It’s always a challenge to pick our audio equipment favorites each year, there are so many fine products coming out. Power conditioners keep advancing and we looked at the AudioQuest PowerQuest 505 Power Conditioner, which we feel might be one of the best bargains in audio today.
We have long been fans of AudioQuest, from their pioneering DragonFly USB DACs, to their respected Niagara Power Conditioners. We use their Rocket speaker wires for our speaker and amplifier testing, and find them transparent, flexible, and easy on the wallet. Several years ago we reviewed their entry-level PowerQuest 2 Power Conditioner, and found it a solid improvement over a standard power strip. This year we’ve worked with their PowerQuest 505 Power Conditioner, a 12-Outlet Power Conditioner & Non-Sacrificial Surge Protector. Part of what makes it so compelling is that even at its affordable price it includes one of their two-meter detachable AC power cords, as well as the technology from their more expensive Niagara line. According to Audioquest, the “PowerQuest 505 is a high-performance power conditioner with 12 AC outlets (four high-current outlets for amplifiers and eight Ultra-Linear-Filtered outlets for source components), a 2m detachable AC power cable featuring ZERO-Tech and RF/ND-Tech, and 2RU rack ears for simple rack-mounting.”
One advantage of the design is that it has a front panel power switch, with all the power sockets on the back. This allowed us to put the unit in our rack, with short power cables to the components. Most of the time, the conditioner ends up on the floor, or in back of the rack, but with the component design, it’s easy to integrate, and the front panel on/off switch is a convenient way to power up or down your entire system. By utilizing a plastic front cover, the cost is lowered compared to the all metal cases utilized in the Niagara, helping to make it more affordable.
AudioQuest also included a sample of their NRG-Z3 power cable, and when we swapped it out with the included cable that ships with the PowerQuest 505, we couldn’t discern a difference, which we chalked up the fact that the 505 was doing its job cleaning up the power. Some audio professionals swear by conditioners but differ on the question of whether or not high quality AC cables to components are still needed if you have a conditioner. We haven’t made up our minds on this, so your mileage may vary. We plan to continue testing the NRG-Z3 power cable in the new year.
We asked Stephen Mejias of AudioQuest about the new PowerQuest line and he replied by saying, in part, “Unlike the Niagaras, which ship without AC power cables, each new PowerQuest includes a 2m Direction-Controlled AC cable. We like to think of it as the best free cable anyone will ever hear.”
Power conditioners have been mainstay for audio racks for a long time; most studios always seemed to have a Furman Power Conditioner unit in their racks, but compared to today’s sophisticated designs, they were the bare minimum. Just about every live sound rack of pro gear had a Furman unit, or the equivalent. They also provided an easy and safe way to power up or down the rack, a feature that the 505 replicates, which we think is both cool and useful. There is a reason that it ships with 2RU rack ears for rack-mounting, and we predict that it will soon find itself at home in professional racks. For audiophiles looking for a well-built, clean sounding, solidly engineered unit at an affordable price, the AudioQuest PowerQuest 505 power conditioner comes highly recommended.
For more information on the AudioQuest PowerQuest 505 Power Conditioner visit:https://www.audioquest.com/products/powerquest-505-power-conditioner
Nancy Burlan and Harris Fogel, posted 12/6/2024
