SEEC INT. AUDIO SYSTEMS

More information on the filter. I hope it is of interest to you.

THE SEEC HQSN-4U MAINS FILTER

The Company SEEC is not as yet well known in Britain and the filter was purchased after searching the 'NET'. The Company were very helpful and responded quickly to my queries as regards the set up and operation of the filter. One has to accept a certain degree of faith in purchasing in this way.

Described as a filter for 'high-end' use I was unsure as to where my system lay. It wasn't high end, for sure, but had proved capable of quality sound both from Digital and Analogue sources. To summarise I use a Yamaha CD player as transport connected to a Cambridge Audio Dacmagic 2mk2 via an American made Time Link Conditioner. The latter has undoubteably been of the greatest 'immediate' improvement since it's purchase over 2 years ago.

Amplification is courteosy of Marantz, a PM55 delivering around 60 watts per channel to Mission 752's and a REL active Sub Bass Unit.

The filter was delivered promptly and well packaged. At my request no connectors were fitted, I opted for 'MK' units which I wired to the quality cable supplied. I would have liked the option of having a longer cable on either the input or output side to ease connection to my system. This is probably available if you remember to ask!

There is a handy LED to indicate power on and good instructions. After initial power up I decided to give the unit a fair 'burn in' time before serious listening.

First impressions were clear in that there was a difference with the filter fitted. The Mission 752's are notoriously bright, if you are not careful with matching components, and I felt that the filter had brought up the top end. I adjusted the sub to regain the balance and felt that the overall response of the system was greater at both ends, though indeed mainly at the top. The question I needed to explore was how this affected a range of music and whether I could live with the system.

I started with the Classics and was thrilled to listed to my collection all over again. The dreaded violin did not screech as feared. The general effect was very pleasing though I detected a certain lack of momentum on some passages.

Rock music played well, the added brightness was indeed a higher top end response and the system responded well.

As mentioned previous this system is not 'top end' but I felt is was capable of showing detailed differences. I had demonstrated this with experimenting with interconnects. The filter is still connected and I have grown to enjoy the difference it makes. I hope to be able to measure the filters response with suitable equipment in the near future. The filter (HQSN-4) has made a significant improvement and I look towards 'taming' the top end response with possibly better amplification at some point in the future. In the short term I continue to try different interconnects when possible.