Shunyata Hydra AV review

BlueFox

Thursday, I replaced a Panamax M5300-PM with a Shunyata Hydra AV in my HT. This powers everything except for the TV, and the sub, which gets used 3-4 time a year. The Panamax was powered by a Ztron Cobra, which was moved to the amp. The Hydra is powered by a Ztron Python, and is connected to a dedicated 20 amp line. In addition to these changes, last weekend I removed the hard-wired cord on my TV and replaced it with a Furtech IEC connector so I can upgrade the TV power cord. A Ztron Cobra is on order, and for now I am using a Pangea AC14SE cord.

Now to business. I just watched Terminator 3, which is one of my reference Blu-Rays along with Avatar, which I just came from. With the above changes, I am impressed. It is as if I have a new TV, and the sound quality has bumped up a notch.

For review purposes I use the scene where the Terminatrix arrives, steps out of the window, and you hear her feet slap on the concrete. Then comes the chase scene which gives the audio and video a good workout. The clincher tonight was the scene in the campground after the cemetery escape. I have returned DVD players in the past for botching this scene. The campground is in the shade, and it must noon since the son is really lighting up the scenery not in the shade. There is no loss in detail looking between the shaded areas, and areas out in the son. It is very smooth. For whatever reason, I have seen this scene washed out in the past. The shade looked okay, but the sun area was washed out white. Now it is perfect.

My Blu-Ray player is an Oppo 93, the TV is a calibrated 2004 57" Hitachi digital monitor, the amp is a Sunfire TGA-5400, the pre/pro is an Onkyo SC5509, interconnects are low end MITs, and speaker cables are Mapleshade Double Helix Clearview with Plus.

Anyway, between the TV getting a better power cord, and the Oppo getting better power, I feel like I have a new TV. The picture is clearer, brighter, and much more detailed, and it appears adding cleaner power to the pre and amp, along with a better power cord to the amp, has upped the sound quality. Voices are clear and pronounced, effects in all channels are more apparent, and both stereo and surround sound has moved up.

I cannot say enough how impressed I am with Shunyata products. As I have added their gear in both my stereo and HT I have seen an order of magnitude improvement. Without a doubt, power is a component, and if you neglect it then you have no idea what you are missing.

tonyb

Very nice bro, you sure put together some dynamite gear there. Congrats....as usual all power conditioners are not created equal. Running Springs is another brand worth a look into too for others looking to up their PC game.

BlueFox

A quick follow up to the review in regard to the TV. After this earlier review I ordered a Shunyata 2 port Talos power conditioner to replace the Panamax I was using for the TV and the sub. Currently, The Cable Company is having a special on these where you get a "free" Shunyata Venom HC power cable (20 amp connector) with the Talos. Additionally, I replaced the Pangea power cord on the TV with a Shunyata Ztron Cobra power cable.

Well, along with upgrades I did to the power for the electronics, this took my 2004 monitor to another level. I watched Avatar, and just burst out laughing with pleasure at the color and detail I am seeing in this picture. Of course, it was there before, but now it seems as if I am immersed in the scene. It is just amazing. If this experience is simply my mind playing tricks on me then give me more of that placebo, since it works.


http://www.thecableco.com/Product/Hydra-Alpha-Model-2
http://www.thecableco.com/Product/Cobra-Ztron

tonyb

Not to go off track here Fox, but that old TV I assume is a 1080i set ? Maybe the 2 grand would have been better spent on upgrading the TV to 1080p ? Just sayin' bro.

BlueFox

tonyb wrote: »

Not to go off track here Fox, but that old TV I assume is a 1080i set ? Maybe the 2 grand would have been better spent on upgrading the TV to 1080p ? Just sayin' bro.

1080i and calibrated. No sense in upgrading while it works fine. When it is time to upgrade then the power foundation is in place to allow the new set to work at its potential right from the start. Get the foundation right, and it handles all future upgrades.

teekay0007

tonyb wrote: »

Not to go off track here Fox, but that old TV I assume is a 1080i set ? Maybe the 2 grand would have been better spent on upgrading the TV to 1080p ? Just sayin' bro.

+ 1000! But....I've said that before and got jumped on. He also wouldn't need the shower curtain rods to stabilize the TV cabinet with a NEW Super-Thin LED set. AND a 60-incher can be had for less than the PC itself. But, that's just MHO.

tonyb

Eh, not gonna knock Fox around about it, we all like what we like.But my thought is, and I'm all for upgraded power cords/conditioners, is that no power cord/conditioner will turn a 1080i set into a 1080p. Just think what that gear would look like on a newer set is what I'm sayin'.

BlueFox

tonyb wrote: »

Eh, not gonna knock Fox around about it, we all like what we like.But my thought is, and I'm all for upgraded power cords/conditioners, is that no power cord/conditioner will turn a 1080i set into a 1080p. Just think what that gear would look like on a newer set is what I'm sayin'.

Yes, and what I am saying is that I would still have to buy the power conditioner and cord even if I bought a new TV. This TV still works fine, and its picture is better than an LED set, and is close to high-end plasma level. The only drawback is it is 23" deep versus 1"-2". I can live with that. When it breaks I will buy a new TV, or when I can get a 72" to 90" OLED 4K set for no more than $5K. Just because a TV is thin, and does 1080P, does not mean it has a better picture.