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This is what the GRID PROTECTOR does perfectly

Schnerzinger-Grid-Protector-package

"Today I put the Schnerzinger GRID PROTECTOR into permanent operation here.

I already had the opportunity to try Schnerzinger products here for an afternoon some time ago. Only at that time, as many Schnerzinger products as possible should be demonstrated and the listening test was carried out primarily with CD. Even then, the GRID PROTECTOR impressed me most positively! That's why I decided to purchase one here for our reference system.

The scope of supply includes the GRID PROTECTOR itself - with the power cord connected and marked for proper phasing. A small cylinder, called a control unit, which is connected to a specific input of the GRID PROTECTOR. A small plug-in power supply unit is connected to this cylinder with the supplied cables.

On the GRID PROTECTOR itself, there are a total of 9 switches: a two-stage switch selects: Lowest power (LED's off), Medium power (LED's on, but dimmed), Full power (LED's on, very bright). 4 switches each are for bandwidth and clock rate. At first tests I got the best results with medium power and bandwidth and clock rate each 3 out of 4.

So what does this device do sonically?

I myself have some experience with mains filtering and mains conditioning - both in audio and in measurement technology. My impression: results like from very good mains filtering:

  • less noise, i.e. hiss and masking effects
  • thus more details, better spatial representation
  • Instruments & voices are more precise, better delineated from each other
  • the dynamics improve

Such effects are sometimes caused by additional distortions, e.g. when an amplifier stage in the chain is overdriven. After a short time of enthusiasm, it is then simply annoying after a short time!

That's why the "acid test" for me is whether the naturalness and emotionality also increase with the above-mentioned points. Only then is it a real improvement.

The Schnerzinger GRID PROTECTOR does this perfectly!

When it comes to something like spatiality, delineation of instruments, I like to use Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon'. I know this record very well and especially I know very well how it was recorded.

With the first 3 pieces there the Leslie and/or the Leslie produced with the synthesizer and mixer is quite meaningful, just like the runner in the dispatch hall. With such well-known pieces I have here with the Schnerzinger GRID PROTECTOR a clear increase in the overall playback quality.

For the question of naturalness and emotionality I use Rickie Lee Jones 'Pirates' and Keith Jarett 'The Cologne Concert': a clear increase here too and of course in a very positive sense!

I have the device not yet long in operation and can certainly still optimize the setting in the long run! Some changes are not immediately audible, but need some time to take effect. Also what placement and the choice of the power outlet to which I connect the GRID PROTECTOR, must still be tried out exactly.

What's really amazing about the whole thing, by the way:

My entire power supply is quite sophisticated. Everything very elaborately filtered and decoupled from each other. Nevertheless, the GRID PROTECTOR works but clearly traceable! This means for me: It is not a conventional, technically known way of filtering / noise reduction, but something completely new!

What about the price/performance ratio: The device costs €3800. I find the price quite justified. With other upgrades - e.g. cables, component replacement, you very often don't get as far with the same financial investment.

So for higher-quality stereo systems a clear recommendation from my side!

What I have to admit: I have (still!) no idea how the device works technically. Since I am now times very curious, there will be a very, very detailed metrological investigation in the near future.

But I have to disappoint all those who hope for a publication of the results: If and what I find out, I will keep to myself - if only out of fairness to the manufacturer, who after all has created something extraordinary!

(Stephan G. – GECOM TECH 11/2021)

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Reviews

The Grid Protector By Schnerzinger – In My System and I’m blown away

It takes less than 5 minutes to install the GRID PROTECTOR. The change in clarity is so amazing that the simplest and faintest nuances that could be heard before are now much clearer. The harshness has disappeared. The ease of listening has eliminated any fatigue effects for me. In fact, listening to the music has made me completely relaxed. There is no immersive effect or change in the sound image. Rather, there is a distinct feeling of being closer to the music. Today I've also listened to some records and tapes with the GRID PROTECTOR on and I really hate to say that everything sounds much more natural now, but what the GRID PROTECTOR does is breathe air into the soundstage and separate the instruments and vocals. As soon as I turn it off, the sound as I had come to know it and consider it to be superior is suddenly just ok, leaving me with the definite conclusion that this GRID PROTECTOR is a must for my ears and my system.

