AudioQuest PowerQuest 3

The AudioQuest PowerQuest 3 is a filtered mains power supply unit designed to sit upstream of a home audio-video installation. Rather than treating all outlets in the same way, it organises its eight outputs into three distinct groups, each suited to a family of devices. The aim is twofold: to reduce noise carried by the mains supply and to protect connected equipment against voltage and current surges.

The particularity of the PQ-3 lies in this distribution of outputs, which must be respected to get the best out of it:

• Outlets 1 and 5, 4K/8K ultra-linear filter optimised for video: to be reserved for screens, televisions, projectors and universal players.
• Outlets 2, 3, 6 and 7, ultra-linear filter: intended for audio and video sources, computers, the modem or the router.
• Outlets 4 and 8, high current: intended for a soundbar, a power amplifier, an audio-video receiver or a subwoofer.

Devices demanding high instantaneous current, such as a power amplifier or an active subwoofer, thus have outlets that do not restrict their current draw, while digital sources and network equipment, often the most electrically noisy, pass through dedicated filtering. The surge protection is of the non-sacrificial type: it is not designed to be consumed at the first anomaly, unlike surge protectors with fuse-based components.

The format has been designed for integration. The unit is flat and supplied with a floor-mounting bracket, allowing it to be slid behind a piece of furniture with the cables plugged directly into the upper row of outlets. If a conventional installation on a shelf or in a rack is preferred, this bracket can be removed and the two rows of outlets, eight in total, become accessible again.

This type of unit is aimed at anyone with a home cinema system or a stereo set-up comprising several separately powered components: television or video projector, player, box or router, amplification. It is also relevant for installations where the mains supply is shared with disruptive domestic appliances, a common situation in flats.

When buying second-hand, the electrical points are what should be inspected first. Check the condition of the mains cable and its plug, the absence of any signs of heating or blackening on the contacts of the eight outlets, and the mechanical stability of each one: an outlet that has become loose makes poor contact and heats up. Check that the floor-mounting bracket is present and that its screws have not been forced, as this is the part most often mislaid. Finally, make sure the chassis shows no signs of impact that could have deformed the casing or put strain on the rows of outlets.