Ah ok. I don’t have a scope lying around but I have checked the output from the wall with a multimeter (carefully so as not to electrocute myself). Mains in my house is about 122V and there is a tiny amount of DC but I’ve had random moments where transformers have really started humming but since adding the dc block devices I haven’t had issues. I like the ability on the P15 to set the desired output voltage and also see the waveform going into the dac.
One of the interesting features on the PSAudio devices is the M-Wave feature basically it produces not a sine wave, but something that’s been slightly vertically flattened, the idea being it’s easier to rectify.
What’s interesting is you can hear the difference, but it’s quite subtle and I could never really decide if I preferred it, so I leave it off.
But the fact you can hear the difference seems to imply that component PSU’s carry characteristics from the input wave into the audible output.
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I’ve had a couple days with the PerfectWave Power Plant 3, so I thought I’d post some quick thoughts. The main difference I’m noticing in the sound with this in my system is that everything seems more “crisp” (not more detailed, but just snappier) and that bass impact is stronger, but note that these aren’t huge sonic improvements. The difference feels like it’s on the level of a tube-roll or something to give you an idea of the degree of change I’m hearing.
I’ll be honest, I was a bit disappointed at first, but I’m really growing to appreciate the improvements with time. It’s only been a couple days and I can already feel that I would miss the Power Plant if I had to give it back.
As for negatives, I’ll also say that for the first day or two, I was having little moments in songs where something would feel a bit sharp or shouty in a way that I don’t remember my chain doing before, but that quality seems to be going away with time, almost like something in my chain needed burning in.
I bought this Power Plant used, so I would assume that it’s already been burned in, though it did arrive in /very/ nice condition, so it’s possible this unit just doesn’t have that many hours on it? Or maybe it could be the new power cables? Also, m0n’s MYSPHERE article mentioned that the Allnic could get a little hot in the treble sometimes, so who knows?
(EDIT: I haven’t heard this in a long while, so yeah, I guess something was burning in. No idea. shrug)
My entire desktop headphone chain uses like 50 watts, so if my system suddenly tried to draw 10x what it’s currently drawing, it still wouldn’t be near the limit of this Power Plant. And my next potential moves for this system are likely a higher tier DAC and DDC, both of which probably wouldn’t increase the power draw much, so I’ve got lots of room to grow.
It’s also nice to imagine that there’s some kind of barrier between the wall and my audio gear if my house gets struck by lightning or something, lol.
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How much of a “limit” does using a basic power cable for the P3 (wall to P3) bring, just a general idea? Thinking about taking advantage of that p3 sale
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I would say if your chain has the resolution to hear changes with cables in general, then you would absolutely benefit from getting a good cable on it. It’s the cable attached to the piece that is powering the rest of your system.
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A lot of people on the PS Audio forum recommend Iconoclast BAV Power cables. I bought the 10awg cable. I thought the price was decent, and they also have a 30-day unconditional return policy.
If you have any old electronics, don’t forget that PS Audio has an awesome trade in policy, so there isn’t necessarily a sense of urgency to buy now. I bought my P3 at about the same as the current sale price by trading in a 20 year old receiver that was gathering dust. They don’t offer trade ins for stuff on sale, so you can’t double-up on the discount.
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As much as I like my P3, I have to say that I like the Core Power Technologies Deep Core 1800 and Equi Core 1000 a little better.
The P3 worked really well in my old house with terrible electricity, but I still I had a faint buzz whenever my furnace (about 8 feet from my desk) kicked in. After switching from the P3 to the Core Power gear, the faint buzz was gone, without harming dynamics, so I’m now listening in total silence.
The buzz when using the P3 was on one particular headphone/amp combo (Stellia + Nautilus) and it was so low that I didn’t hear it when listening to music. And it only appeared momentarily, when the furnace kicked in. So there’s nothing wrong with the P3 at all - I just think that the Core Power stuff works a bit better for my crappy electricity situation.
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Interesting.
I suspect a lot of what works is down to the environment.
I have an Isolation transformer here, and it made absolutely no difference in my situation with the Pendant.
I didn’t have the Pendant when I picked up the P3, so I have no idea if that would have resolved the slight hum mine had.
Justin (ampsandsound) uses the same Core Power gear, and I’ve actually wondered if he ever tests his amps without power conditioning, given that quite a few people have had hum issues with his amps.
When using the P3, I had zero problems with my Pendant OG and only that slight buzz/hum on my Nautilus (and only with the Stellia) that I mentioned above.
Yes I wish reviewers were more open about this. It’s something Justin is aware of but will deny to you directly on the phone if you discuss it with him, putting the blame squarely on the users environment.
Which isn’t helpful.
I have the isolation transformer based on his recommendation.
The fact that the only tube amp I’ve ever experienced an audible hum on was the Pendant, and Justin’s response really put me off A&S.
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From my understanding after a long bit of reading, transformer hum is most often indicative of some level of DC getting through on the AC line.
HifiDJ and I have a similar situation with the Allnic HPA-3000 GT where it has a very low-level buzz only on the high-impedance output and only with specific headphone manufacturers (ZMF, Focal). I picked up an older model Power Plant (confusingly also called the P3, lol), and yeah, I can confirm that the buzz is still there with my Power Plant in place. (Though I also didn’t buy it for that reason.)
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I believe you’re not supposed to hear any buzz through the hps when it’s dc offset, rather you’d hear it where the transformer is. That’s the case for me when I had it and it seems like @PaisleyUnderground is hearing it through his stellia.
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It’s commonly the case IF the transformer itself buzzes, not through the speakers. Though it can be caused by a delaminating transformer as well. But you’ll almost never see/hear that unless you have VERY old gear.
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There are many causes of buzzing through the headphones for high gain/high sensitivity headphones (Focals and ZMF’s are).
Some rectifiers will cause it, DHT’s are prone to it if the heater circuits aren’t well designed.
Running high voltage wires too close to a signal wire in the amp will do it, power supply design, something in the environment, bad power.
Tube amps have a lot less going for them when it comes to noise.
It’s fundamentally just a noise floor issue in most cases, what’s elevating that noise floor can be almost impossible to track down.
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Common problem with toroidal transformers since winding them correctly is VERY expensive, so most companies stick with “Good enough”
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Quick question for pp owners…
Do y’all isolate your powerplants? If yes, was there any difference in sound?
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Where does the P5 sit…is it part of the older generation of powerplants?
Replaced by the P3.
Despite it’s name the P5 is a 300W unit with a peak of 500W like the P3.
They do have more bells and whistles than the P3, multiple MWave settings, ability to adjust output frequency and voltage (to a point).
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Thought so. I like the extra features of the P5, but I assume the P3 is intended to be an improvement in performance despite being more simplistic?