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4. September 2024 No Comments
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For me an absolute MUST HAVE

According to a proverb, a person only knows what he had when it is no longer there. That may be true, but based on my experience with Schnerzinger products, I would argue that you don't know what you didn't have until it's gone. Only your own ears can be the incorruptible judge in this process.

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2. March 2022 No Comments
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"...the added quality and above all the naturalness and dynamics are now indispensable"

For all those who stream their music from the Internet and don't have a record player, the LAN Protector from Schnerzinger is a very hot recommendation. But be careful, if you borrow the LAN Protector to test it out of curiosity, you should be aware of the consequences. It's hard to go back, the increased quality and above all the naturalness and dynamics are now indispensable. The analog feeling when listening to music is addictive! 

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14. May 2024 No Comments
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From X to RESOLUTION

Some time ago, I decided to completely change my system setup again - of course with the goal of a further substantial sonic improvement. Since I had set very high goals for myself with this project, Mr. Klocke, Schnerzinger, recommended that I definitely go to the (then) new RESOLUTION Line. I followed this advice and it proved to be absolutely right.

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6. February 2023 No Comments
IMAGE HIFI 06/2021 TESTBERICHT
SCHNERZINGER ESSENTIAL LINE (CABLE)
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Schnerzinger GmbH & Co KG
Heinrich-Sträter Str. 15
44229 Dortmund

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Mail: info@schnerzinger.com

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BETTER SKIN - time-correct signal transport without electronic carry-over effect

The BETTER SKIN technology ensures an almost uniform flow of all frequencies due to the special surface coating within the SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING process, thus combining the advantages of different designs without accepting their disadvantages.

SKIN EFFEKT- Frequency-dependent signal transport in the conductor

An important sound-relevant factor is the so-called skin effect. This can be explained in a very simplified way as follows: High frequencies flow near the surface, medium and low frequencies are oriented more towards the center of the conductor.

For a nearly lossless transport of high frequencies, often flat wire resp. foil conductor, hollow conductor or litz wire (often several distinct isolated strands with very small width) are disposed.

These constructions– having a large surface and a small core portion - favor the transport of high frequencies; but from our experience just this characteristic complicates the desired uniform transmission of low, mid and high frequencies. However or because of that, at first these constructions are often perceived as being more open and having with a higher resolution. In our book for a time correct, natural and not artificially accentuated presentation of the upper spectrum it’s of elementary importance, that all frequencies will be transported holistically. A few of these cable designs also tend to higher capacitance, whereon certain equipment combinations respond with unpredictable performance.

A performance displaced to higher frequencies may be perceived – as mentioned above – as more dynamic and three-dimensional and having higher resolution, but from our experience this is accountable for the so-called hyper hi-fi sound; soon the listener will be stimulated to yet another compensating action and so forth. 

DIE VORTEILE DES SCHNERZINGER DIELEKTRIKUMS

SCHNERZINGER uses a special, air-filled material as dielectric, which - unlike PTFE or Teflon, for example - is applied to the wire while avoiding structurally damaging temperatures and yet is completely stable. Combined with the special SCHNERZINGER process of DIELECTRIC CHARGING, it shows better dielectric and sound properties than pure PTFE, FEP, cotton, linen, silk or even air.  In addition, it is absolutely leak-proof and thus offers reliable long-term protection of the conductors against oxidation....

