(andyourneighbours’homes),fromcomputerstowashingmachines,affectthesupplyanderodeyoursystem’spotential.

IsoTek’suniquetechnologiesenhancesoundandpicturequalitybyfilteringandregulatingthemainselectricitysupply,deliveringcleanandstablepowertoaudioandAVcomponents.

Astheelectronicdevicesweuseproliferateandthedemandforelectricityescalates,thequalityoftheelectricitywefeedoursystemscontinuestoslide–andit’sonlygoingtogetworse.

IsoTekproductsdeliverunrivalledprotectionfromdamagecausedbylighteningstrikesandpowersurges,andextendthelifespanofelectroniccomponentsviastringentsupplyregulation.

Hello...It’s an inescapable

fact: the performance of your hi-fi or home cinema system is affected by the quality of your mains electricity supply.

Two forms of noise pollute the mains. The first, Differential Mode noise, is especially exacerbated by the switch-mode power supplies that are common in many devices, from computers to kitchen appliances. The second, Common Mode noise, is ever-increasing thanks to wireless networking in the home, with mobile phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth bathing us in a sea of airborne interference.

Since 2001, IsoTek has delivered award-winning products that supply clean, fully optimised power to amps, source components, TVs and projectors, enhancing performance and protecting valuable equipment. From the new entry-level conditioning components, Polaris and Mini Mira, to the flagship Genesis

and Super Titan, IsoTek has a product to suit every system and every pocket, each one uniquely effective in removing both Differential Mode and Common Mode noise.

The improvements delivered by IsoTek components are immediate and profound. The noise floor drops and the sound gains greater focus, with reduced

grain and improved clarity. Bass is tighter and better defined,

treble gains more space and ‘air’, and the overall musical performance appears more solid and dynamic, and hence more ‘real’. In AV

systems, picture quality is similarly enhanced, with richer

colours, improved depth and greater definition.

Discover IsoTek and unleash your system’s full potential. You’ll be glad you did.

Keith MartinFounder & Managing Director, IsoTek

pure sonic innovation

“IsoTekistheleaderinmainsconditioningproducts”Hi-Fi News

“IsoTekintheUK’sbiggestnameinmainsfiltration”Hi-FiChoice

“Notallmainsconditionersarecreatedequal…IsoTekdeliversthesonicgoods”Hi-FiWorld

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY ABOUT ISOTEK

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CLEAN POWER

PURE SOUND

Get Social with IsoTek!Find us on FacebookFollow us on twitter.com/isoteksystemswww.isoteksystems.com

IsoTek is distributed and sold in 51 countries. To find your local dealer or distributor, visit: www.isoteksystems.com

PULSE is published three times a year. To ensure you receive your free issues, simply send an e-mail containing your address to support@isoteksystems.com, with ‘Send me PULSE’ in the subject line.

6 I PULSE AUTUMN2012

Mainselectricityisdistortedbynumerousfactorsasittravelsfrompowerstationstobedistributedthroughoutourhomes,erodingtheperformanceofhigh-qualityaudioandAVsystems.Formorethanadecade,IsoTekhasmanufacturedclass-leadingmainsconditioningcomponentsthatfilteranddistributethemainssupplytodeliverpure,consistentpowerthatinstantlyimprovessoundquality.Butwhatif,insteadoffilteringtheexistingmainssupply,adevicecouldbuildanentirelynew,fullyoptimisedmainssinewavefromscratch?ThatispreciselytheroleofIsoTek’snewGenesis–theworld’sfirstdual-cellmainssinewavegeneratorforaudioandAVsystems.

Unlikeexistingmainsregenerators,Genesisbuildsacompletelynewsinewavewithintwoidentical,independentgenerationcells.Anextremelylowdistortion,synchronoussinewavegeneratorcreatesafullyoptimisedsignalinsideeachcell,whichisamplifiedbya300WgenerationenginerunninginClassA/Bandfedtoahigh-qualityoutputtransformerwithcopperfoilbetweentheprimaryandsecondaryoutput,thus

preventingdistortionandnoisepassingthroughtheunit.Whenbothcellsarecombined,theresultis600Wofcontinuous,newlygeneratedpower.

Theendresultisanextremelypreciseandconsistent230V/50Hzmainssinewavewithvanishinglylowlevelsofdistortion,independentoftheinputqualityofthepowerline.Whateverthelevelofdistortionoftheincomingmainssupply,GenesisdeliversexceptionallylowTHD(TotalHarmonicDistortion)ofbetween0.05%and0.17%withtypicalloads,remainingbelow0.3%witheventhemostcomplexloads.

TheGenesisjoinsSuperTitan–theworld’smostpowerfulmainsconditioner–atthevanguardofIsoTek’sflagshipUltimateseries.WhileGenesisisperfectforfront-endcomponents,SuperTitan’shugecurrentdeliveryisidealforbig,current-hungrypoweramplifiers.Together,theyformaunique,anduniquelyeffective,mainsoptimisationsystem–anewbenchmarkincleanpowerfortheworld’sfinestaudioandAVsystems,resultinginterrificallyenhancedperformance.

IsoTek Genesis: the Source of Great Sound

3 I PULSE AUTUMN2012

On Tour with IsoTekFrom the company’s base in Hampshire, England, the IsoTek team travels the world to conduct public demonstrations, dealer training and product seminars – a vital part of the company’s commitment to support each of the 51 countries in which IsoTek products are sold. Thus far in 2012, the company’s travels have encompassed large swathes of Europe; but the journey began in Bristol, as Keith Martin, IsoTek’s founder and managing director, recalls.

