February 1999

Bybee Technologies Pro Power Purifier
and Quantum Chargers

by Jeff Fritz

Review at a Glance Sound "Sensory overload" -- obvious improvements in the low bass, midbass and into the midrange; lower noise floor too. Features Pro Power Purifier has eight outlets, four digital and four analog; Quantum Chargers work specifically with high-current amplifiers. Use When used in all-digital system, Pro Power Purifier’s digital outlets are first filtered through unit’s analog section with supplied Pure Power Mk 2 power cord; Quantum Chargers require that amps have IEC receptacles. Value Worth auditioning before upgrading a particular component.

Power-conditioning componentry can be a tough sell to audiophiles. "My system sounds fine without it" is a phrase heard all too often from those who have yet to take the plunge. After all, you can’t get by without a source component, speakers, etc. You don’t, however, have to have a power conditioner to operate your system. Your stereo will produce sound from the electricity coming straight from the wall. This leads many audiophiles to think in terms of "components" rather than "sound" when allocating funds for a playback system or an upgrade. Let me give you an example: Joe Audiophile just received an unexpected bonus check for a job well done. He’s decided to treat himself and upgrade his stereo system. Joe has about $10,000 invested in quite a satisfying rig that gives him hours of musical pleasure. He figures his next step is to purchase that new 200Wpc amplifier that his local dealer has displayed on the showroom floor. It must sound better than his 100Wpc unit even though it comes from the same manufacturer and has a similar circuit topology. The upgrade with his trade-in will cost about $2000. Joe will have succeeded in upgrading his components, but how about the sound? Could that $2000 be spent on a more cost-effective upgrade? Well, that depends. If Joe needs the additional power to attain satisfying listening levels, or extra current to drive demanding loudspeakers, then he is probably going to be satisfied. However if that’s not the case, and an improvement in sound is the goal, that $2000 may be better spent in other places -- like power conditioners.

The performance of a power conditioner is hard to explain in tangible terms. Audiophiles and manufacturers like to use numbers when describing characteristics such as frequency response, output power, oversampling, and the like. There’s not a common numerical specification that describes what a power conditioner adds to (or subtracts from) your system. So how do you know what it is doing? You insert it into your system, pop in some well-recorded, familiar software and listen. Of course this is the best way to evaluate any component, but it’s the ONLY way to know how a power conditioner will affect the performance of your stereo. This is actually a beneficial exercise for a reviewer who is supposed to hear and be able to describe the subtlest changes in sound quality. When I’m told a speaker system will extend an octave deeper into the bass than what I’m accustomed to, then I know that’s one area for me to concentrate on. The mysteries of power conditioners had me sailing in uncharted waters.

The products

Bybee Technologies has been the subject of quite a buzz in the audiophile community as of late. It seems word travels fast when new products deliver improvements of a truly musical nature. We at SoundStage! were determined to get to the bottom of this and report back our findings. The folks at Bybee, Carl Brinkman and Jack Bybee, were quite helpful in explaining the products in layman’s terms to yours truly. The subject of this review, the Bybee/Curl Pro Model Power Purifier, was a collaboration between famed audio-circuit designer John Curl (of Mark Levinson and then Parasound) and theoretical physicist Jack Bybee. A power purifier that not only provides surge and spike protection but also filters EMI and RFI was the result. Bybee Technologies claims that the quantum filtering provided also speeds up electrons by as much as 50% and in the process selectively removes undesirable ones, thus purifying the remaining signal. Although the company was somewhat hush-hush about the actual techniques involved, I do know that research in the development of sonar systems used in submarines was the basis for these designs.

The unit itself is a handsome box made of bubinga, a dense wood that has excellent damping characteristics. There are eight outlets, four marked digital and four analog, available for connection to your components. When used in a purely digital system such as mine, the digital outlets are first filtered through the analog section, which doubles the effective filtration of the unit. This is done with an additional Pure Power Mk 2 Line Cord (two are included, the other for connection to the wall) that connects the two sections. In this case, the four digital outlets are double filtered, and the three remaining analog outlets are still available for use. The Pro Power Purifier is specified for use with line-level components. Also on hand were the Quantum Chargers, a product using similar technology, but designed to be used with high-current power amplifiers. These devices attach to the IEC receptacle of your amplifier with your power cord plugging directly into the Charger. Attractive in their own right, the Quantum Chargers are powder-coated, black metal boxes with black aluminum end caps.

The system

The primary review system consisted of the excellent Wisdom Audio Adrenaline Dipole 75 loudspeakers, Krell MDA-500 mono and KSA-100S stereo amplifiers, and a Krell KRC-3 preamplifier. All amplifiers have dedicated 30-amp lines, line-level components a single 20-amp line. Source components included a Sony ES CD player, a Pioneer DVD player, and the Linn Mimik CD player (review forthcoming). Cabling is all Transparent Audio. Equipment sits on a large Studiotech Rack. The Bybee gear was also tried in a more modest system, which included B&W P4 speakers and a single Krell 100S amplifier. My dedicated listening room is 18' x 14' x 9.5' with no windows. A large acoustically absorbent panel hangs on the wall directly behind the listening position.

It should be noted that 100 hours of break-in time was completed with the Bybee products before I did any serious listening. Per the manufacturer’s instructions, I used a small lamp for this chore as the current draw would exceed that of my source components alone. This also facilitates a more thorough break-in.

