From left: Enacom AC Noise Eliminator, Enacom Speaker Noise Eliminator and Enacom RCA Noise Eliminator. Neither my self or Odiosleuth use RCA connections on our systems, so we have precluded that from our review.These Enacom, by Combak Corp. Japan, products are not new in the market place. I've always been curious about them. So when MK Lai of Nova Hifi said "yes, please try it!", I am eager beaver.
Since Odiosleuth has did a detail and comprehensive report on them individually, I thought I'd just run through all three items quickly. First up is the AC Noise Eliminator, it's so easy to use that all I had to do is plug it in to a spare outlet feeding power to my hifi system. I plugged the Enacom in to a spare duplex outlet of my recently acquired Sine SA-6 power bar, which supplies power juices to my source components and pre amps. Now, I already had an Isotek Isoplug in used prior to the arrival of the Enacom. So what ever sonic comments noted below would basically be on comparison basis between the Enacom and the Isotek.
With the Enacom, the sound took on a darker background signature. While it's probably not as quiet as the Isotek, the Enacom had a more fluid and softer presentation to the music. The sound stage took on a more laid back signature. Imaging outlines softened and seemed more organic. One can say the Enacom made a big difference or the difference is subtle, depending on one's outlook, hifi journey, and one's intended objective going in to such tweaks.
Next up, I added the Enacom Speaker Noise Eliminators. These require a little more care during install in the sense of making sure both speakers are connected identically. Enacom says polarity is not a concern. I switched back and forth and found no sonic difference what so ever, as long as both speakers are wired in the same polarity. I found the Enacom speaker contraption to build on the sonic qualities of the Enacom AC. I felt a little more warmth, or colouration was added to the music, depending on how you look at it. High frequencies start to roll off a bit, resulting in high hats and cymbals losing some of their rightful sparkle. I felt at this point, in the context of my system and preference, the additional qualities of the Enacom became just a little like "too much of a good thing" perhaps?
The Enacom set packaged and ready to be unleashed.The final step is the Enacom CCS-1 Tuning CD, which I am told, works only with the Enacom Speaker Noise Eliminators. Apparently using the Enacom speaker contraption without the aid of the CSS-1 Tuning CD produces only half the desired results. It is advised that one plays the CSS-1 CD every now and then to maintain the performance of the tuning. Upon playing the CSS-1 CD in my system, I found my hifi system to sound totally relaxed, just like how one would feel after a genuine session of traditional Thai message! There's no urge for excitement and using optical lens analogy, each musical note is magnified, zoomed in to and allowed to expand it's full cycle, before evaporating in to nothing-ness. The listening experience becomes overly surreal. I had found it hard to further describe the sonic sensation post CSS-1 CD treatment to my system. Thankfully, the effect slowly wears off after a few weeks. One of the reasons why I did not want to do much reviews in the past month or so.
I will speculate that these Enacom tweaks are great for systems leaning on the brighter side of neutral tonality. The tweaks alone cannot solve the problems of a mis-matched system or major room acoustic issues. They are not design for that. They do however, like the humble aspirin in the pharmaceutical sense, be used to cure minor symptoms of cold and influenza, or perhaps even used as a gentle pain killer. And like the good aspirin, one must always be mind full not to over dose, as too much can certainly do more harm than good!
Just the right medicine to cure my symptoms of audiophilia nervousa! The Enacom AC Noise Eliminator.Perhaps my system needed just that, an aspirin! I kept the Enacom AC Noise Eliminator. By the way, here's the price break down for each Enacom tweak:
1) Enacom AC Noise Eliminator, RM$299.00
2) Enacom Speaker Noise Eliminator, RM$399.00(per pair)
3) Enacom CSS-1 Tuning CD, RM$200.00
Note: Some DIY-ing buddies have questioned my purchase of what is basically a filtering capacitor in a "glam case", something which we can build our selves for a just fraction of the asking price. If you're a DIY-er? Great, then go ahead and build one!
For others who do not have the required knowledge, skills or time to do so, then the decision to purchase will largely depend on the perceived sonic benefit from the use of the Enacom tweaks. I have my reasons which shall remain private and I'll leave the value judgement to your own thinking devices.
Enacom is sold by Nova Hifi, contact MK Lai at 019-2226129.
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