UKTheUK’smostpopularhi-fishow,Sound

&VisioninBristol,remainsakeyfixtureintheIsoTekcalendar.We’vebeenconductinglivedemonstrationsattheshowforthelastnineyears,demonstratingthebenefitsofIsoTekcablesandconditionersviacarefullycontrolledA/Bdemonstrations.I’mpleasedtosayourroomisalwayspacked,andthisyearwasnoexceptionas,amongotherthings,wedeliveredthefirstpublicdemonstrationsoftheGenesisdual-cellpowerconditioner.

Inadditiontoourowndemonstrations,IsoTekproductscouldbeheardintheroomoccupiedbyHi-FiChoice,therespectedaudiopublication.Themagazine’sEditor,DavidPrice,approachedustosupplypowerconditioningtoenhancehissystem’ssoundandthusaidhiscomparisonsbetweenCDandvariousdigitalfiletypesupto24-bit/192kHz.WedeliveredanAquariusconditioningunit,severalPremiumcablesandtheDC-cancellingSyncrocable:theimprovementbroughtbytheIsoTekequipmentonceinstalledwasemphatic.

Czech RepublicHighEndPragueisfirmlyestablished

amongEurope’spremiershowcaseeventsforthefinestaudioandAVequipmentmoneycanbuy.IsoTekwaspresentinforce,conductinginitialdemonstrationswithArcamFMJelectronicsandmidrangeKEFspeakers,thengraduatingtotop-endBurmesterelectronicsandKEFBladespeakersforafull-blowndemoftheGenesisandSuperTitan–IsoTek’sflagshippoweroptimisationcomponents.Morepackedrooms,morenewfans;fromBristoltoPragueandbeyond,allyouneedtoappreciateIsoTekisaloveofmusicandhaveapassionforgreatsound.

GermanyMunich’sHighEndshowisanannual

celebrationofhigh-performanceaudioequipment,Europe’slargesteventofititskind.Thisyear’sshowwasanothertremendoussuccessasweintroducedourrestructuredproductrangetotradeandpublicalike,fromtheentry-levelDiscoveryseriestothetop-endUltimateseries,securingnewdistributiondealsforNorthAmerica,Norway,KoreaandIsraelintheprocess.

RussiaAflyingvisittoMoscowsawus

entertainaround40RussiandealersataspecialeventorganisedbyIsoTek’sRussiandistributor,Qvinta-AudioCompany.Usinga

systemcontainingatop-notchdCSfrontend,weconductedA/BdemonstrationsandexplainedhowIsoTekproductstacklebothCommonModeandDifferentialModenoiseinauniquelyeffectiveway.Bythetimetheeventended,IsoTek’sretailpresenceinRussiawasconsiderablyenhanced!

The NetherlandsFromRussiaweflewtoAmsterdam,

conductingdemonstrationstobothpublicandtradeusingRoksanCaspianelectronicsandMonitorAudiospeakers.WorkingthroughvariousIsoTekcomponents,weconcludedwiththeSuperTitan,theeffectofwhichbroughtgaspsfromtheaudience.Truly,thesecomponentscatapultedthesoundofthisrelativelyhumblesystemintothestratosphere!

SwedenAfterashortperiodbackintheUK,we

travelledtoSwedenforasubstantialdealertrainingtour.WewerecollectedfromtheairportbyourSwedishdistributorinawhiteNissan–ourtourbus,ofsorts.Sixdays,sixtowns,sixdealervisits,eachwithcomprehensiveA/BdemstoshowcasetheclearsonicadvantagethatIsoTekproductsbringtoaudiosystemsatallpricelevels.

Thesystemsweencounteredweredifferentateverydealer,rangingfrommodestMarantzcomponentstohigher-endsystemsfromAudioAnalogueandPasslabs,andevenavalve-basedset-upfromSugden.Eachtime,weranthroughvariouslevelsofIsoTekequipment,fromtheSiriussix-waymainsblocktotheAquariusconditioner,SyncroDC-cancellingpowercableand,towardsthetopendoftherange,theTitanconditioner.Eachstepbroughtclearsonicimprovements–addeddepthanddetail,greaterfront-to-backlayering,increaseddynamiccontrast…ThebestwaytodiscoverthebenefitsofIsoTek’sclean-powertechnologiesistolisten–thenthere’snogoingback!

“TheIsoTekAquariusconditioner

andpowercablesmadeaprofounddifferencetothesoundoftheHi-Fi

Choicehi-resdemsystem,bringingsmoothness,depth,

sweetnessandsubtlety.ThanksIsoTek!”

David Price, Editor of Hi-Fi Choice magazine, at Sound & Vision –

The Bristol Show 2012

ISOTEKNEWS REPORT

AUTUMN

LABREPORT

Technical ExcellenceThefirstin-depthtechnicalreviewoftheIsoTekGenesiswaspublishedintheOctober2012editionofhighlyrespectedaudiojournalHi-Fi News.“Iwasblownaway,”saidreviewerKeithHowardafterconductinghislisteningtests,whilethemagazine’slabanalysisdeliveredirrefutablescientificevidenceofthedual-cellgenerator’sexceptionalperformance,concludingthus:“Astheresultsshow,overalldistortionfromtheGenesisislessthanatwentiethofthatfromthemainssupplyandveryclosetoIsoTek’sclaimof<0.3%.This,byanymeasure,isanexcellentresult.”

