Comments for Nordost Thor Power Distribution Center at http://www.hometheaterhifi.com , comment 1 to 31 out of 20 comments http://www.hometheaterhifi.com Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:44 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4945 Jason has already reviewed a fake product, namely the Nordost Thor. By looking at the inside of the unit, we can see it's mostly cheaply, poorly designed hubris that doesn't deserve any honors other than the "Lets see who we can fleece" award. Jason got reeled in hook, line and sinker on this one and his glowing review of the Thor just shows what happens when reviewers decline to test a product using test equipment and instead rely upon their frail human belief systems. - JohnnyR Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:07:30 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4785 Henry, your comment is childish and silly. - Piero Sat, 06 Aug 2011 15:48:13 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4777 I've read several reviews by Mr Serinous and they all come across as poorly done and just fawning because of the product name and price. Some one should make up a fake company and product and send a sample unit for him to review. The resulting hilarity would be epic indeed. 5 stars for a fake product. - Henry Schlozki Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:42:48 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4768 Dan Johnson/Yuan Fong. Do you go by other names on other forums? You are too funny! Keep up the amusing rants. ;) - Jim M Tue, 02 Aug 2011 03:24:09 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4766 Mr H, I believe that other posters on here have shown links and proof that the Thor Distribution Center is a cheaply poorly thought out design that doesn't even live up to it's hype, yest you see fit to attack Yuan Fong for his simple "snake oil" comment? Ironic You also accuse him of not showing hard, objective data, yet you are the one that makes subjective claims without giving us ONE link to your claims.Ironic again. I'm doubting you ever took part in a Double Blind Test where people have to rely upon their ears alone instead of having a visual clue as to what component they are listening to. I mean after all how can anyone trust their ears? Yes that was sarcasm which is probably lost on you. You make lots of subjective claims but offer nothing as proof. In the future please show us some hard, objective data or don't bother wasting our time. - Dan Johnson Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:26:34 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4765 Mr Heinonen, You ignore the preceding posts made bu others showing proof that the Thor Power Distribution Center is a cheaply , not well thought out design and instead attack me with my simple. "Snake oil" comment. You then FAIL to show us any links to your so called Bench Test Data , yet accuse me of doing the same? Ironic I'm betting you never tried a Double Blind Test nor will you be willing to do so. I mean after all how would just closing your eyes and trusting your ears be a trust worthy thing to do? Yes that's sarcasm in case you missed the point. You then proceed to make subjective claims of cheap interconnects not being able to pass a signal as well as the pricey ones do. Links to your claims sir? As I thought you have none and you are just blowing smoke. - Yuan Fong Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:19:08 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4750 If Yuan Fong looks around at many of the other cables and power product reviews that Secrets has published, he can find that there are plenty of them with Bench Test data that show significant differences in products. From cables that have large differences in impedance across the audio spectrum, to power centers that reduce AC noise aside from the 60 Hz spectrum, there is plenty of objective data out there showing that there's a difference in products. Now by no means does that mean there are not well engineered, inexpensive products out there, or that there aren't well engineered, expensive products and poorly engineered expensive products. However, it does mean that someone who (and I'm making an assumption here) has never seen or listened to the product in question can't come in and say "It's garbage" and not have any first hand experience, or objective data, to back up that statement. As far as cables go, everything in a system works together. If you have thousands and thousands of dollars in speakers, amplifiers, and source components, but it's held together by poorly designed cables, then replacing those with expensive, well engineered cables is probably going to make a very audible difference. If you have a system you spent $250 on at Radio Shack, no matter how good of cables you use it's going to be the rest of the system that's the weak link and you won't hear any difference at all possibly. That said, if you're going to come in and say a product is "snake oil", next time make sure to bring some hard, objective data about the product with you, since otherwise you're just saying nothing. - ChrisHeinonen Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:45:12 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4749 ...the more you learn about snake oil companies and the gullible. They rely upon people with more money than sense to make their living upon. Nothing like a good education in science to keep the silliness at bay and your bank account safe. - Yuan Fong Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:15:46 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4520 http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=92478.msg921044#msg921044 They put a $5 switch mode power supply inside across your equipment mains supply(made by PHIONG)as well as other rubbish and you say it improves the sound...nah mate it just adds unnecessary connections and certainly noise to your equipment power supply,it will also not really help the power factor etc, biggest load of hifi rubbish I have ever seen. The sockets are all connected together inside as well (through a P.C.B for gods sake) so I don,t know how they are all "isolated".Maybe that "polaris" transformer works in a way not known to mankind. What does that coil thing do? I looked up the price @$4000....queue maniacal laughter.....ha ha ha. - john shaw Fri, 20 May 2011 05:36:37 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-4056 It's up to the buyer whether they want to upgrade or not. - Brian Hlady Tue, 08 Feb 2011 05:56:51 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-1076 I would ask our engineer friend to define the difference between the voice of the late Alfredo Kraus & the late Pavarotti.Without known numeric models(proven by numerous blind tests)would our Fellow