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PS Audio PowerPlant 12 Review (AC Regenerator)
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
Sorry - didn't realise your picture was a video.
Next step is to determine the coupling mechanism. How are you connecting to the mains to measure that?
This is on the phono input to the preamp isn't it?
Do you still get it with the input to the preamp grounded? (Shorted RCA connections)
If you do, do you still get it with shorted amp inputs?
If you do, can you try setting up a battery to run the pre amp off?
Does it change if you change the grounding between turntable and pre? (Can you get some flat copper braid and use that for grounding?)
Same between pre and amp?
etc
link
You could try a mains filter if you can borrow one, but I'm not convinced that will fix it.
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I would start by determining how that buzz gets in. Start by following the directions above.
I don't know how you measured the mains voltage. If you used the ground clip on the scope probe or had long leads connecting to a transformer you may have picked up the interference through the scope probe ground. That's bit me more than once. Sometimes twirling the ground lead around the probe can help as it reduces the loop area, thereby the inductive pick-up.
Which receiver are you using? Is it an older model? Is it possible that its power supply capacitors have dried out? I'd crack it open and measure the ripple voltage.
Tom
I don't know how you measured the mains voltage. If you used the ground clip on the scope probe or had long leads connecting to a transformer you may have picked up the interference through the scope probe ground. That's bit me more than once. Sometimes twirling the ground lead around the probe can help as it reduces the loop area, thereby the inductive pick-up.
Which receiver are you using? Is it an older model? Is it possible that its power supply capacitors have dried out? I'd crack it open and measure the ripple voltage.
Tom
C. Cook
Senior Member
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But now it has me wondering if the overpriced PS Audio thing would even work for him.
Maybe... Personally I'd get the BK Precision AC generator. 
The ticks are high enough frequency that filtering might work, but you'll probably need a filter that works in the audio range and not the typical RFI line filters.
I find it really hard to believe that anything on the AC line will make it through the power transformer and electrolytic capacitors in a typical 'linear' power supply. That's why I would double-check to see if those capacitors are even doing their job. If not, replace them.
If the ticks are radiated into the circuits you might be able to improve the shielding such that they don't get in. Filtering could potentially also help depending on where the EMI gets in.
These types of issues are not always trivial to debug.
Tom
The ticks are high enough frequency that filtering might work, but you'll probably need a filter that works in the audio range and not the typical RFI line filters.
I find it really hard to believe that anything on the AC line will make it through the power transformer and electrolytic capacitors in a typical 'linear' power supply. That's why I would double-check to see if those capacitors are even doing their job. If not, replace them.
If the ticks are radiated into the circuits you might be able to improve the shielding such that they don't get in. Filtering could potentially also help depending on where the EMI gets in.
These types of issues are not always trivial to debug.
Tom
Bingo. That kind of stuff is on the line commonly. Most equipment simply filters it away.
I'm prepared to bet its coupling onto ground somewhere, but probably not through the mains supply. A strong chance I think of a ground loop coupling.Maybe... Personally I'd get the BK Precision AC generator.
The ticks are high enough frequency that filtering might work, but you'll probably need a filter that works in the audio range and not the typical RFI line filters.
I find it really hard to believe that anything on the AC line will make it through the power transformer and electrolytic capacitors in a typical 'linear' power supply. That's why I would double-check to see if those capacitors are even doing their job. If not, replace them.
If the ticks are radiated into the circuits you might be able to improve the shielding such that they don't get in. Filtering could potentially also help depending on where the EMI gets in.
These types of issues are not always trivial to debug.
Tom
On your link you say you hear a noise. I assume a Clicking noise ? Pulse matches noise? If so it's the electric fence shorting out . Might not be grounded properly or corrosive insulators. How that would get in your house electric I have no idea.
Everyone! I ran an extension wire over from my house to the fence charger and the problem went away. So we traced the lines in his barn and they went through a rheostat that controlled ceiling fans. The fans are long gone, so we took thar out of the circuit and... problem solved. Sometimes it's the littlest thing
Wow - amazing. Well done for finding that.
Blows my VLF transmitter theory (in the other thread) out of the water (unless the rheostat is the transmitting antenna)
Dang! Nice work.
Tom
Tom
i'm late to the party but i'm curious. could your poor results be simply because your mains power is very clean already? My brother in law has this unit and it indicates incoming distortion at 6% and out at 0.2%. And voltage varies from 115-126 which the regenerator holds steady at 120v. We both thought the unit improved sound. Not sure that an incoming distortion ~1% can really be improved upon. No?
DonR
Major Contributor
Distortion in mains is a non-issue since it is rectified by the equipment's power supply. As long as the voltage remains steady over long periods, you shouldn't notice a change but it can happen. People often feel their systems sound better at night when ambient noise is lower and mains voltage is higher (and the mind is more relaxed?). If you have a lot of voltage variation over short periods like minutes or less, then the unit would provide some stability, especially in power amps with linear supplies.
Welcome to ASR!
Properly designed electronics are not affected by the typical level of distortions in household AC. Amir used simulated distortions of 18% (simulating the effects of phase cut light dimmers) and it has no impact on the performance of a Topping A90 (source).
No kidding! Those rectifier diodes absolutely clobber the mains signal.
Even a Voltage regulator connected to the front end gear will help in keeping AC line voltage stable. I use the Furman P1800 AR and it always has the AC voltage at 120VAC. My AC line voltage heard would get as high as 123-124Vac. Now the new issue is someone in the neighborhood is using a heater or Lights that are throwing crap back onto the AC Lines at night, quiet during the day. So bad my power transformer in my power amp was buzzing. I connected a device AVA Humdinger and took care of that, so there was dc riding on the AC lines. System is quiet now.
Ricardus
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Man, I keep hearing about all of these places where the AC line voltage is varied, and dirty, and how it makes all sorts of clicks and pops on peoples' systems, but I have never experienced that ever in my life.
DonR
Major Contributor
Not uncommon for voltage to sag in the peak periods and rise overnight. Change is very slow , however, and not perceptible. Line noise is very localized depending on your neighbour's fetish for power tools and equipment.
I'm in the same situation, My AC electrical power is pretty steady and clean. That, and most audio components regulate the DC for circuits that need that, so if the AC varies a bit, the regulated voltage won't significantly vary. Unless the AC is hideously bad, say from a poorly maintained generator in a rural setting, AC power regenerators really don't do anything useful for audio equipment. Although, again, as always, if you believe that the regenerator improves your audio experience, then you, and you alone will have a better experience, identical speaker terminal voltages notwithstanding.
yeah, the highest measured was during the day and early morning. I first noticed this when I bought a power conditioner for my bass rig that had multiple inputs with delay turn on for each component. The meter on it was measuring 124vac at times so hook up my DMM and watched it for awhile and it was measuring 123Vac then drop to 119-120 then back up to 124 during the one hour. So bought one of the AC monitor displays and it was confirmed. So that's what lead me to buy the Furman for the Voltage regulation it had. I didn't what to damage my Vintage gear so use a Variac until I can make a bucking transformer AC input for the vintage gear since they transformer were made for the 115-117VAC.
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