Thegraphbelow,extractedfromtheHi-FiNewslabreport,showsthemainsvoltagewaveformawallsocket(red)versustheoutputfromtheGenesis(blue).Themainswaveformisdistorted,butthewaveformfromGenesisisvirtuallyperfect.YoucanviewthelabreportinfullontheIsoTekwebsite:www.isoteksystems.com

www.hifi news.co.uk | REPRODUCED FROM HI-FI NEWS

HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

HI-FI NEWS VERDICT

computer-based media player the result may just as easily swing the other way.

Things were certainly very different with the Black Cube and the Sonys. If I thought the pair sounded good using the domestic mains supply (and I did) I was blown away with how much better they were with the Lehmann powered via the Genesis. I’ve been using two24-bit/96kHz classical downloads from 2L for a lot of my listening recently – part of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 32 played by Tor Espen Aspaas and a movement of a Haydn string quartet played by Engegårdkvartetten – and both relished the IsoTek’s ministrations.

The outstanding piano sound in the Beethoven Maestoso opening became even more muscular at low frequencies and still more luminous higher up the keyboard, and the cleanliness and stability of every element of the stereo image was markedly improved.

IRONIC AUDIOLikewise in the Haydn: the sound was so much better controlled and organised, but with no hint of a dead hand being placed on dynamics or timbral variety. The irony of using a £600 headphone amplifi er on the end of a £13k mains regenerator wasn’t lost on me, but the improvement in sound quality was unarguable!

Still listening via headphones, I tried plugging the wall wart supply of the QuteHD into the Genesis too, with the DAC connected via S/PDIF to a TC Electronic Digital Konnekt x32 FireWire digital audio interface. I listened to the Beethoven and Haydn tracks again, and this time the choice wasn’t so clear-cut. Yes,

there were yet further gains to the weight of the piano’s lower octaves in the Beethoven, and the cello’s in the Haydn, with the Genesis supplying power; and the pervading sense of order and control was heightened further. The sound was also tonally warmer and less grainy, but there was just a hint that some of the light and shade was lost.

To decide the issue I returned to the Bob Dylan ‘Don’t Think Twice’ (which, incidentally, I was hearing for the fi rst time in years recently and which immediately made me realise represented a gaping hole in my collection).

If I had to describe in a single word what the Genesis brought to the sound of this simple track, in which the lyrics provide the power rather than Marshall stacks or any studio trickery, I’d settle on ‘intimacy’. There was signifi cantly more warmth to Dylan’s voice, and this vintage recording didn’t sound so obviously old as it did with the QuteHD powered from the normal mains supply.

ABOVE: Four output sockets are provided, divided into two pairs which can be separately energised or disabled. Each pair is able to deliver a maximum of 300VA, which is suffi cient for front-end components only – not power amplifi ers

Testing mains regenerators requires some special, custom-built equipment. The fi rst measurement, of charging current waveform, I made using an inline Hall-effect current transducer from LEM Components that can record currents of up to 80A at slew rates of greater than 60A/µs over a bandwidth exceeding 100kHz, while inserting a series resistance of only 0.18mohm. This is built into a box with fl ying leads terminated in a mains plug at one side and a mains socket at the other, allowing its insertion into the mains feed to any component.

Comparison of charging current waveforms from the wall socket (red trace) and from the Genesis (blue trace) is shown in below [see Graph 1]. The Genesis current pulses are textbook whereas those from the wall socket have a lower peak value and longer duration due to the distorted mains waveform. The distortion measurement itself was complicated by the output of the Genesis being fl oating – the secondaries of its output transformers are not connected to earth at either end, nor at a centre tap. IsoTek insists that a balanced test circuit must be used, with earth referred to the measurement computer, to achieve the best THD fi gures, so a balanced attenuator was built especially for the task, feeding a battery-powered INA217 low-noise, low-distortion instrumentation amplifi er. Its output was recorded to hard disk as a WAV fi le via an M-Audio Audiophile 192 sound card for subsequent spectral analysis.

Voltage waveforms from the wall socket (red trace) and Genesis (blue trace) are also shown below [see Graph 2], while the test table lists individual amplitudes of the fi rst four odd harmonics (each referenced to the amplitude of the 50Hz fundamental) plus a THD fi gure calculated from the fi rst 20 harmonics. As the results show, overall distortion from the EVO3 Genesis is less than a twentieth of that from the mains supply and very close to IsoTek’s claim of <0.3%. This, by any measure, is an excellent result. KH

ISOTEK EVO3 GENESIS (£12,995)

Harmonic Mains EVO3 Genesis

3rd 4.35% 0.12%

5th 5.05% 0.06%

7th 2.09% 0.15%

9th 0.92% 0.17%

THD (2nd-20th) 7.05% 0.32%

ABOVE: Mains voltage waveform, from wall socket (red) versus IsoTek EVO3 Genesis (blue)

ABOVE: Distorted mains (charging) current waveform (red) versus signifi cantly more linear waveform delivered by the IsoTek EVO3 Genesis (blue)

In the right circumstances there’s no doubt that the Genesis can elicit a marked improvement in sound quality, with gains in weight, warmth and control. But on other occasions the change in sound is, to my ears, as much a step sideways as forwards. So the inevitable conclusion is that this costly mains regenerator should be judged carefully on a case by case basis, and not treated as a catch-all panacea.

Sound Quality: 80%0 - - - - - - - - 100

LABREPORT

www.hifi news.co.uk | REPRODUCED FROM HI-FI NEWS

HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

HI-FI NEWS VERDICT

computer-based media player the result may just as easily swing the other way.

