Puritan Audio PSM156 Review (AC Filter)

[napfkuchen]

If you ever wondered why on sunday mornings (when your neighbor charges his electric car and uses a toaster for breakfast) the speakers sound different - weak bass, noisy.
Here is the explanation:

 

[Killingbeans]

Here is the explanation:

The mood of the listener. Got it

 

[antcollinet]

If you ever wondered why on sunday mornings (when your neighbor charges his electric car and uses a toaster for breakfast) the speakers sound different - weak bass, noisy.
Here is the explanation:

Lights flickering on and off?

No?

It's nothing to do with your power supply then.

 

[sq225917]

I used to have an amp where the traffo would physically buzz if there was DC on the mains.

If was obviously a shit design so I got rid of it......

 

[Deleted member 51584]

Hi guys,
I am a mechanical engineer and so not qualified to really understand most of this stuff but ive just spent a weekend listening to a Puritan 156 (£1450 ) versus a Vertex AQ (Quiesent) Hi Rez taga (£2500) versus my Olsen sounds fantastic distribution block(£140) and the Puritan bests the Vertex by a little bit and also my humble Olsen powerblock by quite a noticeable amount. My system cost circa £20 K and compared to the Olsen, the Puritan definitely reduces the noise floor but more importantly, the sound of cymbals and strings is just more natural sounding.
It most definitely affects SQ contrary to the conclusions drawn from lab testing.
note testing was not done blind in answer to recent question

Strangely enough, I've had a Sounds Fantastic for well over 20 years, I found the invoice a while back and it cost me £21.60 direct from Olson. I still use it for my AV equipment.

I had to use it about a 18 months ago when I moved my system, then bought a PM156, partly because Puritan's floppy cables are a godsend when space is extremely limited and you don't want to see cables at all. As a straight swap, it clearly reduced the noise floor. I have a clean mains supply, recently installed and measured, a dedicated phase separate from the rest of the house and coming directly from under the road, not shared with anyone or anything. One reason may the isolation it provides from other components, which the Olson does not do. For me this unit is a no-brainer. For whatever reason, it cost me £1,000 including a 2m "Ultimate" cable, which basically has twice as much insulation and ultimate floppiness. I bought all my main electronics partly based on measurements back in 2016 and have never had any need to change, I agree that this is so clearly audible that it stops there. It also provides surge protection and DC filtering. The chap in the video above seems to be raving about the DC filtering mainly, it's not an issue with me.

 

[audio_tony]

This is a graph of my power over a 24 hour period. It's like this day after day.

Does it affect the sound of my system?

Err... No...

 

[Deleted member 51584]

This is a graph of my power over a 24 hour period. It's like this day after day.

Does it affect the sound of my system?

Err... No...
View attachment 273621

UK voltage can range from 216v to 253v. Mine is usually around 218v. From what I understand, audio components generally do their own voltage regulation, for example my turntable motors have a little circuit as they need 110v.

All quite irrelevant as the Puritan PM156 is not a voltage regulation device, other than surge protection.

 

[rubinken]

UK voltage can range from 216v to 253v. Mine is usually around 218v. From what I understand, audio components generally do their own voltage regulation, for example my turntable motors have a little circuit as they need 110v.

All quite irrelevant as the Puritan PM156 is not a voltage regulation device, other than surge protection.

Have any conditioners/voltage regulators been tested that result in positive tests/results?

 

[Deleted member 51584]

Have any conditioners/voltage regulators been tested that result in positive tests/results?

Without being too subjective, many people have reported that this particular one very obviously kills transformer hum. I suppose that’s the DC blocking.
Being slightly more subjective, another similar device used in a very poor electrical and noisy installation seemed to significantly reduce the noise floor. It was annoying, I borrowed a machine and it worked, so I bought it. It was a more expensive unit, but I purchased it used. I then rewired and sold it. This much cheaper unit was purchased new, I have one dedicated wall power socket, and this box isolates everything plugged in. My system draws little current but has 3 or 4 switch mode power supplies. It was part of a deal and I got it half price, so painless. I don’t know how you’re meant to test the impact on half a dozen components at the same time, because that’s why I use it. I have a very resolving digital system, fibre cabling, no switching (except a central 16 port + 2x SFP switch next to the modem), it’s a fit and forget thing. As I mentioned at the start, the mains block on my AV I’ve had over 20 years. I’m not much for changing things unnecessarily, I’ve considered digital audio pretty much sorted since I bought my DAC in 2016.

