Equitech Model Q

Description

Equitech Model Q

The Model Q is Equi=Tech’s flagship product.   It is the result of many years of experience and application research in the field of balanced AC power.  It is the highest quality and the best performing balanced power system we have ever offered.  Every component specified in its design has been selected from years of research and testing in professional and consumer high-definition A/V systems in both analog and digital formats.  Each component used in Model Q was chosen for its superior quality and performance and the cost was no object.  For example, the material used in the Model Q transformer core is made of a state-of-the-art magnetic steel alloy and none is spared in fabrication.  The core material is the most efficient there is, nevertheless the Model Q transformer has twice the mass of similarly rated competitive products.  It drives amplifiers and other high current pulse type loads without skipping a beat.  The power factor remains virtually stable regardless of the type of demand load.  Mil-spec oxygen-free copper is used throughout the Model Q assembly to further reduce random high-frequency current distortion.  This improves an already near-perfect mirror image output and further widens its range of noise attenuation.  The Model Q’s switches and circuit breakers are the finest made and they are duty rated for over 1/2 million operations.  Every component part used in Model Q has been selected because it is the best of its kind.  There is nothing that compares in quality or performance to the Model Q.

Though the Son of Q is clearly superior to our competitor’s products (and costs about half the price,) the industry benchmark standard of performance originates with the Model Q.  Son of Q benefits from the trickle-down technology developed over the years refining the Model Q, therefore the Son of Q clearly deserves the name.  Both clearly stand above the rest in precision design features and performance.  But make no mistake about it, the Model Q in all its variations and sizes is the gem of the entire balanced power industry.  No balanced power product compares to the Model Q and they are built to last a lifetime.  Equi=Tech has been making balanced power products longer than anyone in the industry, setting new standards in the field of power quality since the early ’90s.  There is no limit to how far we will go to raise the bar in power standards and audio-video quality.  The Model Q is our flagship product.

When Model Q was first shown at the Home Entertainment show (San Francisco 2002), the demo room was voted “Best Sound of Show” by the show attendees.  It won by a landslide margin over the 2nd place finisher.  Then, after winning that prestigious award for 3 consecutive years, show sponsors canceled the “Best Sound of Show” voting completely.  When an Equi=Tech Model Q is present in the room, it’s just not fair to everyone else.  Anyone who believes that power quality isn’t an important factor in recreating exciting realistic and accurate sound is seriously mistaken.  If you haven’t heard your sound system with a Model Q powering it, you are missing something truly great.  You might just find yourself replaying all of your old music again and again as if hearing it for the first time with a new appreciation for detail, clarity, and remarkable bass definition that you have never experienced before.  Many of our customers have told us that their Model Q was the one component above all others in their system that accounted for the biggest difference in sonic quality.  Source components and amplifiers benefit equally from their use.  They bring out the best in high-definition audio/video components because they represent the cutting edge in the field of power quality.   The Model Q is simply the most highly refined, accurate, and effective power source on the planet.  You owe it to yourself to see and hear why Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sony Records, JPL/NASA, California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and almost every professional A/V production company has chosen Model Q technology for its sensitive components.

The Model Q has a simple yet elegant appearance.  It features an anodized aluminum front panel that is available in black or silver. A front panel LED voltmeter indicates the voltage at the input or output depending on the position of the voltmeter mode switch (IN-OFF-OUT)  There is one blue LED indicator light above the input power switch and one above each output standby switch indicating power status at both the input and the output. The input power LED also doubles as a TVSS status light that indicates active surge protection when lit.  In the rare event that it stops working and the output LED still works, this indicates that the surge protector has taken too many nuisance voltage spikes and its days are done.  In the rare event that this occurs, the Model Q’s grounded Faraday shields provide excellent redundant surge protection until the TVSS module can be replaced and it is an inexpensive and easy thing to do.

On the rear panel, there are 12 AC outlets provided (more in the larger versions.)  One GFCI outlet is independent of the front standby switch(es) and is constantly left turned on for use with components that require continuous power for a clock or to maintain volatile memory. Of the 10 remaining outlets, 6 (white) are for analog components such as amplifiers and pre amps and 4 (gray) are specially filtered outlets for digital components. A circuit breaker on the rear panel protects the system from overload and from potential short circuit fire hazards in electrical power cords and downstream connected equipment.

Model Q’s are offered in 5 different sizes ranging from 1kVA to 5kVA load capacities.  Most Model Q’s that are rated at 2kVA or less require a 120 Volt supply circuit to operate.  (The 2RQ-E and 2RQ-EA require 208/240 Volts.)  3kVA and 5kVA models require a 208 or 240 Volt supply.  The chart below indicates the circuit size and standard plug type used to connect the Model Q to the source power outlet.

