11-Apr-2021, 20:27
Puritan Audio Labs have been mentioned quite a few times here, mainly for their “power blocks”. I invested in the 136 and thought it was an excellent product. I then heard about the new 156 (OCD guy has a YouTube video and Stereo Times a review) so I thought for an extra £500 it was worth a listen (given I have an Aurender N10, Expert Pro 1000 and Magico A3 - a relatively low cost amount). I got in touch with Mike Lester - designer and owner - who forwarded the item (returns not a problem if you don’t like it) along with a very strange looking power cable (a pale grey lightweight “snake”).
I initially replaced the 136 with the 156 using the original (and very good) cable retailing at £50 if I’m not mistaken. A not subtle improvement in all matters HiFi - you know what I mean! However, when I replaced the power cable with the “Ultimate” that is when my jaw dropped. This cable retails at £450. I don’t think I have ever been so astonished in my (very long) HiFi journey.
I thought the slightly boomy bass I had was a consequence of my room (not being brave enough to try the Sweet Room programme), but it has gone - a tight, tight bass, deeper and wider soundstage, a sense of the room where it was recorded (I know I’m an old git and have been listening to it for nigh on 50 years but Amazing Grace by Judy Collins and THAT choir is a favourite. Now you can sense the church it was recorded in even before she has started singing) I could go on but I’m no reviewer (as is obvious). Voodoo Chile (slight return) - loud - just blown away. I have put a link to an Audiogon forum discussion where the author compared an extremely high end cable (costing thousands) to the Ultimate. A “high end” retailer I know has swapped all his (sometimes very expensive) power cables for the Ultimate.
And another thing for Devaliet owners - it fits! I have subsequently traded in my more expensive cables powering the Experts for Ultimates. This time they took a little while to warm up but more of the same.
Mike Lester is a pleasure to deal with (as are his retailers). I’m just a very contented customer with no links to the company.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/puritan-vs-nordost-power-c
I initially replaced the 136 with the 156 using the original (and very good) cable retailing at £50 if I’m not mistaken. A not subtle improvement in all matters HiFi - you know what I mean! However, when I replaced the power cable with the “Ultimate” that is when my jaw dropped. This cable retails at £450. I don’t think I have ever been so astonished in my (very long) HiFi journey.
I thought the slightly boomy bass I had was a consequence of my room (not being brave enough to try the Sweet Room programme), but it has gone - a tight, tight bass, deeper and wider soundstage, a sense of the room where it was recorded (I know I’m an old git and have been listening to it for nigh on 50 years but Amazing Grace by Judy Collins and THAT choir is a favourite. Now you can sense the church it was recorded in even before she has started singing) I could go on but I’m no reviewer (as is obvious). Voodoo Chile (slight return) - loud - just blown away. I have put a link to an Audiogon forum discussion where the author compared an extremely high end cable (costing thousands) to the Ultimate. A “high end” retailer I know has swapped all his (sometimes very expensive) power cables for the Ultimate.
And another thing for Devaliet owners - it fits! I have subsequently traded in my more expensive cables powering the Experts for Ultimates. This time they took a little while to warm up but more of the same.
Mike Lester is a pleasure to deal with (as are his retailers). I’m just a very contented customer with no links to the company.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/puritan-vs-nordost-power-c
