Bybee Technologies iQSE, Two like new, Internal Quantum Signal Enhancers

Bybee Technologies iQSE, Two pieces, Internal Quantum Signal Enhancers:
Regularly $150 each both for $195

BYBEE – iQSE

The new Bybee iQSE is designed to be installed inside of components. The iQSE is a passive device that is activated by electromagnetic energy and is ideal inside of components where the electromagnetic energy is at the highest concentration. No soldering is required, and the units can withstand high heat situations. Placement can be done simply by using the attached magnet or included double stick tape. Placement can be on any wall at the inside of the component chassis. This product works similar to the popular QSE, but it’s small footprint (4″ X 2″) and design makes it ideal for internal placement. Once installed the iQSE creates an electric and magnetic field that in turn effects the surrounding electrons, rendering them more streamline and efficient. The results are a stunning improvement in overall musicality.

The iQSE can be installed with either side up, and can withstand heat. It will be effective in most any space inside of a component. It is a passive device that will not lose effectiveness over time. This product, like all Bybee products, has a cumulative benefit; and it works very well together with other Bybee products.

The iQSE has been tested with favorable results on the home electrical service panels, power supply, rear terminals on speakers, and most any location.

At $150 each, the iQSE consists of a 2” x 4” x 1/4” finished block of wood that contains engineered crystals suspended in epoxy with a magnetic sheet attached on one side. The iQSEs can be strategically placed on the listening room walls, floor and ceiling, inside or outside of a component (the effect is magnified when placed inside) and in/on circuit breaker panels. Digital circuitry responds well to placement near voltage regulators, DACs, and DSPs. Benefit to video signals are also possible when iQSEs are placed near TV electronics, cable boxes, on DVD players, etc. Proper application requires that the labeled side is placed facing open space or at least not placed facing the chassis. Some experimentation relative to each component is recommended but placement near the incoming component ac power input is a good place to start.
I will start by baselining my system sans the iQSE. I will try then to add the iQSE in phases; first to the front end digital components and speakers, second to the amplifier and electrical breaker panel, and finally to the listening room walls, floor, and ceiling. Allowance for component stabilization following the addition of each iQSE implementation phase will be maintained throughout the review.
 
Your System on Carbon C13 Alignment

My reviewing system includes the Uptone JS-2 Linear Power Supply for Qnap TS-251+ NAS drive, Ayon Audio S-5 Network Player/Preamplifier, Ayon Audio Odin III Gen 4 SET amplifier fitted with Tungsram signal tubes, Tidal Audio Impact amplifier, Acoustic Zen Crescendo MKII loudspeakers, SOtM dBCL-CAT7 Special Edition Ethernet cable/filter block, Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy CryoSilve Reference CAT7+/RJ-45 i2s Ethernet Digital Link Ethernet cable, REL R-528SE subwoofer, SR Galileo UEF speaker, interconnects, and ac power cords, SR CTS Element REL SPEC Subwoofer Reference cable, SR PowerCell 12 UEF, SR UEF Black outlets, SR HFTs, SR Atmosphere XL, SR FEQ, SR Active SE Grounding Block and HDG cables, SR Black Box, SR MiG 2.0 isolation footers, and SR Tranquility Bases UEF. My AZ Crescendo speakers are 34” from the front wall with the listening position 8 feet from the front baffle. My listening area is 14.5’ wide, has a 9’ ceiling, and has an open back wall to 1500 sq ft of first floor living area. 