  • Combination of air-filled material & DIELECTRIC CHARGING process.
  • Pristine sound & better dielectric properties than air
  • Unrestricted signal flow due to significantly minimized electronic memory effect
  • Production without material-damaging high-temperature processes
  • Absolut stabile Isolierung und dauerhafter Oxidationsschutz ("Insulation, not oxidation")

DIELECTRIC

To prevent electrical short circuits between the wires, they must be insulated. The insulation material, also called dielectric, has an enormous influence on the transmission quality of audio cables. Pure air is theoretically the best dielectric, but it does not insulate. However, in the case of cables marketed in the audio sector with air or AIR insulation, for example, the individual conductor wires are provided with an insulating layer of varnish, which has significantly poorer dielectric values than PTFE, for example. In addition, this insulating layer is often applied using structurally damaging high-temperature processes, which often negatively affect the quality of the conductor's material structure. This is clearly not the case with SCHNERZINGER.

Our test runs utilizing various isolators – starting with best polyethylene PTFE, FEP, across foamed material, natural fabric, like unbleached cotton or silk up to extremely expensive and exotic approaches with costly inert gas and specifically deployed battery voltage - confirm the enormous importance of the often underestimated dielectric.  

However, the contradiction between high insulation on the one hand and lowest storage capacity on the other hand could not be solved so satisfactorily with any of these approaches that it did not lead to a limitation of the performance potential of the SCHNERZINGER SIGNAL CONDUCTOR.

DIELECTRIC CHARGING

A time consuming production process, DIELECTRIC CHARGING, counteracting the adherence ("parking") of the electrical charge at the dielectric, provided SCHNERZINGER the crucial progress and breakthrough.

To better illustrate this sound-degrading memory effect, one can imagine that the individual signals flowing through a wire are attracted to the dielectric, "park" there, and are carried away again by subsequent signals.

SCHNERZINGER research shows that this effect results in a slowed down, time-delayed electron flow, counteracting the crucial target of time correct and integrated signal processing.

Therefore an ideal isolation material is a dielectric without both attractive and buffer effect; a requirement profile, many manufacturers work on with major effort.

The production process of the DIELECTRIC CHARGING works quasi directly against the memory effect and thus ensures a timely and unrestrained signal flow, which is essential for an unimpaired playback quality. Even wires operated without dielectric, i.e. surrounded by pure air, were at a disadvantage sonically compared to DIELECTRIC CHARGING!

For a simple understanding of DIELECTRIC CHARGING, you can imagine a road with many intersections: 

It is not by improving the road surface, but by reducing the number of intersections that one achieves significant progress toward unimpeded traffic flow.

BACKGROUND 

In theory electrical signal propagates in vacuum with the speed of light (c). Cable connection limits the speed, copper conductor for example to about 9/10 of the speed of light. The ration of actual speed to speed of light is known as speed factor VOP (Velocity Propagation Factor). This number describes the transmission speed of a material compared to the speed of light in vacuum in percent.

Here even foamed PTFE reaches 85% only.

Material                                 VOP

Geschäumtes PTFE                85%

FEP                                         69%

Silikon                                53-69%

TFE                                         69%

Polyethylen                             66%

PVC                                   35-58%

Nylon                                 47-53%

ATOMIC BONDING vs. Monocrystalline OCC und UPOCC Leitermaterial

In contrast to the often only temporarily effective advantages of established treatment and manufacturing processes on the reproduction quality of high-quality audio cables, e.g. cryogenization or OCC or UPOCC casting processes, SCHNERZINGER cables with ATOMIC BONDING conductors enable an audibly purer and unrivaled true-to-life signal transmission - and this permanently! 

In order to recognize the essential advantage of the SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING technology compared to conventional methods, some background knowledge about the industrial processing of wires used as conductor material in the audio sector is required:

CONVENTIONAL CASTING METHODS:

To manufacture the conductor material in most audio cables, thick copper or silver strands are repeatedly drawn through so-called drawing dies until the wires are thin enough for further use. Every drawing process means enormous mechanical stress, which causes the crystalline grain structure of the wires to disintegrate into many crystals. In a sense, the audio signals have to find their way through many of these grain structures. The flow through the grain boundaries from grain to grain creates an enormous resistance potential every time, which is known to cause slowed signal transport.

