Who has tried one of the PS Audio Power Regenerators?
I just read that PS Audio has introduced a new and more affordable power plant, the Stellar Power Plant 3. https://www.psaudio.com/products/stellar-power-plant-3/. I have been a long timer user of their various units, going back to the Power Plant Premier, then a P5, P10, P15, and now a P20. I was amazed at how much these bad boys improved my system and have been pushing them ever since to all my audio friends. Going from the P10 to the newer generation P15 was eye opening to say the least. Here is a link to my review of the P15 https://forum.psaudio.com/t/my-review-of-the-new-p15-power-regenerator/6712. If the big boy units are not within the budget, then for sure try the new Stellar PP3. It can be used on all front end gear which is where they are most important. PS Audio builds and services all their gear in Boulder and are known for having a great customer service department. I do not think a system is running at its full capability without using one of their units. Try one.
PS: If anyone is concerned that i am working for PS, let me assure you I am not. I have a small menswear retail clothing store in Greensboro NC. www.thehubltd.com
OP - I had a P500 many years ago, then graduated to a PPP which could not handle the power demands of my power amp so I used a PS Audio Duet to condition the power to the amplifier. Using the upgrade program I traded in my PPP for a P5. I have my entire system running off of it save my two subwoofers which are using the Duet for power. I am using 34% of the capacity of the P5 so I don't see a need to move up to a higher unit. Music is sweet and dynamic. Those who oppose regenerators often point to the fact that they constrict the dynamic ebb and flow of the music. Fortunately I'm not experiencing that.
I will read your review of the P15. I would like to serif it is worth the step up to the newest units.
hi, for me at least the power capacity of the unit ceased to be a concern with the P10, but the change in sound quality going from it to the P15 was stunning. Like getting a new amp.
thank you. i consider it an underpinning of a really good system. I have not tried any by the other companies, such as Audioquest and Shunyata, but they are conditioners and not regenerators.
I recently tested the
PS Audio DirectStream Power Plant 12 Mains Regenerator with my Accuphase E-480 integrated amp and it was a fantastic upgrade. The sound was better in all aspect. Since the watt indicator never went higher than 150W even when playing real loud - I thought maybe I should test the smaller version
PS Audio Stellar Power Plant 3 Mains Regenerator. I did and I got the exact same result to 1/3 of the cost. My speakers are Audiovector QR5. The
PS Audio Stellar Power Plant 3 Mains Regenerator is a real winner for medium and smaller setups - RECOMMENDED!!
hi, i am so pleased to hear about your fantastic results with the Stellar PP. That is great news for those who do not need the larger capacity of the bigger units. I will add that since i wrote my original review of the P15, i went ahead and got the P20 and sold the P15. the P20 was certainly better than the P15 but not like the earlier upgrade. I say it again, and that is most audio systems are not performing at their full capacity without a PS PP of some kind.
Basically he says this $400 thing sounds as good as the $20,000 German Stromtank goodie which was better than the PS Audio P20.
I use one of these on my modified Oppo 205 with great results. I mod it by removing most of the chassis and removing the heat sensor under the battery so it runs cooler and the fan never comes on. Also, I hardwire my power cord into it and use a PPT Stopit in one of the unused AC outlets....very, very good sound.
I am going to buy a 2000 Watt low distortion pure sign wave inverter for my class D amp and tweak it out too. Should cost me around $800 total including battery and charger. At that point I will be off the grid completely.
I had an original Powerplant - and the capacitors recently went bad. To my complete astonishment, PS Audio would not service the unit because it was too old. (It was about 11 years old). I would seriously be concerned about buying their products because they are not committed to service - despite what you say. I have had many very old Levinson pieces - they service everything. 25 years old - no problem...
Did PS Audio offer you a trade-up deal? The current line of regenerators are far superior in design and performance to what you have. I have had a P500, two Premiers, a P5 and currently a P12. With each upgrade I utilized the trade in program and realized improved performance.
I had a similar experience with one of their Phono preamps that was about 9 years old. Turned me off PSA forever.
@hifiman5 How do yu know that you are realizing improved perofrmance from a power conditioner every time you change it? By definition it doesnt add anything to your system, and once you lower the noise floor with the first, how are you sure that future editions are doing additional benefit?
They did offer me an upgrade - offered 40% off of a new unit - but with a PP3 - what they essentially were saying - "we wont fix your old unit, but you can have our new $3,000 unit for $1,800. The experience was so bad with their poor attitude that I was not in the mood to send them $1,800 for a new unit.
@mahler123 Examples that power plants have improved their performance incrementally over time were the improved tech. In regenerating the power, ex going from PCM to DSD. Another vast improvement in performance was a consistent lowering of output impedance. That benefit was audible in the slam and tautness of bass.
The current line has remained unchanged for several years. Maybe it is mission fully accomplished.
@markny2011My understanding is that some critical parts for the PPP became NLA. I saw someone say that while they would no longer service them due to parts availability they would provide schematics and service info. You might ask them about that if you can arrange to have it serviced.
Greetings, I started this thread back in 2019 and wanted to chime in. As I said then, I have been a long time user of the various generations of the PS Power Plants. Someday, just for fun, I may try a Audioquest unit in my system, but I cannot really imagine it doing a better job. I would not want to be without the P20 and my friend Bob M. who has one as well, feels the same way, It is the foundation for a great sounding system no matter what gear you own.
Yes - I was told the parts were no longer available for the PowerPlant. What I needed were capacitors - and the exact capacitor used in the Unit were no longer available. PSA told me they would not replace the old caps with new caps that were different. I got all the schematics and service materials. Brought the unit to a local electronics service business. Waited 3 months and they told me they could not get the unit working when they replaced the caps with a different product. They said there must have been another problem, and after 3 months they said they did not want to spend more time on it. They didnt charge me. I picked it up and threw it away.
My PPP was a early version. I worked ok with my cheaper gear and had no affect with my pricey gear. As my system improved it became a switching box. After a few years of use it started clicking loudly. Called PSA and the person manning the phones while the company was at CES. He was rude without a clueless. I the like Markny2011 above I dropped it in the trash.
As memory serves, the PPP were manufactured in China. PS Audio had so many reliability issues that they discontinued the PPP and brought manufacturing back to the.US. Lesson learned.
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