AudioQuest Niagara 3000 15-amp power line conditioner and surge protector

Heavy-duty component with sophisticated AC power conditioning

Let’s clear up a misconception: power protection isn’t just about preventing the gut-punch of a catastrophic power surge. Of course, the AudioQuest Niagara 3000 can certainly guard your home theater or stereo gear from harmful, sudden spikes. But this rock-solid component is designed to do so much more for your top-notch audio and video equipment.

AudioQuest’s cutting-edge technologies practically eliminate all the filthy power noise that comes from electricity’s long, chaotic trek to your home.

A new solution to a century-old problem

Garth Powell, the designer of the AudioQuest Niagara-series components, explains that “AC current is a century-old technology created for incandescent lights and electric motors — technology that was certainly never meant to power the sophisticated analog and digital circuits used in premium audio/video systems.”

For today’s advanced audio gear to sound its best, there has to be extremely low noise across all frequencies. That way you can hear all those wonderful details and lifelike dynamics. So the company has a laser-like focus on eliminating AC-related noise, as well as reducing the harmful effects of RFI and EMI.

Eliminating noise without limiting current

The key to the Niagara 3000’s performance is its wideband linearity, designed to avoid the current compression and distortion that typically characterize less sophisticated AC power conditioners. The Niagara 3000’s “secret sauce” is AudioQuest’s patented Ground Noise-Dissipation technology.

Why is dissipating ground noise so critical?

A surprising amount of AC noise can be traced to the ground lead. Because the electrical service depends on this lead primarily for safety, there are very few ways to effectively reduce ground noise. On top of that, many audio circuits actually depend on the AC ground lead to ensure an electrical ground reference for minimal system hum.

The ground lead: an often-ignored source of RF noise

The typical 3-prong AC connector has three wires: line, neutral, and ground. In contrast to the line and neutral leads, the ground lead bypasses the component power supply and makes a direct connection to many critical analog and digital circuits, introducing a torrent of RF (radio frequency) noise. This noise is spread across a wide range of frequencies and impedances, which is why simple filters are only partially effective.

And even when the noise itself isn’t audible it can mask or distort low-level audio signals, resulting in grainy sound and a constricted soundstage.

AudioQuest diverts the noise

AudioQuest’s patented circuit combines ultra-low impedance (at 50-60Hz) induction with proper lead orientation for optimal noise dissipation. The noise currents that would otherwise result in audible distortion are instead directed away from the sensitive audio circuits for sound that is cleaner, clearer, and more dynamic and relaxed.

Comprehensive surge protection for your system

The Niagara 3000 has seven AC outlets to protect your entire A/V system. There are two high-current outlets that will protect your receiver or power amp without ever limiting the AC current it needs. The other five outlets feature multi-level noise filtering to remove AC line noise and ground noise.

The Niagara 3000’s non-sacrificial surge protection can withstand multiple AC surges and spikes up to 6000 volts or 3000 amps — the maximum that can make it through a home or office electrical panel. Lesser units sacrifice themselves in order to suppress significant surges. The Niagara 3000 is unaffected by such surges, surviving to do its job over and over again as necessary.

Undervoltage shutdown is not used, since undervoltage alone rarely damages circuits. It’s the massive overvoltage that often follows an undervoltage brown-out that you have to guard against. The Niagara overvoltage circuit responds in a fraction of a second, resetting the output when the AC voltage returns to a safe range.