Things were certainly very different with the Black Cube and the Sonys. If I thought the pair sounded good using the domestic mains supply (and I did) I was blown away with how much better they were with the Lehmann powered via the Genesis. I’ve been using two24-bit/96kHz classical downloads from 2L for a lot of my listening recently – part of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 32 played by Tor Espen Aspaas and a movement of a Haydn string quartet played by Engegårdkvartetten – and both relished the IsoTek’s ministrations.

The outstanding piano sound in the Beethoven Maestoso opening became even more muscular at low frequencies and still more luminous higher up the keyboard, and the cleanliness and stability of every element of the stereo image was markedly improved.

IRONIC AUDIOLikewise in the Haydn: the sound was so much better controlled and organised, but with no hint of a dead hand being placed on dynamics or timbral variety. The irony of using a £600 headphone amplifi er on the end of a £13k mains regenerator wasn’t lost on me, but the improvement in sound quality was unarguable!

Still listening via headphones, I tried plugging the wall wart supply of the QuteHD into the Genesis too, with the DAC connected via S/PDIF to a TC Electronic Digital Konnekt x32 FireWire digital audio interface. I listened to the Beethoven and Haydn tracks again, and this time the choice wasn’t so clear-cut. Yes,

there were yet further gains to the weight of the piano’s lower octaves in the Beethoven, and the cello’s in the Haydn, with the Genesis supplying power; and the pervading sense of order and control was heightened further. The sound was also tonally warmer and less grainy, but there was just a hint that some of the light and shade was lost.

To decide the issue I returned to the Bob Dylan ‘Don’t Think Twice’ (which, incidentally, I was hearing for the fi rst time in years recently and which immediately made me realise represented a gaping hole in my collection).

If I had to describe in a single word what the Genesis brought to the sound of this simple track, in which the lyrics provide the power rather than Marshall stacks or any studio trickery, I’d settle on ‘intimacy’. There was signifi cantly more warmth to Dylan’s voice, and this vintage recording didn’t sound so obviously old as it did with the QuteHD powered from the normal mains supply.

ABOVE: Four output sockets are provided, divided into two pairs which can be separately energised or disabled. Each pair is able to deliver a maximum of 300VA, which is suffi cient for front-end components only – not power amplifi ers

Testing mains regenerators requires some special, custom-built equipment. The fi rst measurement, of charging current waveform, I made using an inline Hall-effect current transducer from LEM Components that can record currents of up to 80A at slew rates of greater than 60A/µs over a bandwidth exceeding 100kHz, while inserting a series resistance of only 0.18mohm. This is built into a box with fl ying leads terminated in a mains plug at one side and a mains socket at the other, allowing its insertion into the mains feed to any component.

Comparison of charging current waveforms from the wall socket (red trace) and from the Genesis (blue trace) is shown in below [see Graph 1]. The Genesis current pulses are textbook whereas those from the wall socket have a lower peak value and longer duration due to the distorted mains waveform. The distortion measurement itself was complicated by the output of the Genesis being fl oating – the secondaries of its output transformers are not connected to earth at either end, nor at a centre tap. IsoTek insists that a balanced test circuit must be used, with earth referred to the measurement computer, to achieve the best THD fi gures, so a balanced attenuator was built especially for the task, feeding a battery-powered INA217 low-noise, low-distortion instrumentation amplifi er. Its output was recorded to hard disk as a WAV fi le via an M-Audio Audiophile 192 sound card for subsequent spectral analysis.

Voltage waveforms from the wall socket (red trace) and Genesis (blue trace) are also shown below [see Graph 2], while the test table lists individual amplitudes of the fi rst four odd harmonics (each referenced to the amplitude of the 50Hz fundamental) plus a THD fi gure calculated from the fi rst 20 harmonics. As the results show, overall distortion from the EVO3 Genesis is less than a twentieth of that from the mains supply and very close to IsoTek’s claim of <0.3%. This, by any measure, is an excellent result. KH

ISOTEK EVO3 GENESIS (£12,995)

Harmonic Mains EVO3 Genesis

3rd 4.35% 0.12%

5th 5.05% 0.06%

7th 2.09% 0.15%

9th 0.92% 0.17%

THD (2nd-20th) 7.05% 0.32%

ABOVE: Mains voltage waveform, from wall socket (red) versus IsoTek EVO3 Genesis (blue)

ABOVE: Distorted mains (charging) current waveform (red) versus signifi cantly more linear waveform delivered by the IsoTek EVO3 Genesis (blue)

In the right circumstances there’s no doubt that the Genesis can elicit a marked improvement in sound quality, with gains in weight, warmth and control. But on other occasions the change in sound is, to my ears, as much a step sideways as forwards. So the inevitable conclusion is that this costly mains regenerator should be judged carefully on a case by case basis, and not treated as a catch-all panacea.

Sound Quality: 80%0 - - - - - - - - 100

LABREPORT

ABOVE&BELOW:InteriorphotographandschematicofIsoTekEVO3Genesis

ABOVE:Mainsvoltagewaveform,fromwallsocket(red)versusIsoTekEVO3Genesis(blue)

3 I PULSE AUTUMN 2012

On Tour with IsoTekFrom the company’s base in Hampshire, England, the IsoTek team travels the world to conduct public demonstrations, dealer training and product seminars – a vital part of the company’s commitment to support each of the 51 countries in which IsoTek products are sold. Thus far in 2012, the company’s travels have encompassed large swathes of Europe; but the journey began in Bristol, as Keith Martin, IsoTek’s founder and managing director, recalls.