The more complex casting process is therefore often used for higher-quality audio cables. Here, liquid copper or silver is continuously poured into molds, which results in longer grain structures. In the even more complex monocrystalline OCC or UPOCC (Ultra-Pure Ohno Continuous Casting) process, the molds are even heated and slowly cooled to prevent the material from solidifying too quickly. This process was developed by Prof. Ohno in the 1980s for industry so that fewer cracks occur in the sheet metal when the copper strands are rolled out

INNOVATIVE APPROACH WITH ATOMIC BONDING:

SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING, on the other hand, takes a completely different approach:

To easily get the idea of the innovative development approach ATOMIC BONDING, simply envision a conducting wire as a pipe filled with ice cubes, whereby the ice cubes symbolically illustrate the inner grain structure of the wire.

Since long-chain metal structures are quite sensitive and easily disintegrate again after the manufacturing process, e.g. due to vibrations and bending processes, ATOMIC BONDING is a technologically extremely complex process which does not aim at bonding individual ice cubes to form a closed, long-chain monostructure, but on the contrary at crushing the cubes. This results in the smallest ice structure components, which can subsequently be compressed into a stable, homogeneous ice mass with very high cohesive forces in the tube.

A compacted, fused mass of ice has a closed, extremely stable structure - without any gaps. This fact forms the basis for a highly pure and perfect impulse chain - for a true-to-life signal transmission.

BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER - KONKURRENZLOSER STÖRFELDSCHUTZ

Each SCHNERZINGER cable is designed to provide unique and effective protection of the signal against both low-frequency and high-frequency interference - without reducing the signal bandwidth and signal speed in the slightest - with its BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER.

By foregoing the use of compromising dummy solutions such as capacitors, diodes, parallel or series filters, which are often used in common market solutions, SCHNERZINGER CABLES transport the audio signal with breathtaking and hitherto unattained authenticity and information density. Electronic braking and carry-over effects are reduced to a maximum, the bad influence of high-frequency interference fields on the quality of the reproduction is effectively prevented.

The double interference field protection of the BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER blocks and stops 

  • the introduction of external interference fields radiating via the mains and cables into the signal path
  • the forwarding of internal interference fields caused by the components themselves within the audio chain.
 
Due to the increase in wireless transmission technology and modern media use, e.g. WLAN, Power-LAN, cell phones, etc., increasingly complex high-frequency interference fields are radiating into the wired transmission path of the audio signal. Although shielded audio cables, which are often used, provide protection in the classic AF range, they draw the aforementioned high-frequency interference fields even more strongly into the sensitive signal path ("antenna effect"). Sensitive quality losses in the playback and a limited music enjoyment are the result. 
 

The BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER enables for the first time a truly contemporary, highly effective interference field protection for the sound information transported in the cable. The pure and unaltered transmission of the signal results in significantly better dynamics, resolution, rhythm and fine detail. 

The full sound potential of the hi-fi components is preserved and the quality and performance of the music system can unfold 100%.

In case of very strong interference field loads, the effectiveness of the BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER can be increased for the cables of the TS-LINE and the RESOLUTION LINE for the cleaning of external interference fields by an optional power amplifier, the CABLE PROTECTOR

For the RESOLUTION LINE, SCHNERZINGER also offers the optional SIGNAL PROTECTOR, an effective power amplifier for diverting the internal interference fields that have penetrated the signal path to the outside.

BETTER GEOMETRY - uncompromising cable design

In order to take full advantage of close-meshed interlocking constructions - without accepting their electromagnetic problems - SCHNERZINGER relies on a combination of intelligent superstructures and revolutionary technologies.

GEOMETRY - twisting, interlacing or parallel cable constructions

The design of a cable must be mechanically stable, create a homogeneous electromagnetic field between and around the conductors, and ensure the time-correct, and loss-free signal flow.

Efforts to use elaborate stranding and braiding techniques to counteract the problems of mutual interference often fail.

Twisted constructions reduce the susceptibility to interference, and typically result in a low inductance, which is usually targeted. However, as soon as current flows through a wire, its own electromagnetic field is generated. If the cores are twisted, the electromagnetic fields of the individual wires are close together over a large area, acting on each other and impairing the flow of electrons, which is why solid conductors are often used instead of stranded wires.

