You will like it even better three days later.
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My take on power feeds at this point is to recognise that digital and analogue components have very different power requirements.
Amplifiers are relatively low frequency devices with high peak power demand and the emphasis is on minimising cable/source impedance and with capacity/reserves to match the amplifier peak slew-rate demand. Digital components are high frequency devices with a constant low-power demand and the emphasis is on noise reduction, including mains-borne between the components.
I have a P12 and it tells me that the mains power in my area is relatively good - THD 2% with a fairly regular waveform. I’ve consistently found that the amplifier sounds best connected directly to the mains. It would appear, on the one hand, that on my supply the P12 is not required to do much cleanup while, on the other hand, it is limiting instantaneous power delivery to the amp. Although it has a low output impedance, total impedance and slew rate will be determined by its own internal power supply. A bigger unit might perform better.
On the digital side, I had the P12 connecting all of the digital components, including the DS DAC Mk2, in the usual way with short mains leads. This was causing high frequency noise contamination from unit to unit via mains leads – the problem I was trying to solve. Connecting the DS DAC Mk2 directly to a mains spur via a long 20m. cable reduced high frequency noise and has delivered the best sound. I did try connecting the DS DAC Mk2 to the P12 on a long lead but found some deterioration. The P12 is not designed as a high-frequency noise filter (it filters, I believe, up to up to 1kHz). The only explanation I have is that the P12 is itself contributing some high frequency noise of its own, which has been reported.
The above is not criticism of the P12. Its job is to re-create a pure mains supply, along with providing main switching and protection functions etc. It’s just that on my supply and with the units I’m powering, its effects are limited.
Currently, I have all components connecting directly to the mains through long leads. The sound is lovely. My plan is to re-wire the mains spur supply to create a low impedance circuit for the amplifier, and a low noise circuit to eliminate unit-to-unit noise on the digital side.
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Another method of high frequency noise reduction for digital gear worth your consideration is to use a Puritan PSM-156 plugged into your P-12. In my system I am using a P-15 power conditioner for the purity of AC waveform, and the Puritan for everything else in terms of noise reduction from unit to unit as well as individual noise reduction of digital (or other) components plugged into it - a nice synergy taking advantage of the virtues of both conditioners.
That’s interesting. I’ve often wondered if that would be a useful strategy.
That is an interesting approach. Have you tried comparing them to each other on their own?
@tedsmith can you share an update on what you are currently working on?
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