of AES be able to identify through measurement :- 1)The type of voice Lyric tenor,dramatic tenor etc 2)The actual piece of music he was singing 3)The language of performance 4)The intrinsic tonal differences between both singers 5)Individual singers interpretations I welcome a response - John Oakman Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:51:13 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-996 Given the chap seems to have shelled out a lot of money on a few valhalla power cords, can we not assume he at least actually rather likes them. The Thor simply extends that synergy one step furthur, and certainly from my own rather cheaper end of the nordost spectrum (Vishnus & blue heaven cables), the more synergy the better the sound gets. I also have a isotek g2 unit, and certainly wouldnt go back to "just the wall". Just my ha'porths worth:) - matt Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:18:20 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-726 I'd be really interested in measurements of the improvements this kind of device allegedly provides. If possible, measure with various devices (pre-amplifiers with switching an conventional power supplies, conventional power amps and class "D" amps, maybe one or two old devices where the sieve capacitors have lost their capacity over time). - Random Dude Thu, 08 May 2008 10:56:39 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-723 I am sure you are well qualified engineering-wise to comment, but the fact that you own a patent on the technology in a competeting product (Exact Power) does put the damper on the validity of your opinion. However, I would like you to expand on the PIC micro-controller and what you think it is supposed to do, as well as what the old Tice Clock thing is. - JEJ Wed, 07 May 2008 08:29:39 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-721 About a year ago, I was given a sample Nordost Thor for engineering evaluation and my opinion. The short answer is that, functionally, it's nothing more than a surge suppressor (a pair of MOVs that only begin to function at 320 volts rms as opposed to the normal 130 volts) and a 0.15 uF capacitor across the incoming power line. All outlets are directly connected to incoming power. Wait, there's more! There's an impressive-looking common-mode choke and other filter components, too. Unfortunately, they don't do anything to the unit's output power - they only filter power for the blue LED. And then there's the circuit board that has a life of its own - literally. It consists of a cheap Asian-made switching power supply (tie-wrapped to the PCB) whose 5-volt DC output powers a PIC micro-controller that apparently generates the "magic" - but it has no actual output or function (unless you believe in the old "Tice Clock" absurdity I suppose). I generated a complete schematic of the unit. It is truly over-priced "snake oil" for those who prefer belief over actual engineering. For the record, I'm not just a hobbyist with an opinion. I'm a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. I'm a recognized expert on power, grounding, and "ground loop" issues. I write and teach extensively and hold several patents - including the technology embodied in the Exact Power regulator. I know there's an entire industry that will be angered by this, but I believe the kind of hype in the review borders on immorality! - Bill Whitlock Tue, 06 May 2008 22:20:29 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-696 It says you can measure the improvement. For sure, a resonant peak filter tuned at 60 Hz will filter out harmonic and inharmonic noise outside the peak. If you have poorly constructed equipment, then such noise might even make it into the output signal. So, if it actually works, I would expect a magazine to do something I can't easily do myself: hook the unit up, and actually measure the effect. Just because a guy on the phone says you can measure it, doesn't mean that's necessarily true. If you can measure the effect, then that's very valuable information (and validation for the Thor). Then get a $60 Tripp-Lite ISOBAR Ultra and compare if it measures better or worse. It's not as pretty, that's for sure, and cosmetics has to count for something. - Jon Watte Thu, 01 May 2008 12:39:03 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-695 Wow. I read something like this, and I think to myself, "Are you that desperate for advertising dollars?" Don't these type of reviews belong with the sheep over at Audio Asylum. - The Dude Thu, 01 May 2008 01:05:19 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-682 If this thing has "proprietary Quantum Resonant Technology (QRT) that significantly lowers the noise floor in the system. You can actually measure the improvement in the audio waveform of a piece of music with the Thor in place." then why not test it and show the results????? At least they could've put a little Flux Capacitor on the front of this thing instead of the annoying LED. And if Mr. Serinus was not happy with the heft of the Thor why not put one of his Japanese audiophile bricks on top, they make everything sound better, right? Bottom line, reviews without objective test results are an extra avenue for Marketing Departments to spew crapola. You fine folks know better, thats why you created the benchmarks. However this rube does create a tremendous amount of feedback, I guess that must be the point. Did I just get the joke? Maybe I'm slow... - Audionut71 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:11:12 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-668 I may disagree with Mr. Serinus' views on audio and by implication on politics but I respect his knowledge in audio as it vastly exceeds my own. But, it detracts from the quality of the dialog I believe we all have a right to expect when some people write belittling and mocking comments which add nothing of value. - Henry Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:04:45 +0100 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/power-conditioners/329-a-secrets-power-conditioner-review.html#comment-666 I read Jason's music reviews, which I find are a good directed towards music that I would not normally be learned enough to find. However, his equuipment reviews tend towards what I call voodoo hi-fi. A well designed amplifier would eliminate any power noise. If it didn't it wouldn't be well designed and should not be purchased. This is akin to the great power cord debate, wherein the final 3 feet of wire in a 6 mile long, multi transformer, aluminum wiring, non oxegen free copper ya-da, ya-da, ya-da but this last three feet of OFC, teflon coated wire will make the sound better. I don't think so for any of this stuff. - RichardAllen3 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:27:20 +0100