ADD-Powr by Coherence Systems --- Power Conditioning Products


Recent research into power conditioning approaches and products brought ADD-Powr to my attention. This company, and it’s products, were previously unknown to me.

The company, Coherence Systems, is based in Santa Monica, CA. and has been in business for some time.

An introduction and general overview can be found within their ’About Us’ page: https://add-powr.com/about

Nordost (in 2008) purchased the QRT technology that these folks developed.

Bill Stierhout is the proprietor / owner and the brains behind the ADD-Powr product line.
david_ten
Copied below are posts from @scrootable_labs from my former thread.

@scrootable_labs Please follow-up with me should you want to edit or change any of your copied posts.

"I'm auditioning a Sorcer X2 now at our a/v studio, it's on the same circuit as a large format console and analog signal processing running off of balanced power. I've done quite a bit of testing in capturing mixes with and without the unit in place, with various cabling and so on.. would really value your subjective impression on how it's been performing vs. the Corelli.

the testing process here has resulted in a range of other holistic changes to the monitoring config & the overall result has been positive- it creates an unusual uniformity of response between components that can reduce phase-related anomalies in a larger system.  as it's been noted elsewhere, the unit responds to changes in position, sequence with the other components, possibly time of day & amount of time it's been working. upside there is that it's "tuneable" with a little elbow grease (provided you have other outlets and cables to try.) potential issue is that it does add another layer of complexity to a system & potentially variables that may be tricky to control- too soon to say on this end.


our unit (actually a x4) has settled in after a few weeks worth of tweaking and experimentation. it's been very helpful in refining our monitoring chain and outboard config to help manage phase relationships and spatial positioning in our mix projects.  the unit can simultaneously remove certain kinds of variances between one piece of gear and another- and make it a bit more apparent where other issues are coming from. very interesting effect hearing the way vintage analog components inter-relate on the sorcer's circuit- and of course, it's easily reversible by moving individual PSU's to a different electrical circuit (or simply shutting the unit off)

other key components currently on this circuit
MYTEK manhattan II
8 channel JCF tube converters
RME 6432 & 642 MADI-AES converters
BPT balanced power transformer
mostly wireworld IEC cables
Neve 8058 console
lots of harnesses and patch cables, analog outboard gear"


And from @sonicshading 

@sonicshading   Please follow-up with me should you want to edit or change your copied posts.

"We also listened with open minds...In a mastering studio. I was able to audition to the SorcerX4.
As I understand it: This device emits a low frequency (below 20Hz) pulse on your AC circuit as well as radiated through antenna-I think Nordost was doing a similar thing with their devices.
It does change the sound of audio being produced on the same AC circuit, but it is not a power conditioner...It is a harmonizer. It does change the sound, but that change is additive. These harmonics can can be seen on a spectrum analyzer like Izotope Ozone. If you like what it does, use it.
We are after the original source/signal...We prefer the processing to be done through the mastering chain, not our AC products-i.e. harmonic pulses that accumulate depending on how many transformers you are using - X2 vs X4

I feel using balanced power and quality passive power distribution is the best solution for A/V systems. Certainly open to what Garth Powell has developed at Audioquest too."
From @scrootable_labs :

"quickest note to add that we also initially experienced issues around extra added harmonics, as @sonicshading’s noted.. I’ve found that I’m able to replicate, manage, eliminate and/or moderate the phenomenon by placing the unit in various positions on the circuit. Initially, it was generating extra high frequencies on the transients- not really what we were after at all, but no such issue now after a few rounds of repositioning.   have been a/b testing and studying our results after multiple rounds of pitch/catch and it’s behaving more or less transparently in "regulating" other components on the chain- creates a sense of synergy, uniformity and improved imaging in our monitoring and processing setup. to sonicshading’s point, it’s also capable of producing desirable anomalies, and it’s possible to get a specific, very nice round vintage sound by placing it after other transformers on the circuit if desired- and it’s then possible to monitor those changes accurately by moving the monitoring DAC to a different circuit (both of those processes have been part of my workflow over the past few weeks.)  we’ve got a fair amount of really nice old outboard and interesting converters, but I’ve come to feel that those kinds of holistic and broad changes are most easily achieved with tweaks to the power config. I’m sure I’m in the minority on that, but I find the application intuitive and super useful. my humble two cents’ worth, and I will be trying this unit out- and also hopefully comparing vs. a Corelli or Minelli in our mastering space as well."
From @scrootable_labs :

"Here’s a set of short clips showing how the sorcer sounds in various positions on our electrical circuit- a familiar loop, first bounced from a DAW without any processing, then played through a Mytek Brooklyn DAC via a MADI-AES chain through an analog patchbay into a Brooklyn ADC: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15s-Nj6z_EUEthf7YjSdb7Q_dzM_P8Yu9?usp=sharing

the tone for the recaptured track is comparable with the Sorcer in and out of the system, but you can hear changes in the way the image is rendered- those shifts are mostly improvements, IMO, with a more coherent response as the unit’s engaged.

the sonic profile shifts radically when the unit is placed closer to the other gear and fed by a balanced power transformer. becomes euphonic- still desirable for certain applications, with a bit more ping on the top, a rounded kind of muscle to the midrange and extended bottom [there are another few positions I’d tried where I didn’t like the results, didn’t capture them in this specific test.]

the test is useful in also exposing some of the shortcomings with the conversion and signal path (some softening to the transients in the middle of the image, etc) but the effect is comparable using higher-end converters. I will be replicating the test in a more controlled environment with shorter HQ cable runs and improved conversion next week.
cheers
josh"
From @cohsystms :

"Hello Josh,
Thank you for your comments. I trust that you are enjoying the x4.
Indeed, especially in the last clip there is quite a remarkable sonic improvement over the first two. You used the word "euphonic".
That says it all.
You are finding the best locations for its use in the studio.
Indeed close to the electronics will have the strongest effect.
And yes, it exposes flaws in the signal path and the remedies used to correct them.
Try location near the monitor amps or in the pro tools or computer room,if there is one.
Thanks again for your support,

Bill

Coherence Systems / ADD-Powr"