Ansuz Mainz8 D2 and Mainz8 D-TC Power Distributors
Mainz8 D-TC Power Distributor
The Mainz 8 D2 power distributor already demands a serious investment but in the high-end scheme of things, compared to the competition, 8K is not unusual. However, I’ll admit to having been flabbergasted after seeing the price of the D-TC version. 20K for a power distributor? That’s just too much, right? Given that the two models have so much in common, I’ll also admit that I fully anticipated being underwhelmed by the dearer model’s sonics. But boy, was I in for a surprise!
As I had already established a preference for the Titanium balls, I retained the T2 footers and balls, installed the D-TC Power Distributor on top, and used all the same cables.
Holy guacamole. The change was absolutely MASSIVE! The soundstage, which has already become deeper with the change from my own power cables and distributors to the Mainz8 D2 Power Distributor and D2 Cables, had now grown well beyond the room’s boundaries, extending what seemed like meters behind the speakers. I’ve never heard the stage extend this deeply, with any speakers that I used in this room. But what was even more flabbergasting was that the stage also extended meters into the far left and right corners and again well beyond the walls. After only having heard such deep staging once and in an acoustically optimized room, I was certain that my room and Magicos were simply not capable of doing this. But, clearly, with the Ansuz Mainz8 D-TC, they can, and then some!
In addition, all instruments are given more body and deeper tonality, making them sound more realistic. Even though Ansuz employs hi-tech solutions, the components absolutely do not inject the music with any kind of electronic quality, quite the opposite.
With massed strings, the orchestra is much more realistically spread out over the room, with more calmness but at the same time more low-level detail. Calmness can sometimes translate into lessened liveliness or reduced expression and while transients do indeed have less snap and there is a little less ‘bite’ with the Ansuz solution than with my own cables and distributors, the D-TC Power Distributor sounds considerably livelier and expressive than the Mainz8. Moreover, the D-TC actually manages to extract more low-level detail and introspective while still sounding upbeat. For instance, the important, the crisp snap of harpsichord is fully intact while the physical aspects of the instrument’s cabinet are more vividly delineated.
It works wonders with classical music, but also with R&B, Soul, Smooth Jazz, and electronic. The improvements are evident no matter what music I play. The massively increased dimensionality in the depth plane never fails to provide a fantastically interesting acoustic, making the more affordable Mainz8 sound flat in comparison, never mind my own power solution…
With very wide and deep imaging components, we sometimes lose a bit of focus, but not here. The focus remains razor-sharp and everything is most definitely high-res.
Meanwhile, there is just never any hardness or dryness, and certainly not a hint of clinicality. I have come to know the Ansuz brand to always focus on musicality and, despite the super-advanced high-tech solutions that they apply, not on the technical side of the music. Emotion always comes first.
Darkz Resonance Control Adjustable T2 Supreme
So far, I have listened to the Darkz T2 Resonance Control Adjustable T2’s with Titanium balls on top and achieved the incredible results as described. But there was one more upgrade to try, indeed, the last step up to the T2 Supreme footers. With the Mainz8 D-TC Power Distributor still in place, I swapped the T2’s for the T2 Supremes and fitted the Titanium balls on top.
Well, I’ll be… I was taking a sip of coffee when the motion simply halted with the cup at my lips. Recall that I noticed slightly less snap and bite than I like with the D-TC? With this single, seemingly insignificant change, the sound was undeniably crisper and more explicit. And not by a subtle margin, mind you. It was now on the same level as my own mundane power solution, while retaining absolutely all of the aforementioned improvements and enhancements. And to think that this change in sound is to be attributed only to the Darkz’ outer coating just breaks my brain. Clearly, the tiers in the Ansuz portfolio are not only there for marketing reasons. Each level up does truly further extend the sonic abilities.
Even with the first strutting guitar chords of Chris Standring’s Crazy Bom Baizy on the album Don’t Tail, Dance, it’s crystal clear that there’s significantly enhanced immediacy and expression. And when the tight drum & bassline kicks in, there’s just no escape: the Supremes really do bring another transformation to the table.
In addition to the crisper delivery and more immediate transient behavior of the T2 Supremes, the soundstaging has also changed, but more subtly. Whereas the balance with the non-Supreme T2’s was leaning predominantly to space behind the speakers, with the T2 Supremes, the entire acoustic is now brought forward a little, with the baseline now still behind but closer to the speakers, and extending slightly less deeply.
With this slightly decreased depth, the forward imaging has also increased. Don’t worry, it’s not forward as in edgy or in-your-face, and it’s still very much an organic delivery with a living, breathing flow that goes in all directions. But just as some listeners may prefer the smoother, more relaxed, and more fluid-sounding Titanium balls, some listeners might prefer the more laidback approach of the T2’s over the T2 Supremes.
All this is very, very interesting, I must say. The Magicos were always able to throw a remarkably wide soundstage but with the Ansuz power solution, the soundstage is so magnificently deep and so utterly free-floating that it’s as though the speakers have actually been removed from the scene altogether.
Absolutely fascinating stuff.
Normally, when I am this impressed, I try to come up with a solution to keep the product. But with these price tags, I just can’t come up with the funds. Such is reality. So, would I still be able to live with my own power solution?
Back to normal
And then came the inevitable. I had to go back to my own power solution. Cold Turkey. Having reverted to my regular situation with the standard power distributors and Belden cables, my first response was a big GULP.
