Pure Tone
From pass experiences with power conditioning products, the usual effects are cleaner sound, less artifacts and mostly with more details. The BAC 3000 MK II of course is able to give similar differences, with drastic reduction of aural graininess and a purer, cleaner overall texture to the sound. However, the BAC 3000 MK II’s fundamental difference between it and most of the isolation transformer products in the market is the restoration of the music’s pitch to the original. What does it mean? If your equipment is plugged into BAC 3000 MK II and listen, you will not notice it. But if you remove the BAC 3000 MK II and listen to the same music, the listening feel is that the pitch is changed.
Although we know the music pitch is fixed, but listening without and with (BAC 3000 MK II) really sounds like the pitch is changed slightly. Without it the low frequencies feels floating and empty, making the overall music feel floating. Maybe the above perception is produced because with the BAC 3000 MK II, the low frequency is more complete. Using the BAC 3000 MK II, you will feel the music pitch is correct, the clarity and weight of the low frequency is in sync with the mid and high frequency, making the music foundation firmly planted. It is more convincing to the listener that this is the real instrument’s tone color. And then the realization struck that normal music listening without it is missing so many things. PLiXiR strongly promote the pursue of Pure Tone in their products; after listening we have to admit Pure Tone is a very accurate character description.
Furthermore, BAC 3000 MK II makes the sound more 3-dimensional. Besides making the sound stage more 3-dimensional, the music image is also more 3-dimensional. You can listen and discern that everything has more Z-axis depth and spaciousness. If you remove the BAC 3000 MK II, you will feel the music becoming 2-dimensional and flat. Even the singer’s diction and mouth shape will feel flatter.
There are really many isolation transformer products in the market place. Perhaps it is because the product is relatively easier to manufacture, the barrier to entry is not high. Hence every manufacturer competes on component quality and execution details. However, BAC 3000 MK II really gives a different level of performance, setting it apart from its competitors. The realism of the music pitch really makes a deep impression. If one were to buy an isolation transformer product, one will want the very best. PLiXiR’s flagship Elite BAC 3000 MK II can challenge to be named the best.
Read the full review (page 92 - 93)
