QSA US 20 Amp Circuit Breaker

The breaker sits at the head of the circuit that feeds your system, and every component on that circuit draws through it. QSA treats a standard US single-pole 20 amp breaker, so one installation reaches everything plugged into that line.

One installation, every component on the circuit.

The Design

QSA says its treatment, which it calls MMMAT and MAT, makes electron flow through the metal more efficient. QSA keeps the process to itself, so we judge it the way Stereo Times' Clement Perry says he does: by listening. The breaker is a standard unit that you supply, matched to your panel. QSA treats it, and it installs like any other 20 amp breaker.

Our Experience

Our reference system runs a QSA Gold 20 amp breaker. In our experience the effect reaches everything on the circuit: bass becomes more defined and physical, the soundstage opens significantly, and the presentation sounds more natural and easier to listen to. We've used the word "holographic" for the soundstage, and we mean it literally. Pair it with a QSA receptacle on the same circuit to treat the line from panel to outlet. Our blog post "Pillar 2: The Tweek Geek System of Power Optimization for Audio" covers where the breaker fits in a complete approach to power.

For our level-by-level listening notes, including why the breaker is the first place we put Crystal Gold/Red, read our QSA color levels guide.

How to Order

Step 1: Order the level of treatment you want.

Step 2: Buy a 20 amp breaker that matches your panel manufacturer's specification.

Step 3: Send the breaker to Tweek Geek.

Step 4: We send it to QSA for treatment, which can take up to two months.

Step 5: Have a licensed electrician install it in your panel.

Good to Know

Because this is work inside your electrical panel, a licensed electrician should install it, and the breaker you supply should be the model your panel manufacturer specifies. Higher levels need longer to break in: the Black/Red level takes up to a month of continuous power running through it before it settles. Treatments are made to order, so this is a special order and non-returnable. If you're hesitant, try a QSA AC adapter or receptacle first; if you like what those do, you'll like the breaker.

Press Recognition

• Stereo Times has reviewed QSA's fuses and Jitter AC adapters; Clement Perry named QSA his Most Wanted Component for 2021. Reviews of the breaker itself are on the way. Read the fuse review at Stereo Times

Reach out before you order. Panel compatibility matters, and we want to get it right.

Specifications

• Rating: US single-pole, 20 amp
• Supplied by: You, matched to your panel manufacturer's specification
• Treatment: QSA proprietary
• Levels: Violet, Red, Black/Red, Silver, Gold, Crystal Gold, Crystal Gold Red
• Effect: Every component on the circuit
• Lead time: Up to two months
• Installation: By a licensed electrician
• Ordering: Special order; non-returnable