Thinking about taking the plunge into regenerated power as it seems like a component that is a good long term investment. Good power will still be good power in 10 years, right? I’m thinking about trying to pick up a used P10. I know they don’t make them anymore, but does anyone have any idea the lifespan of these components?
I’ve had a Power Plant Premier (PPP), P3, P10 and now a P20. I would not buy a PPP (even for $100). Any of the others, if you find a good deal and it’s in good shape, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it. My guess, the life span of a P10 is 20 years. Very solid device!
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I recently added a P-10 to my system. Buckle up when you first sit down to listen to your system when it is all powered through it. If your system responds the way mine did you will be stunned and wonder how you ever lived without it!
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The average lifespan of my powerplants has been one to two years. Others have had theirs for years longer without issue. The question to ask is not lifespan, because your mileage can vary. It might last 1 day, or 1 year, or 10 years. The question you need to ask is, are they holding a full set of spares to fix it should it break down.
One to two years?! Can I get some people to reassure me that this is a fluke? I can’t invest in that headache. I also can’t believe that this is anywhere near the norm.
I’ve owned about 10 (PPP, P3, P5, P10), and the average lifespan for me is what I said (shortest = 6 months before breakdown, longest = 3 years). Every single one of them has broken down. The important thing is having the parts to fix them, and nothing of mine that broke down couldn’t be fixed.
I believe you. I also believe that it’s very important that they can be fixed. I don’t think I would subject myself to the hassle of having to send out my unit every year for repair.
It might not be every year. It might be never. That’s my point. Some work for years without issue, others don’t. For me the cost of ownership hasn’t been high. I’ve paid for shipping to have stuff repaired, but never paid for parts.
I’d treat myself to a new P12 before taking a gamble on a used P10, assuming not much of a price difference between the two.
I would think the life of the P-10 would be relative to how much a users system demands of it. I bought a used P-10 that still has 2 years of warranty left on it for less than half the cost of the P-12 and it has way more capacity! Not all of us audiophiles have an endless supply of money like some. My P-10 will last well as even when playing at high levels I am demanding around 10% of it’s capacity.
I have had a Power Plant Premier for more than ten years with no problem, which is counter to a lot that I’ve read. I had a P5 for five years trouble free before I sold it and I’m three years into a P10 without a bit of trouble.
Not necessarily so. My load is constant, it hardly changes. My P3, which has the lowest load bearing capacity of all of them, has lasted the longest.
I would second the advice on avoiding PPP. (My discounted PPP from an authorized dealer failed out of the box and I returned it & applying the credit toward a brand new P5). Glad you got a good PPP. 
I have a six plus year old P5 and a several month old P12. P5 and P12 are great devices.
Fair enough…I’m not all that savvy with used prices in other parts of the world.
I also second the sentiments on the PPP … don’t buy it; and if you already own one and it breaks, negotiate a trade-up with PSA. As I recall, the PPP was fairly limited in it’s ability to cut or boost … so a relatively stable 110/230V was required.
With the P3; P5; P10 and above, a certain “threshold” was reached and exceeded in terms of reliability, efficiency and the ability to handle “third-world” wildly fluctuating power conditions.
Having said all of the above: Heat (I think) is the enemy of longevity, so I always made sure my P5, P10 and now P20 runs at 50% max or less capacity.
Brodric. You are out of Australia aren’t you? Confirm or deny. I just wonder if that is relative. It just seems like a power regen should be pretty benign doesn’t it? Maybe I just view it incorrectly.
My long term plan include jumping up quite a bit in terms of speaker quality( something like Bowers and willing 800 or 802 d3’s, I’m open to suggestions!) and appropriate monoblocks to power in the next 2 or so years. So now I’m thinking about grabbing up a used p10 and getting a few years out of it and potentially trading it in for the p15 or p20. It only makes sense to me if the p10 is reliable.
The products are designed for the markets in which they are sold in, but I’ve a hunch the EX versions tend to break down more often than US versions.
Then buy one with some transferable warranty left on it.
Yeah, that seems to be the move that makes the most sense. Thanks for all of your input.
I owned 2 x P-10s and both developed faults. I was told, but I don’t know the veracity of it, that there was some underlying fault/issue with the earlier 240 volt models ? Anyway, I had trouble with both my P-10s. They were checked over and supposedly repaired but still I experienced ongoing hassle with both of them so I got rid of them.
…I’ve bought 2 x Dectet, 2 x P-10s, PWT, 2 x DS-DACs, DMP, BHK preamp, 2 x BHK 250s and 4 x (2-pairs) BHK300s…
Apart from the DS-DACs, I have had issues/problems/faults with all of my PSA equipment. “Brand-new equipment arrived broken” The BHK preamp: the large ribbon wire was trapped underneath the transformer which shorted-out and blew up the microprocessor on the front panel hence both the display and the volume ceased to function… I also found a loose screw lying inside the BHK preamp…! BHK250 arrived with a front panel so badly marked ( AND: it was the wrong panel fitted, arrived with a BHK300 panel!!) I could clearly see the damage from 10 feet away - but it passed several inspection checks before it was wrapped in plastic then placed in the packing carton.
It costs a “lot of money” to buy P S Audio in the UK….no special trade-in deals, no factory purchase, etc.
The latest issue - which started just before Christmas: when I switch on the BHK preamp, and after the 45 second tube heating up process, the display reads FAULT then the blue light on the front switch flashes ON & OFF repeatedly ……If I keep repeating the process - it eventually sorts itself out…?
…I intend to keep the both the DS-DACs and DMP but I am selling all the BHK equipment this year …