Test kondycjonerów Shunyata Research Hydra Denali D2000/T i D6000/T w Stereophile
Michael Fremer,
Shunyata Research's groundbreaking Hydra Denali D2000/T and D6000/T power conditioners
Shunyata Research’s Caelin Gabriel is one of a handful of developers of power- conditioning products whom I take 100% seriously. A few years ago, when I swapped out one of Shunyata’s Hydra Triton series of power conditioners for an upgraded version, I heard some improvements in the sound of my system, especially a reduction in transient “edginess.” When I then visited the factory, Gabriel showed me measurements of both models that confirmed what I’d heard, and why. At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, another of that handful of developers I take seriously, AudioQuest’s Garth Powell, who used to work for Furman Power, had a stack of power conditioners that he was comparing with AudioQuest’s Niagara 7000, which he’d designed. When he asked the crowd of audio writers which product in the stack they’d first like to compare with the Niagara 7000, it was unanimous: the Shunyata Hydra Triton. It has become the reference against which all other power conditioners are measured.
The ensuing demonstration shocked the assembled: Compared to the Niagara 7000 ($7995), the system powered by the original Hydra Triton ($4995) sounded closed-in, almost muffled. Yes, it filtered out the considerable crap of the Venetian Hotel’s power lines, but at the steep price of snuffing out transparency and highfrequency extension. I heard the same thing at home; and so, after many years of satisfied use of Shunyata products I defected to the AudioQuest Niagara 7000. (Note: I own all of my reference gear except the power conditioners, which are loaners.) Now from Shunyata comes the new Denali series of power conditioners, in intriguingly shaped cases and at far lower prices. They sent me two D2000/Ts ($3495 each), each with two AC outlets (one for each of my darTZeel monoblocks), and one larger, vertically configured D6000/T ($4995) with three outlet pairs, which I used for my line-level gear (though the D6000/T’s lowermost duplex outlet is claimed to be able to deliver unlimited current to the most powerful amps).
The D6000/T’s tall, narrow shape means that precious shelf space can be reserved for signal-bearing products, while its 50mm, vibration-damping stainless-steel footers obviate the need for placing it on a dedicated platform. To counter power-cord droop—which worsens with the height of the power outlet above the floor, and can cause a plug to fall out—Shunyata invented an ingenious cradle system that keeps plugs plugged in. Most important is what’s inside. There you’ll find new noise-reduction technology resulting from Shunyata’s work in the biomedical field. Clear Image Scientific (CIS), a sister company, markets a version of the Denali that, per Shunyata, has been well received in medical circles.