New P3 on the way!

I just heard from FedEx that my new P3 should arrive on Friday! I’m really looking forward to hearing what improvements it brings over my old P500, which is going back in trade if I like the P3. As usual, many thanks to @jamesh for making it all possible. I’m absolutely not looking forward to packing and shipping the P500, but I guess that’s all part of the game. As heavy as it is, at least it’s not one of the true behemoth models. :wink:

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Thanks Craig, great to hear its on the way! Good timing just before a holiday. Should give you good time to set it up and enjoy some good tunes!

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I set back an APC S-15 on a P12. That was one heavy device. Cost me $100 to ship it. Well worth it considering the generous trade in credit received.

It’s in town, at the local FedEx shop. Guess I’ll be picking it up tomorrow. :partying_face:

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Xmass in November!! Now you kids go to sleep already.

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Picked it up from FedEx over the weekend and over lunch today I pulled the old P500 and inserted the P3.

Because it’s pulling only light duty providing music for the home office right now, I don’t have any big impressions yet, other than a) it works :wink: and b) turning the volume up for a short while to critical listening levels, I never got out of “blue” range. That’s with almost everything powered from its regen receptacles, including the two M700s. Only the turntable motor and the sub get their power elsewhere.

Assuming it will benefit from burn-in, I’ll keep things running for a while before I make any judgments.

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Glad it got there safely. Hope setup went smoothly. Definitely let that guy settle in for a few hours, burn in is definitely relevant for the P3.

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Ultimate outlet and juice bar! Nice! Must be a long term PS guy. I still have one of each going strong the the living room system.

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Yes, sharp eyes! I even have two PS duplex wall receptacles on a dedicated circuit feeding it all. They were installed when we built the house 15 years ago.

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I can relate! Find something you like and enjoy! What are your speakers?

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Speakers are Magnepan .7s with a Hsu sub.

Quick update after a couple of weeks: I’m really enjoying the P3. The audible difference between it and my old P500 is subtle, but I think objectively real, at least to my ears. As quiet as the noise floor became with my recent upgrade from the Emo BasX A-300 to the M700 monoblocks, I believe I’m hearing an additional, if marginal, improvement in that area with the P3 in the system. It’s a little difficult to articulate - it’s not as though I was noticing noise before and it’s gone now; it’s more a matter of additional detail and texture in the sound of instruments and voices seems to be brought out in a tiny bit more relief. They’re the kind of “micro-cues” that I think tend to get obscured by system noise, even when that noise is at levels that aren’t immediately and readily audible on its own. I don’t know enough about electrical engineering to say whether that kind of effect is attributable at all to the quality of power fed to equipment or not, but that’s what my ears are telling me.

And between any general improvements in PSA’s regenerator designs since the old P500, and the Class D operation of the new M700s, I’m finding, rationally or not, some purely subjective satisfaction and comfort in knowing I can drive all of the system’s main components, including the monoblocks, with clean, regenerated power without a hint of audible strain in any part of the system, or for that matter, without ever seeing the beginnings of color change in the blue output LED.

I think we have another keeper here.

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Thanks for the update Craig! Good honesty here and I think a lot of us know exactly what you’re getting at! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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James, just thought I’d let you know I’m packing up the P500 and plan to get it to UPS on Tuesday of this week. It’s fortunate I have the original packing material for it, considering its weight.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know it will be on its way to you guys soon, to complete the trade. I can’t say whether the holiday shipping crush will delay it, but at least it will be out the door before the 30 days are up. :wink:

Thanks for keeping me posted Craig! No worries about any delays either. I completely understand considering everything.

The ol’ P500 had a good run!!

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