This Chord Company PowerHAUS S6 power distribution block was launched last Friday (11 March 2022) to the HiFi world. Now, we all know the value of interconnects, speaker cable and reducing electrical and mechanical noise when we can, but power cables really have only recently had their chance to shine. Now it is the turn of the power distribution block, and cable heavyweight Chord Company has stepped into this arena with their first offering, building on their 38 years of experience in cables.
A rundown of the tech involved here, with isolated parallel bus bars feeding the six mains plugs, is in this article here, and Chord Company’s site is here.
The PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block is £1,000, there is a PowerHAUS M6 flagship at £2,000, they are available now
Review Setup
I generally use a 40 quid Lindy mains conditioner with surge protection for the myriad of boxes I use, it is OK, and functional but five minutes in the company of Alan Gibb at Chord Company will scare the daylights out of you and he will have you getting your electrician in to tighten up your mains distribution box in the house to reduce mechanical movement which can generate electrical noise in a system. I am even at the point now where I’m turning off my lights in critical listening!
This is going to be a straight A-B test with a couple of tracks and a view at the end. I’m using the very revealing Active Crossover system featuring Kudos Super 20A loudspeakers. I have been using an Atlas Eos 2.5 distribution block with this setup but with all respect to Atlas, and Chord, I’m going to use what most of us have in our setups, a straight mains extension lead to assess the full effect. This hands the advantage firmly to Chord in this review but it does serve to highlight the improvement available from this PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution to the likes of you and me. I do concede that if you were spending thirty thousand pounds on an active system you would at the very least have bought a half-decent mains block, like the Atlas one I’m using. Separately I’ll put the PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block to a Naim Uniti Star, though you are unlikely to spend a thousand pounds on a mains block to a four thousand pounds all in one streamer, though you never know.
Test Tracks (drawing on the Launch Demo)
Hurricane Bob Dylan (Tidal Masters 24 bit, 48kHz)
New York, New York, Ryan Adams (Tidal Masters 24 bit, 96kHz)
Van Gogh’s Ear, Seamus Fogarty (Tidal FLAC 16 bit, 44.1Hz)
GHOST TOWN, Benson Boone (Tidal Masters 24 bit, 44.1KHz)
The Tidal Playlist is linked here.
Setup A
With the plain extension lead, this system is still just singing; it is a real treat for me to hear such a vibrant open sound; the edge of Dylan’s guitar is clear to hear with a fine soundstage on offer. The vocal, yes it’s Dylan but it is clear and centred, perfectly in the Super 20A loudspeakers. New York, New York, one of my favourite ever tracks, trips along wonderfully and Seamus Fogarty’s vocal in Van Gogh’s Ear is just pure emotion.
Setup B with PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block
Physically
The PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block is chunky and heavy, it has substantial padded feet in each corner. It is not going anywhere and it can certainly handle the stiffest mechanical power cables with comfort. I’m using a meter long Clearway power cable from the wall to the PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block, provided by Chord Cables.
Outcome
…the musicality in the room is heightened, without question.
With the introduction of the PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block, the musicality in the room is heightened, without question. Hurricane remains open with an added touch of fizz, I’m not going to say night and day because it isn’t but I’m sure this sounds a fraction more urgent. I feel Benson Boone’s GHOST TOWN has a little more bass, the controlled thunderous punch at 30 seconds remains controlled and present. Maybe it is just separated that bit further from the vocal but it sounds appreciable.
It’s reassuring to know that I can hear such a change in musicality and energy in the room and that the PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block is doing what it is designed to do. And, also it is not just ‘Dem Room Fever’. If you’re sceptical, all I can say is I am going to be loathed to give the S6 block back to Chord Company but this is the life of the reviewer.
Naim Uniti Star
…there is a tangible uplift in performance here.
Just for fun, and the heck of it, I put the PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block to the Naim Uniti Star I have in our family lounge area. The improvement over the very nasty extension lead (needed for positioning purposes) in there was tangible and the playlist sounded lively and vibrant, I like the way the noise floor falls away with this distribution block and there is a tangible uplift in performance here too.
Overall
The PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block is £1,000 so you’ll need to take a view on this type of investment in your HiFi system. We all know about cables and power cable delivery, but there is no snake oil here; there is clearly a measurable improvement in sonic performance in the two systems where I have switched the PowerHAUS S6 Power Distribution Block in to replace a more ordinary block. If you have anything like a decent HiFi system, I would unreservedly recommend a simple A-B test so you can make up your mind.
Where to Buy
Chord PowerHAUS S6 UK Mains Distribution Block at Future Shop* here
Chord PowerHAUS M6 UK Mains Distribution Block at Future Shop* here
*This is a sponsored link