 

[Trondi]

Hi guys,
I am a mechanical engineer and so not qualified to really understand most of this stuff but ive just spent a weekend listening to a Puritan 156 (£1450 ) versus a Vertex AQ (Quiesent) Hi Rez taga (£2500) versus my Olsen sounds fantastic distribution block(£140) and the Puritan bests the Vertex by a little bit and also my humble Olsen powerblock by quite a noticeable amount. My system cost circa £20 K and compared to the Olsen, the Puritan definitely reduces the noise floor but more importantly, the sound of cymbals and strings is just more natural sounding.
It most definitely affects SQ contrary to the conclusions drawn from lab testing.
note testing was not done blind in answer to recent question

Very frustrating!

I bought a Puritan 136 (£900+) three years ago at the same time I upgraded my app to the class D purify NAD M33. The salesperson, on the phone, assured me that if I would 'look at reviews I would see that it was a quality product that would be a definite upgrade to my system, and I would get a significant price reduction if buying them together'.

And so it came to pass. Indeed wiring it all up the sound was terrific, the sound from the speakers was sublime.

All was good. Six months later I had a go using Dirac Live that was available through the NAD and upgraded to the full audio spectrum too. Huge jump in SQ in my untreated room.

All was good. Now, thirty months later I had the idea to test out the P 136. Not easy with all cabling hidden out of sight in a rack against a room corner. However once achieved, the results showed no difference. Great clarity and dynamics is heard by me, with and without this device. No need for double blind testing as it was pointless if I couldn't hear any changes or differences.

Do I really want to eBay a device that I have proved to myself does not do the advertised job of improving the SQ by so many sonic attributes? Or shall I keep in my rack as a multi power outlet reminding me constantly to always home test test everything properly using scientific procedures before buying anything over 10 quid.

It is really hard with Puritan to find anything other than 5 star reviews for their products. I sent in a 5 star review of the NAD amp and a 1 star review of the Puritan to my supplier and guess which one was published on his site. No prizes for the one that wasn't.

Amir's review came out 3 or 4 months after my purchase.

Grrr.. very frustrating. (and embarrassing)

 

[aslan7]

Very frustrating!

I bought a Puritan 136 (£900+) three years ago at the same time I upgraded my app to the class D purify NAD M33. The salesperson, on the phone, assured me that if I would 'look at reviews I would see that it was a quality product that would be a definite upgrade to my system, and I would get a significant price reduction if buying them together'.

And so it came to pass. Indeed wiring it all up the sound was terrific, the sound from the speakers was sublime.

All was good. Six months later I had a go using Dirac Live that was available through the NAD and upgraded to the full audio spectrum too. Huge jump in SQ in my untreated room.

All was good. Now, thirty months later I had the idea to test out the P 136. Not easy with all cabling hidden out of sight in a rack against a room corner. However once achieved, the results showed no difference. Great clarity and dynamics is heard by me, with and without this device. No need for double blind testing as it was pointless if I couldn't hear any changes or differences.

Do I really want to eBay a device that I have proved to myself does not do the advertised job of improving the SQ by so many sonic attributes? Or shall I keep in my rack as a multi power outlet reminding me constantly to always home test test everything properly using scientific procedures before buying anything over 10 quid.

It is really hard with Puritan to find anything other than 5 star reviews for their products. I sent in a 5 star review of the NAD amp and a 1 star review of the Puritan to my supplier and guess which one was published on his site. No prizes for the one that wasn't.

Amir's review came out 3 or 4 months after my purchase.