UKThe UK’s most popular hi-fi show, Sound

& Vision in Bristol, remains a key fixture in the IsoTek calendar. We’ve been conducting live demonstrations at the show for the last nine years, demonstrating the benefits of IsoTek cables and conditioners via carefully controlled A/B demonstrations. I’m pleased to say our room is always packed, and this year was no exception as, among other things, we delivered the first public demonstrations of the Genesis dual-cell power conditioner.

In addition to our own demonstrations, IsoTek products could be heard in the room occupied by Hi-Fi Choice, the respected audio publication. The magazine’s Editor, David Price, approached us to supply power conditioning to enhance his system’s sound and thus aid his comparisons between CD and various digital file types up to 24-bit/192kHz. We delivered an Aquarius conditioning unit, several Premium cables and the DC-cancelling Syncro cable: the improvement brought by the IsoTek equipment once installed was emphatic.

Czech RepublicHigh End Prague is firmly established

among Europe’s premier showcase events for the finest audio and AV equipment money can buy. IsoTek was present in force, conducting initial demonstrations with Arcam FMJ electronics and midrange KEF speakers, then graduating to top-end Burmester electronics and KEF Blade speakers for a full-blown dem of the Genesis and Super Titan – IsoTek’s flagship power optimisation components. More packed rooms, more new fans; from Bristol to Prague and beyond, all you need to appreciate IsoTek is a love of music and have a passion for great sound.

GermanyMunich’s High End show is an annual

celebration of high-performance audio equipment, Europe’s largest event of it its kind. This year’s show was another tremendous success as we introduced our restructured product range to trade and public alike, from the entry-level Discovery series to the top-end Ultimate series, securing new distribution deals for North America, Norway, Korea and Israel in the process.

RussiaA flying visit to Moscow saw us

entertain around 40 Russian dealers at a special event organised by IsoTek’s Russian distributor, Qvinta-Audio Company. Using a

system containing a top-notch dCS front end, we conducted A/B demonstrations and explained how IsoTek products tackle both Common Mode and Differential Mode noise in a uniquely effective way. By the time the event ended, IsoTek’s retail presence in Russia was considerably enhanced!

The NetherlandsFrom Russia we flew to Amsterdam,

conducting demonstrations to both public and trade using Roksan Caspian electronics and Monitor Audio speakers. Working through various IsoTek components, we concluded with the Super Titan, the effect of which brought gasps from the audience. Truly, these components catapulted the sound of this relatively humble system into the stratosphere!

SwedenAfter a short period back in the UK,

we travelled to Sweden for a substantial dealer training tour. We were collected from the airport by our Swedish distributor in a white Nissan – our tour bus, of sorts. Six days, six towns, six dealer visits, each with comprehensive A/B dems to showcase the clear sonic advantage that IsoTek products bring to audio systems at all price levels.

The systems we encountered were different at every dealer, ranging from modest Marantz components to higher-end systems from Audio Analogue and Passlabs, and even a valve-based set-up from Sugden. Each time, we ran through various levels of IsoTek equipment, from the Sirius six-way mains block to the Aquarius conditioner, Syncro DC-cancelling power cable and, towards the top end of the range, the Titan conditioner. Each step brought clear sonic improvements – added depth and detail, greater front-to-back layering, increased dynamic contrast… The best way to discover the benefits of IsoTek’s clean-power technologies is to listen – then there’s no going back!

“The IsoTek Aquarius conditioner

and power cables made a profound difference to the sound of the Hi-Fi

Choice hi-res dem system, bringing smoothness, depth,

sweetness and subtlety. Thanks IsoTek!”

David Price, Editor of Hi-Fi Choice magazine, at Sound & Vision –

The Bristol Show 2012

2 I PULSE AUTUMN 2012

One Cord Wonder

Discover IsoTekEntry-level mains conditioning components form the core of IsoTek’s great-value Discovery series

Low-cost power cable delivers high-end results

This autumn sees the launch of two new, eminently affordable yet highly effective power-conditioning devices from IsoTek.

The first, Polaris, is IsoTek’s new entry-level mains distribution block, designed to enhance the performance of a complete audio system. A unique delta filter topology delivers super-clean power to six outlets – each one fully independent to prevent cross-contamination – while 13,500A of instantaneous protection safeguards valuable equipment via IsoTek’s unique sequential protection system. With sturdy aluminium casework and a price tag of just £250, Polaris will improve the sound quality of every component in your system,

making it unquestionably the most cost-effective upgrade you can buy.

Also new is the Mini Mira, a mains filtration device developed specifically to enhance picture performance in

AV systems. Based upon IsoTek’s already highly acclaimed Mira circuit, Mini Mira packs the Triple Resonant Filter, designed specifically to handle frequencies that are critical to video quality, into an even

smaller, more convenient package with two outlets – one for a TV or projector, the other for a partnering device such as a set-top box or Blu-ray player. Priced at just £195 and offering class-leading surge/spike protection to boot, Mini Mira is a must for any movie buff that cares about picture quality.

IsoTek’s full range of award-winning, performance-enhancing products for audio and AV systems is now available to buy online, thanks to a new retail service available to all UK customers.

To buy IsoTek products online, simply visit IsoTek’s regular website, at www.isoteksystems.com. From there, browse the available products and if you find something you want to buy, click on the link provided. This will allow you to place an order and make payment securely online.

Your local authorised IsoTek dealer fulfils your order, so you can be sure you are buying a genuine IsoTek product, complete with the after sales backup provided by IsoTek’s official dealer network.

