Gigawatt POWERPRIME is the first model from a new family of conditioners, which sets trends for future project concepts that will be gradually initiated in our following products.
POWERPRIME provides effective surge protection, and at the same time supplies the devices with clean, well-filtered energy. That makes it an essential part of every modern audio/video system.
CONSTRUCTION:
All elements of the device are mounted in a new, rigid, steel/aluminum chassis, with a modular structure, which allows the outlets assembly in various standards. The housing is based on anti-vibration feet, which isolate the device of undesirable interference, coming from the ground.
The new design front panel, is made of a thick piece of aviation aluminum, the surface of which, after precise milling, is anodized in two color variants – black or silver. In the central part of the front there is a filter enable indicator.
The conditioner is also equipped with a system that indicates incorrect connection of the device to the mains. The red LED at the back, indicating the wrong polarity of the power supply, or incorrectly connected grounding or lack of grounding.
POWERPRIME is equipped with six power outlets G—040. Brass connectors are silver-plated, without the use of intermediate metals such as a copper or nickel layer, which could cause detrimental serial resistance and thus lower the voltage. Strong, stable connection, bigger connection surface and a thick layer of silver guarantee perfect contact with the plug pins. Additionally, the sockets are cryogenically processed and de-magnetized.
GigaWatt LC-1 EVO power cord, is the standard equipment of POWERPRIME.
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS:
POWERPRIME is based on the new architecture of the RLC filtering branch. The device does not have traditional protection elements, such as thermal or blow fuses, which throttled the free flow of the current, have a negative influence on the sound.
Surge protection is provided by a protection block integrated with the filter, equiped with plasma spark gaps and a new generation of UltraMOV varistors. These elements, in combination with a properly executed, modern electrical installation guarantee comprehensive protection against overvoltages and overcurrents.
The surge protection is provided by the overvoltage block integrated with a filter that contains plasma spark gaps, a new generation of UltraMOV varistors and a pre-filter. These elements, in conjunction with a properly made, modern electrical installation, guarantee comprehensive protection against overvoltages and overcurrents. Interference suppression is ensured by a filtering system that was built, among others, on Premium class interference suppression capacitors and IP filter cores (Iron Powder). The filter system is activated by an internal high-in-rush relay with silver contacts with a large surface area and a switching capacity of 4000VA.
All electronic components of the filter are mounted with silver solder on PCB’s with extremely wide conductive traces made of copper (total thickness of conductive layers is as much as 70 micrometers). Short connections and a very large cross-section of paths reduce the transition resistance and significantly increase the current carrying capacity of the entire filter.
The device uses a buffering system with a GigaWatt Audio Grade compensation battery, which increases the current efficiency at non-linear loads which are, for example, power amplifiers and reduces the difference between the power at the input and output of the conditioner. This allows for almost unlimited impulse possibilities, unheard of in other similar passive conditioners and unattainable for active power conditioners.
The internal wiring is based on GigaWatt Powerlink cables from OHFC copper with a cross-section of 4 QMM. The connection system in the star topology leads the current to the output sockets through a current distribution system based on massive third generation distribution bars made of polished, high-conductive copper (OHFC 10100 with a purity of 99.995%). The large cross-section of each rail (30QMM), high wiring conductivity and star star connection guarantee an even and stable distribution of power at each output socket – regardless of the load of the other outputs of the conditioner.
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:
-DC Offset Blocker – the conditioner can be equipped with a circuit eliminating unwanted DC component of the power grid. This DC component is a very deteriorating phenomenon, which exists in almost all power grids. It results in the sinus wave of the alternating current become non-symmetrical (non-sinusoidal) and has negative impact on all devices using transformers. It causes their cores to become magnetized, what increases their noise, diminishes the efficiency of power supplies and lower sound quality as a result of those. The DC blocker allows to eliminate this phenomenon effectively, without causing any compression or any other negative influence on the sound
-Rolling-Ball Isolation System feet – The device can be equipped with a new kind of feet with a mechanism called Rolling-Ball Isolation System. This is an anti-vibration system comprised of two parts (external and internal) made from solid aluminum, with two runs with balls between them. The setup is to minimize the points of contact between the feet, and then the chassis of the conditioner and the rack, what in consequence translates into a significant reduction of mechanical vibration, which negatively impacts the internal elements of the conditioner, what in turn degrades its sound. Another isolation element, on which the whole construction is placed, is a proprietary elastomer, 5mm thick.
-Power cords – higher models. The POWERPRIME is equipped as standard, with the PowerSync PLUS 1.5m To maximize the potential of the conditioner we recommend the use power cords LC-2 EVO or PowerSync ULTRA
-Output power sockets in a different standard. The PowerPrime is equipped with the G-040 Schuko power sockets used in most European countries. To protect your children, those sockets can be equipped with automatic anti-surge protection (improved protection conform with VDE 0620). Also available are versions with sockets in other standards like: NEMA 5-20R, used in North America and some Asian countries, or AS/NZS 3112 used in Australia.