The sound

When you expect subtle and get dramatic, a sensory overload can take place. These were my feelings upon first listening to my system with the Bybee equipment installed. I realized that subtle changes can be easier to pinpoint, and therefore describe, than complete transformations. The area from the lower midrange down to the depths of the lowest bass seemed to take on a completely new life. I admit it -- I love low bass. Most audiophiles won’t admit it; I guess they think it equates them with the "cars that go boom-boom" crowd. Low bass is part of the music, and therefore is essential to getting the full musical message. The Bybee gear improved the low-bass integrity of my system. It sounded immediately as if the lowest notes were connected to the rest of the musical spectrum in a wholly convincing way. Bass notes that seemed to underscore a particular song were now interwoven through the fabric of the music. I almost hate to use the term due to its sometimes negative connotation, but the music sounded warmer due to the improvement in pitch definition and note delineation throughout the lower registers. Bass notes became more involved with the sound, which lent to this effect. We’re not talking round or fuzzy here, but better defined in musical terms. The Cowboy Junkies "Just Want To See" from their Lay It Down CD [Geffen GEFD-24952] illustrates this nicely. Listening to this track made me realize how much low-bass involvement contributes to the message the band intends you to get.

A similar improvement was rendered from the midbass to well into the midrange. Percussive tracks became punchier with an increased sense of body. Clara Ponty’s "Mind Spin" from her self-titled CD [Phillips 314 536 155-2] weaves her piano with percussion to create a simple yet rich musical experience. The better-defined midbass helped to contrast Clara’s piano. This improved the sense of interplay between instruments, lending equal importance to each. The transient response was noticeably more precise in this critical midbass region. The "Acoustic Drum Solo" track on Stereophile’s Test CD 2 [Stereophile STPH 004-2] was used to confirm my impressions. It has been my experience that transient response is improved immediately and quite noticeably once power conditioners are installed. The moment directly before and after a note are cleaned up, leaving that initial attack better defined. For those of you needing proof, conduct this A/B listening test: Search your collection for a drum track that is both clean and dynamic. Listen to the track at slightly louder-than-normal levels, being careful to note the exact preamp setting. Insert the Bybee Pro power purifier and repeat the track at that level. Does the drumkit seem more dynamic and have more life? Do you perceive the subjective volume level raised? These were easily repeatable tests that showed me a portion of what the Bybee gear was doing in my system. It’s almost as if the signal-to-noise ratio had been improved. Maybe it had.

Midrange presentation was improved by an equal margin. A slight veil was removed from male vocals, which revealed greater tonal neutrality. "Kiss Like A Rose" from Seal’s self-titled CD [Sire/Warner Brothers 9 45415-2] has a natural presentation that is easy to listen to. With the Bybee gear installed, Seal’s presence was in the room. Definite goose bumps.

The high frequencies were affected little by the Pro Power Purifier and Quantum chargers, which indicates to me that this equipment will not cure a tizzy high end. The B&W P4 loudspeakers do not possess the air and sweetness of the Wisdom Adrenalines in the upper reaches (who would expect them to at 1/12 the price?). The addition of the Bybee gear left the slightly grainy quality of this fine little speaker untouched. Darn.

The comparison

Those of you tracking my quest to clean up the AC in my system will no doubt recall my review of the Versalab Life Support System. As Bybee and Versalab make similar claims, namely the removal of RFI (radio frequency interference), this begs a comparison. Both companies attack a problem that is seldom referred to by audiophiles, but each through unique implementation. Bybee chooses to use massive filtration at the wall for source components and similar filtration directly before power amplifiers. Versalab also treats AC power directly from the wall. Interconnect cables, however, are treated with devices that wrap around the connectors directly before the components.

Performance of each system was in some ways similar, but different in some very important areas. Both substantially lowered the noise floor in my system. Both improved transient response. In each case this led to a more dynamic presentation. The Versalab gear was even-handed with respect to frequency. Top to bottom, there was improvement to be found. The filtration of extreme high-frequency RFI directly before each component was most likely the reason. Noise between notes was removed, lifting a slight veil over the entire frequency spectrum. The Bybee Pro power purifier and Quantum Chargers worked their magic up through the midrange and then seemed to stop. The magnitude of improvement, however, was far greater than with any other power-conditioning equipment I have yet tried. I can’t help but suspect that coupling the Bybee Pro Power Purifier/Quantum Charger duo with the Versalab Red and Flat Rollers would yield great results. As with any components, an audition within the context of your system is advised. Do not assume that since both companies are treating the same problem their systems are interchangeable. They’re not.

The conclusion

Just before the end of the review period, I received a call from Carl Brinkman of Bybee suggesting some additional setup configurations. He proposed separating the digital and analog sections of the Pro Power Purifier. This might offer better isolation of my analog components from the digital-induced noise from my CD player. He also felt that my digital components would benefit from a Quantum Charger. The changes were made using the Linn CD player exclusively (it’s the only one in house equipped with an IEC receptacle). This change did not alter my overall sonic impressions of the components. I did notice an already low noise floor get even lower. This was most noticeable on well-recorded acoustic guitar. My advice would be to experiment in your own system to see which configuration yields better results.

The addition of the Bybee Pro Power Purifier and Quantum Chargers to my system brought about a marked improvement from the midrange down to the low bass. Pitch definition and note delineation in the lowest frequencies helped to connect the full musical spectrum into one coherent whole. Midbass became even tighter and punchier than before with an increased "jump" factor. Voice, especially male, gained clarity and an increased sense of realism. These attributes would seem to be beneficial in even the highest-resolution systems. Similar results were noted in a more typical system, which suggests compatibility with all types of components.

So where does this leave Joe Audiophile in his search for better sound? The Bybee Pro Power Purifier and Quantum Chargers improved the sound of my system dramatically. Joe would need to audition that new amplifier as well as the Bybee products to know which is the more satisfying upgrade. I have a feeling that amplifier might just have to wait.

The bottom line is this: Unless you have an obvious weak link in your audio chain, audition Bybee’s offerings as a potential upgrade to the SOUND of your system.

...Jeff Fritz
jeff@soundstage.com

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