Garth Powell on Why Audioquest does not make AC Regenerators


Interesting interview from a couple weeks ago with Garth Powell of Audioquest who seriously decries the use of AC regenerators with a detailed argument. I’m not qualified to affirm or rebut that argument, but since people debate "conditioners vs. regenerators" here, I’m passing it along for your inspection.

https://youtu.be/bXRehON7SlM

Notice that he doesn't mention ps audio and that ps audio defends its regenerators (as exempt from Garth's critique) in the comments. Not sure how many other regenerators out there beyond ps audio. 
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Showing 3 responses by mijostyn

First of all, who wants to waste money buying equipment that does not work well. Second of all Garth is absolutely right although his explanation was not particularly lucid. I personally will not buy any PS Audio equipment. Not in the least bit interested. IMHO they sell way to much voodoo witchcraft and unnecessary complexity.

Good equipment does not require power cleaning, regeneration or management of any kind. Their power supplies take care of all of that. This is just lay instinct run amuck. 
I do not use any of it. My system is dead quiet. On the phono stage, with the volume turned all the way up you can hear a slight hiss with your ear up against the speaker. The system will play louder than I can bear to hear it with outstanding dynamics. My amplifiers can even burn up expensive loudspeakers. No lack of power here. In short my system performs at the highest levels with the front end all plugged into the same power strip. The amps have their own lines. I have a whole house surge protector and my very own lawn wart transformer to protect the neighbors from my workshop. I don't know why but, it was forced on me. It is not like the lights dim whenever I turn on my thickness planer.(10 HP 3 phase.)

Audioguy85, I have a Furman UPS and I have to say they build fine equipment.

@mitch2, I think the vast majority of people would do just fine without anything. The money would be better spent on upgrading speakers and amplifiers or getting subwoofers. If you really want to enter a whole new world of high fidelity get a DEQX HDP-5 and a Dayton OmniMic. Last night I was demonstrating my system to my son in law. I was demonstrating what the TacT does (besides burning up loudspeakers) and I flipped it to bypass. I had not done this since I finished getting everything tuned up. The difference was so shocking I thought something was wrong. I started checking everything, It couldn't sound that bad? Flipped correction back in, wonderful. I had been listening to it over a month for hours at a time, for days at a time and had gotten so use to the Sound Labs performing at their best I had totally forgotten what the system sounded like in the beginning. The immediate switch was a real jolt. I am not prone to superlatives. When I hear them I immediately think the person is full of it. Maybe I am but, this was something else. 
I hate to be a PITA but in a controlled AB test I seriously doubt anyone would hear a difference with any of these. If you can tell the difference then one or more of your pieces has a weak power supply. You should identify that piece and replace it. Can battery power supplies be useful? Sure, in very low level power devices like phono stages where noise levels are critical. Preamps maybe. Amplifiers get more complicated and I think the power supply of the amp should be purpose designed to run with a battery. As a example, large capacitors are not needed at all. The battery is in reality a huge capacitor! It's power just has to be regulated. An amplifier would require a lot of battery which is probably the reason it is not done. Channel D's phono stages are run with auto charging batteries.  
@tvad, $1K for a 7 outlet power strip is pretty steep. I got a real nice 10 outlet one for $54.00, with yellow outlets no less. Very cool.