AC-4500

Where does fine sound begin? Where does it end? These questions ring constantly in our ears. The truth is, various factors have a major impact on the sound quality produced by audio systems, and one of these factors is power supply. It is subject to fluctuations that vary depending on the location of your home (in a city or a rural environment). If we look at things from a purely physics perspective, the music produced by a loudspeaker is ultimately nothing more than domestic current converted into sound. This statement sounds almost too banal compared to the hi-fi jargon we are all accustomed to. Unfortunately, all too often we ignore where the sound actually comes from and the importance of having a stable power supply. A “clean” current is the raw material of fine sound, and our AC-4500 Power Station makes sure that this is what you get.

The AC-4500 Power Station is available in several versions – from a basic model with one filter for all six sockets through to the top model that comes equipped with six separate filters, one for each socket. The models differ not only in the number of filters they are equipped with, but also in the combination of filter types they provide – type I (for analog devices) and type II (for digital devices). The AC-4500 Power Station was developed completely in-house, and each unit is manufactured in the company’s own facility. Units subsequently undergoes rigorous testing with documentation of the results. Because safety is paramount for this type of unit, we have also arranged for an accredited laboratory to verify CE/CB conformity. The Power Station’s sensitive technology is protected by a robust metal housing made of 2 mm-thick galvanized sheet steel. It has an elegant front panel made of brushed aluminum. The interior of the housing is designed so that the socket groups are shielded from one another, and any interference stemming from the connected devices is unable to propagate.

Countless loads, especially digital loads, switching power supplies, car charging stations, PV systems, etc. generate strong distortions on the power grid. And not only in urban centers, where the trend is rising. These distortions are a serious problem for hi-fi components and the integrated power supplies and circuits can only compensate for part of this interference. The rest influences the audio signal and covers the sound of the hi-fi chain like a veil. Hardly anyone operates their own power plant. Most high-end enthusiasts are forced to connect to the heavily loaded mains supply and, as described above, the sound starts at the socket or, in the best case scenario, at the fuse box. But even here there is interference from all consumers in your own home and the neighborhood on the power grid. Phenomena such as the flickering light when the hairdryer is switched on, or the cracking noises in the loudspeakers when the fridge compressor starts or a fluorescent lamp is switched on, illustrate these effects.

Ferrite cores are the first line of defense against the interference described above. suppressing high-frequency interference through their inductance-enhancing effect. That’s why the Power Station AC-4500 comes equipped with powerful ferrite cores positioned directly downstream of the sockets.
Custom-made filter circuits are a further means of minimizing unwanted interference, but it is crucial that the filter type suits the application for which it is required. Countless tests and measurements using various circuit configurations have shown that digital and analog devices require different filter designs. And this is why the Referenz Power Station AC-4500 comes equipped with two different filter types depending on the particular configuration: type I for analog devices and type II for digital devices. These two types have a radically different filter design.

Type I is a series filter network in which coils conduct the useful current, offering a high level of resistance against interference. Type II, however, is a parallel filter network that diverts troublesome interference frequencies to ground. This filter network is also very finely tuned to the requirements of an audio system.

Many household devices use only a half-wave of the AC mains current. For this reason, the 50 Hz sine waveform is asymmetrical and DC voltage components appear (DC offset). This leads to an “asymmetrical” power supply to the connected hi-fi components, leading to potential saturation of the unit’s internal transformers. On top of the many adverse sonic effects and impaired efficiency, this also results in the transformer making an annoying buzzing sound. At the heart of every Referenz Power Station AC-4500 is its powerful DC suppression, filtering DC components from the power system. This ensures that the connected devices are re-supplied with “symmetrical” current, so protecting the transformers from magnetic saturation.