The latest conditioner GigaWatt POWERPRIME received the “RED FINGERPRINT” award from Highfidelity.pl
“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