IsoTek’s official online store – now available at www.isoteksystems.com

IsoTek: Now Available to Buy Online

NEWS

IsoTek’s latest high-performance power cord – the Premier – is also its most affordable, with an advanced construction using premium-quality materials that sets it apart from other sub-£100 cables.

At the core of each cable are three 2sqmm conductors made from 99.9999% oxygen-free copper, coated in silver and twisted together to aid RFI and EMI rejection. An FEP dielectric is extruded over the conductors, held in cotton filler and secured using a paper wrap, with a flexible, non-flammable PVC outer sheath. The cable is priced at £80 and is finished with high-quality moulded 24ct gold-plated connectors, available in a variety of plug types, including UK (BS1363).

IsoTek is also launching an all-new range of audiophile-grade power cord connectors, available

individually as an upgrade option for owners of cables from IsoTek and other brands. All connection

surfaces are fashioned from pure copper and coated in 24ct gold, while the detachable main body is

formed from injection-moulded polycarbonate with a nylon front assembly. With a price tag

of just £40 each and a wide range of plug options (including IEC C7, C15 and C19),

IsoTek’s new connectors offer exceptional value for money.

2 I PULSE AUTUMN2012

One Cord Wonder

Discover IsoTekEntry-level mains conditioning components form the core of IsoTek’s great-value Discovery series

Low-cost power cable delivers high-end results

Thisautumnseesthelaunchoftwonew,eminentlyaffordableyethighlyeffectivepower-conditioningdevicesfromIsoTek.

Thefirst,Polaris,isIsoTek’snewentry-levelmainsdistributionblock,designedtoenhancetheperformanceofacompleteaudiosystem.Auniquedeltafiltertopologydeliverssuper-cleanpowertosixoutlets–eachonefullyindependenttopreventcross-contamination–while13,500AofinstantaneousprotectionsafeguardsvaluableequipmentviaIsoTek’suniquesequentialprotectionsystem.Withsturdyaluminiumcaseworkandapricetagofjust£250,Polariswillimprovethesoundqualityofeverycomponentinyoursystem,

makingitunquestionablythemostcost-effectiveupgradeyoucanbuy.

AlsonewistheMiniMira,amainsfiltrationdevicedevelopedspecificallytoenhancepictureperformancein

AVsystems.BaseduponIsoTek’salreadyhighlyacclaimedMiracircuit,MiniMirapackstheTripleResonantFilter,designedspecificallytohandlefrequenciesthatarecriticaltovideoquality,intoaneven

smaller,moreconvenientpackagewithtwooutlets–oneforaTVorprojector,theotherforapartneringdevicesuchasaset-topboxorBlu-rayplayer.Pricedatjust£195andofferingclass-leadingsurge/spikeprotectiontoboot,MiniMiraisamustforanymoviebuffthatcaresaboutpicturequality.

IsoTek’sfullrangeofaward-winning,performance-enhancingproductsforaudioandAVsystemsisnowavailabletobuyonline,thankstoanewretailserviceavailabletoallUKcustomers.

TobuyIsoTekproductsonline,simplyvisitIsoTek’sregularwebsite,atwww.isoteksystems.com.Fromthere,browsetheavailableproductsandifyoufindsomethingyouwanttobuy,clickonthelinkprovided.Thiswillallowyoutoplaceanorderandmakepaymentsecurelyonline.

YourlocalauthorisedIsoTekdealerfulfilsyourorder,soyoucanbesureyouarebuyingagenuineIsoTekproduct,completewiththeaftersalesbackupprovidedbyIsoTek’sofficialdealernetwork.

IsoTek’s official online store – now available at www.isoteksystems.com

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pure sonic innovation

4 I PULSE AUTUMN2012

Power to the PeopleThere’s something for everyone in IsoTek’s product range. If you’ve yet to discover what clean power can do for your system, here’s the place to start

ThefirstinputintoanyaudioorAVsystemiselectricity.Itflowsthroughthesystem,utilisedbyeachcomponentinturntocreatethesignalthateventuallymovesthespeakers’driveunitsanddeliversthepixelson-screen.Whatweseeandhearisultimatelyfashionedfrom,andby,mainselectricity–it’sthe‘rawmaterial’fromwhichthe‘art’iscreated.

Themainssupplyispollutedbynumerouscontaminants.WearebathedinaseaofRFIandEMI,whichcorruptstheelectricitysupplyanddegradestheperformanceofaudioandAVcomponents.What’smore,alltheelectricalitemsyouuseinyourhome,fromcomputerstowashingmachines,affectthesupplyanderodeyoursystem’spotential.

Astheelectronicdevicesweuseproliferateandthedemandforelectricalpowerescalates,thequalityoftheelectricitywefeedoursystemscontinuestoslide.RunninganaudioorAVsystemonunconditionedmainsislikerunningacarondirtypetrol;performanceisdegradedandtheengine’slongevityisreduced.

Forpeoplewhocareaboutsoundandpicturequality,it’saseriousproblem.ButthankstoIsoTek,theleadersinclean-powertechnology,there’sasolutiontosuiteverysystemandeverypocket.

IsoTek’sproductrangefor2012/2013isarrangedintofivedistinctgroups–Discovery,Performance,Select,UltimateandEssentials–allofwhichbenefitfromIsoTek’sunique,proprietary,performance-enhancingtechnologies.

