AudioPrism Quietline LF-1 Mk. III Noise Filters

Hermitism

Over the past fifteen months, I've been putting together a dedicated two channel system. The consensus around here is the better equipment you have, the more revealing your system becomes and the more easily you will hear changes, tweaks, improvements. I'm not sure if I'll be able to hear the changes from these filters with the equipment I have, but I've been very interested in trying some of these noise filters. When I first joined, I had no idea what to listen for, but I've gotten somewhat better. Example: I remember Skip mentioned once in a thread, after I joined, about decay rate. I would not have ever thought to listen for how long a note lingers. But I guess if you lower the noise floor, you would be able to hear a note last longer, like a piano key lingering into silence. You guys should start a thread on what to listen for, for people new to audio.

My system consists of:

Marantz: PM8005
Marantz NA8005
Polk LSiM703
PS Audio Duet & Power Port Classic
Three PS Audio PerfectWave AC5 Power Cables
Wireworld Equinox 7 IC

I still need some speaker cables, currently using some Emotiva USS-3P cables (that are a couple feet too short) that were given to me by the guy I purchased the speakers from. So that is probably my sound quality bottle neck right now. This system is for playing flac only. 99% of the time, flac is played through several usb flash drives. I'm not interested in having access to everything all at once. Rarely, I will connect wirelessly to my computer that stores my flac and just use the computer as a storage device. Trying to avoid any noise associated with computers.

I've been very patient building this system, trying to make my money stretch. I wanted to build something that would not make me feel like I "settled" for something less than I wanted. And to not end up with something, once complete, that made me want to start upgrading and replacing pieces. In other words, build the best system I could on my budget. I want to complete this system and just enjoy the music and take a break from constantly looking all over for good deals/sales. Everything was purchased used or new at a discounted price. I'm extremely pleased with what I've purchased for the money spent. It would shock you how cheap I am! I'm the Bizarro-Joey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcjSDZNbOs0

And soundwise, a night and day difference from listening to music on my HT system. I've been keeping an eye out for a good deal on these filters and recently purchased seven used AudioPrism QuietLine LF-1 Mk. III Noise Filters.

http://www.audioprism.com/quietline.html

Apparently, their website was made in 1995 and is meant to be viewed with an 800x600 resolution monitor. Dig out those CRTs!



DK reviewed these and Noise Harvesters here:

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2301715#Comment_2301715

My questions weren't really in regards to his review, so I'm creating a new thread, although his comments are welcome.

I'm not sure if I need a lesson on how these work or just a lesson in electricity in general. Some cords come with a wide prong and a narrow prong that go into the slots of an outlet, preventing you from reversing which prong goes into the hot and which one goes into the neutral.



The Quietline filters don't have a wide prong allowing it to be installed upside down.



So you can install two in one outlet. This is where I'm have a problem. These work by shunting all the noise to the "neutral" side of the power line. So how does it know if it's being installed right side up or upside down? How does it know if the left prong is connected to the hot or neutral? Wouldn't installing it upside down do the opposite and take noise from the neutral and send it to the hot?

I have no opinion on these yet, they won't arrive for another week or so. I haven't been able to find a picture of the innards of these filters. In fact, there is a lot less info on the web about these compared to the Noise Harvesters by PS Audio. Not sure if this is just a smaller company or what. Since I haven't seen one in person yet, I don't know how destructive it would be to take one apart. I enjoy taking things apart. It's the leftover pieces I have a problem with.

For anyone that uses these... Do you leave them plugged in 24/7, or do you plug them in when you plan on listening to music. Since these will be scattered around the house, I can see these becoming slightly inconvenient taking up outlets. For best results, these are meant to be on the same circuit as the offending devices. I was going to use them in the room with the audio equipment, my home office, and in the kitchen since I've read that refrigerators and computers are big noise makers. Has anyone ever taken one apart to see the inside? Will plugging them in 24/7 shorten their lifespan? Has anyone used these with no positive results?

msg

I can't answer any of your questions, but I subscribed and am interested to hear how this goes. Also a lot of good points, things to consider, a few laughs, and more questions. I like your philosophy on the system build, too - building with an end goal in mind, not open ended.

When are you supposed to have these in house?

As to the question of polarity, it's probably non-directional inside, like a diode or bulb?

Bizarro... that put it in perspective.
Now try to work in Mxyzptlk!

Hermitism

A lot of good starting a new thread did. They are supposed to arrive next Thursday, they were sent Parcel Select. That's one step up from Mule. Mules make funny noises that sound like "Kltpzyxm". Oh no.

EndersShadow

A shout out to @lightman1

Bet good ol' Russ knows the answer....

msg

Did you get these line filters yet?

