Shunyata Research




	GUARDIAN AND HYDRA POWER DISTRIBUTION TECHNOLOGIES Shunyata Research Guardian and Hydra Power Distribution products have become the most critically acclaimed products of their kind, receiving awards and accolades from every critical publication that has reviewed them. Punctuating their critical acclaim are numerous media awards, including: • “Product of the Year Award”, HiFi+ • “Innovation in Design Award”, SoundStage! • “Editor's Choice Award”, TAS • “Golden Ear Award”, TAS • “Recommend Component”, Stereophile • “Product Of The Year” Award TAS • “Accessory Of The Year: Runner Up” Stereophile 2006 • “Accessory Of The Year: Runner Up”, Stereophile 2007 Unlike common "brick wall" approaches to power distribution that include chokes, transformers, active networks and regeneration, Shunyata Research uses a passive materials science approach that includes the development and advancement of its own series of parts and power transmission components. All parts and materials used in Shunyata Research products are either created and manufactured by Shunyata Research, or were optimized and modified to Shunyata Research specifications. This direct and uncluttered approach to power distribution has produced the most professionally endorsed and critically heralded products of their genre. Shunyata's elite Hydra and Guardian power distribution center's have also become the power-line reference used by the world's most preeminent music and film studios, mastering engineers and recording artists from around the world. Enthusiastic endorsements have also come from the entertainment industry’s finest electronics manufacturers, who utilize Shunyata power distributors in their reference and trade-show demonstration systems. HYDRA -- DESIGN GOALS Shunyata power distributors are designed to be a no-compromise power delivery solution for sensitive studio equipment, home entertainment and high-end A/V systems. Designer Caelin Gabriel laid out four primary design goals for his elite series of power distributors: 1. High power -- non current limiting 2. Effective transient and surge protection 3. Improved resolution and noise reduction 4. Absolute reliability and trouble-free operation To achieve these goals, any and all technologies were considered for the parameters that would be included in Hydra’s final design. Various power distribution solutions including isolation transformers, regeneration, regulation, inductive filters and capacitive filters were subjected to operational examination and extensive performance research. Shunyata Research thoroughly studied and measured all parameters associated with power-line delivery including voltage amplitude, frequency, power factor, reactive power, voltage harmonics, current harmonics, transient spikes and broadband noise. The studies included extensive auditory and visual tests to identify specific power-line parameters that correlated to consistent and verifiable measurements and performance impressions. The result is an innovative and elegant design concept that runs counter to conventional wisdom in power delivery. Shunyata Guardian and Hydra power distribution design focuses primarily upon the principles of reducing the electrical interaction between system components, and preventing exterior noise from entering the system. 1. HIGH POWER -- NON CURRENT LIMITING Professional studio and home entertainment systems place high demands on power delivery with many systems requiring the full 15-20 amps of current available from a typical AC power circuit. Many high-current components demand short duration bursts of current 10-20 times that of their continuous current rating. A true high-power, high-current power distribution unit must be capable of providing high current on a continuous basis while also providing for brief bursts of current in excess of the continuous power rating. Guardian power distributors are the simplest and most direct in that they employ a single multi-element filter and TMOV network, massive gauge wiring and an electromagnetic breaker to deliver up to 20A of continuous current and system protection. The heart of the Hydra 8 and Hydra V-Ray design is a massive solid CDA 101 copper distribution buss that ensures both continuous and instantaneous current delivery even under the most demanding situations. The Hydra Model 4 and Model 6 use proprietary CDA 101 copper buss strips to distribute power to the outlets. The specialized CDA 101 wiring, buss systems and Buss straps are all exclusively designed and manufactured by Shunyata Research. Hydra's do not use power transformers or chokes because they impede the flow of instantaneous current delivery. Common fuses and thermal breakers also impede current flow when being driven at 70-100% of their rated capacity. For these reasons, Guardians and Hydras use expensive electromagnetic breakers designed to operate at their full rated capacity without heating up or altering impedance characteristics. All Guardian and Hydra power distribution models use Shunyata's own SR-Z1 Outlets, which are built by Hubbell to Shunyata Research’s specifications. These outlets have large internal contacts for reduced contact impedance. Additionally, the body of the outlet is oversized providing improved internal cooling capacity when under heavy current loads. As with ALL its parts and materials, the SR-Z1 outlets undergo Shunyata's proprietary Alpha Cryo Process. The combination of unique distribution busses, large gauge internal wiring, electromagnetic breakers and premium quality outlets ensure unimpeded current delivery even if the Guardian or Hydra is driven to 90-100% of its rated current capacity. 