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PS Audio PowerPlant 3 Review

Rate this AC Regenerator

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 260 91.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 11 3.9%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 4 1.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 8 2.8%

  • Total voters
    283

ta240

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Inspirational poster at their offices
addtext_com_MTgwMjE5MjA4Mzg.jpg
 

pablolie

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I have to admit I was one of the very few "Not terrible" voters, mainly because it doesn't seem to have a huge negative effect, either (unlike some other snake oil stuff). :)
 

C. Cook

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How long before Paul or someone else from PSA comes along and creates an account named Jason_Wells_II ? Asking for a friend.

Also, what they don't bother to mention is that IIRC their "upgraded" AC mains cable costs something like $1000.00 at their site. LOL
 
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C. Cook

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I've always wondered how bad so-called dirty AC mains power is in older, larger residential buildings with multiple switching power supplies connected to the circuit(s) - or various current conditions caused by electric motors starting and stopping. This used to be the primary marketing claim for products like this PS Audio. Namely, they would say that your neighbor's PC's SMPS gets the mains power all "dirty" in the whole building and/or that city supplied AC isn't always exactly 60HZ or 120V p2p and that this kind of product can fix those issues. I guess what I'm getting at is that I personally have never seen anything like that in the couple of times I've been able to do measurements on residential AC mains where I've lived but that if such problems really do exist, is it possible that a product like this could help?
 

pablolie

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I've always wondered how bad so-called dirty AC mains power is in older, larger residential buildings with multiple switching power supplies connected to the circuit(s) - or various current conditions caused by electric motors starting and stopping. This used to be the primary marketing claim for products like this PS Audio. Namely, they would say that your neighbor's PC's SMPS gets the mains power all "dirty" in the whole building and/or that city supplied AC isn't always exactly 60HZ or 120V p2p and that this kind of product can fix those issues. I guess what I'm getting at is that I personally have never seen anything like that in the couple of times I've been able to do measurements on residential AC mains where I've lived but that if such problems really do exist, is it possible that a product like this could help?
Dirty power isn't really a huge issue unless the lows and peaks damage equipment. Power supplies are there to regulate stuff - especially in Class D, where several experts say power filters/optimizers are detrimental to potential sound quality if they can't keep up with power peaks. I can't provide sources to the latter (although I recall Bruno Putzey in an interview saying "just plug to the wall, really"), but my listening experience is 100% sure neither power optimizers nor power cables make a nano-difference.
 
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xaxxon

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I've always wondered how bad so-called dirty AC mains power is in older, larger residential buildings with multiple switching power supplies connected to the circuit(s) - or various current conditions caused by electric motors starting and stopping. This used to be the primary marketing claim for products like this PS Audio. Namely, they would say that your neighbor's PC's SMPS gets the mains power all "dirty" in the whole building and/or that city supplied AC isn't always exactly 60HZ or 120V p2p and that this kind of product can fix those issues. I guess what I'm getting at is that I personally have never seen anything like that in the couple of times I've been able to do measurements on residential AC mains where I've lived but that if such problems really do exist, is it possible that a product like this could help?
that's why @amirm has used his system to generate incredibly dirty power, too... and show that there's still no difference. AC power isn't used so it doesn't matter to the sound if it's dirty.
 

AndreaT

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In consideration of the worse SINAD, it might be enough for a fools’ class-action lawsuit. Any hungry young lawyer out there?
Thank you Amir for an impeccable (and tragic) review of a flawed, expensive and, according to the measurements, harmful product.
 

milosz

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For me it's interesting to mesure a :

Furman AC-210 A E Power Conditioner​

A professional product that has been proven for a long time and which is recognized as significantly improving the sound.

Not an "Audio(idiot)phile High End" product like this PS Audio Powerplant...
"proven" - is there somewhere I can get the data resulting from the tests that established this proof? I went to the Furman site, and there was nothing there showing any kind of tests; there were some specs for surge suppression / equipment spike protection, but no specs or other technical data about anything that was related to improved sound qualify.
 

DonR

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"proven" - is there somewhere I can get the data resulting from the tests that established this proof? I went to the Furman site, and there was nothing there showing any kind of tests; there were some specs for surge suppression / equipment spike protection, but no specs or other technical data about anything that was related to improved sound qualify.
Furman hurls the woo as far as just about any other snake oil salesman but at least they don't charge more than 2 to 3 times the price of equivalent RFI filters/surge suppressors, unlike Mr McGowan. Their BS is slightly easier to swallow.
 

Palladium

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I've always wondered how bad so-called dirty AC mains power is in older, larger residential buildings with multiple switching power supplies connected to the circuit(s) - or various current conditions caused by electric motors starting and stopping. This used to be the primary marketing claim for products like this PS Audio. Namely, they would say that your neighbor's PC's SMPS gets the mains power all "dirty" in the whole building and/or that city supplied AC isn't always exactly 60HZ or 120V p2p and that this kind of product can fix those issues. I guess what I'm getting at is that I personally have never seen anything like that in the couple of times I've been able to do measurements on residential AC mains where I've lived but that if such problems really do exist, is it possible that a product like this could help?

Virtually all that noise in dirty mains AC will be filtered by any competent SMPS EMI filter stage and numerous DC caps, and in the end dwarfed by the SMPS own switching noise. Those DC caps also buffers brief AC voltage and frequency dips.

What "could be" isn't what is.
 

pablolie

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Furman hurls the woo as far as just about any other snake oil salesman but at least they don't charge more than 2 to 3 times the price of equivalent RFI filters/surge suppressors, unlike Mr McGowan. Their BS is slightly easier to swallow.
Totally agree - I use the Furman DST8 Digital but hey, it's only $200 or so (cheaper on Ebay I bet) and seems to protect effectively without negative side effects or any inflated claims other than protection. I got it for the protection, and it just looks and feels better than a regular plasticky power station.
 

sam_adams

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There should definitely be a Lifetime Headless Panther Award for guys like Paul, don't you think?

Yes there should. Maybe @amirm could just quit reviewing their products. It would be hard—at first—like quitting smoking cold turkey, but we'll all get past it.
 
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Samual L'Amir, official audiophile snake wrangler. Someone's gotta deal with them, we've had it with of all these god damn snakes on this god damn plane.
 

AndreaT

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Maybe I should change my vote to “not terrible” because at least this product did not have sharp edges that pinched Amir’s fingers! A thoughtful improvement of a nevertheless failed product. I will cancel any of my (free) catalogues (AudioAdvisor, etc…) that sell PS Audio products as their publishers do not respect their customers and their money.
 

kemmler3D

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Agree completely, however I would add also a waste of finite resources too. Thanks for the thorough test, which makes it clear there is nothing "stellar" about this device at all.

View attachment 248511

View attachment 248513


JSmith
Maybe this illustrates one benefit of a centrally planned economy (like in the USSR) - they would never waste time and resources building stuff that doesn't do anything just to make a buck. They might do it for other reasons... but not for profit :D
 

Keith_W

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Here are the claims made for the PS Audio Powerplant 3 on their website:

"Problems on your power line such as low voltage, distorted waveforms, sagging power, and noise are eliminated and the power quality enhanced."

As far as I can tell, only noise and distorted waveforms were tested by Amir. What about low voltage, sagging power, and power spikes? What about hooking up the unit to a variable power supply and testing the response?
 
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