Hermitism

They arrived yesterday, a couple days earlier than expected. I installed one in an outlet directly opposite the speakers. A perfect place to be to listen as I plugged it in. No change. Plugged in a second in that outlet. Heard no change. I put three in that room, two in the kitchen, and two in the office. I noticed no change in sound, noise floor, detail or sound stage. The perfect test would be to get seven other people with precision watches (shout out to Joey_V) and synchronize them and have all the filters plugged in at the same time while I sit in my listening chair. I don't have seven precision watches, nor do I know seven people. Since audio improvements are cumulative and I only paid $19.99 plus shipping for all seven, I will continue to use them, but the improvements that I heard were equivalent to the help I got in this thread. I want to take one apart just to make sure there is something inside. I wonder if these have to be plugged in for a time before they start doing whatever it is that they do? Or is the noise filtering instantaneous?

EndersShadow

Hermitism wrote: »

..... I only paid $19.99 plus shipping for all seven......

How the heck did you find that deal? I woulda JUMPED at that too.

delkal

Hermitism wrote: »

The perfect test would be to get seven other people with precision watches (shout out to Joey_V) and synchronize them and have all the filters plugged in at the same time while I sit in my listening chair.


I wonder if these have to be plugged in for a time before they start doing whatever it is that they do? Or is the noise filtering instantaneous?

Find a power strip extension cord and plug all of the noise harvesters in. Then you only have to plug one cord into the outlet.

The filtering should be instantaneous. It is just some specialized capacitors and there is nothing to "warm up".

Hermitism

EndersShadow wrote: »

How the heck did you find that deal? I woulda JUMPED at that too.

Ebay, Buy It Now price, not auction. Just happened to catch it right after it was listed.

delkal wrote: »

Find a power strip extension cord and plug all of the noise harvesters in. Then you only have to plug one cord into the outlet.

The filtering should be instantaneous. It is just some specialized capacitors and there is nothing to "warm up".

That's a good idea to try. The reason I scattered them all over the house is it was recommended for best results to put the filters on the lines with the offending appliances, such as refrigerators, desktop computers, etc.

Hermitism

These have a dim red light on the bottom. What would have been a really cool feature is having a dimmer switch or high/low switch to control the light on these units. Not only would they be an indicator of the unit functioning, but these would make a cool night light to slightly illuminate the floor in a dark home theater or around the house. Mark IV Version anyone? I should be an inventor!

delkal

The light is what is used to drain the noise that was filtered. It should flicker and change brightness when in use (or at least that is how similar noise reducers work).

If you want to test it out look at the light and have someone turn on a hairdrier (on medium or low heat) anywhere in the house. Instant dirty power.

headrott

Any progress on lowering the noise floor in your system by using these? Definitely interested. I have been thinking about buying some of these for my system. Thanks @Hermitism.

Hermitism

delkal wrote: »

The light is what is used to drain the noise that was filtered. It should flicker and change brightness when in use (or at least that is how similar noise reducers work).

If you want to test it out look at the light and have someone turn on a hairdrier (on medium or low heat) anywhere in the house. Instant dirty power.

Okay, I took one in the bathroom and plugged it into the same outlet as the hair dryer and fluffed my hair. The light is constant and doesn't change intensity. I think it just means it's on, unlike the Noise Harvester by PS Audio that blinks at different rates. I think my hair dryer made my hair look better than normal. I still like my night light idea.

headrott wrote: »

Any progress on lowering the noise floor in your system by using these? Definitely interested. I have been thinking about buying some of these for my system. Thanks @Hermitism.

I'm not picking up on any changes. In the past, I've noticed improvements with speaker cables, Dynamat, acoustic panels, power cables, and minimal improvements with power conditioners. I'm just not hearing any changes that stand out this time.

If anyone is familiar with a Marantz integrated amp, I have the volume knob in the 9:30 position. 9 to 9.5 is my normal listening level and what I'm familiar with my music sounding like. Any higher than that is a bit overwhelming in the small room I have them in, unless it's an older album recorded at lower levels. Do you guys think that is loud enough to pick up changes? I was able to hear changes with other stuff at that level, with one exception. When I applied Dynamat to the baskets on my HT speakers (dual system at the time), I didn't hear any improvements at first when listening to music until turning the volume up higher.

I don't want to sell any of mine, but would you like to borrow two of them for a week and see if they make any positive improvements for you before you order some? I'd pay to ship them to you. If Dan, Scott or somebody wanted to give them a try, you pay to ship it to them, and so on.

EndersShadow

I’d be curious to hear them on my system upstairs as it shares the same circuit with a ceiling fan, a couple other things too. I think that might be where the biggest improvement is....

Not sure it would make a diff downstairs as I have 3 dedicated circuits down there for everything.....

Clipdat

What's inside of them?

