Shunyata Venom EU7 + Surge Filter

The VENOM EU7 is Shunyata Research's least expensive reference grade power distributor. It was designed, specifically to fit behind a rack or cabinet with all outlets facing up for ease of use in a complex entertainment system.

It's ultra high-current design and quality construction make it an ideal choice for video systems, media systems, recording systems and high-end audio power distribution applications.

A power conditioner is a device that provides surge protection and noise reduction while a power distributor simply distributes power to multiple outlets. Many purist audiophiles have a distain for power conditioners, claiming that they compress dynamics and inject a grainy quality to their audio system. For these people the VENOM EU7 is a godsend.

Some people do want a high-end power conditioner like the award winning HYDRA TRITON but just can't come up with the coin. They need something less expensive but don't want to sacrifice quality. The EU7, when used with the VENOM DEFENDER, provides a complete power conditioning system that provides surge protection and noise reduction for up to eight components.

The VENOM EU7 was created as a premium-performance alternative for those who are tired of mass-market power products typically associated with lack-luster performance, cheap parts and plastic or flimsy metal enclosures. It uses many of the premium parts and custom materials that have earned the HYDRA Series multiple international awards and professional endorsements.

“WHAT’S INSIDE AND WHY IT MATTERS” A.C. Outlets
From the outside, all A.C. outlets look similar other than the color, but once you look inside there are dramatic differences that are easy to define. The common sample on the right is typical of what is used in new home construction and also of what is used in audiophile power conditioners. The outlet on the left is what we use in the VENOM EU7.

Contact Integrity
There are several important differences that you can see right away. First is that the common outlet is smaller. The internal current carrying contacts of the EU7 are much larger. Notice the enlarged view that shows where the A.C. plug’s contact makes electrical contact. The common outlet makes contact on a thin knife’s edge. This can arc and develop carbon deposits over time, decreasing electrical integrity. Now look at the EU7 outlet. It has a triple-wipe contact system that has broad contact areas that grab the plug from three different sides

Grounding Method
The electrical grounding in a high-end audio system is very important. Grounds can determine if the audio system is silent or plagued with noise and hum. You can see that the common outlet ground is made from zinc-plated steel while the EU7 outlet is made with a massive solid brass back-strap. The ground to your audio component must pass through this grounding strap. Which would you choose? You can’t see these technical differences from the outside of a power distributor or conditioner. The cost of a top outlet like this Hubbell is about 20-40 times more than that of the common outlet.

A.C. Inlet
The A.C. inlet is another part that is critical to the overall power distributor performance. Think about it — all the electrical current for the distributor must pass through this part. The contacts are very important to performance and DTCD™. Let’s take a look at the difference between the ubiquitous IEC C15 inlet that is used in most electronic components and in 90% of all power conditioners, and a C19 type. First notice the size of the contacts, quite small on the C15. The C19 is much larger because it was specifically designed for industrial use and to carry a rating of 20-Amps continuous. The C15 connects to the A.C. wires using push-on terminals. These are crimped to the wires and slide on the contact. By comparison the C19 allows the wires to be inserted directly into the inlet. The opening of the C19 contact also allows the use of much larger gauge wiring. The contacts on the C19 are made from high quality brass while those on the C15 are nickel or zinc plated steel.