Review Shunyata Venom V16 Power Distributor

I just got the newly released Shunyata Venom V16 power distributor. I also acquired the Shunyata Reference line Delta v2 XC C19 cable to power it. I also purchased the optional SSF-38 shock absorbing feet. This is replacing Audioquest’s Powerquest 3 linear filter power strip.  I know, it’s quite a large jump.

I still have a few more days of burn-in to truly get critical, but right off the bat, day one, this product obliterated the Audioquest’s gains. The sound stage expanded to a degree where the desktop speakers vanished. You could be staring straight at the speaker and swear it wasn’t on. It created a sound “bubble” in the space where sound appeared to travel in three dimensions. The micro details became louder and had more depth. High notes carried further. Piano notes had even more realistic metallic reverb. You could definitively hear when a piano key was struck harder than another. You can hear the shuffle of the player's feet as they work the pedals. Mid-bass tones/instruments no longer affect vocals, as the singer's voice was separate. Words are clear, concise, and sound more life-like. In older songs, you can hear track hiss get louder as a new track is being added into the song. The bass got tighter and more forceful. Then there was the emergence of new bass rhythms that I hadn't heard before in some songs.

Here is the system I am currently using.

Speakers:
Audioengine A2+
Audioengine S8 subwoofer.

The A2+ is being powered by Kimber Kable Summit Palladian
The S8 subwoofer is being powered by Kimber Kable Ascent

I am running these through an Acer Helios 300 Predator using Foobar2000 via USB:

Audioquest FMJ Jitterbug
Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt
Audioquest Yosemite

From the A2+ I am running Synergistic Research’s Foundation RCA interconnects to the S8 subwoofer.
From A2+’s powered speaker to the passive speaker, I am running a vintage, modified Audioquest CV-4 using their Suregrip 500 series banana plugs.

The laptop is running Shunyata Research’s Venom V14 Digital cable. I am also using Audioquest’s NRG Edison power socket and PS Audio’s Noise Harvester.

A few months ago, I had a full Audioquest loom, using their NRG X,Y, and Z product line. Audioquest refuses to allow their higher end power cable line to have C5 and C7 connectors. As a result, I became somewhat disappointed in Audioquest. It was as if you only get a real glimpse of what they offer if you buy their top-most products and they limit you on what areas you can upgrade. Anything beneath that line is essentially a “broken” version of their better cable, in order to ensure it doesn’t sound superior to the model above it. This led me to seek out other manufacturers. I discovered that even though other companies like, Kimber Kable, Shunyata Research and Synergistic Research also diminish their lower product lines, they don’t do so by damaging the audio signal. They typically reduce the amount of tech, but still use their best technical advances so as not to hurt the signal on purpose. In other words, Audioquest breaks their promise of, “Do no harm.” That doesn’t mean I dislike all Audioquest products. As you can see, I still have some of their product line within this setup and will keep it in the system. Besides, I like having a varying degree of manufacturers to balance all the different “house” sounds. :)

 In about a week or so, I am changing out the AQ Yosemite and AQ CV-4 for Synergistic Research’s Foundation cables. This way I will have a full loom in the direct audio chain.

I have to say, folks have underestimated the A2+, they are extremely well engineered. :)