I had a PS-Audio P-500,which "failed"(broke)after three weeks.PS-Audio,then could not find it,when I sent it back to them,and made me have UPS do a check.It was misplaced by PS Audio.They were nice enough to send me a new unit,which literally burnt out(and I have good dedicated lines,btw)in 6 days.I had enough of that,and got a full refund from my dealer(a class act....Galen Carol Audio).Yet,PS-Audio got upset,and blamed the failure on my lines.NO WAY!!I had an electrician check out what I already knew.My lines were perfect(I live in the suburbs,and have a dedicated room,btw).I even had a 10 dollar radio plugged into that outlet,and it plays just fine.
To me,I would not EVER touch another PS-Audio "active" product.Just the fact that they told me to call UPS,to track a product that they had in their facility,for over a week,without knowing it,tells me they don't have good customer support.
On top of it all,the PS-Audio Power plants run HOT.My friends who own power plants have heat issues as well.I know the new one is suppoded to run cooler,but I believe that is now made in China.Not necessarily bad,but it tells me that PS-Audio is all about profits.
The Exact Power stuff(see the web-site,and every claim made on that site is absolutely true)is FAR better made.Beautiful casings,and attention to detail.Most important,they work extremely well,and do EVERYTHING the mfgr claims.AND RUN ABSOLUTELY COOL.NO heat issues!
Truthfully,The combination of the Exact Power EP-15A/Ultrapure units has taken my system to a level I could not have imagined.I have been a hobbyist for over three decades,but this business of line noise,and "balanced A/C",is something that does not get enough attention.Or is still misunderstood,by many.Including me!
The investment is worth every penny,IMO!
BTW,the tech rep of Balanced POwer is INCREDIBLY knowledgeable,and helpfulHe is NOT a "sales" orientd person,but more inclined to be an "educator"!His name is Quan,and he has greatly enhanced my musical enjoyment,with his insights!
Best to all.
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Neil,you leave both units on,at all times.Right?Makes sense,and this is how I am doing it!GOD,I love how cool they run!! |
Neil,you were an integral reason why I was not hesitant to spend my "Orpheus fund",on this stuff!!Now I am saving again,but this Exact Power stuff is STUNNING,and adds an almost "SET" like harmonic balance to my sound,which I am in love with.NO coloration,but more like "you have low noise circuitry,so now you can actually hear what such circuitry brings to the table"!
My tube loving friends will definitely be "mouths agasp"!!Guaranteed!!
Best!
BTW,I never forget(even a year later)some of your better insights!This was definitely one of them.Big time!
Thanks!....Now,any stock tips? |
OOPS!Sorry!I meant the tech rep for "Exact Power",although the folks at Balanced Power(my friend just bought one of these)seem nice too! |
Soliver,I think you hit it correctly.More filtration,with "balanced A/C",which seems to be desirable.
I don't want to do anymore PS-Audio bashing.The UO's I once had,were superb,and the power cords are very good.
My friend's P-300 works well,and he has added a Balanced Power Technologies unit to his Rowland.He's getting it Friday.
My P-500(both)sounded very good on my front end stuff,and that is why I got so into the "Power Management" business,in the first place.
What got me so pissed off at PSA was that I bought the P-500 to protect my stuff,and two units failed,in short order,back to back.The second replacement P-500 came with a loose surface mount resistor,that I found in the bag.SORRY,this represents poor quality control!Oh,I forgot to mention that my first P-500 came with a broken power cord.The prongs were bent inwardly.Attention to detail?
Also,every time they release something new,the previous models start to sell for enormous discounts.To me this represents an almost "product dumping" onto the market,and with my terrible experience,and the subsequent failures of their product(jeopardizing my expensive system)I am turned off.For the time being.
The Power Plant Premier does look to be a wonderful product,and sold at a fair price.I hope it is long term reliable.My two Statement power cords,which hook up my Exact Power stuff seem very good.
One other point......You MUST educate yourself(web material,etc)as to some of these things,and then form an opinion,based on reading,and feedback from others(btw,The Cable Company has a free lending library,for Exact Power stuff,among other things).I actually had a representative from Shunyata call me(after I had left a message questioning a power cord,that I was considering)and he was almost militant about how the "regenerating" products are a waste of money!Of course he wanted me to purchase a Hydra.I mentioned that I had already purchased my unit,but he railed on,which is a bit much,IMO!
Well,he was wrong.The regenerated A/C DOES sound better.I am absolutely convinced of that.Under any condition!!Even if you have great dedicated lines,as I supposedly do.At least that was what an electrician just told me.
There is s ton of noisey DRECK coming in,through these lines,and we supposedly have quiet,sensitive circuitry.Why would Shunyata sell power cords claiming they make a huge difference,and in the next breath,the guy tells me regenerating does not?Please!!!
I have a friend(very experienced hobbyist,LP collector extroadinaire)who is famous for his statement of "if you put a banana on any piece of audio equipment,you will hear a difference".
Also,I suspect(just a theory)that the really good(elite)solid state products are getting so good,in frequency extention,and distortionless performance,that they will benefit the most from regenerating A/C.Look at the Dartzeel preamp,or ASR stuff.Already,they have addressed the A/C issues,and the response to their products are incredible!
