New products already available: Power Conditioner PC-2 EVO, Cables LC-1 and LC-2 (MK2)
The company GigaWatt recently introduced three new products - Power Conditioner PC-2 EVO, and new versions of Power Cables LC-1 (MK2) and LC-2 (MK2).
Power Line Conditioner PC-2 EVO
PC-2 EVO is the first one in a new class of conditioners, which differ significantly from previous GigaWatt products in terms of concept. The PC-2 EVO is the result of an evolution of conditioner constructions. Now GigaWatt, renowned for the traditionally high manufacturing quality and unrivalled performance, assures that the new series of conditioners will offer even better improvement of resolution and dynamics of the sound. This new design also attributed to the reduction of weight of the conditioner, as well as to the increase in acceptable load of the output filters, and absolute operational silence of the unit.
The modular design of the PC-2 EVO has no separation transformers, which had the function of additional filtering in the output stages, which were dropped in favor of worked out, multistage parallel filtration circuitry. The construction of the conditioner is based on a number of separate modules, which include: an overvoltage protection circuit and initial filtration, a system of lossless power distribution, a double compensation circuit and three autonomous filtering blocks. Each of the conditioner’s filtering branches – dedicated to digital, analog and high current devices – includes independent passive filters, separate for each pair of sockets. In this concept, it is possible to fine tune each of the filtration branches to the character of the load it will work with, different for each kind of receivers. It also allows for isolation and elimination of interference generated by the interconnected devices, which share a common power line.
Each of the filters inside the conditioner is made from high quality elements. Interference is damped by, among others, metalized polyester capacitors with low inductance. They are made from a foil, which is supplied by the German company BASF, and the capacitors are manufactured in Philips factories. All elements of each filter are mounted on a massive PCB, with high cross-section of the traces, using silver solder. In the PC-2 EVO we resigned from using any thermal or over-current fuses, which throttle the current flowing to the protected circuit and have a negative impact on the sound. Protection against over-current and surges is provided by modern, multistage protection circuits, made from plasma spark-gaps and new generation varistors. The protection built into the conditioner cooperates with a modern electric network, guaranteeing complex protection.
Each of the filters is powered from three massive distribution bars, made from thick slabs of solid copper, with a cross-section of 30mm2 per bar. Those bars allow for an even and stable power distribution, regardless of the load on any of the filtering branches. The production of such bars is quite expensive, due to the required copper quality and the technology needed for their manufacture. The distribution bars are made from cathode copper with a purity of minimum 99.99%. This copper from the type Cu-ETP, refined in a metallurgical process. It is characterized with high conductance, low contamination and low residual oxygen content. The copper for the bars is being enameled and annealed, which makes the metal more dense - improving conductance, plasticity and resistance to corrosion in most environments. Mechanical processing of the bars is done in a technology with no heat emission, as it could oxidize the copper and negatively influence its conductance. To allow for the highest possible impulse response, the PC-2 EVO conditioner is equipped with a proven, double buffering circuit with new generation compensation cells. This circuit also increases the current efficiency of the conditioner with non-linear loads, like power amplifiers, allowing for an almost unlimited impulse capability.
On the back plate of the conditioner there are six, high quality power sockets, with silver plated connectors, and each pair of the sockets is individually filtered. Similar to the top conditioner PC-4, the outputs were divided in three separate sections: digital, analog and high current. The digital output is dedicated to CD players and transports, DVD players, DACs and TVs. Analog outputs are to be used for tube amplifiers, turntables, preamplifiers and smaller integrated amplifiers. High current output is designed for all high current drawing devices like power amplifiers, high power integrated amplifiers, some tube preamplifiers and video projectors. The mechanical construction of the conditioner is based on a very rigid metal chassis, which, in combination with vibration damping feet, reduces all possible vibrations and resonances. All components of the enclosure are made from steel-aluminum elements. Proper combination of those materials results in a perfectly sealed shield against RFI and EMI interference.
The conditioner PC-2 EVO is already available for sale. It is equipped with the LC-1 (MK2) cable as standard; at extra charge it can however be equipped with the splendid cable LC-2 (MK2).
New versions of Power Cables LC-1 (MK2) and LC-2 (MK2)
Two further novelties are the new versions of well known power cables LC-1 and LC-2. Both new power cords are diametrically different to the older versions, both in terms of construction and in an even better influence on sound and picture. They are opening a completely new quality of sound and manufacturing.
Before those cables were introduced, thorough testing was performed, for about a year. Those listening and exploitation tests were done by a few dozen beta-testers. They used the cables in their systems and provided feedback from comparing them in various configurations. Both cables were enthusiastically received by the people testing them, and could have been completely new positions in our catalog. However, due to favorable opinions about their predecessors, we have decided to keep the same name, only annotating it with the MK2 suffix.
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Compared to the previous versions, the new cables differ in the usage of new, splendid plugs and have a changed internal construction. A new kind of conductor was used, which required to change the internal setup of the cables. Now the cables are made from bundles of solid-core conductors made from high purity electrolytic copper. The cables have a different internal geometry and cross-section. The LC-2 (MK2) has twice the cross-section of the LC-1 (MK2). The dielectric of the cables are made from polyethylene, and the external isolation from PVC. The cables are also protected with a plastic, abrasion resistant braid. In the construction of the LC-2 (MK2) much attention was devoted to the reduction of vibration of individual wires, which emit an electromagnetic field. All conductors and shields are engulfed in a plastic material damping harmful vibration. The large cross-section guarantees very low resistance and practically unconstrained current flow. The spiral geometry of the cables wires, combined with the high capacitance of the cables, results in splendid filtering and damping capabilities in a large interference spectrum. The wires of the cables are protected with a static shield, made from laminated aluminum foil. The shield is connected with a fillet wire, which runs through the whole cable length. The tight construction of the shield, covering 100% of the cable surface, protects perfectly against all kinds of external interference and precludes the appearance and spreading of internal interference.
The cables are already available for sale. They are also included as a standard accessory (or at an extra price) in all the GigaWatt conditioners and power strips packages.