AudioQuest Niagara 5000 Owner's Manual
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Niagara 5000 Features
Transient Power Correction: Provides over 90 amps peak instantaneous current reservoir with
reduced line impedance for current-starved power amplifiers, whether they incorporate linear or
switching power supplies.
switching power supplies.
Ground Noise-Dissipation System: AQ’s patented technology vastly reduces ground-borne
noise without compromising safety or creating low-level ground loops.
Ultra-Linear Noise-Dissipation Technology: Ensures the most consistent and widest bandwidth
noise dissipation possible, without the inconsistent results that typify minimalist, multi-node
resonant peaking found in many AC power conditioners.
resonant peaking found in many AC power conditioners.
Ultra Low-Z NRG Series AC Power Inlets and Outlets: These inlets and outlets not only feature
a grip with far lower resistance (utilizing far more mass than conventional or audiophile-grade
designs), but they also include a heavy Hanging-Silver plating to ensure the lowest impedance at
radio frequencies, enabling superior noise dissipation.
designs), but they also include a heavy Hanging-Silver plating to ensure the lowest impedance at
radio frequencies, enabling superior noise dissipation.
Introduction
The science of AC power is not a simple one; it demands focus, and the devil is in the details. In fact, the
mammoth increase in airborne and AC-line-transmitted radio signals, combined with overtaxed utility lines
and the ever-increasing demands from high-definition audio/video components, has rendered our utilities’ AC
power an antiquated technology.
mammoth increase in airborne and AC-line-transmitted radio signals, combined with overtaxed utility lines
and the ever-increasing demands from high-definition audio/video components, has rendered our utilities’ AC
power an antiquated technology.
Where Alternating Current (AC) is concerned, we’re relying on a century-old technology created for incandescent
lights and electric motors—technology that was certainly never meant to power the sophisticated analog and
digital circuits used in premium audio/video systems. To properly accommodate the promise of today’s ever
increasing bandwidth and dynamic range, we must achieve extraordinarily low noise across a wide range of
frequencies.
lights and electric motors—technology that was certainly never meant to power the sophisticated analog and
digital circuits used in premium audio/video systems. To properly accommodate the promise of today’s ever
increasing bandwidth and dynamic range, we must achieve extraordinarily low noise across a wide range of
frequencies.
Further, today’s power amplifiers are being taxed for instantaneous peak-current demand, even when they’re
driven at modest volumes. Although we have seen a substantial increase in both dynamics and bass content
from our audio software, the loudspeakers we employ to reproduce them are no more efficient than they were
two to four decades ago. This places great demands on an amplifier’s power supply, as well as the source AC
power supplying it.
driven at modest volumes. Although we have seen a substantial increase in both dynamics and bass content
from our audio software, the loudspeakers we employ to reproduce them are no more efficient than they were
two to four decades ago. This places great demands on an amplifier’s power supply, as well as the source AC
power supplying it.
Our systems’ sensitive components need better alternating current—a fact that has resulted in a host of AC power
conditioning, isolation transformers, regeneration amplifiers, and battery back-up system topologies. Through
differential sample tests and spectrum analysis, it can be proven that up to a third of a high-resolution (low-level)
audio signal can be lost, masked, or highly distorted by the vast levels of noise riding along the AC power lines
that feed our components. This noise couples into the signal circuitry as current noise and through AC ground,
permanently distorting and/or masking the source signal.
conditioning, isolation transformers, regeneration amplifiers, and battery back-up system topologies. Through
differential sample tests and spectrum analysis, it can be proven that up to a third of a high-resolution (low-level)
audio signal can be lost, masked, or highly distorted by the vast levels of noise riding along the AC power lines
that feed our components. This noise couples into the signal circuitry as current noise and through AC ground,
permanently distorting and/or masking the source signal.
All sincere attempts to solve this problem must be applauded since once the audio/video signal is gone, it’s gone
forever…
forever…
For AudioQuest, honoring the source is never a matter of simply using premium “audiophile-grade parts” or relying
on a proprietary technology—common approaches used within the audiophile market. For years, we have all been
witness to the same, seemingly endless audiophile debates: Valves versus transistors. Analog versus digital. Can cables
really make a difference? The debates go on and on. While we, too, can brag about our many unique technologies, we
realize that true audio/video optimization is never a matter of any one secret or exotic circuit. When it comes to noise
dissipation for AC power, many approaches can yield meaningful results. However, they may also impart ringing,
current compression, and non-linear distortions that are worse than the disease. The Niagara 5000 uses both our
patented AC Ground Noise-Dissipation System and the widest bandwidth-linearized noise-dissipation circuit in the
on a proprietary technology—common approaches used within the audiophile market. For years, we have all been
witness to the same, seemingly endless audiophile debates: Valves versus transistors. Analog versus digital. Can cables
really make a difference? The debates go on and on. While we, too, can brag about our many unique technologies, we
realize that true audio/video optimization is never a matter of any one secret or exotic circuit. When it comes to noise
dissipation for AC power, many approaches can yield meaningful results. However, they may also impart ringing,
current compression, and non-linear distortions that are worse than the disease. The Niagara 5000 uses both our
patented AC Ground Noise-Dissipation System and the widest bandwidth-linearized noise-dissipation circuit in the