Akiko Audio Tuning Stick
Contents
The Sound
Martijn, who auditioned the filters in this blindtest did, hear a little more reverb and a little more calmness with the Piano playing nicely in proportion to the violin (Debussy test track). With Anathema, a little bit of restlessness falls away, as with Loney Dear.
The sound balance is slightly different. There seems to be more depth in the notes and the bass gets a bit more punch, with some roughness also seeming to disappear.
Conclusion: something seems to be changing. Not so much in imaging, but in quietness and tonal richness.
LCR Measurements Akiko Tuning Stick
Response and noise measurements Akiko Tuning Stick
We read this on the website:
The effect can be explained by reducing the influence of high-frequency pollution in your music system. With the acquired insights on crystal grids, paramagnetic and piezo electrical properties of natural raw materials, applying the Tuning Stick means cleaner music reproduction with lower background noise.
In measurements, the Akiko shows very, very little effect. In fact, nothing at all. Not even in the high frequencies, which the website claims. The LCR measurement shows little and so do the filter tests: all straight lines which means that the Akiko has no filtering effect on the mains. So there must be something else going on. According to the importer, the Tuning Stick works on grounding:
“The Tuning Stick AC functions as a virtual ground and internally there are no electronic components. A quirky design that does not work like a conventional mains filter. Can imagine that the measurement was not easy.”
Overall Akiko Tuning Stick
| Auditory | Measurable |
| A little more calmness and texture | Nothing |
These filters are often marketed as being used in a wall AC mains socket adjacent/next to another mains socket into which a power conditioner plugged (ie both AC mains sockets next to each other /side by side are on the same mains circuit).
This is different to your test set up. So my question is…..(given the way these filters are marketed/manufacturer’s recommended use)…. can a power conditioner actually benefit from having a plug in filter along side it on the same AC mains circuit?
I think your test answered the question of the differences between using a power condition (the Aquarius) and a plug in filter….but not the impact of using both together in parallel.
Great stuff as usual in your testing/reviews. Unlike other youtube channels, which shall remain nameless…no egos, no hidden agenda, no human insecurities that require reductionist scientific measurements/calculations to explain the unexplainable (ie you are comfortable within yourselves and have the wisdom to accept what cannot be explained)…your passion is genuine and all purely in service of the music/hobby. Because of your holistic and much more balance and fluidly intelligent approach, i have stopped watching these other channels. Keep up the great work. (Btw a quote which i love and is very apt….”the mind (and by extension one’s ears) is/are like a parachute. They only work when they are open.”😉🙈
Thanks Alexander! Appreciate your feedback!
If you have a decent conditioner, I cannot imagine a parallel filter has much impact. The Aquarius for example already has parallel filters build in. You can use them together, but I never heard a significant difference. I would rather buy a decent power cord. :-).
Thanks Jaap. That makes sense. And yes it is my experience too that power cords can make a signifcant difference and are worth investing in ahead of many other things. Cheers.
Hello Alexander. Thank you for your kind words. Good to read that our intentions in how to test come across.
Parallel filters are often recommended to plug into the wall socket next to a power strip, which is logical. It very much depends on the power conditioner used if this is a wise idea. A lot of conditioners filter, which means that you are stacking filters. As with anything in electrical connections and HiFi, stacking stuff can have an effect which a particular listener very much enjoys, but it is a bit of a hit or miss. Or a very dangerous HiFi rabbit hole where hobbyist really get lost and are getting further and further from what they are looking for.
Thanks Martijn. Yes you are right in terms of marketing being more about being placed in paralell with power strips. Also very wise words about hit/miss &/or rabbit holes….both of which proven to be expensive for me in the past… so always nice to be reminded! Thank you😀
Good job and well done!
Would there be similar blind tests for USB/RCA type noise absorbers such as YUKIMU USB noise absorber PNA-USB01 and The Chord Company GroundARAY in the coming future? thank you.
We can check that out in the future… sure!
Good job and well done!
Would there be similar blind tests for USB/RCA type noise absorbers such as YUKIMU USB noise absorber PNA-USB01 and The Chord Company GroundARAY in the coming future? thank you.
We can check that out in the future… sure!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/isotek-evo3-aquarius-power-conditioner-review.30223/post-1324437
[ I have only listen to one audio that I know very well, Jacques Loussier – Little Fuge in G Minor.
Conclusion: it sounds worse with any filter. Dynamic is lost.]
I didn’t notice any loss in dynamisch. These are parallel filters… With serial filters: yes… definately.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/isotek-evo3-aquarius-power-conditioner-review.30223/post-1324437
[ I have only listen to one audio that I know very well, Jacques Loussier – Little Fuge in G Minor.
Conclusion: it sounds worse with any filter. Dynamic is lost.]
I didn’t notice any loss in dynamisch. These are parallel filters… With serial filters: yes… definately.