Discovery SeriesIsoTek’sentry-levelproductseriesdelivershighlyeffectiveyet

eminentlyaffordablesolutionstoenhancesoundandpicturequality,whilstalsoprotectingyourvaluablesystemcomponentsfromdamagingspikesandsurgesinthemainssupply.

TherearetwomainsconditioningcomponentsintheDiscoveryseries,bothofwhicharenewforautumn2012andincorporateallthetechnologicaladvancesofIsoTek’slatestEVO3platform.ThePolarisisIsoTek’sentry-levelsix-waydistributionblock,precisionengineeredtoremovebothCommonModeandDifferentialModemainsnoise,whilethecompactMiniMiraisspecificallydesignedforAVsystemsandsportsauniquecircuittoenhancethepictureperformanceofanyTVorprojector(seepage2,News,formoreinformation).

AlsopartoftheDiscoveryseriesaretheIsoPlugandNeoPlug:ingeniouslittledevicesthatplugdirectlyintoawallsockettoeliminatemainsnoisecreatedbycommondomesticdevices,likecomputers,fridges,microwavesandsoon.

Performance SeriesThenextstepupfromDiscoveryisthePerformanceseries–a

collectionofcomponentstailor-madetoenhancetheperformanceofanyhigh-qualityaudioorAVsystem.Therangeincludesthreemainsconditioningdevices,eachwithsixoutletstodelivercleanpowertoacompleteseparatessystemandeachthesubjectofcriticalacclaimfromrespectedaudiopublicationsaroundtheworld.

ThemostaffordableoftheseconditioningdevicesistheSirius,asix-waymainsblockdescribedbyHi-FiWorldmagazineas“agreat,realworldproduct”andbyHi-FiChoiceas“aneffectiveupgradeforanysystem”.NextcomestheSolus,anadvanced,rack-widthconditioningcomponent;“excellent”saysHi-FiWorldinitsreviewoftheSolus,whileHi-FiChoicesuggests,“tryit…we’reconvincedyou’llbehooked”.

Finally,there’stheAquarius:topconditioningcomponentinthePerformanceseriesandspiritualsuccessortothediscontinuedMiniSub,theproductthatputIsoTek–andmainsconditioningingeneral–firmlyonthemap.AquariusimprovesupontheMiniSubineverycriticalarea,itsperformanceleadingtotremendousacclaimandastringofawards.“Theliftinperformanceisremarkable,”saysHi-FiChoiceinitsassessmentofAquarius,whileHi-Fi+declaresthatit“raisesthegameforhi-fi”inits2011AnnualAwards.

Anotherimportant–andutterlyuniqueproductisSyncro,atop-qualitymainscablewithDC-cancellingelectronics.Syncroisdesignedtosynchronisethemainssupplytopromoteaperfectlysymmetricalsinewave,heraldedas“highlyimpressive”byHi-FiWorldandaproductthat“takesthingstoanewlevel”byHi-Fi+.CombineSyncrowithamainsconditioningcomponentlikeAquariusforquiteextraordinaryresults.

Select SeriesTheSelectSeriescontainspremium-qualitymainsconditioning

componentsdesignedforthemostdiscerningoflisteners.First,there’stheSigmas,arack-width,six-outlet,fullsystemconditionerthatbuildsupontheAquariusblueprinttodeliveraperformanceworthyofmultipleawardsincluding‘BestAccessory’inHi-FiNewsand‘BestMainsConditioner’inHi-FiChoice.

AfterSigmascomeNovaandTitan.Boththesedevicesareacknowledgedasgame-changerswithintheirfield,theNovapurpose-builttodelivercleanpowertofront-endcomponentsandtheTitanoptimisedforcurrent-hungrydeviceslikepowerampsandsubwoofers.“Thismainsfiltersinglyredefineswhatispossibleforcleaningmainsquality,”declaresHi-FiNewswhendescribingtheTitan,whileWhatHi-Fi?SoundandVisionsimplycallsit“arevelation”.

ThefinalSelectseriesproductistheMulti-Link,anadditionalunitfortheTitanthatexpandsthenumberofhigh-currentoutletsfromtwotoeight–perfectforset-upswithmultiplecurrent-hungrydeviceslikehigh-endhomecinemasystems.

Ultimate SeriesBornfromadesireinnovate,IsoTekisacompanythatcontinuallystrives

topushboundariesanddelivernewperformancebenchmarks.TheUltimateseriescontainstwogroundbreakingcomponentsthattakepoweroptimisationforaudioandAVsystemstoanewlevel:SuperTitan,theworld’smostpowerfulmainsconditionerforhigh-currentapplications,andGenesis,thefirstdual-cellmainsgenerator.

Together,theseextraordinarydevicesformauniquelyeffectivemainsoptimisationsystem–anewbenchmarkincleanpowerfortheworld’sfinestaudioandAVsystems¬.Thelow-impedance,high-currentSuperTitanisbuiltfromthegrounduptofeedpowerful,high-endpoweramplifiers,describedas“extremelyeffective”and“wortheverypenny”byHi-FiWorld,and“awesome”byHi-FiChoice.Launchedthissummer,GenesisisSuperTitan’sperfectpartnerforfront-endcomponents–adevicethatdoesn’tjustconditionthemainssupply,itbuildsanentirelynewsmainssignwavefromscratch(seepage6formoreinformation).

IsoTek EssentialsInadditiontothecomprehensiverangeofpowerfiltering,conditioning

andgeneratingcomponentsdescribedabove,IsoTekmakesarangeofperformance-enhancingaccessoriesthatareessentialforanyonewholovesgreatsound.