2. TRIDENT DEFENSE SYSTEM -- SURGE AND TRANSIENT PROTECTION Protection from power spikes, surges and line-noise has become increasingly important given the cost of many home entertainment systems. Most power conditioners and power strips use simple MOV protection schemes that are only effective against noise and transient spikes above ~300VAC, while allowing disturbances in the critical 120VAC to 300VAC range to pass through to your system. Shunyata technology uses the exclusive three-stage Trident Defense System, providing comprehensive power protection and the elimination of noise and power spikes from just a few volts above the nominal 120 VAC, up to 6,000 volts. *STAGE 1: SHUNYATA RESEARCH'S* PROPRIETARY SR-V2 FILTER NETWORKS** The Trident Defense System begins with the Shunyata Research designed SR-V2 Filter networks. The SR-V2 Filter is a multi-element capacitive array with an integrated TMOV that can handle transient spikes of only a few volts to beyond 1,000 volts -- repeatedly -- without wear or damage to the filter. Shunyata Research spent years testing a multitude of AC power grade capacitors and audio grade capacitors to find a product that would meet their stringent requirements for use in the Hydra. Unfortunately, all AC power rated capacitors exhibited negative performance characteristics (audible grain and ringing) when used in a reference quality system. Additionally, they created notable incompatibilities with several types of A/V equipment. The audio grade capacitors, while sonically superior, were not robust enough to handle the harsh environment of multiple high power voltage spikes and surges common on an AC power line. After years of testing and development trials, commissioned the production specialized metalized-polyester capacitors, capable of absorbing high-energy spikes in excess of 1,000 volts. STAGE 2: NEXTGEN TMOVs All Shunyata Guardian and Hydra models employ an array of TMOVs that provide up to 40,000 amps of transient spike protection. The Trident Defense System TMOVs are next generation devices that are massive 20mm varistors with integral thermal protection. Common varistors have a limited life span, similar to that of a light bulb. The more transients that an MOV is called upon to dissipate, the shorter its life span becomes. TMOVs used in the Guardian and Hydra models are larger and more robust than the common 12-14mm varistors used in other products. More importantly, the TMOVs are not called upon to handle transient spikes in the 120-volt to 1,000-volt range because the Venom Filter absorbs this transient energy. The TMOVs are only called upon in the rare event of a catastrophic transient over-voltage condition. STAGE 3: ELECTROMAGNETIC BREAKER An expensive electromagnetic breaker provides the final stage of the Trident Defense System. This custom manufactured breaker uses large surface area contacts that allow unimpeded current flow -- even when operating at maximum current loads. The common fuses and inexpensive thermal breakers normally found in conditioners and regenerators are designed to heat up as they approach their operational limits, causing voltage drops and current limiting. The Guardian's and Hydra’s electromagnetic breakers incorporate a current sensing circuit that opens the contacts when the current levels exceed the designed limits, without the heating related power degradations of thermal breakers and fuses. 3. IMPROVED RESOLUTION AND NOISE REDUCTION Conventional wisdom says that noise and interference originate from outside the home or from the fluorescent lights, washing machine or refrigerator within the home. Accepting this premise -- it follows that an ideal power conditioner should create a barrier, isolating the system components from the incoming power line. Virtually all power conditioners are built around this design philosophy, where the conditioner blocks high frequency line-noise through the use of an isolation transformer, inductive filter or regeneration technology. Shunyata Research designer and former NSA scientist Caelin Gabriel extensively researched and measured power line noise and its effect on system resolution. He found that none of these common approaches improved the audio or video performance without introducing significant compromises. Shunyata Research’s beta-test groups -- composed of industry professionals -- reported that most of these solutions actually degraded system performance when compared with no power conditioning. (No power conditioning meaning that the components were connected directly to the wall outlets.) After further research, it was discovered that sonic and visual performance could be dramatically improved by reducing the electrical interaction that occurs between system components that share a common AC electrical circuit (or power distribution device). Power analyzer tests confirmed that the power supplies of various A/V components kickback measurable noise and interference onto the power line, where it is subsequently fed into the other system components. The test measurements confirmed beta-testers impressions, and provided objective evidence that helped to explain the performance degradations of the conventional conditioner designs. The barrier-isolation philosophy behind these products is a two-edged sword blocking incoming noise -- but also trapping and reflecting noise generated by individual components into the other connected system components. The more components that are connected to a conventional-wisdom power conditioner, the greater the level of noise pollution and corresponding loss of resolution. The Guardian's and Hydra's SR-V2 Filter was designed specifically to reduce or eliminate noise and interference as it exits a connected system component. The SR-V2 Filter is actually a central part of each Guardian model, where all incoming current and system generated noise is filtered by the multi-element network. The SR-V2 network is part of each AC duplex outlet within the Hydra models. Each AC duplex has a dedicated SR-V2 Filter bolted to the back of the outlet. This design philosophy eliminates both feedback-noise from the connected components while also eliminating power line noise that may come in from the AC wall outlet. Hydra models are the first and only power distribution product to implement this design concept. Shunyata Research publishes actual power analyzer graphs that illustrate this dramatic level of noise and interference reduction. 4. RELIABLE AND TROUBLE-FREE OPERATION Guardian and Hydra model’s bulletproof build quality and specialized parts and materials contribute to its astonishing zero percent failure rate. Guardian's and Hydra's are completely silent in operation and do not generate heat or other non-productive operational artifacts. No buzzing, no transformers, whirring fans or room heating radiations. All Guardians and Hydra's are capable of unimpeded power delivery with virtually 100% power delivery efficiency. Their heavy gauge cases, customized design and over-engineered parts will deliver years of reliable, trouble-free operation. POWER ANALYZER TESTS Please click HERE to download a pdf file of Power Analyzer tests comparing the Hydra designs with leading competitors.