Did anyone return a PSAudio Powerplant? Why?


Anyone return a Powerplant after a home evaluation?

If so why?

jfrmusic

I’ve toyed with getting a Power Plant, but haven’t. Even when the lights flicker from changes in the power grid or dim, like when the AC goes on, I have never noticed any changes in the sound in my system. The last few weeks have been really hot here,( especially for it being only June) so the AC has been running a lot!

I have a 20 on my main system for my sources and pre. I currently have my Pass amps also connected but I found little to no difference from direct to wall. Second system I have a smaller (12) also for sources and tube pre, not hte amp (Levinson 23.5) as again I found it signifient with sources, not so much with amp.

Got them both during X-Mass deals, but they currently have recon sale going on. My firt 20 have a defective board for the remote. Tech was very helpful in trying to trouble shoot it before I had to return. They shipped replacement prior to mine going back. 

First class service as far as I am concerned,

I’ve not used Power Plants before but from Paul McGowan of PS Audio’s videos, the Power Plants do not reduce AC Noise. In fact, he even corroborated Audio Science Review’s finding that Power Plants actually increase noise!

Paul describes the benefit of Power Plants being that the sine wave of the AC power remains stable despite the transient current demand from an amplifier connected to it - in short, it lowers impedance of the power supply, which he argues is more important than dealing with noise. The AC sine wave remains perfect even if the amplifier is demanding a lot of current.

In this manner, Power Plants do something entirely different than conditioners or isolation transformers (Torus etc). Paul argues that such devices succeed at removing noise, but at the expense of increasing impedance rather than decreasing it.

Paul’s explanation does make me wonder if Power Plants make any difference for connected source components, given that they won’t be drawing dynamic and transient current like the amplifier. Maybe someone that knows more than me can explain. I’m simply summarizing Paul’s explanation.

 

 

 

Thought I lucked out finding one on auction.  Turned out to be a very expensive doorstop.

I tried a PS20 in my system for 3 weeks ( brand new) from a friend who was moving her system so I “broke in “ for her. I didn’t  feel any “darker” nor “quieter” background as anticipated, but  I felt the sound stage (left/right) was slightly compressed and less airy.  
 I eventually tried an Audience aR6 T4 with my same set up ( from a friend who had the unit broken in for over 1000 hours) and I found no such compression but also no audible improvement. I think my electricity from mains is clean and stable so it’s not much of benefits in my case  

However I do hear significant difference if I swop my power cables (from stock to a $300 cable , and from a $300 to a $1500 Siltech or Transparent Ref) so I would recommend to invest in power cables before buying a conditioner / regen