Shunyata Hydra 4 vs PS Audio UPC 200

I just read the Hydra vs. UO comparison for which Brb9 provided a link in his post above, and the review confirms my opinion that these devices work differently from system to system, and the only way to make a determination for one's own system is to personally hear them.

The reviewer makes the following comment regarding the Hydra 2:

The Hydra had another effect that was noticeable, but whether it is positive or negative will be wholly dependent on your system and tastes. Yes, it removed a lot of noise from the system, but also gave a small reduction in upper-frequency sparkle and air and a small loss of leading edge definition in the upper midrange and treble.

Ironically, this is exactly the opposite of my observations with the Hydra 2, and in fact these comments are almost a perfect description of the sonic characteristics of the Ultimate Outlet in my system.

Your experience will almost certainly vary, and the reviewer ends his comparison with essentially the same disclaimer. So, buy one of each used...listen to them for yourself...and keep the one that works best to your personal taste.

Are there other brands i should consider ?

I have 2 Hydra2 units. One for transport and dac another for amp and pre-amp. There was a noticable improvement when I incorporaterd the 2 Hydras into my system. YOu have consider the fact that I live in NYC in apartment building where power is $h1t. So, if you have cleaner power, your experience may vary. As a matter of fact, why don't you contact musicdirect and have them send you both the PS Audio and the Shunyata so you can compare in your own system! Then you will know whether or not this is what you need or if so, which 1 worked best. They have 30 days and you can send both back to them and seek a used unit if you think it's worth the price and time. Hydra4 are rarely sold used. You have to be lucky to get one sometimes.