Hermitism

Clipdat wrote: »

What's inside of them?

Money.

Clipdat

Well crack them open and go deposit the money into your bank account then.

Then use it to order more noise harvesters.

pitdogg2

EndersShadow wrote: »

I’d be curious to hear them on my system upstairs as it shares the same circuit with a ceiling fan, a couple other things too. I think that might be where the biggest improvement is....

Not sure it would make a diff downstairs as I have 3 dedicated circuits down there for everything.....

sometimes your own gear will put noise on the very dedicated line you ran, so do not be so quick to dismiss it.

My audio space has all outlets on the same circuit I have 3 ps audio noise harvesters on all the other outlets in my room. They do not ever blink or will maybe blink once or twice the entire day. Turn my Carver TFM45 on they just go nuts like a 70's strob light, so yes my Carver amp puts noise on the line. Do I notice a difference YES they do work. I'm really looking forward to see if the Adcom 5802 does the same thing. So yes first thing after AXPONA I'm looking forward to see what the Hydra 8 and Adcom change for me...

Clipdat

I've been debating trying one of those PS Audio Noise Harvesters for a while now.

EndersShadow

Good to know.


All source gear (in both systems) are in APC H15s....

Amps are direct into the wall... and I got a LOT of amps lol...

pitdogg2

Clipdat wrote: »

I've been debating trying one of those PS Audio Noise Harvesters for a while now.

If this Shuynata Hydra 8 works as it should I'll have 3 of them for sale for the same price I bought them from Joey. 30.00 each.
I have 2 white and 1 black. I think the black has a deeper darker background..... LOL kidding

headrott

Hermitism wrote: »

delkal wrote: »

The light is what is used to drain the noise that was filtered. It should flicker and change brightness when in use (or at least that is how similar noise reducers work).

If you want to test it out look at the light and have someone turn on a hairdrier (on medium or low heat) anywhere in the house. Instant dirty power.

Okay, I took one in the bathroom and plugged it into the same outlet as the hair dryer and fluffed my hair. The light is constant and doesn't change intensity. I think it just means it's on, unlike the Noise Harvester by PS Audio that blinks at different rates. I think my hair dryer made my hair look better than normal. I still like my night light idea.

headrott wrote: »

Any progress on lowering the noise floor in your system by using these? Definitely interested. I have been thinking about buying some of these for my system. Thanks @Hermitism.

I'm not picking up on any changes. In the past, I've noticed improvements with speaker cables, Dynamat, acoustic panels, power cables, and minimal improvements with power conditioners. I'm just not hearing any changes that stand out this time.

If anyone is familiar with a Marantz integrated amp, I have the volume knob in the 9:30 position. 9 to 9.5 is my normal listening level and what I'm familiar with my music sounding like. Any higher than that is a bit overwhelming in the small room I have them in, unless it's an older album recorded at lower levels. Do you guys think that is loud enough to pick up changes? I was able to hear changes with other stuff at that level, with one exception. When I applied Dynamat to the baskets on my HT speakers (dual system at the time), I didn't hear any improvements at first when listening to music until turning the volume up higher.

I don't want to sell any of mine, but would you like to borrow two of them for a week and see if they make any positive improvements for you before you order some? I'd pay to ship them to you. If Dan, Scott or somebody wanted to give them a try, you pay to ship it to them, and so on.

Yeah, I would definitely be interested in trying a couple of them to see if I can hear a difference. If you pay shipping one way, I will pay shipping back to you. PM me if you are interested. Thanks @Hermitism.

Hermitism

@EndersShadow send headrott your mailing address.

Hermitism

Clipdat wrote: »

I've been debating trying one of those PS Audio Noise Harvesters for a while now.

These aren't the noise harvsters, but do you want to try them? Maybe we should do this geographically. You and headrott are both out west. Dan is in Indiana.

EndersShadow

I’m happy to be last given proximity to you.

Hermitism

I didn't mean to s c r e w you over.

EndersShadow

Hermitism wrote: »

I didn't mean to s c r e w you over.

Seriously no worries man. We are more than good.

Makes sense.

headrott

If you want them first, I got no problem with that.

EndersShadow

headrott wrote: »

If you want them first, I got no problem with that.

Nope. Legit prefer last lol.... kids keep me busy a lot right now so I am cool with waiting.

Hermitism

I said geologically, I had to go back and change that! I think geographically would make more sense. LOL Like it should get shipped in order of what rocks you have in your backyard!

headrott

Hermitism wrote: »

I said geologically, I had to go back and change that! I think geographically would make more sense. LOL Like it should get shipped in order of what rocks you have in your backyard!

Hey, I am hoping these Quietline filters will allow me to rock that much more, at least.

That said, Igneous rocks should go first. I just like the name.