Akiko Audio Corelli AC Conditioner

Akiko Audio Corelli AC Conditioner

 “And whispered in the sounds of silence”

About two years ago I wrote my first review for Stereo Times…the subject of which was the Akiko Audio E-Tuning Gold MK2: a direct decendent to their latest product in the Corelli AC Conditioner, which is the subject of this review.

Quoting here, is the basic conclusion I reached THEN about the E-Tuning Gold MK2…

”I can’t really pass judgement on the scientific claims of how this product works but what I can surmise is that the reduction of noise allows our ears to relax and hear more of the natural music. Reduce hardness, grit, glare and all of the attributes we cherish, seem to be more hearable… and therefore we get – what Akiko describes as – “a more pleasant musical rendering”

As that review concluded I wished out loud that I would get a chance to someday experience more of their product line to see if adding more would have an additive effect. Eventually, I went on to add Tuning Sticks and the Triple AC Enhancer. The combination WAS additive and nicely pushed my system towards an even “MORE pleasant musical rendering”.

Well, my good fortune continues as I’ve gotten to live with and experience the Akiko Audio Coreli AC power conditioner.  This, the company’s latest technology is described, as per their website, as follows…

“A pioneering reference power conditioner which provides your set with power in a unique way, without the use of electrical components and active power filtering. It reduces noise without negative side effects such as reduced dynamics or natural quality.

Internally the Corelli is set up with units made of woven carbon, specifically geared to their task. The neutral, phase and grounding are separately treated. An extra fourth Harmonizer unit is responsible for the improvement of the internal high-frequency radiation field. Moreover, the device is stabilized with black resin to repress unwanted microphonic effects adequately. That our products work has been shown by measurements. Reducing high-frequency noise leads to a music rendering in the audio spectrum that is perceived as a more enjoyable experience”.

I’ll say again, as I said in my first review, I don’t understand the science of why this thing works but WORK it does!

The directions are to just plug the unit into the circuit that your system is on. Nothing plugs into it. How it works it’s magic Akiko describes as follows…

o   By lowering the high frequency noise, listening to music becomes more enjoyable; listening fatigue doesn’t get a chance.

o  You will submerge deeper into the recording; because of the low noise floor small details become audible, leading to more emotion whilst enjoying your music. 

o    The Corelli doesn’t contain any electrical components or active power filtering.

                                                                                                         
The cylinders inside look similar to E-Tuning Gold MK2 cylinders and likewise they are NOT …presumably…. filled with a mixture of carbon fiber wiring and materials as they are the company’s trademark ingredients.

And although it looks and works in the same basic way as their other Tuning products this one has a more potent effect then the previous generation.

Just as before, the first and most obvious effect when introducing the Akiko products is a relaxation effect. Below I’ll give some specific examples, but my thumbnail sketch is that this “relaxation”, at first, feels like the highs are tamped down a bit; the proverbial “blanket over the speakers”. That’s too strong though…it’s more like a very light veil. Now, for some, with a quick listen, this will be an immediately disqualifying feature. They may not hear the sparkle in the high end that they have grown accustomed to. Perhaps not realizing that a good portion of that sparkle is due to artificial ingredients. I know because that was my initial reaction. But let me extort you to keep listening and discover some of the many virtues that the Corelli brings to bear….. IMHO!

Although this veiling was the immediate impression, continued examination allowed me to sense more happening. As I proceeded with my listening many positive qualities started to become apparent.

For example, one of the CD’s that I used for reference was James Cotton’s “DEEP IN THE BLUES”. The whole disc is musically great but for “audiophile” purposes let me focus on one particular cut ie. “You Got My Nose Open”. It’s a spare recording with Charlie Haden playing Double bass on the left, Cotton playing Harmonica and singing in the middle and Joe Lewis Walker playing guitar on the right. I have used this recording for years to assess changes to my system. It’s always has a rich helping of the qualities I’m after ie. great presence of