PS Audio PowerPlant 3 Review

[restorer-john]

Personally there is more to a design than just how it looks on an AP analyzer.

Absolutely true.

Sadly, a significant proportion of the ASR cohort think it's just a numbers game on the AP leader board. HiFi isn't just numbers, and never has been.

The proof is in the pudding as they say, and many of the predictions I/we have made regarding longevity, reliability and usability, solidity and reparability are coming true. It's quite amusing actually and would be more so if people weren't losing money and getting shafted.

I don't think anyone on ASR has articulated any failures with PS Audio gear, have they? This review unit looks beautifully constructed and I would expect it will continue to function for many decades, unlike some other brands people continue to clamour for.

 

[delta76]

Broken from the start?
View attachment 248700

there is a difference between specs and actual performance.

I don't think McIntosh devices are broken. They are just very, very expensive.

 

[restorer-john]

Broken from the start?
View attachment 248700

Consider in 1982, CD players typically had a rated THD around 0.0025% and the McIntosh in 2022 has a rated number double that...

The rated S/N ratio is atrocious for a digital to analogue converter for anything above 16 bit.

Still, calling it broken is not fair. If a company publishes specifications like those and people stump up their money for it, there is no reason to be upset. But this is the PS Audio powerplant review, we should keep it on track. Sorry.

 

[audiotron]

It seems every PS Audio product is just hopium. Nice review as always.

 

[oscar_dziki]

As with tests of other PS Audio PowerPlants (of which, I own one myself but never use)

But why?

 

[voodooless]

Broken from the start?
View attachment 248700

Yes, that doesn't even get it past Redbook. It's only an 85 SINAD. SOTA DACs are about 36 dB better, or 65000 times better

 

[antcollinet]

Fully agree with the importance of

longevity, reliability and usability, solidity and reparability

As well as good market local support infrastructure.


But

it will continue to function for many decades, unlike some other brands people continue to clamour for.

Is utterly pointless if it's function is nothing particularly useful, other than consuming power. Customers of this device are not paying for what it might actually provide in the form of (eg) surge protection (which can be had - reliably - at 1/10 the price) - they are paying for the fantasy of improved sound.

 

[AdamG]

It’s $2500!

And essentially does nothing except dirty up the power chain with a possible ground loop hum and severely throttles power capacity with a stated spec “max power output is only 300 watts”.

Claims to: “The Stellar P3 PowerPlant provides greatly improved performance and safety from just plugging into the wall socket, along with far better dynamics, more authoritative bass, and a much bigger, more open soundstage than any passive power conditioner on the market.” Source: https://www.psaudio.com/products/stellar-power-plant-3/

And that is just the tip of the iceberg of lies and deception about this $2500.00 paperweight. Hurry limited supplies!

 

[dananski]

Looks quite handy - the added noise is beneficial in your carrier signal for extra clarity. Of course, that's only if your amplifier is actually a vocoder.

 

[kencreten]

Darn, I was looking for a power conditioner that cost exactly $2500 too! Guess I'll have to use a cheap power cable instead. heheh

 

[oscar_dziki]

Amir should do a snakes award at the end of the year. Paul would undoubtedly earn top marks.

That would be a close competition with Danny from GR Research. I think that the system is seriously F-up if those two are able to make money.

 

[oscar_dziki]

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

I heard Paul saying that they are thinking about incorporating purify modules in their amplifiers. Going by usual @amirm logic he would give such a device a golfing panther, regardless of it being twice the price of other similar devices.

 

[oscar_dziki]

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).

I find taking money from me and giving nothing, and lying to me in the process. back terrible every day of the week. I think it should be criminal.

 

[delta76]

Fully agree with the importance of



As well as good market local support infrastructure.


But



Is utterly pointless if it's function is nothing particularly useful, other than consuming power. Customers of this device are not paying for what it might actually provide in the form of (eg) surge protection (which can be had - reliably - at 1/10 the price) - they are paying for the fantasy of improved sound.

this x100.

PS Audio is, and has been pushing for, snake oils. No matter how beautifully constructed their devices are, if they are not doing what they claim them to be, they are a waste of money.

 

[Keith_W]

I showed the fact that it regulated to 120 volt. I test the P15 with variable input and it indeed provided regulation.

I read the first post again very carefully and I don't think I saw you mention that it corrects the voltage fed to it by the mains.

I had a Nixie clock that was regularly blowing tubes. The label on the Nixie says that it is designed for 220V, and Australian mains voltage is supposed to be 220V - 240V. I bought a device to measure mains voltage, and it on occasion I read 255V, and it rarely dipped below 240V. Now, I have no idea why my Nixie was blowing tubes, but at the time I wondered what else was being damaged by the 255V mains power and I did seriously consider buying a power conditioner to protect some of my more expensive electronics from over-voltage.

So: if you feed this unit 120V, does it correct to 110V? Mind showing a graph? And how does it deal with spikes? And brown-outs?

I won't buy a PS Audio because I think it is overpriced, but I would certainly buy a Furman.

 

[solderdude]

It regulates incoming voltages between 108 – 145 VAC to 120V within 0.1%.
Nothing is adjustable with this type.
Spikes are clamped at 340V (but might be higher for very short duration depending on the used clamping components) and pass through this device. Those levels should not be able to harm electronics behind it as long as the duration is short and not repetitive for too long.
Brown outs remain brown-outs. This device is not designed to deal with this. You will need a battery back-up regenerative UPS for that.

 

[JSmith]

Australian mains voltage is supposed to be 220V - 240V.

No it's not... it's 230V +10% -6 % and the preferred operating range is +6% –2%. A few states are still 240V, however the old standard of +6% -6% falls within the newer standard.

I read 255V

That is over 253V, so you should have called an electrician and reported this to your electricity supplier for rectification and possible compensation. Further, one needs to be aware of the standard in Aus being 230V and thus be cautious using 220V products, especially when the supply is out of spec.


JSmith

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Don't give them ideas. soon they will start saying that electricity from Coal power plant is the best, you should not be using renewable energy because it's garbage for audio (facepalm)

It gives me an idea for launching small residential audiophile wind turbines. -Anyone with me? The cables shall of course be resting on risers on route to the electrical cabinet.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Well, maybe you can't. But I can hear the difference coal makes.

The sound from thermal power plants is of course warm in its presentation and that caters to a lot of us.

 

[JSmith]

The sound from thermal power plants is of course warm in its presentation and that caters to a lot of us.

I must say I do prefer the airy highs of wind turbine power, although I find hydro power washes out the mids and coal power makes the bass earthy... don't get me started on the bright sound from solar. It would be great if Paul could develop a powerplant that can imitate these perceptions via a selection switch, as I find those nuances are lost when using a power regen.


JSmith