my only and last saviour - ps audio power plant premier

an audiophile who doesn't think electricity is important to his system can either fall into the following categories: (1) his system doesn't have the resolution (2) his ears can't tell (3) all of the above.

seriously, electricity can make or break or system; the higher you go, the more dependent it is on electricity. having installed 3-phase in my house, i now have a more complete understanding how electricity impacts my hifi system.

first, 3-phase is not the solution to all problems. even for me, i still face nights where the electricity is less than ideal, 3-phase notwithstanding. my conclusion is that loading in my area (bandar utama) is very high.

when i mean less-than-ideal electricity, i don't mean having voltage less than 240V! the voltage can be a very stable and healthy 240V but the QUALITY of the electricity can be poor. this is the common misunderstaning of many audiophiles who think that they need a voltage stabilizer to maintain at 240V. in fact, i would strongly advise you to stay away for active components like voltage regulator/stabilizer. these active devices impose their own sonic signature on the sound and their have a "strangling" effect on dynamic music passages.

now, back to loading and quality of electricity. in my case, the purest electricity is obtained from morning 8am to afternoon 2pm; the best being at 2pm when presumably there are very few people at home. the worst electricity is obtained from 7pm all the way to 12 midnight. another astute observation is that on cooler nights, the electricity is better than hotter nights, when presumably more people utilize air-conditioners, the chief culprit and sucker of electricity.

now, how to tell when the electricity is bad? again, it is not about voltage reading (ie. less than 240V). you would detect that images become bloated, larger than usual and less focused, and highs become blunt. i would advise that you develop a reference cd to detect this anomaly. if you are not a critical listener, you wouldn't even detect this deterioration!

my richard gray 600s DOES NOT HELP in situation like this. so, don't think that by having a conditioner will solve your problems. i am banking on the new line of PS audio ac regenerator, my only hope and saviour.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are actually a bit behind. The technology has been around for quite sometime. Before PS Audio revamped their power plants by introducing the PPP we already had the ExactPower 15A and the current favourite the APS PurePower. Sadly regeneration has its limits when it comes to handling larger Power Amps so it does not solve all problems and some manufacturers like ML actually regenerate power themselves in their power amps.

I wish regeneration was the solution but its very system dependent. What works for you may not work for someone else. There are people who do believe that the passive approach e.g Shunyata Hydra 8 or their new V-Ray is the ultimate solution.

Which works best - Shunyata, PS Audio, ExactPower, APS PurePower really depends on your system.

RGPC is something totally different. Its about bringing your noise level down (40dB) and handling the demands of your amp that your supply can't handle fast enough so irrespective of what you use (mentioned above) you will always benefit by having one in your system.

maggielurva 愛美姬 said...

hiya, of course i am aware of ps audio power plant (and its poor reliability!) and some other similar products long ago. it is just that my system at that time hadn't reached that level of resolution that it has now.

basically i am open to try ANYTHING. if you have the exact power or APS, i am keen to loan one from you and try. how can i contact you?

thanks for the feedback!

Anonymous said...

Tong Lee I am sure they will be happy to loan you either the ExactPower or the PurePower.
One more think you should note is the voltage these units generate including the PPP. If I remember correctly its 230V not 240V. Then again a good 230V is better than a poorly formed 240V from your wall.

Looking forward to hear your opinions on all three.