Yaqin ML-1100

[Matt]

I bought on of these just before xmas http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/YAQIN-ML-1100-8wa ... 3efca625c6

I wanted to try a power filter but didnt want to spend too much money as ive heard mixed views on coil based passive filters.
I also wanted a good quailty one so i bought one of the above as there was internal pictures of it so i had a good idea of what i was buying.
It also allowed my to buy a couple of Ps audio's top of the range power cables with US plugs(filter has 2xUS sockets and 6 iniversal) that are now discontinued so were a fraction of their RRP.

I already had Dalkey audio power cables on my equipment, but i replaced the amp and cd player cables with the Ps audio cables.
I then needed one of the Dalkey audio cables to feed the power filter so use the Ultimate pure silver mains cable

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dalkey-Audio-Cabl ... 35a6bc0d9f

I tested the system over a month and was very happy with the improvements brought but it took around 200hrs of running in before the sound of the filter opened up. I also had US to UK plug converters which i installed my Hifi Tuning fuses in so i could run the system with and without the power filter to compare.
At first the filter sounded restricted and the sound was strangled although it was obvious much more detail was available in the high frequencies. After the 200 or so hours the filter's sound opened up and now sound amazing.

But that left me with my cd player cable spare http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dalkey-Audio-Cabl ... 35a3155541

So i transplanted the silver live and neutral conductors from the smaller Pure silver cable into the larger Ultimate cable to make a Huge Super Ultimate pure silver mains cable to feed my power filter.

I then used the spare silver IEC and silver Mk plug and put them on the Dalkey audio classic power cord thats on my Subwoofer.

I have since removed and replaced the filter several times to compare the sound now all cables and components are run in.
The filter removes high frequency hash and harsness from the sound, allowing inner detail not previously heard to shine through.
Highly recomended, but it does mean you need an extra power cord in your system if you dont want to use the cheap supplied cable.

[tony]

Interesting. I have seen mixed reviews of yaqin products on the net. Have you used other mains filters? I am just using a cheapie tacima cs929 and it made a goodly difference. Postage is fairly hefty on that, Did you get it from hong kong or a uk supplier?
I would be curious to here what other people are using?.

[Matt]

Yes postage was expensive from hong kong but the total price was only £75 which, considering the quality of the filter, is very good.
I was concerned it would be cheap rubbish but looked very good in the pics. I took the back off it when it arrived to inspect the build quality of the innards and cable connections. Top notch build inside too.
Overall im very impressed with it and couldn't live without it now.

[Fran]

A lot of these things are the same - you really need for someone else to have done the legwork on it. The casework on them all looks good, but you need to look under the hood to really see what's going on. I've seen this with valve amps in particular, people rave about a particular chinese amp, great sound etc etc. Then before you know it, they have changed this cap here and that transformer there to better ones and in their heads the amp is now sounding even better. But if they were to add up what they spent, the deal might not have been quite so good.

Not saying that this is the case here, but you need to take that into account buying anything unseen from ebay. Often of course the price is less than you would pay for the chassis alone over here.....


Fran

[Matt]

Thats why i took the risk buying this power filter, because it was a reasonable price and looked comparable with say a Ps audio design that would cost around €400 and many other passive filters at various prices.

I dont know the quality of the electronic components inside it as im not well up on that, but the quality of constuction inside and out is top notch.

And the improvement the filter has brought to my system is worth a lot more than the asking price of the filter. Although it probably runs along the lines of debate along with power cables and fuses.

[tony]

I would agree Fran, any of these things are a risk and it is nice to have someone try it first.The chinese stuff is bit like aldi and lidl(sometimes great quality for virtually nothing but often just a waste a lolly) Funnily I havent had a bad experience yet on ebay(touch wood). I even bought a car successfully. The one thing I noticed about that conditioner is the switch. I remember from the old forum that switches were meant to be a nono, but as Matt suggests its hard to go wrong at the price. I want to get a better conditioner at some stage but I think I will hold my money in my pocket for the moment. Actually just realised I have no money there.
I would be curious about the conditioners other members are using and their experiences. I do believe that good cables etc can make a huge difference but I would be sceptical of some of the products. Crazy prices that seem impossible to justify.

[Matt]

Hi Tony
yes your right about the switch, and there is also a 15amp sw/fuse on the primary side of the filter too. You could remove 1 or both out of circuit if you wanted as the 13amp fuse in the plug is protecting things. But ive done several A-B comparisons, with and without the filter and the system sounds a lot better with the filter so ill leave it the way it is until i get the urge to modify it.

[Fran]

Matt, does the unit give you any kind of surge protection? That would be a major bonus I think for anyone...

I myself use a big UPS that I picked up from scrap. Gives very good surge protection......


Fran

[Matt]

Hi Fran
Yes it is also a surge protector. I can't remember its maximum voltage spike protection but i think it might be 6kv.