PS Audio PowerPlant P12 Review (Video)

[jtwrace]

Here's the correct way of measuring a Power Plant

With all the controversy surrounding the measurement of the P12 Power Plant we thought it useful to show how the measurements for output impedance, distortion, waveshape, etc. are properly made. Who best to show us than the Power Plant’s designer, PS Audio’s Chief Engineer, Bob Stadtherr. In...

forum.psaudio.com

 

[Nuwanda]

Way better if someone downloads that PS video, because is going to be removed from youtube very fast.
Shameful...

 

[Amps-R-Us]

Here's the correct way of measuring a Power Plant

With all the controversy surrounding the measurement of the P12 Power Plant we thought it useful to show how the measurements for output impedance, distortion, waveshape, etc. are properly made. Who best to show us than the Power Plant’s designer, PS Audio’s Chief Engineer, Bob Stadtherr. In...

forum.psaudio.com

Was it just me or did Paul and his chief engineer use the device itself to report the device was working as designed?

 

[solderdude]

So did Amir, warts and all.
Paul's video reply just left out the warts, that's all.

 

[Amps-R-Us]

So did Amir, warts and all.
Paul's video reply just left out the warts, that's all.

Ah, in Paul's video they used the oscilloscope built into the P12 to show AC mains clipping and then the regenerators output with a fully formed sine wave.

My question is "why didn't PS Audio use one of the myriad oscilloscopes they must have to show AC main input against P12 output?". Instead they relied on a testing capability internal to the unit under test to report a test result.

I happen to own a Stellar PowerPlant 3 and the unit works for me and my particular gear. The improvement is noticeable. I have no negative bias with the company, just would like to see them demonstrate the performance claims.

To their credit the company offers a satisfaction guarantee if buyers can't hear a difference.

 

[amirm]

My question is "why didn't PS Audio use one of the myriad oscilloscopes they must have to show AC main input against P12 output?". Instead they relied on a testing capability internal to the unit under test to report a test result.

I think because their scopes can't handle the high mains voltage and they don't have a step down differential probe like I have. That is the only reason I can think of. Either way, it is a miss on their part.

 

[solderdude]

just would like to see them demonstrate the performance claims.

Amir did show the performance claims. The sine wave coming out of the PPP is improved and regulated. This has all clearly been shown in Amirs tests.

We need to keep the eye on the ball and not on the players.

The sine is NOT regenerated from scratch. It is the mains waveform + correction voltage.
The 'normal' outlets work as expected.
The HC (D group) does not because of the inrush current limiter.
Paul states it is out of the circuit after 5 seconds and it has been shown NOT to do this by a member of the forum.
So the mains, while improved in shape and stabilized, is still quite 'dirty' as shown by Amir.
They know this fully well, as do they about the D group outlet. They designed it and know fully well how it works.

The story around the PPP as put forward by PS Audio does not jive with the measurement results and the way it operates in reality.
The specifications of the 'output resistance' are from the amplifier part inside the PPP and NOT the actual device. They even showed their specs to be incorrect on their own YT video. They deliberately did not show the HC output group because they know very well the output R would be even higher. They even have a handy dummy load that could show it.
Instead they continue to blow smoke up customers arses.

Of course the device works. Of course mains is cleaner. no one is disputing that. It is shown to do this in Amirs tests.

Where it fails is in measurably improving the audio performance of the 3 measured devices connected to the PPP.

So that claim and the specs of the output R and the HC output behavior is where there are discrepancies. Shown to exist and denied and ridiculed by Paul in his replies on his forum and videos.

There is no doubt in my mind that sound quality improves for most of the owners. The reason it does, however, is not of a technical nature in the vast majority of cases.

 

[JayGilb]

Just found this comment on a YouTube Audiophile's page:
I own a ps audio power plant just like you and I have discovered that I been fooled thinking I heard better audio with it in my hifi. I recently saw a video on youtube that you may be interested in from a expert electronic engineer who explains that you dont need to regenerate AC mains because audio equipment as all the reguation it needs to clean up the dirty mains built into it. The engineer prooved that the ps audio power plant also chokes the current that you have straight out of the wall and it even puts its own noise on it. I have since done blind testing and i could not tell when the power plant was on or off. I feel a fool that i was taken in by this company. I dont want to sell my plant because i would be fooling a buyer, but any how I am now saving on electricity good thing due to the increased price of it. Heres the link if you are interested,"

The link goes to ASR's review of the PS Audio Power Plant.
So yes, ASR is having a noticeable impact in the audio world.

PS - Look at this person's comment. He doesn't want to sell it because he would be fooling someone else.

 

[angelshorn]

Hi amirm, can u help me review our vinyl record player: ANGELS HORN H00501 Hi-Fi Bluetooth Turntable ?

 

[Angsty]

Hi amirm, can u help me review our vinyl record player: ANGELS HORN H00501 Hi-Fi Bluetooth Turntable ?

Turntables appear to require mechanical testing as well as electronic. The test suite that Paul Miller does for HiFi News involves resonant mode tests of the tonearm as well as W&F, rumble and hum & noise tests. That’s a big expansion of the test suite.

MoFi StudioDeck+ Turntable Package Lab Report

Lab Report By combining the same 300rpm AC synchronous motor and hardened steel inverted bearing (albeit with a Teflon rather than sapphire thrust pad) with a lighter Delrin platter (1.8kg vs. 3.1kg), the performance of the StudioDeck inevitably differs from that of the UltraDeck [HFN Jul '19]...

www.hifinews.com

 

[fpitas]

The pity is, it might be helpful in some circumstances if somebody stuck a Corcom and some serious transient absorbers in a box and sold it. I guess that wouldn't be flashy enough to charge exorbitant prices.