Shunyata Research

We've talked in depth in prior newsletters about the superior performance of Shunyata Research's line conditioners and power cords. Now they've added a new, flagship model to the Hydra line as well as introducing more affordable line conditioning in the new, Guardian series.

There are three Guardian models, the Guardian 2 at $449, the Guardian 4 at $595, and the Guardian 6 at $749. These have 2, 4, and 6 outlets, respectively. These models offer all of the same surge protection and line conditioning for which Shunyata Research is famous, and they succeed admirably in making the best line conditioners more affordable. We recommend them highly where price is an important consideration. The various Hydra models, of course, still yield better isolation between pairs of outlets and will give slightly superior results on the most revealing systems.

The Hydra Model 8 has been their power distribution reference for several years. It has won numerous industry awards while quietly being installed by many, many top recording studios. It is also used as a reference by many of the audio industry's top equipment manufacturers. The Hydra 8 was simply the best that Shunyata Research could make without a significant increase in price. However, many wondered what could be done if those price constraints were removed. The result of that effort is the Hydra V-Ray ($3995), the new king of power line conditioners. The V-Ray is a Hydra-8 on steroids! The V-Ray, like all prior Hydras, was designed to deliver massive amounts of current while reducing noise to infinitesimally small levels. Furthermore, the Shunyata Research-designed Venom Filters eliminate and isolate noise generated by the audio/video components themselves and protect the components from power-line surges and transients. The Hydra V-Ray retains all of the great qualities of the Hydra Model-8, including the Venom Filter technology. So, what's new? After two years of research, capacitive filtering technology has been taken to the outer extremes of performance with the advent of Shunyata Research's new Venom-Array Technology. The Venom-Array is a proprietary 24-element capacitive array designed and tuned to extend the Hydra philosophy to the outer limits of its performance. The Hydra V-Ray also includes a new power-distribution buss system. Made from pure CDA-101 copper, the new buss system improves resolution by reducing eddy-currents and waveform reflections. Unprecedented levels of sonic resolution and a stunning black velvet background await the owner of the new Hydra V-Ray.