According to IsoTek, mains electricity is distorted by numerous factors as it travels from power stations to be distributed throughout our homes, eroding the performance of high-quality audio and AV systems. With this in mind, the company is launching a new entry-level range of products called the Discovery series, delivering what IsoTek says are highly effective yet eminently affordable solutions to enhance sound and picture quality, whilst also protecting valuable equipment from spikes and surges in the mains supply.
The IsoTek EVO3 Polaris mains conditioning block is designed to enhance the performance of a complete audio or AV system. A painstakingly designed delta filter topology is said to ensure class-leading filtration of both Common Mode and Differential Mode mains noise, delivering super-clean power to six outlets – each oneindependently isolated via IsoTek’s Polaris X technology to prevent cross-contamination. In addition, 13,500A of instantaneous protection in provided, safeguarding equipment via IsoTek’s sequential and repeatable protection system.
Unlike many entry-level mains filtration products, which use off-the-shelf components, IsoTek says that the EVO3 Polaris is designed from the ground up by the company to ensure it is ideally fit for purpose – the culmination of over a decade’s-worth of research. Top-quality parts are utilised throughout, including a hand-soldered, silver-plated PCB, and internal wiring with silver-coated, 99.9999% OFC (oxygen-free copper) conductors and a Teflon PTFE dielectric.
Sonic improvements delivered by the EVO3 Polaris are claimed to include greater clarity and definition, plus enhanced dynamic and spatial qualities, avoiding the apparent softening of leading edges and rhythmic timing that can occur.
The IsoTek EVO3 Mini Mira is a mains filtration device optimised for use with TVs and projectors. According to IsoTek, the EVO3 Mini Mira takes its Mira circuit, raises its performance level and packs it into an even more compact and hardwearing steel and aluminium case. At the product’s heart is IsoTek’s proprietary Triple Resonant Filter, specifically designed to focus on the frequencies that are critical to picture quality, coupled to a series of shunt and delta filters, plus auto-sensing adaptive gating technology, which adapts filtering according to the current draw of the load. Two power outlets are provided – one to feed any type of TV (CRT, plasma and all varieties of LCD) or video projector, the other for a partnering device such as a set-top box or Blu-ray player. The EVO3 Mini Mira is said to deliver significant improvements to picture quality, including crisper and more stable images, deeper blacks and more vibrant, natural colours.
IsoTek EVO3 Premier high-performance power cable is said to be the company’s most affordable, featuring an advanced construction with premium-quality materials that IsoTek believes sets it apart from other sub-£100 cables. At its core are three 2sqmm conductors made from 99.9999% OFC and coated in silver to aid conductivity, with a Teflon FEP dielectric extruded over each. The three conductors are given a rotational twist to aid EMI/RFI rejection, and surrounded by cotton filler to add internal strength, reduce microphony and further enhance the cable’s dielectric properties. The construction is secured using a paper wrap, which provides an additional dielectric buffer, prior to the application of a durable, flexible, heat-resistant PVC outer sheath.
The cable is terminated with high-quality moulded connectors, designed and manufactured by IsoTek rather than bought off the shelf, with solid copper conductor pins coated in 24ct gold to ensure they remain tarnish free.