Hmm, so that was what I have been listening to all this time? Yes, it was still a little tighter and more concentrated, giving the system a slight edge in terms of its percussive aspect, but mostly, it was just more staccato, and a lot drier. The flow was much reduced and with it, a lot of magic. It’s also not a stretch to imagine that this kind of extra tightness and control might not do so well in other circumstances or other systems.
In any event, with the transient behavior still good and the rhythm and overall dynamics still intact, thankfully, my foot still tapped along, phew. Now, I could also hear that the Ansuz Power Distributor also adds a tiny bit of character of its own but it’s of the sympathetic kind. What I am referring to is a gentle enriching of tonality in the upper bass and lower midrange. But this presumes that my own power cables and extension blocks are indeed 100% neutral and who is to say that this is the case. Maybe my own power solution was subtracting these aspects?
But honestly, other than the above, there were no redeeming qualities. None! But there were plenty of aspects that were very noticeably worse. Remember that gorgeously deep soundstage? Gone. Replaced by a slightly forward but very compact and much flatter sound. Before this Ansuz review, I knew my soundstage was not state-of-the-art, but it was deeper than I heard it in most other places so I was still content. Well, no more, and by now, I was having trouble becoming emotionally involved.
And while the transients still seemed great, there was less micro resolution within them as well as in between the notes, and more importantly, because all the sounds were now packed together so closely, much of the magic was also gone.
****, I uttered.
Next: One More Test, Mainz D2 Power Cables addendum, and Conclusion
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.
Hello Christian,
this was indeed an exciting test for me to read, and it is 100% in line with my own experience. I became aware of Ansuz products the year before last and was also rather skeptical. I have a complete Grimm Audio setup, so LS1be and MU1 as a source and was sure there is not much more to change. What a big mistake that hurt very very much financially, but sonically has brought me to a level that I would not have thought possible. I can also assure you that you would have been even more excited if you had instead of the D2 a complete DTC2 wiring. The DTC cables are just as good as the DTC Mainz8 and both together are incredible. I use a DTC Supreme Mainz8 and DTC2 power cords that are well beyond the value of the speakers and streamer, but I can assure you that it makes 100% sense. Even a single DTC power cord has so far brought the Ansuz magic you describe to every system I’ve been able to try it on. The Darkz are similarly sensational and everyone I told smiled kindly but usually didn’t believe it. All the greater was my joy then to be able to look into the astonished faces when testing. 🙂
Greetings Björn
Mainz is the capital of Rheinland-Pfalz/ Germany …nothing more and nothing less! And the sticker prize of these accompanying items is just RIDICULOUS in my humble opinion!
Hello Christian, thank you so much for the nice review. By reading your exciting review, I am interested in Mainz8, now.
May I ask you? In the Mainz8, the top model is D-TC superme. It is very very high price. But, the difference to D-TC is only ‘Anti aerial resonance coil technology’. D-TC superme may be great of course. But are only small upgrade of sound for comparing to D-TC???
Many thanks again,
Hi Messa, I have not heard the D-TC Supreme Mainz8 and while the price difference is indeed enormous, other experience with Ansuz products as well as Aavik products that also use this coil technology tells me that the Annsuz top-tier models will indeed offer even better performance than the lower-tier models. Even if the only difference is something as seemingly trivial as the type or number of coils, this will still result in a large audible difference. Thus far, with Ansuz and Aavik products, that has mostly meant a more organic presentation with deeper imaging.
Hi Christiaan,
Thank you very much! Ansuz are nice manufacture. If you checked the D-TC Supreme Mainz8, please me teach the impression. And, I look forward to your next reviews, too.
Many thanks again
Messa
Hi Christiaan
Thanks for a great review. I have just bought the Ansuz D2 Mainz8 with Darkz c2t / Tungsten balls. And it just sounds so amazing. Just like you describe. Right now I use the Belden cable with Oyiade C004/schucko .
My question is what cable length did you use with the D2 Ansuz cable. I have been recommended to start with the A2 Ansuz cable. Is there a “rule” when it comes to length of a power cable ? Some say it should be 2 m at least
Best regards
Michael Gravlund
Hi Michael, There are many opinions on (power) cable length. Indeed, some say 1,5m, others say 2m. My own experience tells me that the longer the cable, the more you hear of its character or its effect. That can go two ways. A fat sounding cable will usually sound fatter as it becomes longer. The opposite is not always true but I did find it to be the case for GigaWatt LC-2 EVO where the 2-meter cable sounded very noticeably leaner, tighter, and crisper than the 1,5 meter cable. Of course, the “best” length will be the length that has the best synergy with your system and/or caters to your taste. As such, I don’t feel there is an absolute best. I will say that I’m not a fan of ultra-short cables because they will always turn out too short when you chance something in the system. As a result, the cables I use are usually 2 meters or longer. I’m not sure of the length of the Ansuz cable but I think it was 2m.
hi Christiaan.
thanks for your answer. Then I think I have to try different lengths of the A2 before buying. I tried a 2m a while ago and compared it to the Belden combo like you use.
there was a remarkable difference in the sound. there was more “body” to the sound. more punchy if you could say so. But it also make me in doubt, because I felt it was too overwhelming in some way. but in the deep bass the A2 sounds alot better. more tight bass. but you are about the synergy… and thats the tough part LOL
best regards
Michael