This product is covered by an insurance policy for the connected equipment, with a total insurance value of 1000000 PLN. The insurance is valid only in the European Union member states territory.
Available socket types: EU (Schuko), US (Nema 5-20R), AU (AS/NZS 3112)
Line voltage: 220-240 VAC 50/60 Hz, 110-120 VAC 50/60 Hz
Maximum output power : 3 680 W
Maximum current load: 16 A
Absorbed impulse current: 13 000 A
Dimensions: 440 x 310 x 95 mm
Gross weight: 9,5 kg
In the opinion of specialist audio magazines the devices from GigaWatt are among the best in the world, both in terms of effectiveness and manufacturing quality, and even surpass the standards used in the branch setting new masters. This statement is confirmed by many reviews and prestigious awards given to GigaWatt products. You can find some of them below:
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POWERPRIME
Highfidelity.pl, Poland, September 2019, RED FINGERPRINT Award
“When we talked with Adam Szubert about what he strives for in his products, he said that he is trying to unite fire and water, that is the protective function of filters and conditioners and sound improvement. These things are often exceptive – the more protection in the power supply, the more elements in the track, and it always changes the sound. On the other hand, the advantages we get reducing system interference should overweigh the disadvantages of such a solution.As ever, it is a matter of sense and taste, especially of a person listening to the music, but it will not be difficult for everyone sitting in front of the Powerprime system to think something like: “Wow! – Something good is happening here … “And that is because we can hear immediately that the filter – or the conditioner, I will use these terms alternately – GigaWatt changes the sound, going in the direction of filling,” caulking “the transmission and a darker background.
Let’s start with the last one. The appliance transfers the center of gravity slightly up but with no highlighting. I get the impression that it is about showing the wealth of high tones, their complex structures, connections, without pushing them out to front of the band rest. And that’s how it is – both with Frank Sinatra Duets II disc, played from Reference CD-R (which is an archival disc), as well as with the disc bought in a regular store – Picture of Heat by Chet Baker. The amount of information from the top of the band and let’s add – the middle, was very large.
It is “wide” playing, in the sense that it is rich, spread out in time and space, strong. On the other hand, it is also focused. As nothing spills here, pulls and “rocks” on its own. We play the disc and concentrate our attention on music and sound, but pointing out the music. If I say it is “musical” sound, will I do something wrong? – I know it is not a precise term, difficult to falsify, but in this particular context it should be useful, because it shows the general frames of what we are talking about.
Listening to the music from Powerprime, it is also worth to pay attention to space – this device does not suppress reflections, does not squeeze the transmission on the listening axle. It really is beautifully spatially, because both – quite long reverb imposed on Sinatra’s voice, and even longer, truly new age “spheres’ sound ” from David Darling’s album entitled 8-String Religion, had a breath, was spacious, even huge. It is a conditioner that allows the recordings to sound in the space given by the sound director.
Santana’s disc The Lotus, the recording of the concert from Osaka(1974), remixed in the 2017 (DSD 11,2 MHz) and released on three SACD discs, showed it excellent. GigaWatt filter slightly brought the foreground closer, but left the sound reverb in place, so characteristic for concert recordings. Although the resolution of Powerprime is not as good as of more expensive conditioners of this manufacturer, it is good, and at the same time it is united with high energetic.
I have already talked about the wealth of high tones, I have also mentioned the space. Perhaps more important however, will be the appliance’s ability to dump the music on the black background. It’s a kind of soothing the transmission in its very basis, which let us concentrate on the music in a more relaxed way. It also intensifies the sound of the instruments, even if it is not the ultimate resolution.
GigaWatt shows all the discs in very precise way, does not falsify the image, but tries to highlight what is good in them. With the Basia It’s That Girl Again album we get a warm base and the low bass, as well as quite high but gentle vocal. By contrast, with Kylie Minogue Step Back In Time (The Definitive Collection) we can hear strong beat, energy and zero brightening. Because it is exactly such a product – precise, faithful, but not emotionless. The last thing you can say about this sound is “technical”.
SUMMARY:
And it seems to me to be the greatest achievement of GigaWatt as a company and Adam Szubert as a designer. Powerprime has the attributes of the most expensive conditioners of this company. It is the ability to enter the recording, showing us the music, not the details of production. It is also a strong, energetic treble and clear middle, but with no brightening of the first one and reducing the another either.
Yes, the medium bass is slightly took back, and the whole range is not as saturated as in more expensive conditioners. But it didn’t disturb, I didn’t pay attention to it. Because with Powerprime we pay attention to music. Let’s use it in a tonally balanced or even slightly warmed up system, and we can sleep peacefully, as our system will be well protected against mains danger. And while not sleeping, we will listen to the music with pleasure. This is a good example of transferring technology from expensive products without paying a high “transfer” tax. Professionally designed, well-made conditioner with the sound that can be described shortly: spectacular. That is why the RED Fingerprint award.
Author: Wojciech Pacuła