MODEL Q SPECIFICATIONS

For “E” (Export) Model Power Cord Plugs and Receptacle Outlets <5kVA
See table

Flanged AC Inlets & Female Cord Connectors for all Models ≤3kVA C13 & C14 13A 250V / 15A 125V C19 & C20 16A 250V / 20A 125V

Custom ac receptacles are available only by special order and only when the special order is accompanied by a written request.

Standard Universal Receptacle Outlets Provided With “E” Models Universal Euro-Receptacle Universal Schuko-Receptacle

 

Please note: We attempt to match male plugs on AC power cords to the type of plug used in the customer’s country.
See table
Note: Both the Universal-Schuko and Universal-Euro receptacles can accommodate cord plugs from 20 different countries.
Standard Features

Bifilar Wound Isolation Transformer — This patented method of winding AC power transformers is the most accurate way known to achieve a near-perfect balanced output.  The bifilar wound secondary is an exclusive Equi=Tech feature that raises the performance level of each of our products above all the rest.  To achieve peak performance in electronic components, a perfectly balanced AC supply is crucial.  Bifilar winding the output of our transformers achieves this near-perfect mirror image symmetry.  Because every product offered by Equi=Tech is bifilar wound, every product provides a more effective and broader range of noise attenuation compared to any other balanced power product (typically >6dB gain better.)  This holds true in high-resolution electronic components of all different shapes and sizes.  The result is an improved signal, greater definition in the video, and greater detail in audio program material.  IT and other EDP systems also benefit from significantly fewer timing errors and higher throughput. High Power Factor — Regardless of how clean AC power provided for sensitive electronics may be, the instant that component power switches are turned on, the quality of AC power degenerates.  This is simply the nature of what is termed “non-linear reactive loads.”  When non-linear power supplies are energized, some measure of power is wasted and reflected back out onto the line.  This undesirable and noisy form of energy (harmonics) is then shared by every other component of the system.  Furthermore, voltage and current phases are knocked out of sync too and this is what is referred to as a low power factor.  Electricity by its nature requires both current and voltage to be present at the same time or nothing happens.  In AC power, current and voltage must be timed together in sync, or to the degree they are not, nothing happens.  As the power factor drops lower and lower, electricity thins out very much like cheaper gasoline, and equipment performance suffers.  Generally speaking, the greater the load (e.g. large amplifiers) the lower the resulting power factor.  However, when this reflected energy flows back up the line into a balanced transformer, reactive currents will be flowing in opposite directions through identical mirror image output coils thereby creating equal but opposite electromagnetic forces that are present in the transformer in the same instant.  This causes the nuisance reflected energy (harmonics) to cancel out and literally disappear without bleeding back out onto the originating power grid.  Furthermore reactive load currents null (cancel out) electrically at the ground because harmonics on each side of the line are equal but opposite in polarity to each other – but not just opposite, precisely opposite thanks to bifilar winding.  This causes the cancellation of all of the undesirable non-linear load harmonics on the load side of the transformer too.  What’s left?  Pure 60Hz AC once again with nothing remaining on the line to skew power factor; even the ground remains clean.  AC power remains as coherent and clean as it was originally provided before component switches were turned on.  Bifilar winding is the only way this undesirable non-linear event can be accurately addressed and its effects eliminated in real-time as it happens.  The impact that this improved power stability and cleaner ground have on the performance of sensitive electronics is astonishing. Ultra Low Impedance — The ultra-low impedance design of the Model Q transformer provides unrestricted current delivery to its output and virtually busts the “myth” that transformers cannot handle high amplitude current transients demanded by amplifiers and other types of high current pulse loads.  Unlike typical transformers that are often considered to be “too current restricting” (and rightfully so,) Model Q transformers have been engineered with radical modifications made to their core and winding specifications which result in a transformer that has uncommonly low impedance and unrestricted current handling characteristics.  They provide an instantaneous current response with the capacity to handle much larger current transients than any comparable solid-state AC generator or inverter system. The amplitude of the current transients a Model Q transformer can easily accommodate would likely explode any similar solid-state-based device and it does this effortlessly with almost no measurable current sag.  In technical jargon, the magnetic flux density of its core operates at a fraction of its capacity thereby providing an extreme amount of current headroom with a magnetic current transfer hysteresis curve that is far more linear than anything similar to it, even when driven at or near its maximum continuous power rating.  It is virtually impossible to detect any significant current sag or to drive a Model Q transformer into saturation.  Furthermore, the line-to-ground impedance on its output is only a fraction of the line-to-ground impedance found in similarly rated solid-state systems.  