I recently reviewed the
PS Audio PowerPlant P12 AC power regenerator. There, I measured its performance with either no load or typical source device. Questions were raised as to its performance with higher power loads. Here is that test.
View attachment 190503
So I unpacked and lugged the 50 pound P12 back to my lab
, and paired it with an Outlaw 2220 monoblock. This is a linear amplifier and doesn't have a regulator power supply meaning it can produce more power if allowed.
To give the P12 full benefit of doubt, I used a Pangea AC 14SE MKII Signature Power Cable (2 meter) to feed it AC. It costs US $120.
PS Audio claims or implies that you get more dynamics and power due to P12 having lower impedance. We will test this.
PS Audio P12 Measurements
Let's test the power capability first and foremost by measuring maximum and peak power of the Outlaw 2220 power amplifier using my standard "Raw AC" wall power:
View attachment 190504
These are my standard measurements but in case you are not familiar with them, on the left is more or less continuous power if we allow the amplifier to reach 1% THD+N. I say more or less as the test lasts about a second or two in each try.
On the right the duration of the signal is much lower. As explained, we have a sine wave that stays at low level (and hence power) for 480 cycles but then peaks to full value for just 20 cycles. This standard was created for car audio manufacturers that want to throw out big numbers for watts. As we see, the outlaw does produce a lot more power, reaching more than half a killowatt. This is far more than the base measurement because the power supply capacitors can maintain that duty cycle well enough to generate that much power.
Now let's route the 2220 amp through PS audio:
View attachment 190505
As you see, we lost 7.5% power in both continuous and burst power. As should be the case as the PS Audio P12 is introducing losses in the AC line.
Edit: I forgot to include the THD+N vs power:
View attachment 190673
As you see, noise+distortion is not changed with P12 but power is decreased by nearly 30 watts.
As another test, I have an Ideal AC line tester, the 61-164. This is a $400 instrument for quick and useful powerline measurements. One of its unique features is ability to measure the impedance of each of the three lines in your AC mains. Let's focus on the Hot wire and see how my standard power strip that I use for powering everything ("Raw AC") performs:
View attachment 190506
Impedance is just 0.26 ohm. When we remodeled our home I made sure every circuit is powered using 12 gauge as opposed to 14. And my power strip is a beefy one as well. I am also not hugely far from our breaker panel.
Now let's power the PS Audio P12 using the Pangea power cord and measure the impedance of its high current outlets I used for previous testing:
View attachment 190507
As you see, impedance has jumped to 3 ohm or more than 10 times higher!
I should note that I don't know how accurate this measurement is but given the wide differential, we can likely rely on the fact that PS Audio P12 *
system* does have higher impedance. I wrote "system" there because P12 introduces yet another AC cord and outlet so naturally those contribute to degrading its impedance. In other words, we are measuring the whole thing, not just some internal impedance.
Conclusions
It is clear from the above tests that using the P12 degrades available power to an amplifier, not increase it. Both continues and dynamic power are limited, as they should. You are inserting another cable and box (power regenerator) which has its own losses. Burst capability in power amps is provided by its internal power supply capacitors that have a very low impedance path to the amp being inside it. Trying to do that with AC is like pulling the end of a wet noodle and expecting the other side to move with it.
The data here is the reason a number of power amp manufacturers recommend to power their units directly from the wall and not through a AC regenerator. You want the least impedance path to the AC outlet and that is a simple power cord.
While with low current devices we could hardly find a harm caused by the PS Audio P12 (other than to your bank account), with power amps we are seeing a distinct degradation of power. In this regard, I think any marketing material without proper objective back up to the contrary is irresponsible here. Please heed the advice from me and many amp designers that you don't want to use these regenerators for power amplifiers.
-----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any
donations are much appreciated using
: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/