Review on 🔌 AudioQuest PQ3 - Power Conditioner & Non-Sacrificial Surge Protector Power Strip - 8 Outlets & 4 USB Charging Ports by Kevin Abner

I was thrilled when AudioQuest announced this device and its big brother, the PowerQuest 3. Both are affordable alternatives to their large power stabilizers in the Niagara line. But unfortunately, like everything you pay for, you get what you pay for. This device is all plastic, as you would expect at this price point. But it comes with its own power cord. On the one hand, this saves you the cost of buying a non-original cable; but on the other hand also prevents you from upgrading it to something better. However, I was pleased to discover that it was a custom AudioQuest cable rated at 3 x 14 AWG. That's pretty impressive for such a relatively cheap device. It features an on/off switch and a reset button that protects the device in the event that it shuts down due to an actual power surge/overvoltage condition. What makes this device so attractive is that it offers: 1) a high output current output, which is very useful for those with powerful amplifiers/receivers; and 2) a special plug that has been specially filtered for high definition (4K) television. Owner's brochure says it can be useful for Blu-ray players too. I haven't tried it with a disc player, but it seems to work wonders for picture clarity and richness of color on my 55 inch Samsung TV. However, the sound of this device is not that good. Straight out of the box. , it was poorly focused, dark, muddy and dynamically polite, which is to be expected. And after a few days of continuous use, it started to open up and improve dynamics and sharpness significantly Time to bright opposite direction. The resulting sonic palette was rather gray and washed out, lacking warmth and richness. It was sophisticated and had a comfortable perspective (not too forward, not too relaxed) but lacked richness and power. I attribute this to its initially poor sound. The deep bass was tight but light. This characterization did not benefit either full symphonic orchestral recordings or films. Worst of all, I heard some distortion here and there on various movies and CDs, and it only got worse over time. Combined with the subtle sound, I soon began to suspect that something was wrong. I removed the unit and upon closer inspection found a 1 inch deep cut in the power cord that ran to the wires inside. I don't know how detrimental this defect was to the overall poor sound, but I can say with almost certainty that it caused the distortion I was hearing (which completely disappeared as soon as I removed this unit). It's sad to realize that even a reputable company like AudioQuest can fail when it comes to quality control. This is a serious flaw that frankly is unacceptable. I returned this unit to Revain and received a full refund. By the way, the only difference between this device and its more expensive brother, the PowerQuest 3, is the number of sockets. "3" offers two high-current sockets and two HD TV sockets, as well as 4 identical standard sockets. Above. PQ3 offers "ultra-linear” filtering, while PQ2 only offers "linear” filtering. This means that the PQ3 offers both common mode and differential mode filters. In theory, PQ3 should perform better than 2. the PowerQuest 3, by the way, is the number of sockets. "3" offers two high-current sockets and two HD TV sockets, as well as 4 identical standard sockets. Above. PQ3 offers "ultra-linear” filtering, while PQ2 only offers "linear” filtering. This means that the PQ3 offers both common mode and differential mode filters. In theory, PQ3 should perform better than 2. the PowerQuest 3, by the way, is the number of sockets. "3" offers two high-current sockets and two HD TV sockets, as well as 4 identical standard sockets. Above. PQ3 offers "ultra-linear” filtering, while PQ2 only offers "linear” filtering. This means that the PQ3 offers both common mode and differential mode filters. In theory, PQ3 should perform better than 2.