Seen other posts about how getting getting a P12 or P15 or P20 … but my power requirements are very low:
old early 80’s Meridian 2 x100 watt mono class A/B blocks
and it’s accompanying pre amp
Prismsound Calia DAC
BlluOS streamer
500W class D amp Dynaudio S18 sub (I understand the class D components are super efficient in terms of power management?)
I’m guessing the P12 would be plenty, yes?
AND (apologies in advance) to play devil’s advocate, how do we know there are not trolls or PS Audio sales folks on this forum simply saying “buy a P15 or P20” because they want to make the sale?
Can’t answer your main question but as to your second, I think you’ll find PS Audio runs this forum with a very gentle hand and even reco’s of other manufacturers equipment are fine here. You’ll get good advice from folks who own all the various Powerplants as well as PS audio employees who are identified who will steer you to what you need not what they want to sell. Read back over previous threads on the topic for evidence I am not shilling for the hosts. Welcome to the forum and good luck with whatever you end up with. Cheers, Jim
Thanks to all who have chimed in. I’m skeptical of hearing big sound improvements, but of course won’t know until I try a PowerPlant and listen with my own ears. I’m presently auditioning a passive conditioner, the Equi=tech 1.5RQ and not noticing a difference enough to warrant the $6K Canadian. So, I’d love to do a comparison while I have the 1.5RQ in for my 30 day demo. I seemed to have lost some of the dynamics I saw Paul talking about in one of his videos while using this passive conditioner. I’m quite sure my dedicated 15 amp line is running pretty clean given I heard only perhaps the slightest improvement in the low end and nothing else. BTW, I’m using new Harbeth C7ES-3 X XD speakers which I’m really enjoying.
Davida, Did you notice a difference in sonic improvement using the same gear when upgrading from the P12 to the P15? Of course, I’m quite sure I already know the answer to that question…!
I suppose another question, has there been anyone on this forum that demo’d a PowerPlant and DIDN"T hear a sonic improvement?
PS, the only documentation I could find on this 40 year old Meridian power amp is this: Meridian 105 Mono Power Amplifier Manual | HiFi Engine I had a chance to compare these old mono blocks to a newer Pass Labs x250 and also Bryston 4B3, liked the Bryston better than the Pass Labs - but still like my Meridian 105 mono blocks better at 1/3 the poor rating…just way less clinical sounding to my ears and very “musical”.
My story…went from a Quintessence passive conditioner
to a P5 (predessor to P12)…the change was very revelatory
of what a regenerator could do above and beyond my Quintessence.
Then when P12 came out with new and better chip that does the
regenerating along with greatly reduced output impedance…
The sound quality took quite a jump in improvements over the P5.
Time came when a special was announced with a significant
price reduction for the P15 came along…I was able to sell the
P12 and acquire the P15…
And yes…the P15 brings to the table a more relaxed sound
better all around imaging and 3D spatial rendering and holographic
sound.
The P12 did all the above very very well…I did my upgrade
to allow for my upcoming Parasound JC5 amplifier…
It is an amazing thing what Paul and PS Audio are doing
for us by providing a trade in trade up program…Great for
future expandability.
thanks Davida for your quick reply. I suspect my AC is actually quite clean…hence wondering if I’m really going to notice a big difference (your comparison to bad gas) using a PowerPlant.
To be clear Davida, were you able to do a P12 to P15 side by side listening test unplugging and plugging in the same audio gear back and forth between the P12 and P15?
Welcome @Cardel
Meridian made some great monoblocs in the 80s and 90s, including pure class A. I currently run their reference 857 (A/B class) with a PSA P15 power regenerator. I think a P12 could have done the job (I use about 250 watts), but I needed more plugs for my gear.
My incoming power is balanced, and the distortion is normally 0.4, but I have serious voltage changes. I could get 223v, but in a few hours, things could be at 236v. Distortion out is constant 0.1 and output voltage is flat 230v. The sound quality is so good with the P15, I would not consider replacing it unless it dies beyond repair.
Hi @Cardel - welcome to the forum! I think you’ll find most folks here above board and genuinely interested in helping with no ulterior motive. Several folks have shared examples of their experience and I thought I’d share one of mine as it speaks to the genuineness of the PSA folks who support and participate in the forum.
A few years ago I began incrementally upgrading my system. One of the changes I made was to replace an AQ Niagara 1000 with a PowerPlant 12. I made my model choice based on the aggregate power demands of my system. PSA gave me every penny I paid for the Niagara in trade for the P12. I had no complaints about the Niagara 1000 but the P12 was in a different league. This was my first venture into power regeneration but I’m a believer and will always have one in any serious system I own.
With the P12 in place, I turned my attention to possibly replacing my Manley Chinook phono preamp with a Stellar Phono pre. As both devices leverage discrete circuitry, I thought who would know better about what I might expect from a change than the SPP’s designer @DarrenMyers . I sent Darren an email and described my system and that I thought the next step would be changing the phono stage. If there was ever an opportunity to shill for PSA, Darren certainly had it. Much to my surprise, however, his suggestion was that the biggest opportunity for improving my system’s sound was upgrading from the P12 to the P20. Long story short, I ordered a P20 (trading in my P12) and instantly knew where he was coming from. It remains in my system today and would probably be the last component likely to be replaced. My point is not to suggest a P20 over a P12 in your case but rather to show that, in my experience, PSA will give you honest advise. The 30-day return policy is truly no risk in that you can hear how your purchase sounds in your room with the rest of your system. If anything doesn’t meet your expectations, I understand returns are handled in a hassle-free manner (I have no personal experience with returns - only trade-ins). As in all things do your due diligence. You are wise to ask and be curious if not skeptical. All the best in whatever direction you decide to go!
Cardel, no I did not do an ab comparison…P12 vs P15.
However as I stated earlier…"And yes…the P15 brings to the table a more relaxed sound better all around imaging and 3D spatial rendering and holographic sound. "
Even though you may think your power is clean…you may be unaware
of the thd on the line that damages the sine wave of the incoming ac.
The thd however small it may be, 2-3% is enough to degrade the
sq of your system’s capability.
The P12 is able to reduce the incoming ac thd down from the 2-3%
even 5-6% in many cases down to an outgoing .1% thd from the
P12. Sonically that is huge…made me a strong believer in the
power regenerators PS Audio offers.
My old PS Audio Quintessence could start cleaning crud from the
ac line starting at around 2000 hz, that’s according to the manual.
It employed a huge but light weight nano crystaline winding
of super permeability…and it did what I thought was a wonderful job
improving my sq…It is still in use 15 years later with my tv.
Then along came my P5 my 1st power regenerator. The difference
was more than stunning above and beyond my Quintessence.
All power line conditioners are unable to correct the incoming thd
coming on the ac line, but the P12 surely can and will…
It used to be that PS Audio offered a 30 day free home trial.
If for some reason it didn’t do as expected you then request
an rma# ship it back and get a refund…However I don’t know
if PS Audio still offers the free home trial… There is no harm
in calling and asking…
Thanks all for chiming in. Will give a call to tech support today to discuss options. I’d reached out in an email and got a reply from Chris Harden with whom I’ll hopefully talk to today.