Grrr.. very frustrating. (and embarrassing)

Just sell it and stop thinking about the purchase because this sort of misfortune happens to all of us. With all those five-star reviews it should be easy to unload. At least you will get some money back and learn a valuable lesson in the process.

 

[Toku]

If you look inside this product, you will see that it is a common mode filter targeting the MHz frequency band.
Therefore, there is no point in using this product unless the audio equipment is actually affected by high frequency noise from the power line.
A case in which such a product is necessary is when there is high-frequency equipment such as a high-output radio station nearby, and you are experiencing interference from electromagnetic waves mixed in from there. In other cases, no effect can be expected. Of course, there is no noise reduction effect in the audio band.
I think the reason why the company is promoting this product as being effective as an audio-related product is because audiophiles are likely to be interested in such products, and they will sell well even if the price is a little high. The company's website does not disclose any data showing the noise removal effect.

The photo shows the internal structure of this product, and the parts circled in red are the filter coils inserted in each system. The winding of the ferrite core is a noise canceling winding, which has the effect of eliminating common mode high frequency noise.
If you have knowledge of high-frequency noise, you can easily understand how this device works.
Unfortunately, such a device cannot be expected to be effective in the audio band or the low band of several hundred kHz.

 

[Toku]

If you ever wondered why on sunday mornings (when your neighbor charges his electric car and uses a toaster for breakfast) the speakers sound different - weak bass, noisy.
Here is the explanation:

The first part of this video is correct, but in the middle it becomes an advertising video with dubious explanations and product sales.
The spaces we live in are filled with various electrical and electronic devices. Most of these devices have power control functions such as inverters. When they operate, the power line becomes a waveform that is significantly distorted from the sine wave, causing various problems to devices connected to the same power line.

When the power line waveform is distorted, harmful harmonics such as the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th harmonics are generated. This causes problems such as whining, buzzing, buzzing, and humming noises in the audio equipment's transformer.
Waveform distortion in power lines caused by harmonics can cause major damage to equipment at power company substations and power receiving substation equipment in cities, sometimes causing fires and explosions. This particularly damages power capacitors for power factor adjustment.

There are various devices that cause distortion in power lines.
Larger items include solar power generation, wind power generation, car charging stations, and power equipment for factories. More familiar items include lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, washing machines, microwave ovens, induction cookers, and solar panels. All of these have inverters/converters that control the power, which causes the power waveform to be distorted.
In the past, flow angle control using thyristors was often used for power control, which caused large distortions in the power supply line. However, recently the PWM method has been used, and although the interference has decreased compared to before, the incorporation of high frequency noise has become more noticeable.

To improve power line distortion, either stop using the equipment that is causing the problem, or install a device that reduces distortion on the side receiving the fault. In facilities that handle large amounts of power, such as factories, harmonic removal filters and active filters are installed to cancel distortion in the power line.
At home, there is a method of converting alternating current to direct current and then converting it back to pure alternating current. The PS Audio Powerplant P20 introduced in the video is an expensive but perfect choice.
However, the power cord and Puritan Audio PSM156 introduced in the second half of the video have no effect on the problem introduced in the first half and do not solve the problem. I think that the main purpose of the second half is to promote the product, but the introduction of the product is so pointless considering the problems that are occurring.

 

[antcollinet]

The first part of this video is correct, but in the middle it becomes an advertising video with dubious explanations and product sales.
The spaces we live in are filled with various electrical and electronic devices. Most of these devices have power control functions such as inverters. When they operate, the power line becomes a waveform that is significantly distorted from the sine wave, causing various problems to devices connected to the same power line.

When the power line waveform is distorted, harmful harmonics such as the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th harmonics are generated. This causes problems such as whining, buzzing, buzzing, and humming noises in the audio equipment's transformer.
Waveform distortion in power lines caused by harmonics can cause major damage to equipment at power company substations and power receiving substation equipment in cities, sometimes causing fires and explosions. This particularly damages power capacitors for power factor adjustment.

