• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. 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 3 Review

Rate this AC Regenerator

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 268 91.8%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 11 3.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 4 1.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 9 3.1%

  • Total voters
    292
He shows just 0.2dB difference with the Byrston Amp and says that is better (79.8 to 80)??? That difference could just be due to grounding differential and nothing to do with the PS Audio.


What do you think about the video segment 4:15-5:30 ?

.
 
What do you think about the video segment 4:15-5:30 ?

.
I don't know about Amir - but what I think is the following:

that section is showing the Device does what it is designed to : Stabilise the mains supply.

Problem is - this makes zero difference to the output of any competent audio device connected to it - which is also perfectly capable of filtering the mains in its own built in power supply. It certainly provides none of the benefits that PSAudio claim in the "sales literature" or "work of fiction" as it should really be described... if you are feeling charitable.
 
What do you think about the video segment 4:15-5:30 ?

.
As noted, it does produce cleaner power as I also show in my testing. But we don't listen to AC. We listen to output of our audio devices which he basically couldn't show an improvement because there is internal filtering in audio products in conversion to DC.
 
Here you go @amirm


 
Here you go @amirm


Interesting. Will be doubly interested to see how our more technically inclined ASR members respond to this rejoinder by the king of oil.

I was also interested in the following comment to this video: "I have seen a product or two on ASR come through with stellar measurements only to fail miserably on the reliability and longevity side." This is a particularly valid comment. Without objective data regarding reliability, longevity, and product support the rest of it is informative within its own bubble, but rather nominal in the real world.
 
I was also interested in the following comment to this video: "I have seen a product or two on ASR come through with stellar measurements only to fail miserably on the reliability and longevity side." This is a particularly valid comment. Without objective data regarding reliability, longevity, and product support the rest of it is informative within its own bubble, but rather nominal in the real world.
There's no way for a review to determine or comment on reliability/longevity, so it's rather a non-sequitor in my view. Also, I hardly care how reliable something is if it doesn't do its job or provides no value. The Powerplant, for example, might be reliable and do its job (assuming we're generous and don't include the nonsense claims about audible differences in the output of the equipment attached to it as part of its job), but it provides no value.
 
There's no way for a review to determine or comment on reliability/longevity, so it's rather a non-sequitor in my view. Also, I hardly care how reliable something is if it doesn't do its job or provides no value. The Powerplant, for example, might be reliable and do its job (assuming we're generous and don't include the nonsense claims about audible differences in the output of the equipment attached to it as part of its job), but it provides no value.
Amen.

I have some concrete blocks that are reliable and long-lived.

Sadly, despite my best efforts, they don't work well as power supplies.
 
I hardly care how reliable something is if it doesn't do its job or provides no value. The Powerplant, for example, might be reliable and do its job (assuming we're generous and don't include the nonsense claims about audible differences in the output of the equipment attached to it as part of its job), but it provides no value.
I think you miss the point. It is not an either/or proposition. Binary thinking gets us nowhere. The point is that data in both regards (performance AND reliability) is needed to make genuinely objective purchasing decisions.
 
I think you miss the point. It is not an either/or proposition. Binary thinking gets us nowhere. The point is that data in both regards (performance AND reliability) is needed to make genuinely objective purchasing decisions.
Right. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I was replying to the mud-flinging at ASR about high-performing products that may have had reliability issues, as though that's ASR's fault or that somehow ASR should be able to capture any meaningful data regarding long-term reliability of a product in its reviews. That's neither the purpose nor is it a reasonable expectation.
 
I think you miss the point. It is not an either/or proposition. Binary thinking gets us nowhere. The point is that data in both regards (performance AND reliability) is needed to make genuinely objective purchasing decisions.
You can't test for reliability without testing long term with lots of units. It is really only something the manufacturer can do.

It is well outside the scope of what can be tested by @amirm, nor has it ever been intended to.


I think you'll find no review in other areas (magazine, youtube, other review sites) has ever provided any reliability testing either.
 
You can't test for reliability without testing long term with lots of units.
The hard drive companies include MTBF (mean time between failures) numbers in their data sheets -- which in my experience have had no practical predictive value. Neither does the "S.M.A.R.T." feature of PATA/SATA drives, which tends to report zero issues the day or even the hour before a complete failure -- I can only recall one instance in which I got an impending failure warning about a still-functional drive. For audio gear, the best a third-party reviewer can do is to report on overall build and component quality to the extent those possibly predictive factors can be determined via the available means.
 
Interesting. Will be doubly interested to see how our more technically inclined ASR members respond to this rejoinder by the king of oil.

I was also interested in the following comment to this video: "I have seen a product or two on ASR come through with stellar measurements only to fail miserably on the reliability and longevity side."
Funny. Casting shade on rel has nothing to do with the lack of performance of this device.
This is a particularly valid comment. Without objective data regarding reliability, longevity, and product support the rest of it is informative within its own bubble, but rather nominal in the real world.
No, not if you consider that each are disqualifying:
Bad reliability
Bad performance

Also, reliability testing is another thing entirely, and is why manufacturers with good reliability spend so much time building trust in the customer base. No tests at ASR or elsewhere shine a light on reliability. I wonder about the overall reliability of PS Audio products too, if they ship product without adequate reliability built into the design it will not likely be discovered on a lab test bench.
 
Right. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I was replying to the mud-flinging at ASR about high-performing products that may have had reliability issues, as though that's ASR's fault or that somehow ASR should be able to capture any meaningful data regarding long-term reliability of a product in its reviews. That's neither the purpose nor is it a reasonable expectation.
I only feel that amir isn't to the level he should be on topping amp reliability issues. He's "sly" about it now with little hints about reliability but he should just come out and say that the pa5 was a trash tier product.

However, they are sending me a free-ish ($20) pa5 v2 that hopefully fixes the issues. So that's okay. They are saying I have to pay for shipping because I took too long to ask for a replacement from them (even though I emailed them within warranty about my pa5 v1). But still it's worth $20 to have a working amp that hopefully works for more than 6 months.
 
As noted, it does produce cleaner power as I also show in my testing. But we don't listen to AC. We listen to output of our audio devices which he basically couldn't show an improvement because there is internal filtering in audio products in conversion to DC.
You said in one of your videos even PS Audio products have proper filtering.
 
I think his point is that, if a product doesn't perform, it doesn't matter how reliable it is.
Indeed. Paul is just trying to steer the conversation away from the real issue... His expensive device provides zero benefits so what's the point?
Now if we were talking about two devices... one more expensive than the other but both actually doing something...then reliability is clearly a crucial factor but that was not this case.
 
Here you go @amirm


Sad that his channel pops up in your YT feed! :p
 
I posted a comment about how his main aim seems to be audience hypnosis... :cool: . I would love my grandkids to have him read them their fairy tales!
 
Back
Top Bottom