Review by Editor-in-Chief of Audio Art magazine

The entire content is excerpted from Liu, Jack (2022). Audio Art magazine No. 403, p. 110-113

In general, I rarely give comments on audio accessories. However, given the substantial attention garnered by this device, I have made the decision to contribute my perspective. In fact, prior to Nirvana Audio sending me this device at my office, I had already briefly listened to it at 2021 Hi-End Audio Show. Despite the less than ideal conditions at the venue, on that occasion, I could discern a significant improvement in the sound performance after incorporating this device (rather than mere variations in sound quality). I have also inquired with sales rep. from Nirvana Audio at the venue, regarding the approximate number of guests who were able to perceive the improvement in sound upon entering the room. The responses I received from them were as follows: Some individuals were able to discern the difference, while others were unable to do so. This is quite normal for me; there are individuals who cannot actually hear the difference in audio cables, some who cannot hear the difference in speaker pads, and others who cannot hear the difference in power conditioners. There is nothing peculiar about it. Based on my experiences, it is my belief that only true connoisseurs, those who possess the discerning ability to perceive the distinctions brought forth by cables, speaker pads, and power conditioners, are likely to perceive the variations introduced by the Chronos Optimizer. It is akin to the notion that you cannot simply pluck a passerby from the street and expect them to engage in seamless conversation with a foreigner in foreign language. The principle applies here as well.

General manager from Nirvana Audio personally conveyed the Chronos Optimizer to our office, bestowing upon us its underlying principles. The relevant explanation have been published in the Audio Art magazine No. 401. Based on my experiences, the explanation pertaining to such tuning devices serve merely as reference points, for it is the tangible outcome of actual auditory immersion that holds true significance. Upon receiving this Chronos Optimizer, the editorial team sprang into action; connecting it to the computers and hear by headphones; or connecting it to digital source and hear by speaker. We eagerly sought to discern the substantial enhancements it could bestow. Regarding the outcome of connecting it to the computer with headphones, it is worth noting that even the editorial assistants, who are not professional editors, could discern an evident improvement in the performance of the sound. However, that is entirely beside the point, as no one would purchase a Chronos Optimizer solely to use it for headphone. It is akin to saying that no one would buy a Siltech cable specifically for use with a computer.

What is intriguing is that when the editors listened to it on the Hi-End audio system in our listening room, most of them were unable to discern any improvement in sound performance. This, in turn, piqued my curiosity. How is it that despite clearly discerning the product's ability to enhance audio performance at the Hi-End audio show, the editors in the company's listening room, on the contrary, were unable to perceive it? Thus, I made time to personally experience it for myself in our listening room. Curiously enough, it didn't manifest as prominently as what I had heard at the Hi-End audio show. Even I couldn't ascertain with certainty whether there was any improvement.

The initial thought that came to my mind was, could it be that the discernible effects can only be heard in subpar listening environments or audio systems? Or, perhaps the effects can only be discerned when using a computer? However, if even a computer as source can reveal the effects, then the much more expensive audio systems should reveal the effects, too. Setting aside the influence of different audio systems, I contemplate the notion that "the poorer the environment, the more pronounced the effects can be heard." During the Hi-End audio show, it lacked acoustic treatment in the room, whereas our listening rooms are all equipped with acoustic treatments. During the Hi-End audio show, the power supply conditions within the room were subpar, whereas the power supply within our listening room has undergone thorough special power processing, which makes that, when measured with a EMI meter, the EMI value reaches a low level of only 20+. The power outlets in typical apartments exhibit EMI values exceeding 1,000, indicating that the city's electricity is pervaded with electromagnetic interference noise. Within the listening room in my home, despite the employment of isolation transformers, the measured EMI value still hovers above 200. Hence, the EMI value recorded in my company's listening room stands as the lowest I have encountered in recent years. Therefore, might it be that the clean power is what impedes discernment? If that is the case, could it be that the efficacy of the Chronos Optimizer lies in its capacity to absorb EMI, thus resulting in an enhancement in the sound performance? In order to test my thought, I proceeded to charge the Chronos Optimizer using a charger for mobile phone, and then brought it to the company for measurement by plugging it into a power outlet in the office room(, because the power supply within the office room doesn't undergo thorough any power processing). The test result yielded no evidence of this Chronos Optimizer's ability to absorb EMI. Hence, it can be concluded that this Chronos Optimizer is incapable of altering EMI.