There are various devices that cause distortion in power lines.
Larger items include solar power generation, wind power generation, car charging stations, and power equipment for factories. More familiar items include lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, washing machines, microwave ovens, induction cookers, and solar panels. All of these have inverters/converters that control the power, which causes the power waveform to be distorted.
In the past, flow angle control using thyristors was often used for power control, which caused large distortions in the power supply line. However, recently the PWM method has been used, and although the interference has decreased compared to before, the incorporation of high frequency noise has become more noticeable.

To improve power line distortion, either stop using the equipment that is causing the problem, or install a device that reduces distortion on the side receiving the fault. In facilities that handle large amounts of power, such as factories, harmonic removal filters and active filters are installed to cancel distortion in the power line.
At home, there is a method of converting alternating current to direct current and then converting it back to pure alternating current. The PS Audio Powerplant P20 introduced in the video is an expensive but perfect choice.
However, the power cord and Puritan Audio PSM156 introduced in the second half of the video have no effect on the problem introduced in the first half and do not solve the problem. I think that the main purpose of the second half is to promote the product, but the introduction of the product is so pointless considering the problems that are occurring.

More importantly - all your audio gear converts this distorted sinewave from the power system into DC and as part of the process applies massive filtering, removing (to any extent that matters) all the noise.

Unless you are experiencing equipment failure from power supply problems (incredibly rare) or noise from transformers (Pretty rare), then all these devices are is expensive paperweights. Even if you are, then the problems can be solved with much cheaper devices targeting the specific issue.

 

[audio_tony]

To improve power line distortion, either stop using the equipment that is causing the problem, or install a device that reduces distortion on the side receiving the fault. In facilities that handle large amounts of power, such as factories, harmonic removal filters and active filters are installed to cancel distortion in the power line.
At home, there is a method of converting alternating current to direct current and then converting it back to pure alternating current. The PS Audio Powerplant P20 introduced in the video is an expensive but perfect choice.
However, the power cord and Puritan Audio PSM156 introduced in the second half of the video have no effect on the problem introduced in the first half and do not solve the problem. I think that the main purpose of the second half is to promote the product, but the introduction of the product is so pointless considering the problems that are occurring.

The PS Audio powerplant is basically a high power amplifier with some filtering. I suppose you could call it a power oscillator, but the principles it employs to generate an AC waveform are based on a power amplifier.

Why isn't this 'amplifier' affected by power noise then?

This is just nonsense, and has been debunked on this very forum.

As for all the claims of noise on the power line - all mains connected equipment has to meet EMC / EMI standards (in Europe anyway) - and if a connected device is generating enough noise to disrupt a piece of audio equipment, then there is something seriously wrong with it.

 

[Vhond]

And what about the internals of this device (Gordian Lab 12)

 

[Toku]

View attachment 349531And what about the internals of this device (Gordian Lab 12)

Looking at the parts attached to this PC board, I can't expect the effects that the company explains in the manual. Well, I think it's a product that has the ability to detect the current AC line status and display it on the display. No operational description or electrical characteristics table of the product is disclosed.

 

[antcollinet]

Looking at the parts attached to this PC board, I can't expect the effects that the company explains in the manual. Well, I think it's a product that has the ability to detect the current AC line status and display it on the display. No operational description or electrical characteristics table of the product is disclosed.

It is very difficult to see how it can be doing any sort of power factor correction - let alone adaptive correction without (as far as I can see) any active power switching devices.

It seems to have (again as far as I can see) only an EMC filter and some transient suppression devices. And given the wire size on that choke, I'd be concerned about its power delivery capability on 4x 1000W outputs. The only proviso is I have no idea what the two cylindrical components marked LAB12 are. I assume capacitors - but who knows.

Most of the circuit seems to be devoted to power analysis - but not much point in doing that if you can't fix anything.

Needless to say - it will provide zero improvement to your audio.

 

[Vhond]

Capacitors I assume

 

[Vhond]

I found this (scheme)