Power reserve

Power Components
1

I am interested to know if there is a maximum power we can take the P10 to that doesn’t sound sonically inferior to a P10 operating at 35%. I have found that cutting the power by shutting off the extraneous components and dropping the load to half gives me more dynamics.

So I imagine that there is headroom that need to be addressed. I think that two P10’s operating at 35% are better than one operating at 70%. What do you think?

2

I’m really sorry that someone from PS Audio was unable to answer my question above. I am waiting patiently. Thanks

3

I suspect no one interpreted your post as requiring a response, as it merely asked for opinions.

It appears you have already answered your question for your yourself in your system; i.e., “I have found that cutting the power by shutting off the extraneous components and dropping the load to half gives me more dynamics.”

As each system and incoming power are different, if you are seriously planning to buy another P10 if it would sound better - buy another and try it out. PS Audio will graciously accept it back it you do not find the improvement sufficient.

4

I run 3 P10’s in my system. They are driven to 30-40% each. I agree adding more P10 will certainly improve the sound.

It can be more contributed to better isolation than power reserve, if you prefer this term, usually I refer to output headroom. Heat and longevity are other major factors. I can take away one P10 and run the rest with higher loading, but I find running a P10 over 40% for some time really generates a lot of heat. The heat sunk becomes too hot to touch. Since it is an active component with the usual transistors and capacitors, continuous running in high heat causes early failures.

In fact I have two P10 output modules replaced after 2.5 year use. Fortunately with 3 year warranty, it is free. If you are running a P10 close to 70%, it would be very advisable to add one more.

5
fildor said I am interested to know if there is a maximum power we can take the P10 to that doesn't sound sonically inferior to a P10 operating at 35%. I have found that cutting the power by shutting off the extraneous components and dropping the load to half gives me more dynamics.

So I imagine that there is headroom that need to be addressed. I think that two P10’s operating at 35% are better than one operating at 70%. What do you think?


Sorry I didn’t answer earlier. There’s no doubt there is a sweet spot with P10’s and more is certainly better. But much depends on the type of load. Some loads, like those with low power factors, take a lot of current from the P10 and keeping the usage below 50% would be advised, add more P10’s if you exceed it. Problem is, most people don’t know what their loads look like so some of this has to be done on faith a bit.

Generally I advise people to keep P10 usage below 50% for best results.

6

Thank you for giving me the answer I thought it would be but just wanted you to confirm it. I will be buying more p10’s. Thanks

7

Hoping to tag on the backend of this thread, which appears to have resolved the original poster’s query in a fashion I appreciate (i.e. learnt quite a few new things along the way).

I’m just about to add some older xStream Plus power cords which I picked up today used and will be able to power all my components from these, including an as yet not converted Mac Mini server).

–

The additional query :

  • would be very interested to hear viewpoint (of anyone willing to post - thanks in advance), their qualitative or quantitive opinion / guess / conviction of “how much” difference a P5 or P10 makes to their system, and whether they have any special issues (e.g. whether specific noise issues exist in apartments or commercial buildings, or whatever may apply).

Speaking to a non-PS Audio dealer, it’s been suggested to me that “filtration” technology is more effective that power regeneration, since that person associated regeneration with reduced dynamics. (power level not addressed).

With Thanks

8

It’s been so long since I lived without a PSA power regenerator of some sort that it’s hard to answer the first question. It does make a significant improvement, and each generation of Power Plant has been better than the last (I go back to the first regenerator, the P300). I live in a townhouse in Queens (NYC) and our power lines are underground so I can’t tell what I share with my neighbors (e.g., how many houses on a transformer, etc.). I do know that power quality varies over the day, and not always predictably. One give away is that I have some PSA Noise Harvesters (a type of parallel power filter) and the rate at which they blink goes from once every few seconds to non-stop. (As I’ve been writing this it has done just that and back again and I have no idea why.) Anybody can have bad power at times. It depends on what your neighbors (residential and commercial) are doing, which power plants your utility is running at the time, etc. I wouldn’t go so far as to say a Power Plant makes your system immune to problems on your power line but it’s closer than anything else I’ve tried.

Based on my experience your dealer has things reversed. I have tried PSA and non-PSA filters (e.g., some Monster filters that were well reviewed many years ago). PSA’s filters are much better when it comes to not restricting current flow because that’s a problem they understand very well and they design around it. Power Plants have a great deal of reserve power (thanks to large capacitor banks) and actually have lower output impedance than the wall socket. Whatever brand of filter your dealer sells cannot claim that.