I say this,all,because as I personally prefer the sound of "quality" tube stuff,to SS.Yet my system is a highly modded SS based set-up.The only tubes I have are in my phono section.BUT,BUT...now,with this lowering of noise,which I did not even know was present(I was really quite happy with my sound,before)my system has taken on SO much more "musical beauty",from my software collection,that I truly have a hard time giving the sound a "Tube or Solid State" personality.I cannot wait for my tube loving friends to come over.I am actually considering(as a joke) putting a covering in front of my ultra modded Rowland,and telling them to try to guess which "tube" amp I have bought.They will definitely fall for this,as the sound has SO changed for the better.
Sorry for the length,of my post,and I am done bad rapping PS-Audio.I am sure my experience was not in the usual norm.
Best to all! |
AB,wherte can I get info on this "Brick Wall" product.
Also,Nsgarsh(Nonesuch....the record label,in case you were curious)...What are your thoughts on a "pre-surge protector(which comes before the EP-15A),like this "Brick Wall" surge protector,that AB ascribes to?This would be really welcomed,by me,as in summer the NJ area is barraged with thunder storms.Yet,isn't the EP-15A and Ultrapure unit surge protectors in themselves?I cannot see myself(though I guess I would)constantly turning off my stuff,with every crack of thunder!
Best! |
AB...Thanks,but I like Neil's approach,as the Brick Wall would need another aftermarket P/C to equate with how I am running my current stuff.Right?
Thanks to all!
BTW,Nsgarsh(my friend had trouble pronouncing this.Thus,Nonesuch,as he is an avid vinyl collector)there is a really vast amount of great 20th century recordings done on the Nonesuch label,as a little point of interest.These are mostly spectacularly well recorded,and show up dirt cheap.Also,the New World label,and some CRI's are also worth searching out.These would sound great on your full range CLS/sub based system!A buck a shot,mostly! |
Nsgarsh(btw,my friend affectionately refers to you as "Nonesuch"),two things.....Firstly,when you shut off the EP-15a during thunder storms,would you be better off by powering down individual components attached,first.Thusly eliminating "in rush" current from being a bit too much,when the EP-15a is re-ingaged..Just curious,as I would love the convenience of simply shutting off the EP-15a,too,with only one button.Yet,my amp/cd player and table draw current,when not in use,as does the Ultrapure.Just curious as to your thoughts.
Also,you were just a bit off,when you suggested to me to simply pass on the EP_15a,and get something like the Ultrapure,alone(as I have dedicated lines).I tried the Ultrapure alone,and it WAS fabulous!Almost equal to the regenerated and "balanced" P-500.Really splitting hairs,BUT...the regenerated AND balanced A/C adds a degree of relaxed,and textured ambient performance,that is absolutely addictive!There is definitely more music present,with better bloom and frequency extremes,as well as almost "SET-like" texture.I had to go for the "Full Monty"(EP-15a/Ultrapure).WOW,is this fabulous,beyond a happy hobbyist justifying a purchase.
Thanks for all the thoughtful insight! |
Sadly(from a financial point of view)the power cord issue is a BIG one,to me.This has been proven,time and time again,by a dear friend(who is obsessed with PC's,and has about 15 grand invested).I went with a PS-Audio Statement from wall to EP,and another from EP to Ultrapure.I added a(fabulous)Harmonic Technology Fantasy AC to my amp,and a Kimber Palladium PK-10 Gold(no filters)to my REL sub.The rest of my cords are an assortment of Electraglide,and JPS-digital on my CD.Though I am aware cords can continue to make a rather big difference,I am simply not going to allow myself to go further.
Neil,the Orpheus fund begins soon!!It will move slower this time,as I now am incredibly happy,and the "V" has very low hrs!Probably summer/fall.Just a point of interest.
More importantly,than any of this technospeak,I got some new KILLER SOFTWARE to enjoy,which is why I am in this hobby in the first place!!
Best to all! |
PURIST DOMINUS.....Whew!!Wouldn't that cord cost more than the EP-15a,itself?No doubt GREAT,though! -:)
I added a new PS Audio Statement,from my wall,to my EP-15a,and another as an umbillical from the EP-15a to the Ultrapure!From Ultrapure to amp,is a "surprisingly good" Harmonic Technology Fantasy 10,which I use on my REL as well.Great results,and Nsgarsh,I can finally start my Orpheus fund!!
Best! |
I have a good friend who has a P-300 connected to his front end stuff.Pre/phonostage,CD,and Turntable.He had a UPC-200 on his Rowland 8t,and had gone through a good amount of other devices before settling on this combo.My "other group" of audio pals are from the "old" school,with bad Tice experience,and will never admit to the superiority of today's best "conditioners/regenerators"(call them what you will).
That being said,after I connected my EP-15a/Ultrapure combo,to my entire system,he wanted a similar result,without selling his P-300,which he likes.The EXACT POWER stuff is amazing(I had a P-500 which failed,as did it's replacement,sadly)!So,we decided he should keep the very reliable P-300 and add balanced A/C for the amp.Getting rid of the UPC-200,band aid,as it turned out,and adding a Balanced Power Technology "maxxed out" model TWO(not the 20 amp 3.5 as the designer felt all he needed for the Rowland was this unit.He wound up paying about 1300 dollars for it.
Well,the results were STUNNING.There was no way one could rationalize this approach as anything but far superior,to what he had before.
Of course the "old world" friends of ours STILL won't give credit to this,stating the difference is to be contributed to other factors,having been done.Quite humorous,actually,and my pal is "peeved" at some of the naysayer guys in our circle.They just refuse to give him the "thumbs up"!Their loss,as far as I am concerned.It was SO obvious from the get-go.
BTW,my EP-15a never puts out more than 465 wps powering my system.I could not be happier!
Best to all! |
