Input voltage for P3

I’m using a new balanced transformer to feed my P3 and this one has an output voltage 10v higher than the old one. That means the voltage feeding the P3 can hit 260v for fairly extended periods of time. The output from the P3 is set to 240v to protect the rest of the system.

Everything seems to work fine, but my question is: will doing this for an extended period cause any reliability or safety problems with the P3 or is 260v within it’s comfort zone?

It’s a UK unit.

Hello Stormfriend,

It’s better to use your balanced power transformer after the P 3 .

The output ac of a balanced power transformer is higher than the input from the mains and your P 3 accept only unbalanced ac.

The live wire of the ac ( see inlet of your P 3 marker with + ) is related to synthesizer dac, transformer, amplifier inside the P 3

If you connect the P 3 on the balanced power transformer and you measure the output one of the outlets you will see there is no correct balanced power. ( use a Fluke multimeter ) related to safetyground and the both connections of the outlets HC or the regenerated outlets

I use to a balanced power transformer after my P 5 and this is the knowledge what I measure.

Try it and you will see what I mean.

Good luck.

Brian

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the feedback. I asked PS Audio if I could use the P3 after a balanced transformer a year or so ago and they said it would work fine. I realise the inputs revert back to single ended, but as long as the noise has been eliminated by the transformer I’m not too bothered. The transformer also increases distortion, which the P3 drops again, so it’s swings and roundabouts. If there’s anything unsafe about the outputs from the P3 however that would be an issue.

I did try the P3 in front of the transformer and that worked too. If I use the P3 to drop the input voltage then the +10v doesn’t matter as much (so it could work that way around), but then I’m running everything off a single zone on the P3. Again, swings and roundabouts. I’ll experiment both ways, but I need to check if the P3 is happy at 260v.

No problem with 260

Awesome, thanks.