There’safullrangeofhigh-performancemainscables,beginninginpriceorderwiththenewPremiercable,followedbyPremium,Elite,Optimum,Supremeand,forthemostcurrent-hungrypoweramps,Extreme.Thesecablesareaccompaniedbyanewrangeof24ctgoldIsoTekconnectorsoftheveryhighestquality,formaximumconductivityandminimumsignalloss.

Aningeniousplug-indevicecalledProTekdeliversintelligent,audiophile-gradesystemprotection,whiletwospeciallycompiledCDscontainscientificallyderivedtrackstoboostsystemperformance.TheUltimateSystemSet-UpDischelpstooptimiseyoursystemforthebestpossiblesoundquality,whiletheFullSystemEnhancerandRejuvenationDiscdeliversacompleteworkoutforyouraudiosystem,toensureitalwaysperformsatitsbest.

2011 Hi-Fi+Best of BestIsoTek Aquarius

2011 Hi-Fi ChoiceRecommendedIsoTek Solus

2011 Hi-Fi World5-Globe WinnerIsoTek Super Titan

2010 Hi-Fi+Highly CommendedIsoTek Aquarius

2012 Hi-Fi ChoiceRecommendedIsoTek Ultimate Set-up Disc

2012 Hi-Fi NewsHighly CommendedIsoTek Genesis

2010 Hi-Fi World5-Globe WinnerIsoTek Aquarius

2012 Hi-Fi World5-Globe WinnerIsoTek Solus

2010 What Hi-Fi?Best ProductUltimate Guide to TVIsoTek Vision

2008 Hi-Fi ChoiceSilver AwardIsoTek Sirius

2008 What Hi-Fi?Best Cost-No-ObjectUltimate GuideIsoTek Titan

2008 Hi-Fi ChoiceBest BuyIsoTek Sirius

2008 What Hi-Fi?Best All-RounderUltimate GuideIsoTek GII Mini-Sub

2007 Sound & VisionCategory Winner HungaryIsoTek GII Mini Sub

2007 Hi-Fi ChoiceCategory WinnerIsoTek Sigmas

2007 Hi-Fi ChoiceEditor’s ChoiceIsoTek Audio Grade IEC

2006 Hi-Fi ChoiceCategory WinnerIsoTek Sigmas

2006 Hi-Fi NewsProduct of the YearIsoTek Sigmas

2006 Hi-Fi ChoiceCategory WinnerIsoTek Sigmas

2006 T.A.S.Editor’s ChoiceNordost Thor by IsoTek

2006 What Hi-Fi?IsoTek Full SysyemEnhancer CD

2005 Hi-Fi ReviewProduct of the Year Hong KongIsoTek Sigmas

2005 Hi-Fi NewsCategory WinnerIsoTek Titan

2005 What Hi-Fi?IsoTek Titan

2005 Hi-Fi ChoiceEditor’s ChoiceNordost Thor by IsoTek

2005 What Hi-Fi?IsoTek Gemini-6-Way

2004 Hi-Fi PlusCategory WinnerNordost Thor by IsoTek

2004 What Hi-Fi?Category WinnerIsoTek GII Vision

2004 Hi-Fi ChoiceCategory WinnerIsoTek GII Mini Sub

2004 What Hi-Fi?IsoTek GII Vision

2003 Hi-Fi NewsCategory WinnerIsoTek Mini Sub [Mk1]

2003 Hi-Fi ChoiceCategory WinnerIsoTek Mini Sub [Mk1]

2003 What Hi-Fi?Category WinnerIsoTek Mini Sub [Mk1]

2003 Hi-Fi ChoiceEditor’s ChoiceIsoTek Mini Sub [Mk1]

2003 What Hi-Fi?IsoTek Mini Sub [Mk1]

2002 Hi-Fi NewsCategory WinnerIsoTek SubStation

IsoTek: Now Available to Buy Online

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IsoTek’slatesthigh-performancepowercord–thePremier–isalsoitsmostaffordable,withanadvancedconstructionusingpremium-qualitymaterialsthatsetsitapartfromothersub-£100cables.

Atthecoreofeachcablearethree2sqmmconductorsmadefrom99.9999%oxygen-freecopper,coatedinsilverandtwistedtogethertoaidRFIandEMIrejection.AnFEPdielectricisextrudedovertheconductors,heldincottonfillerandsecuredusingapaperwrap,withaflexible,non-flammablePVCoutersheath.Thecableispricedat£80andisfinishedwithhigh-qualitymoulded24ctgold-platedconnectors,availableinavarietyofplugtypes,includingUK(BS1363).

IsoTekisalsolaunchinganall-newrangeofaudiophile-gradepowercordconnectors,available

individuallyasanupgradeoptionforownersofcablesfromIsoTekandotherbrands.Allconnection

surfacesarefashionedfrompurecopperandcoatedin24ctgold,whilethedetachablemain

bodyisformedfrominjection-mouldedpolycarbonatewithanylonfrontassembly.

Withapricetagofjust£40eachandawiderangeofplugoptions(includingIECC7,C15

andC19),IsoTek’snewconnectorsofferexceptionalvalueformoney.

EV03 Mini Mira

EV03 Aquarius

EV03 Solus

EV03 Sirius

EV03 Syncro

EV03 Titan EV03 Nova

EV03 Sigmas

EV03 Super Titan

EV03 Genesis EV03 Protek

Full System Enhancer

Ultimate System Set-Up-Disc

24CT Gold Audiophile Grade Connectors

EV03 Polaris

EV03 Isoplug and Neoplug