Author Topic: Any experience with the PI Audio Uber BUSS?  (Read 6015 times)

Offline mdconnelly

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Any experience with the PI Audio Uber BUSS?
« on: March 06, 2010, 09:56:43 AM »
I've been somewhat preoccupied (my wife might called it something else ;-) with the effect power conditioning has on audio of late.  Over the years I've owned or tried everything from the early PS Audio power regenerators, Shunyata Hydra, Running Springs Jaco and most recently, have found the Alan Maher products to work extremely well in my system to my ears.  

I'm not even going to attempt comparing any of these and, in truth, have only had the UberBUSS for a couple days (it's used and has been broken in), so I'm mostly curious if any folks here have had a chance to check this out.   Robin (Satfrat), I believe you have one and also have some of Maher's products, right?  What' your take?

Anyway, unlike Alan Maher's products that are designed to be used throughout a home to condition power from the panel through all circuits (heaven help those with large homes ;-),  the UberBUSS is designed to go between wall and system with a 15a IEC input and a quad Leviton outlet.  Like most conditioners, it's designed to tackle RFI/EMI but evidentally takes a unique and proprietary approach to doing so.

So far I have only tried it in conjunction with the Maher products and, truthfully, did not expect a lot given how much of an improvement the Maher products have already done (see my sig post link for a list of my system that identifies the different Alan Maher products I'm using).  

Since I only have one duplex (on a dedicated 20a circuit), I've been feeding my system via a PS Audio Juicebar II plugged into the duplex with a Black Sand Silver Ref PC.   (I've been tempted to try the Maher Power Center - it's priced around the UberBUSS - but just haven't done so thinking it's simply  more of what the products I already have are doing).  

So last night, I pulled out the Juicebar and dropped in the UberBUSS and the improvements were apparent about 20 seconds in.  In many respects it was more of what the Maher products were already doing... bigger soundstage, more organic sound quality, more body to voices and instruments set against a very dark background.  Interesting, I swear the bass went deeper - not necessarily louder or better defined - just deeper, almost like a sub does, but only on recordings that had content down there.  I know my Aerial 10Ts are capable of that and with the UberBuss I was just noticing more of it.  At times, it seemed almost too much, but that just got me tweeking speaker placement which actually made a nice difference.

Given the weeks it takes for the Maher products to setup to work at their best, I have been reluctant to pull them out to see what the Uber can do by itself.  But I can say that using the Uber with the Alan Maher products seems quite synergistic.   

Last but not least, let me say that talking with Dave Elledge, the mastermind behind PI Audio and the Majik & Uber BUSSes, has been a real treat.   He has been highly responsive to any and all questions. He even called me at home when I had a concern about something that turned out to have nothing to do with the Uber.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2010, 03:50:02 PM by mdconnelly »