PS Audio PowerPlant 3 Review

[Deleted member 48726]

I must say I do prefer the airy highs of wind turbine power, although I find hydro power washes out the mids and coal power makes the bass earthy... don't get me started on the bright sound from solar. It would be great if Paul could develop a powerplant that can imitate these perceptions via a selection switch, as I find those nuances are lost when using a power regen.


JSmith

LOL What a stupid thing! -I imagine a knob with "earth", "wind" & "fire" designations. Wouldn't really be surprised if it's in their pipeline.

 

[fpitas]

LOL What a stupid thing! -I imagine a knob with "earth", "wind" & "fire" designations. Wouldn't really be surprised if it's in their pipeline.

Only "stupid" because the test-tone and dummy load listeners at ASR can't hear the obvious differences.

/

 

[kencreten]

I badly want to see PS Audio's latest flagship speaker aspen FR30 measured & reviewed on ASR! I love the attempt at something a little different although for $28K there are a few other choices out there. I mean, it should at least be as good as any of the Wilson or Magico products out there, right?

View attachment 248595

Should be? Possibly? Maybe? only measurements will tell.

 

[DonR]

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.

Except for that one PS Audio component reviewed by @amirm that presented live voltage at the case. US manufacturing cost has priced itself into the niche market in the last 30-40 years. At the prices PS Audio charges, even for usefully functional equipment, it had better be more robust than alternatives. This unit purports to do something that it does not (albeit under limited testing by @amirm) and that is lower noise. It is additive to line noise. Most people here will know that will not change the results of most audio equipment but it is still a fallacy.

PS the saying is "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" but then we know that our senses lie to us all the time so who is to say where the proof lies.

 

[beefkabob]

PS Audio doesn't get cut a break for their overpriced BS, but McIntosh does? I call a foul. One's a newish upstart that sells overpriced snake oil, but the other can sell a $7000 DAC that performs worse than many a competing $300 DAC and earn praise for it? I'm sorry, but a pretty box is only worth so much. At least be consistent. The Mac DAC is a good 2.5 PSA powerplants of scam.

Frankly, few people who care about stereo sound should be buying into the whole DAC/preamp/amp chain anymore anyway. You're going to get better overall performance from a well-engineered powered monitor with DAC and AMP built in. All you need is a source that does room correction.

 

[beefkabob]

Don't forget generic IEC power plug pins, generic cables to the PCB, generic PCB traces/solder. and the generic transformers. We can go on and on...

We use unobtanium solder. All our PCBs are organic. In fact, we've stopped using PCBs. We just run 24k gold wires wrapped in sheepskin between components.

 

[DonR]

PS Audio doesn't get cut a break for their overpriced BS, but McIntosh does? I call a foul. One's a newish upstart that sells overpriced snake oil, but the other can sell a $7000 DAC that performs worse than many a competing $300 DAC and earn praise for it? I'm sorry, but a pretty box is only worth so much. At least be consistent. The Mac DAC is a good 2.5 PSA powerplants of scam.

Frankly, few people who care about stereo sound should be buying into the whole DAC/preamp/amp chain anymore anyway. You're going to get better overall performance from a well-engineered powered monitor with DAC and AMP built in. All you need is a source that does room correction.

PS Audio has been around for nearly 50 years. McIntosh is not the same company it was 50 years ago but PS Audio seems to have changed little.

 

[VQR]

I once talked to somebody about upgraded power cables. I pointed out that the power goes over all these lines from the power company, through multiple circuit panels, an then finally through a long line through the walls to the plug. Then, finally, I buy a fancy power cord for the last few feet? What's that going to do after that huge journey?

His answer, and it's always a him, was that the journey is in the opposite direction, from the device to the power.

WTF, moron? I fucking hate people.

TIL my DAC and amp power my local grid.

This is like a perpetual motion machine on steroids.

 

[Sputnik]

Amir,

The reason you can't notice an improvement is because your system is too revealing. I suggest you watch some of my videos to remedy that.

- Snake Paul.

 

[PeteL]

Furman hurls the woo as far as just about any other snake oil salesman but at least they don't charge more than 2 to 3 times the price of equivalent RFI filters/surge suppressors, unlike Mr McGowan. Their BS is slightly easier to swallow.

Keep in mind that Furman's market is probably 95% Pro Audio and not home hifi. So their claims have to be taken in that context. Electrically induced hums, buzz, and noise are the norm more than the exception in large sound reinforcement systems and some proper power conditioning is actually doing something. Think those 70's guitar amps on stage with a couple dozen pedals, along with many many opportunities for crap to creep in the signal.

 

[fpitas]

Keep in mind that Furman's market is probably 95% Pro Audio and not home hifi. So their claims have to be taken in that context. Electrically induced hums, buzz, and noise are the norm more than the exception in large sound reinforcement systems and some proper power conditioning is actually doing something. Think those 70's guitar amps on stage with a couple dozen pedals, along with many many opportunities for crap to creep in the signal.

Yes, and the occasional noise which you might not even notice in your home might ruin a recording.

 

[carlosmante]

SINAD points to excellent engineering. It's not an end all be all of what's audible or not. I'd not want something that is built like a tank and yet measures at 85db of SINAD. That's shit engineering.

Will a Topping DAC break before a McIntosh DAC? I don't know. Some might say the McIntosh DAC is broken from the start, both in price and engineering.

IMHO "excellent or shit engineering" apart the lack of Service Centers is Tantamount to Fraud.

https://help.apos.audio/en-US/search/service%20center?page=1

 

[respice finem]

Keep in mind that Furman's market is probably 95% Pro Audio and not home hifi. So their claims have to be taken in that context. Electrically induced hums, buzz, and noise are the norm more than the exception in large sound reinforcement systems and some proper power conditioning is actually doing something. Think those 70's guitar amps on stage with a couple dozen pedals, along with many many opportunities for crap to creep in the signal.

I can confirm this. A simple Furman filter eradicated an odd spike problem with my system (I've described it a while ago, too lazy to dig it up now, sorry). This is not "changing the sound" of course, apart from the spikes. So, it is not per se all snake oil, but snake oil products are frequently found in this market segment. My own "policy" - the more "audiophile claims" are made, the more suspicious I get

 

[DonR]

Keep in mind that Furman's market is probably 95% Pro Audio and not home hifi. So their claims have to be taken in that context. Electrically induced hums, buzz, and noise are the norm more than the exception in large sound reinforcement systems and some proper power conditioning is actually doing something. Think those 70's guitar amps on stage with a couple dozen pedals, along with many many opportunities for crap to creep in the signal.

Yes, TBF it's usually the reviewers and purchasers that wax on about increased soundstage and lifting various veils. Furman does seem to be fairly straightforward in its marketing.

 

[fpitas]

Yes, TBF it's usually the reviewers and purchasers that wax on about increased soundstage and lifting various veils. Furman does seem to be fairly straightforward in its marketing.

Sometimes a line filter is just a line filter.

 

[AlexScan]

Is there any evidence this product improves the sound? If so I'd enjoy reading it, please provide link.

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.

 

[DonR]

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.

How?

 

[SuicideSquid]

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.

If your mains power is creating no measurable noise or distortion in your audio gear, no amount of filtering, regulating, or regenerating mains power could ever "improve the sound".

 

[Spocko]

It’s $2500!

YOU SEE? We're now paying a premium to avoid bad sound but then doing nothing to avoid bad sound is free...

 

[Spocko]

It's a 104 kg. Are you gonna carry it to the lab?

You just nailed it - exotic speakers are super heavy to avoid being tested!