Braided constructions also typically reduce susceptibility to interference, but accept the effects of a constant but permanent change in the electrical environment of the individual conductors relative to each other, and it is this that leads to electromagnetic clutter, which in turn affects electron flow.

Parallel constructions with conductors running in parallel are not very resistant to external interference fields and favor the proximity effect, which also impairs the flow of electrons due to eddy currents that are generated.

To realize a full speed and even electron flow, the electrical parameters and the electromagnetic fields should remain constant and homogeneous across the entire cable length. The requirement of a mechanically stable design is often underrated, although this is an important factor in order to adhere to constant conditions.

In order to take full advantage of close-meshed interlocking constructions without accepting their electromagnetic problems, SCHNERZINGER relies on a combination of intelligent superstructures and revolutionary technology:

BETTER GEOMETRY uses a high-tech process to directly absorb electrosmog and virtually neglect resulting electromagnetic problems.

CABLE COATING – static problem catcher

Plastic fabric hoses are used by many manufacturers as outer sheathing. They look fancy, are inexpensive, and make manufacturing easier. But the fact is that the outer jacket definitely affects the sound quality of a cable.
In the case of plastics, for example, static charges can occur that impair electron transport. 

As a so-called "tuning measure", antistatic agents are then often offered as accessories to counteract the inadequacies of these materials.

We therefore deliberately dispense almost entirely with plastic fabric tubes, which may make a cable appear professionally manufactured, but in our opinion do not belong in a sonically consistent development chain.

BETTER FLOW -

The BETTER FLOW principle, through the extraordinary quality of the SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING conductor material and the consistent use of the highest quality bonding techniques and components, plays a major role in ensuring the unique reproduction quality and special features of SCHNERZINGER CABLES.

CONDUCTOR MATERIAL GRADE

Conventional untreated conductor material consists of many short crystalline grain structures, which furthermore conditional of manufacturing are laying in an inappropriate assembly. So to some extend the information has to find its diffuse way through many grain structures. Flowing through the grain boundary junctions from grain to grain implies an enormous resistance potential und thus causes a slowed down signal transmission. In addition information transmission virtually swirls in the grain boundary voids, so tones belonging together are time delayed and torn apart. Above all grain boundary voids allow deformations of the grain structure. This in turn may result in grain contact points, whose resonances may distort the information.

The SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING conductor material minimizes these sound-influencing effects by providing a permanently compact and enormously homogeneous microstructure of the conductor.

 

CONNECTOR - COMPONENTS, MATERIAL

Our research shows, that the parts performance potential is primarily determined by the crystalline structure of the deployed material rather than by the material itself. Performance deficits because of a non-optimum crystalline material structure of a connector plug may be compensated via clever actions.
With many connector plugs in the audio domain a layer of gold, silver, rhodium, palladium etc. will be added to the conducting material. This improves electrical contact and - via the distinct character of the particular plating - it furthermore allows for compensation of deficits.

But we strive for the solution, not just a compensation of a problem, so we employ connector plugs that are adjusted to the fabric of the SCHNERZINGER CONDUCTOR via the complex process ATOMIC BONDING. We disassemble all plugs into their individual parts and replace the contact pins by ATOMIC BONDING formatted pins. To perfectly protect the contact pins against interfering fields and to establish double operational reliability, the plug receives a two-shelled housing. To reduce contact resistance, after assembly plugs and conductor together will be ATOMIC BONDING processed once again.

Compared to the complexity and effect of these actions the significance of the original material characteristic is secondary.

The decision in favor of the now employed connector plugs was done after a multitude of comparisons utilizing the best respected plugs and sockets of the world market.

Price and reputation of the tested devices were of minor importance, as the costs of ATOMIC BONDING by far exceed the costs of expensive plugs.

We explicitly indicate, that - because of the structural adjustment of plugs and conductor material - any back fitting to other plugs will drastically degrade sound quality, thus irreparably destroy the SCHNERZINGER original connection.