Bybee Audio tweeks. IQSE

I have one iQSE placed on top of the Tara Labs AD/6 Powerscreen that my CD Transport, DAC, and amp are plugged into (preamp is an autoformer passive). I am hearing substantial improvements very similar to those described in the positive feedback review.

I have two more arriving today, that I am going to experiment with placing on/in my transport and DAC.

Here's a quote from PS Audio's Paul McGowan on his company forum:

"Jack’s stuff makes no sense to this engineer but dammit if it doesn’t seem to work."

http://www.psaudio.com/forum/power-products/p10-able-to-add-bybee-iqse-tweak/

(scroll down)

Got two more iQSEs in on Friday. Put one in my CEC TL5 belt drive CD Transport, near the power supply. Wow! CECs are known as very "analog" sounding transports; relaxed and musical. The iQSE takes it a big step further in that direction. Loads of clear, natural, detail, integrated into an organic whole. There is a substantial increase in the sense of life and palpability, that pulls me further into the music. It's one of those "intending to play one or two tracks, and end up listening to the whole album" kind of changes.

I'm loving it, and am almost afraid to put the other iQSE in my DAC. I might never leave my listening room! 😉

I'm stuck in my listening room, and can't seem to get out. Don't send help!

I put the second iQSE in my DAC.

Allan,

I had one iQSE on my Powerscreen and one in my transport. Putting one in my DAC made a clearly audible improvement. It’s hard to put a number on it, but I would say 10% is about right.

If I had to choose just one place to put one, I would say the transport is where it made the most difference. The DAC is a close second, though.

According to TweekGeek, You should only use one per component, two can actually degrade the sound:

http://tweekgeek.blogspot.com/2017/

The difference with the iQSEs in my system is definitely cumulative. I was very pleased with the results I got from putting the first one on my Powerscreen. I was wondering if I would get much improvement from adding more. I was surprised at how much difference the one in my transport made, and then again, with my DAC. Between the three, I feel like my system, that I was already quite happy with, has been transformed.

After each change I’ve made lately, I find myself wondering "Can it get much better than this?". Then I do the next thing, and it does.

I recently got a Core Power Technologies Equi=Core 300 balanced power cord to feed the power strip my system is plugged into. I have been quite pleased with the sonic improvements it brings. I decided to try and up the ante by putting an iQSE inside it. Wow! The initial results are quite impressive. This would seem to be a very synergistic combo.

I continue to be very happy with the the iQSE inside my Equi=Core 300. It takes an already excellent unit to another level.

This is Mike Garner of Tweek Geek’s response when I told him what I had done:

"It would make good sense to put it there, since the iQSE is activated by electromagnetic fields. Transformers generate large and powerful em fields."

Before today, I had 3 iQSEs in my system. One each inside my transport and DAC, near the power transformers, and one in my Equi=Core 300 balanced PC/conditioner. I also had a spare that I was saving to use as a demonstrator on friends’ systems.

I had read here that they are not as effective for amps as front end components, but today I decided to try it on my amp. I placed it on top of the power transformer cover, with the printed side down. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised at how much improvement it made over the already fantastic sound I’ve been enjoying.

IME, placing one near the power transformer of any component that has one will get good results.

They do work on the outside, with the printed side facing inside. This is a good way to experiment with placement before opening up the component, or if you're not comfortable with putting it inside. 

Here are some good tips about use and placement:

http://tweekgeek.blogspot.com/2017/06/sonic-tonic-bybee-iqse-lessons-learned.html

There’s a new review of the iQSE, and other Bybee products up on dagogo:

https://www.dagogo.com/bybee-technologies-quantum-products-review

lak,

Yes, it is the same one.

"These things are just too good!"

Agreed. I got in two more yesterday. I put one on top of my passive autoformer pre (wouldn’t fit inside). I was thinking it might not make much difference, since the pre has no power. I got more natural detail, larger soundstage, more palpability, "believability" and musical involvement. All without any alteration of the tonal balance.

I now have a spare, which I intend to use to convert the heathen 😉

ozzy,

It's definitely a battery? Could it be something that just looks like a battery (maybe with crystals inside)?

From the Bybee website:

"The iQSE can be installed with either side up, and can withstand heat. It will be effective in most any space inside of a component. It is a passive device that will not lose effectiveness over time."

http://bybeetech.com/?page_id=136

droleg,

I put one in my CPT 300, and it worked great. Judging from my experience, it should also do very well in a 1200/1800. If you don't have one yet, you better order it from amazon, and have it delivered by drone 😉

So, Jack Bybee has confirmed that there is a battery in the iQSE, and said it will last 10 years. Not what I expected, but they continue to work as advertised in my system, and have an extremely positive effect on the sound that is well worth the price, IMO.

ozzy,

You consider ten years (or even five) “soon”?