Ansuz Mainz8 D2 and Mainz8 D-TC Power Distributors
Review samples supplied by Ohm Audio
Retail prices in the Netherlands, including 21% VAT:
Mainz D2 Power Cable 8.800 euro for 1 meter
Mainz8 D2 Power Distributor 8.000 euro
Mainz8 D-TC Power Distributor 20.000 euro
Darkz Resonance Control Adjustable T2 920 euro per 1
Darkz Resonance Control Adjustable T2 Supreme 1.380 euro per 1
Mainz 8 D2 and Mainz 8 D-TC
The Ansuz Mainz8 power distributors have been designed with the goal of providing a very clean power supply to all Hi-Fi components of the audio system. This is mainly achieved by applying Ansuz’s advancements in noise reduction and resonance control. Mainz8 power distributors provide a low grounding impedance which ensures that almost no noise is transferred from the power distributor to the individual power cables that feed the hi-fi components. The Ansuz Mainz8 D2 power distributor is equipped with both Ansuz Tesla active coil technology and Ansuz dither technology.
As Ansuz found, the cabinet has an influence on the sound, which emanates from the material the cabinet is made of – usually aluminum – which results from its mechanical resonance. To eliminate this distortion, the challenge was to minimize the use of aluminum in the cabinet. Ansuz’s sister company Aavik began testing various materials and designed an innovative natural-based composite material (Black lacquered composite wood), which reduces the mechanical influence, particularly the hysteresis.
Ansuz Star Ground technology is built around a precisely defined area within the power distributor (the star point) boasting the lowest possible grounding impedance. It ensures that no voltage is transferred from the power distributor to the power cables of the individual audio components. Since this star point has the best ground impedance, all sockets in the power distributor are grounded from here. The system can be further optimized by the use of Ansuz Mainz Power cables. They complement the power distributor with a strong grounding conductor as well as various shielding and noise-suppressing technologies.
The key operating principle of the Ansuz Tesla coil is to have two coils wound in opposite directions – one coil and one counter coil. In Ansuz’s words, this is called “A double inverted coil”. The two coils both carry voltage, and when one of the Tesla coils encounters a voltage spike, a counter spike is activated to eliminate the noise. Since noise spikes are pure voltage carrying virtually no charge, the cancelation is quite good, but not perfect. Adding more Tesla coils in parallel increases the noise cancellation and the perceived blackness in the music increases significantly along with the purity and clarity of the sound. Ansuz uses various types of Tesla coils, as their individual properties ideally complement and reinforce each other.
The active cable Tesla coil is wound directly on the outer part of the cable and protects the signal from absorbing the airborne RF noise. This noise is absorbed in the Tesla coil. The active version is about three to four times more efficient than the Passive cable Tesla coil.
Analog dither technology originated in radar, where it ensured a stronger signal and thus greater range. Ansuz adopted this technology. Their active Tesla coils send pulsating signals at precisely defined frequencies. These signals are sent in anti-phase. This amplifies the musical signal and eliminates the background noise floor.
Both the Mainz 8 D2 and the Mainz 8 D-TC distributors offer Star-Grounding, Cable Tesla Coils, and Dither Circuitry. The Cable Tesla Coils are active coils that are acting directly on the mains wires.
Above: Mainz8 D2, Below: Mainz8 D-TC
What distinguishes the Mainz8 D2 from the over twice as costly Mainz8 D-TC power distributor are a few important aspects, the first of which can be seen and felt when looking at the two units side by side and picking them up. The D-TC version is wider, taller, considerably deeper, and significantly heavier.
The added weight is caused for a large part by its more complex enclosure and the internal double-layer Resonance Control mechanism which places the electronics on a second layer that is coupled to the distributor’s bottom panel via a custom version of Darkz feet. In addition to these mechanical differences, the D-TC distributor also offers additional Active Tesla Coils as well as Active Square Tesla Coils. The latter type of coil is embedded on both sides of the double-sided circuitry board.
Contrary to the descriptions on the original Ansuz website, mentioning a “Non-magnetic steel chassis” for both distributors, this is actually only true for the Mainz8 D2 (pictured above). The Mainz8 D-TC is made entirely of very dense wood composite.
Next: Darkz T2 and T2 Supreme
Hi Christiaan,
Have you also tried without any balls and just the darkz underneath the conditioner? I am interested in the single impact of the balls
Hi Mark, I’ve not tried this with the Darkz and due to the ridges in the Mainz’ feet, that wouldn’t have been ideal for stability either. But I could have positioned them directly under the main chassis as one would do with Ceraballs or other aftermarket footers. Alas, I have not tried that. Also, note that one will never bypass all the balls in the Darkz as there are still those between the two discs. Anyway, earlier experience tells me that removing a narrow point of contact while retaining a hard coupling with the main material will result in a slightly warmer and less articulate delivery with less obvious transients and “fatter” bass and lower midrange. It’s not something I would recommend unless the system sounds too controlled or too dry.
Hi Christiaan,
Thanks for the reply. Do you mean it is the same when not applied to the ansuz products, but for example as support for the amplifier?
Yes, it is my experience that pretty much all components respond similarly to support. Somewhat annoyingly, indeed, Darkz and other resonance control devices, spikes, or other couplers can be as beneficial under a power distributor as under a source component or amplifier. I use Finite Elemente Cerapucs under my relatively simple power distributors and they make a heck of a difference. Many times I have wanted to remove them and apply them elsewhere but every time I tried, I no longer liked the sound without them. The Darkz are probably even more effective than the Cerapucs but I have not made that comparison as they were part of the Power Distributor review, it was not a full Darkz review.