Since I failed to perceive the enhanced effect of this Chronos Optimizer(, which I had experienced during the Hi-End audio show,) in the listening room at the company, I decided to bring it home for further evaluation. Nirvana Audio delivered two Chronos Optimizers, but I only used one of them at home, plugging it into the Weiss DAC502. Upon listening, I could indeed perceive a noticeable improvement in the sound performance, although it still fell short of the clarity I had experienced during the Hi-End audio show. I personally found my testing to be sufficient at this point. After discerning the Chronos Optimizer's ability to enhance sound performance, I made up my mind to invite the editors to my home for a test on a future occasion. Regarding their subsequent testing report, the editors documented their impressions in a separate article on listening experiences. I requested the editors not to engage in mutual discussions but to faithfully articulate their individual listening experiences, even if they were unable to discern any differences, they were to honestly depict them. (Relevant editor's reviews: ZhongHao Tao, Leo Han, ChingYi Hsu, YungLun Su)

After engaging in the act of attentive listening, I have made the following comments:

1. Chronos Optimizer does not alter the perceptual magnitude of the high-frequency, mid-frequency, or low-frequency.

2. Chronos Optimizer does not bestow upon the human voice a magnified presence, endow the low frequencies with heightened elasticity, or render the high frequencies more prominent.

3. If employed on an audio system capable of presenting a wider soundstage, its utilization would facilitate a more discernible appreciation of its merits.

4. Chronos Optimizer possesses the ability to transform audios that were once perceived as rather cacophonous into a more mellifluous performance.

5. The disparity in intricacy and richness between pre- and post-usage of the Chronos Optimizers resembles the distinction between Bluetooth headphones and non-Bluetooth headphones. Upon unplugging the Chronos Optimizer, the music sounds less immersive or emotionally impactful, creating a sense of emptiness or incompleteness in the listener's perception.

6. Chronos Optimizer makes the presentation of vocals and instruments more realistic, expands the spatial perception within the soundstage, unveiling distinct layers and depths of the instruments, and enhances the sonic quality of both instruments and vocals.

7. Chronos Optimizer amplifies the dynamics and contrasts in the performance of instruments and vocals, and brings the music to life, making it sound more vibrant and authentic.

8. Its impact on sound performance is not merely "different," but rather "enhanced."

9. Only those with discerning auditory abilities can perceive the enhancement offered by Chronos Optimizer. I believe that only audiophiles with the ability to discern the variances in cables, speaker pads, and power conditioner can truly perceive this.

I speculate that the discernible differences offered by this Chronos Optimizer would be more pronounced in unfavorable environments, such as Hi-End audio shows, or with less impressive audio systems. However, the ease of perceiving enhancement offered by Chronos Optimizer is one matter, while the ability to transform an originally unpleasant audio system into an enjoyable one is an entirely different matter. An audio system, which initially evokes an unpleasing hearing experience, encompasses a multitude of issues that require resolution, and it is not solely through the means of a single Chronos Optimizer that the situation can be completely transformed. In other words, the degree of enhancement brought about by this Chronos Optimizer is not akin to the level of enhancement achieved by replacing an amplifier or changing a pair of speakers, but rather resembles the degree of enhancement typically seen with most cables and audio accessories.

For an already impressive audio system, any incremental improvement, no matter how slight, is eagerly sought after by audiophiles, embodying the meticulous spirit of pursuing Hi-End perfection. The audio system in my home has already been finely tuned, yet Chronos Optimizer has the capability to further enhance the audio performance of my system. Upon using this Chronos Optimizer, the initial perception might suggest minimal discernible differences. However, once accustomed to its presence, removing it engenders a sense of melancholic disappointment, as if something essential is now absent.