PS Audio PowerPlant 3 Review

[Killingbeans]

and a good filter can improve the sound.

I suppose... if the PSU in your amp is a piss-poor design. Other than that, I can't see how it would.

 

[KellenVancouver]

View attachment 248629


JSmith

Oh my. Oily yes, but even PS Audio shouldn't be compared to this dullard. Some pseudoarchaeology can be funny, but this guy is seriously off the deep end.

 

[amirm]

But why?

It is a massive box, chews up power, and does nothing for my audio system.

 

[amirm]

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?

It regulates to 120 volt. And no, I need to send this back to its owner as it has been sitting here for months. I accept their claim that it regulates as did the P15. See that review for measurements of that.

On Spikes, I have no way of simulating that as that requires specialized gear.

 

[JSmith]

even PS Audio shouldn't be compared to this dullard

I'm not comparing PS Audio to the dullard... I'm referring to the meme that's been around for years "it was aliens" and replacing it with PS Audio. It's a joke...


JSmith

 

[Deleted member 35357]

You should test a Anker Powerstation or a Ecoflow delta.

Those huge battery powerbanks with AC out and other ports to see what they deliver for kinda of power.

Those things with 250Wh to 1000+

They are cheaper but have actual utility instead.

 

[Doodski]

You should test a Anker Powerstation or a Ecoflow delta.

Those huge battery powerbanks with AC out and other ports to see what they deliver for kinda of power.

Those things with 250Wh to 1000+

To test something requires power transfer. Designing the power transfer is one thing and executing it is another thing. It can become very finicky and even dangerous.

 

[Palladium]

I suppose... if the PSU in your amp is a piss-poor design. Other than that, I can't see how it would.

The internal PSU in the SMSL D-6 is tiny yet that doesn't stop the DAC from achieving great objective performance on unfiltered AC at a mere $170.

 

[amirm]

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.

How can you tell that by just looking at a picture? I expect a high voltage power amplifier like this to have a stressful life. I remember running into a guy that used to distribute their older line and he told me tons of the regens were failing and coming back.

On this unit, a quick search shows failures just the same: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ps-audio-stellar-power-plant-3.946663/post-17039123

"My Power plant seemingly just died today, while all my devices were in Stand by."

And

"I've had mine including the expensive PS Audio power cable for a month now, it has blown the 1.6 AMP fuse at the rear just the other day. "

Shipping costs for a 40 pound box is not going to be cheap or easy even if the unit is under warranty.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Many professionnal use this power conditionner, no test but read user review :

Furman AC-210 A E Power Conditioner

Compact Power Conditioner 10 A (2300 Watt max.), For video and audio applications, Technology from the PL series, LiFT offers linear AC power filtering to ensure clean power for unequaled audio & video clarity, Transient voltage surge suppressor,...

www.thomann.de

Some friends tell me that it's very good, cost 179€, and I dream to see if is really a good choice by proven with measurements... i don't tell this is a real bargain, but I think it's just a filter... not a regenarator/regulator... and a good filter can improve the sound.

Well it's made to protect gear from low and high voltage transients and smooth out dirty power. Typically you see warped sine curves in the industry when lots of high power equipment does frequency modulation to motors by frequency converters.
Residential power rarely (in my country at least) see lots of fluctuation or warping.

 

[BeeKay]

Off topic: My post was actually inspired by the Rubin/Young interview on their latest collaboration. They recorded to analog tape and digitized the result in real time, thereby preserving that "analog touch". Which probably is noise, distortion, wow and flutter. They also pointed out, how quickly analog detoriates.

On the other hand there are some interesting recordings like …

 

[lordhumungous]

I want my PS Audio Power Plant and I want it now !!!!!

 

[AlexScan]

I want my PS Audio Power Plant and I want it now !!!!!

Buy me 10 please

 

[Mart68]

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.

Don't understand your point? My Topping DAC may fail after a few years (although it's managed to last two years so far) but while it's working it does what it is supposed to do and does it well at a cost of £140. The device reviewed here does nothing and costs over two grand. Its build quality and longevity are therefore irrelevant.

 

[Palladium]

Don't understand your point? My Topping DAC may fail after a few years (although it's managed to last two years so far) but while it's working it does what it is supposed to do and does it well at a cost of £140. The device reviewed here does nothing and costs over two grand. Its build quality and longevity are therefore irrelevant.

A piece of overpriced trash that by miracle becomes indestructible...is still trash.

 

[lordhumungous]

A piece of overpriced trash that by miracle becomes indestructible...is still trash.

Lmao .

 

[joeren]

Multiwave = flattened top sinewave (so distorted) so that reservoir caps in power amps that are significantly loaded get a bit more 'time' to replenish the voltage while limiting peak currents. As the PP limits power output by design it may help with some power amps when regenerated power is needed and poweramps are connected.

Not interesting for low power devices... in fact the powerplant is not really interesting unless one has wildly varying mains voltages that regularly dip too low for the very few not so well designed devices that rely on proper mains voltages.

Cleanwave is utter nonsensical as the magnetic field in the transformer is changing continuous so there is nothing to 'de-gauss'. A typical McClown-thought feature.

Flattering a sine wave will have some immediate effects for sure. Lower PP voltage = lower power supply rail voltage and perhaps issues with equipment power transformers, reducing their efficiency and creating more heat. Any “flat part of a wave is essentially DC. Transformers don’t care much for DC.

 

[EBrumbaugh]

Just reading that blurb on the power cable from the manual tells me all I need to know about PS Audio.

 

[Spkrdctr]

Looking at the voting, 6 people must have Power Plants at home. I feel sorry you six. Maybe sell/trade them for something more useful like room treatment? The longer you just keep them the less they will be worth. Room treatment will last for many, many years. Just sayin.

 

[gfx_1]

For less money you can get an online UPS like AEG Protect 1000/2000/3000 which creates a reasonable sinus but now idea how these measure.