Even the best, most critically eared music-production professionals aren’t always aware of what’s taking place deep inside the systems they work with. Acclaimed Grammy-nominated producer Michael Beinhorn, says it was producer/engineer Frank Filipetti who raised his awareness of the problems that poorly conditioned mains power can cause when trying to critically listen to music. “Frank really pointed out to me the difference that properly balanced and conditioned power can make in the quality of sound,” says Beinhorn, whose discography includes hits for Hole, Marilyn Manson, Korn, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Ozzy Osbourne and Aerosmith. “In fact, since then I’ve become absolutely militant about proper power conditioning.” Beinhorn says the problem became obvious when he noticed certain peculiarities in his workspace – for instance, when HVAC units kicked on at a neighbor’s property, the load on the power grid changed, and certain artifacts were introduced that degraded the sound quality of what he was working on or listening to. “And it wasn’t just me — the guitar player and I would look at each other and wonder why the guitar amp didn’t sound like it did five minutes ago,” he says.
That’s all changed in the five months since Beinhorn introduced the Model Q power conditioner from Equi=Tech, a pioneer in balanced AC power, into his critical-listening setup at his home in Los Angeles. “I’m not working in big studios as much anymore, so I’m in a very consistent listening space, which makes it even easier to discern the difference that properly conditioned power can make,” Beinhorn says of the workspace in his home, where, since 2018, he has offered a suite of services, including song analysis and pre-production. “Now, everything that passes audio here goes through the Model Q, and I can really hear the difference. It’s made listening a joyous experience again for me. I’m getting a broader sonic spectrum, broader sound stage, more presence, more depth and a better and tighter low end. Overall, my sound is much richer. It’s almost as though my system components are happier with the power they’re getting through the Equi=Tech. If there’s one thing you can do to make your music sound better, it’s this.”
Pictured (l-r): Terry Brent, Equi=Tech National Sales Director; Jan Glasband, Equi=Tech Director of Operations; and acclaimed GRAMMY®-nominated producer Michael Beinhorn.
For more information, please visit equitech.com.