I started by installing the iQSE’s on my front end components and Acoustic Zen Crescendo speakers in my system. I placed one iQSE on the center of the top plate on my Uptone Audio JS-2 linear power supply that feeds the NAS drive dc power, one iQSE within the QNAP NAS drive, one iQSE on the top of the Ayon Audio S-5 Network Player/Preamp power supply, and one iQSE on the back of each AZ Crescendo loudspeaker near the binding posts and speaker crossovers.  Being familiar with the sixth and seventh cuts from Eddie Higgins Quartet’s “When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” I immediately noticed the soundstage depth was enhanced, the sax and bass guitar images were better defined, and the grand piano had a greater sense of space. What really stood out for me with the iQSE’s installed was the depth of the piano within the soundstage, the presence and size of the sax, the solidity of the bass notes, and how my AZ Crescendo speakers now performed a disappearing act. With the lower noise floor, I was now able to set my Ayon Audio S-5 Network Player/Preamp to the “high gain” setting on all recordings without sounding brittle and harsh, which is a testament to how effective the iQSE are at removing distortion. My fine-tuned Indy 500 sports car of a system benefited greatly by the addition of numerous (6) Bybee Technologies iQSE’s.
In the middle of the review, I swapped in my Tidal Audio Impact solid state amplifier. My son, who plays the saxophone in the KU Marching Band first noticed when I first installed the Tidal Audio Impact in my system, that the overall system clarity was less than that of my previous vacuum tube reference amplifier. I didn’t notice this at first, but being thirty years older than my son, I’m sure his hearing is more accurate than mine. It comes down to the Tidal Audio Impact amplifier is even more ruthless at revealing the signal distortion and compression sans the iQSEs and doesn’t have the extensive power supply filtration as compared to my previous reference. As I added more iQSEs (6) externally to the Tidal amplifier and to my electrical breaker panel , the noise floor dropped to a point that my system had greater clarity, the leanness in midrange was gone, and overall my system was more natural at the same time. My son agreed the improvements brought by the iQSE’s were real and fundamental. The iQSE’s didn’t change the tonal balance, but added a seductive richness to the music while removing a level of white noise that rode within the music. One might say the iQSE’s allowed my system components to operate to their full potential in terms of musicality and transparency. 

Given that my unique listening room set-up is already treated with thirty Synergistic Research HFTS, an SR Atmosphere XL, and one SR FEQ, I wondered how the SR tweaks would interact with the Bybee Technologies iQSEs given that the SR technology is designed to create a uniform energy field and the Bybee Technologies iQSE’s reduce the resistance of the air to soundwaves. After installing eight iQSE’s on the front and sidewalls and one on the floor and ceiling of my listening room and allowed the air molecules within my listening room time to stabilize, I had one of those rare holy sh*t moments that you experience when a fundamental sound improvements is heard. Listening to Claire Martin, “Black Coffee” from the Too Darn Hot album brought a new meaning to live sound in my family room off the kitchen. Claire’s voice wasn’t just localized between the speakers, but now projected across the length and width of the room. The bass response extended at least one octave lower with individual notes better differentiated and the piano extended well beyond the back wall of my listen room. The time alignment at all frequencies seemed more accurate, resulting in the music being more coherent with the iQSEs treating the room. I heard exactly what Clement Perry meant by the high frequencies taking on a new form. Instead of the high frequencies riding on top of the music signal, they now became fully integrated within the music signal. With the 20 iQSEs installed, I’m now able to turn the volume up of my system to levels previously confounded by distortion.
This is off topic, but during the review period, Jack Bybee recommended I install an iQSE in each front door panel and at the back of the trunk (inside) of my car. Allowing for overnight stabilization of the iQSEs, the handling, ride, smoothness of gear shifting, and throttle response on my heavily modified turbo charged 2011 Buick Regal T07 Russelsheim which is equipped with magnetic ride control and fuel injection was improved for the better. Compared to competing products offered in the market place which I have experience with, the Bybee Technologies iQSEs offered a much greater bang for the buck performance.
 
Conclusion
The sonic improvements described above were the result of the cumulative effects of using all twenty review samples, which resulted in a fundamental change. The iQSE’s delivered on all levels and exceeded my expectations. As far as a room treatment, I have had the Shatki Holographs and the Stein Harmonizers/Stones in my system and compared to the Bybee Technology iQSEs there is no comparison.  The Bybee iQSEs are that good. I would venture to say that music systems at all levels (entry, mid, and state of the art) would benefit from the iQSE’s. Highly recommended.



Mike Girardi      

Making better sound one system at a time,

David Weinhart
Weinhart Design, Inc.
President & CEO 
The Audio and Video Expert 
e: [email protected]
www.weinhartdesign.com
2337 Roscomare Road, Studio #1
Los Angeles, California 90077
Showroom: 310-472-8880
Cell: 310-927-2260 (10am -7pm seven days)