This means that Model Q transformers attenuate a much wider bandwidth of non-linear reactive load harmonics (noise) than any comparable “low impedance” solid-state AC generator or inverter. 100% Passive Circuitry — There are no active components used in any Equi=Tech product.  There is nothing that will degrade from heat over time or from years of rugged use.  Similar systems may use semiconductor devices to drive their outputs or soft start relays to compensate for a low-quality isolation transformer with a high inrush current — not ours!  There is nothing in an Equi=Tech system to wear out over time from heavy use or from heat.  We invest the cost of building our systems where it belongs, in well-designed high-quality components.  The next time you are watching a live broadcast of the Super Bowl or a Presidential Inauguration, remember that Equi=Tech is running the show because engineers know when equipment failure is not an option.  Ruggedness, reliability, and the most refined balanced power technology on Earth are why top professionals choose Equi=Tech. High Efficiency — Equi=Tech systems are the most efficient of their kind.  This means that very little power is inefficiently wasted when powering electronic components.  Even when driven hard, they generate very little heat and they are barely warm to the touch.  They draw very little power in idle mode and can be left turned on indefinitely, ready to meet extreme power demands in an instant.  In operational mode, they waste almost no power drawing approximately what they put out.  With a typical 97%+ efficiency rating, they elegantly outperform similar power products and do it in a safe, economical, and environmentally friendly way. Magnetic and Faraday Shielding — These indispensable features are included in every Equi=Tech product.  The Faraday shields isolate noise from the outside world as well as protect the system’s output and connected load components from potentially destructive voltage spikes. The magnetic shield assures that electronics used in close proximity will be unaffected by magnetic stray field radiation. Oxygen-free copper wire— Mil Spec. oxygen-free copper wire is used throughout the entire AC distribution section of every Model “Q”.  Hand-made OFC jumper wires and wiring harnesses are used exclusively in their assembly.  OFC wire reduces high-frequency micro-current distortion that is commonly present in conventional copper or silver wired circuits.  This further extends the effective bandwidth of noise attenuation. Filtered Digital Equipment Outlets — These outlets provide additional high-frequency noise attenuation and isolation for switching power supplies typically found in digital electronics.  The outlets are intended for use with CD Players, DVD Players, Dish Receivers, Hi-Definition TVs, DLP and Plasma Displays, automation controllers, computers, and other high-resolution electronic digital system components. Unswitched Outlet — An entire system of components can be turned on and off from the front panel by using the front standby switch(es).  As a convenience, one outlet on the back panel remains constantly turned on for equipment that uses a date/time clock such as TIVOs, VCRs, PVRs, DVRs, and other components that require constant power to maintain volatile memory. Quality Tested — Equi=Tech products have been tested and certified to meet the most rigorous and demanding of all power industry standards for Class A (high voltage) power distribution equipment.  No one other than Equi=Tech offers a balanced power system that meets the design criteria and safety testing procedures required in this standard.  Since Equi=Tech started the balanced power revolution in the early 90s, we remain the only balanced power manufacturer committed to meeting high performance and safety standards required by discriminating professionals in many technical fields.  Equi=Tech makes the only systems that meet stringent OSHA standards governing safety in the workplace.  Unlike some manufacturers, we cut no corners in the design and fabrication of our systems.  We regard electrical safety as seriously as we regard performance and we are willing to go the extra mile to prove it.  We are professionals who value our integrity and demonstrate it by the way we design and build our products. MODEL Q OPTIONS (AVAILABLE WITH MODELS 3RQ, 3RQ-EA, AND LARGER MODELS ONLY) RSW — Switchable input voltage. A heavy-duty 3-position, center-off, multi-pole power switch rated for high current applications is provided to toggle between input voltages.  Commonly used in portable racks where either 208V or 240V power is furnished on location.  Switch toggles between 208V and 240V to match the balanced power system’s input voltage to available power.  When the SW option is selected, a more rugged black powder-coated face plate is provided for additional durability. RT— Touring option. Rear panels are equipped with 30-amp 125V twist-lock outlets (NEMA L5-30R) for touring power applications.  No GFCI outlets are used insuring a more fail-safe operation.td> RCL— Cam lock inputs are used instead of a 50A 250V California Style twist lock inlet.  Typically, 3 cam locks are provided — 2 “hot” (black and red) and one ground (green) cam lock are installed.  No neutrals (white) are used in balanced power circuits or equipment. Additional Specifications Nominal Input Voltage 120-208/240 VAC Nominal Output Voltage 120 VAC Transformer Impedance 1.65% Isolation (CMRR) 100dB Noise Level <.02 Sones @ 1M Voltage Regulation (NLA/FLA) +/-  1.7% Voltmeter Accuracy +/- .5V Max. Temp. Rise (at the perimeter) 40 C. Total Relative Strayfield <10-3@ .1M Domestic back panel configurations apply to all “EA” versions of the Model Q.