• Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

PS Audio PowerPlant 12 Review (AC Regenerator)

Rate this product:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 265 90.8%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 18 6.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 8 2.7%

  • Total voters
    292
Will it maintain voltage with fluctuation? My area 230V can swing up to 243V
Yes, AC mains voltage fluctuations will affect the regen voltage output because it uses a linear supply. If the AC mains voltage goes up then the output of the regen will go up slightly and vice versa.
 
Yes, AC mains voltage fluctuations will affect the regen voltage output because it uses a linear supply. If the AC mains voltage goes up then the output of the regen will go up slightly and vice versa.
Never use this, but it was good selling product as maintain voltage is their selling point. At least, it was how it market in my country.
 
Not to disagree with you, but these are things you buy an actual UPS for. Caps on the DC rail can only do so much. You can get a nice Eaton 9155 double-conversion unit, retail, for around this price and it'll run rings around this thing for power output, even with the mains off. Is it better for THD? I don't know.

I agree.

That doesn't change the fact that the PS Audio Powerplant 12 was not tested to determine what it actually does. The testing was set up to show what it doesn't do.
 
Yes, AC mains voltage fluctuations will affect the regen voltage output because it uses a linear supply. If the AC mains voltage goes up then the output of the regen will go up slightly and vice versa.

Huh? Its regulation spec is tight.

The entire purpose of an amplifier driven regenerator is to regulate the output voltage, among other things.

1646033823895.png
 
Last edited:
Huh?

The entire purpose of an amplifier driven regenerator is to regulate the output voltage, among other things.
If it uses a class B design and a linear supply they must have a micro processor or feedback controlling the output voltage?
 
IME with all regenerative UPS the output voltage will not vary with the input voltage.

Incoming AC is rectified. A sine with fixed level is generated and goes through an amplifier (probably class B or AB) with a fixed gain where at most its power supply rail will be fluctuating but not the output. Only when the DC voltage on the amp rail drops below the max output of the amp one will see a voltage drop. Often the incoming AC voltage phase/frequency of the oscillator is sync'd but one can easily make it free running or convert 50Hz t0 60Hz and vice versa.

Only various loads can influence the output signal. I am sure a 10W load will be different from a 500W load and it will make a difference if something with a rectifier or say a lamp, fan, motor or heater will be the load.
 
Last edited:
1000W won't even run your toaster well.

But food may indeed taste better when served on warm plates. But maybe DC is better for that application.
especially my toaster. the toaster from hell.
 
So I'm actually looking into buying a good UPS for my desktop system, is there really a difference between pure sinewave and simulated sinewave or stepped approximation to a sinewave or whatever it is?
 
If you take the BK 9801 and hook it up to one of your low distorsion/noise power amps and see what you get out of such a constellation?

If it works, why not hook this up again and power feed the DX3 and see if one could see anything on its outputs...?

I can see a potential thermal problem for the poor power-amp... but be quick ;)

//
 
On Head-Fi, the traditional greeting when someone new enters the forum is: "Welcome to Head-Fi! Sorry about your wallet."
On ASR it could be: "Welcome to ASR! Sorry about your power conditioner."
 
I hope PS AUDIO will provide justifications not in words.
 
I agree.

That doesn't change the fact that the PS Audio Powerplant 12 was not tested to determine what it actually does. The testing was set up to show what it doesn't do.

Since the manufacturer is also making claims about things it doesn't actually do, I'm not sure that the testing is as unreasonable as you say.

For example, PS claims unqualified improvements in audio quality (micro/macro dynamics, background noise), Amir showed that there are no differences in the audio output of a DAC powered from it, even if the device did somewhat improve the distortion of the mains supply. And this is the main reason anyone would be looking to buy this device.
 
About the vote: i understand the one "Great" vote, it's trolling, fine. But who and why voted for the "Not terrible" option? How on the earth can something be "Not terrible" for doing nothing (or making things slightly worse) for $5,500 ?
 
About the vote: i understand the one "Great" vote, it's trolling, fine. But who and why voted for the "Not terrible" option? How on the earth can something be "Not terrible" for doing nothing (or making things slightly worse) for $5,500 ?

66vp4c.jpg
 
The logic and rationale behind these purchases is always "but what if it make a difference? I'll buy it 'just in case' because it's only money". These buyers have already spent likely over $50K on everything of significance and now they're down to exotically twisted cables, dielectric polishing fluids and magic "pucks". Once all of those have been purchased, they'll turn their endless fortunes to audiophile grade air purifiers, electric panels and acoustic paint.
 
Back
Top Bottom