With the AC-3200 filtered power strips, in-akustik shows that audiophile ambition and serious-minded power supply design don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Power is a matter of trust. What sounds like the slogan of an energy provider has a very real background in the high-end sector. Especially in audiophile circles, this idea is often pushed aside – after all, “more spatiality” sounds more exciting than “safe grounding.” Yet a high-quality hi-fi system is not only connected to the power grid, but also to the question of whether you can sleep soundly at night. In this context, power strips are far more than simple distributors: they are inconspicuous gatekeepers that you can put all questions regarding equipment protection, fire safety, and – yes – insurance issues to bed. Anyone who believes that obscure “sound-enhancing strips” from backyard workshops will open the gates to sonic heaven risks far more than a bit of noise in the signal path. Once basic safety standards are ignored, you are dancing on thin ice. Seriously designed power strips and cables, on the other hand, do not shine with esoteric promises, but with hard facts: secure contacts, tested protection circuits, and documented load capacity. This keeps not only the system running without interference, but also the house walls – and above all the cardiovascular system – intact.
At in-akustik, the stance on power is unambiguous: certified safety comes before marketing, engineering skill before experimentation. Instead of presenting improvised concepts, the company consistently relies on standards-compliant manufacturing, robust technology, and a clear focus on electrical fundamentals. Every component is developed in-house – from the first design drawings through prototype construction to series production. Rather than relying on prefabricated standard modules, the company controls every step itself. Material selection, precise assembly, and final inspection all come from a single source. This includes, for example, a high-current test of the protective conductor to ensure that fault currents are reliably dissipated, as well as a high-voltage insulation test in which electrical clearances and insulation materials are deliberately stressed. Only when both tests are passed without objection do power strips and cables receive approval for market release. In addition, the company subjects itself to an external inspection in order to obtain the CB certification so important for export.
Now that we have clarified some fundamental issues regarding power, let’s take a closer look at the new filtered power strips, which in the AC-3200 version are referred to by in-akustik as “filter networks.” But why use a filtered power strip at all – and one that comes in different variants? Interference on the power line can directly affect music playback, becoming audible as hum, noise, or reduced dynamics. Power filters, also known as line filters, are designed to provide a remedy. Technically speaking, they act like a barrier: they block high-frequency interference, DC components, and mains hum before these reach the sensitive components of a hi-fi system. Electromagnetic interference is generated not only within the power grid itself, but also by numerous household sources – from LED lamps and routers to photovoltaic systems and EV charging stations. Or even by the individual components themselves, which can feed high-frequency noise into the audiophile system via switching power supplies. That said, not all power filters are created equal. Models designed for general electrical applications often interfere too strongly with the signal path or are unsuitable for the specific requirements of audio and video systems. Specially developed strips like the AC-3200 are designed to suppress interference effectively without coloring the sound itself or throttling dynamics.
The AC-3200 series now confronts the interested high-ender with the agony of choice, offering three variants: Analog, Digital, and DC Blocker. The DC Blocker protects sensitive devices from DC components in the mains power that can otherwise cause transformer hum. Especially with components using toroidal transformers, it ensures symmetrical power delivery and audibly cleaner operation. For analog devices such as amplifiers, preamps, or turntables, the serial filter network AC-3200 Analog is recommended. Here, the current is routed in series through inductors that selectively suppress mains interference. Digital components such as streamers, DACs, or network players benefit from the AC-3200 Digital filter network. It operates in parallel and effectively shunts high-frequency interference to ground – without affecting device dynamics.
Of course, we are now faced with the fact that most of us have a “mixed system” at home, and only die-hard vinyl enthusiasts can truly claim a purely analog setup. Holger Wachsmann, Head of Development at in-akustik, pragmatically recommends the principle of “trial and error.” In our conversation, he points out that the designations and the associated assignments of the power strips are primarily based on in-house experience and should therefore be regarded as guidelines. Someone using an integrated amplifier with a built-in DAC and an additional streaming client as primary components – and perhaps only occasionally operating a turntable – will naturally gravitate toward the digital version. But even the vinyl enthusiast who owns an integrated amplifier with a switching power supply might well be happy with the AC-3200 Digital. If, however, they use a classic Class AB or even a tube amplifier and only occasionally employ their network player, the analog variant seems to be the right solution. To ensure that customers do not buy a pig in a poke, in-akustik offers advice and loan units via its rental shop, allowing users to determine what truly fits at home. I, for one, was more than satisfied – both sonically and in terms of reduced interference – with the newly gained stability of my tube phono preamp when using the analog variant. And so the AC-3200 filter network – regardless of the chosen version – especially when combined with the company’s own power cables such as the AC-2502 – represents a power supply you can genuinely trust in a double sense. In addition to protection against those small, nasty interference factors known as stray noise, it offers reassuring protection in terms of electrical safety. Anyone who invests here can consider the power supply of their audiophile treasures settled once and for all.
Accompanying Equipment
Turntables: Thorens TD 126 MK III, Technics SL-1210 MK2 | Tonearm: Koshin GST 801 | Cartridges: Sumiko Blackbird, Ortofon Concorde Century and 2M Black, Dynavector 20X2 | Phono preamps: Innovative Audio Ultimate 2b, Thel Phono M | CD player: Naim CD5i | Streamer: Naim CD5XS | Integrated amplifier: Naim SuperNait | Loudspeakers: Gamut Phi 7, Lyngdorf Cue-100 | Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro | Accessories: Wireworld, Sommer, Creaktiv
Filtered Power Strips in-akustik Reference AC-3200
Concept: Filter strips in various versions, optimized for analog or digital components as well as a pure DC blocker | Connections: sockets for 6 end users; power cord to wall outlet interchangeable | Warranty period: 2 years | Prices: Analog or Digital filter approx. €1700, DC Blocker approx. €1800 (each incl. standard power cable; Reference AC-2502 power cable approx. €340)
in-akustik
Untermatten 12–14
79282 Ballrechten-Dottingen
Phone +49 7634 5610-0
service@in-akustik.de