If you forced me to choose one word to describe what the SP3 has improved I would use “texture”. Highly enjoyable.
Not sure my engineering brain can fully wrap itself around the science of why this is so. A properly designed audio component with all it’s requisite internal power supply regulation and power supply rejection ratio of all the parts shouldn’t care. Are we really that perceptive to such subtle changes / improvements?
I’m guessing the SP3 is improving on any short-comings in the internal power supplies of whatever is connected to it.
@Paul I’m one of those “nut jobs” that really loves properly designed ESLs. One more shameless plug for Roger Sanders and his fine company and products. Talk about revealing. Bad recordings have nowhere to hide.
Sitting in one of Roger’s demos where the single file row of chairs is lined up is really something extraordinary to hear. I forgive it’s lack of dynamics and bass because the see-through transparency is just nothing short of breathtaking. A real boost to the
spirit and something that makes me envious.
Thanks for your comments @Paul. Not sure what you mean by lack of bass or dynamics. I’m generally feeling quite immersed in a very real (read live music-like) experience. I’m a big fan of bass quality not quantity. It’s got to have loads of convincing transient response and stop-on-a-dime damping factor. Let’s agree to disagree when it comes to Sanders ESLs “shortcomings”. They are not like other similar products IMHO.
Works for me. I do have a great deal of respect for his work and when I listen I too am immersed.
I am having an issue with the SP3 remote. Can’t get it to function and have asked Walter L. from Underwood HiFi to request replacement. It appears that the battery terminals are somewhat compressed and don’t align very well with the positive end of the batteries. After a little gentle adjustment of said terminals still no dice.
Has anyone else experienced this issue?
Thanks.
Mine works fine. I assume still no dice with other batteries?
Yes have tried another set of new batteries.
If Walter hasn’t already hopped on this, send me a quick email at scott.schroeder@psaudio.com with your address and I’ll get a replacement remote out for you today.
Scott, thanks again for the super support. Look forward to the full featured version of the SP3 when the remote arrives.
FWIW, I just got this hooked up recently and I’m very pleased…using it for all my source components (PC -> Yggy -> Microzotl preamp -> BHK 250 --> Salk) and headphone amplifiers.
I think it’s a definite SQ improvement. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a dedicated line or I’m just in a electrically noisy location, but the best I can liken it to is the improvement I hear when listening late at night, after the tubes are warmed up and there is absolutely no other electrical noise in the house. There’s just that extra bit of clarity, or texture, or presence…or maybe all of the above. Whatever that difference is, it seems to impart any time I power things up, and with no detriment on dynamics to my ears either. Good job, Paul and crew!
I’ve wondered about this, and why that might be. I can’t think of a reason for it, other than the ambient background noise at night might be lower. I’m not sure you can make the claim that the quality of the electricity late at night is any better. When the Power Play thingy used to work, when I looked at the historical data and tried to pick a pattern to when the incoming THD was lower, you couldn’t. You just couldn’t say the quality of the power late at night was better, on average, than any other time of the day.
My experience differs. I have fairly low line THD at all times, but distinctly lower at night.
Systems sounding better at night is likely a combination of factors: cleaner power, quieter environment, listener less distracted/more receptive, etc.
Lots of factors change over the course of the day. At night there are fewer commercial users putting noise onto the grid but there may be more home air conditioners running when it’s hot. Utilities will add or take power plants off-line depending on the load so at times the power may have to travel farther. My Noise Harvesters often blink much more rapidly in the evening than during the day (at least weekend days as I’m not home often on weekdays) but I can’t say that that necessarily correlates with better or worse sound.
@yann.pigeaire I have the Wharfedale Jade 3 as well and they sound lovely. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine. Cheers!
I have the Jade 3 and can say they’re best in a smaller, more intimate room. I live in a Not So Big House and they’re fine. They’re also not ported so having them in a tight space is ok. They made a Jade floor standing speaker that would do better in your larger room.
For reasons discussed in another thread, I’ve ordered a SP3 for my BHK250. I also have a Modwright 9.0SE Pre and DSD Sr. Could SP3 accommodate all of those? Or should I just stick to the 250?
Unlikely that would come close to taxing it.
This is sort of a rhetorical question…
I realize that powering all components through a regenerator has its benefits, and in some cases, bigger is better. If I were sitting on a mountain of cash, for sure I’d have a few in my system.
But let’s say that like many of us mere minions out here, getting one of the “big boys” isn’t in the cards. We can afford the Stellar P3. Are we better off powering source components with the P3, or would it be more advantageous to use it on the power amp? I run primarily tubes (C-J electronics–amp, preamp, phono stage) plus a DS Jr., and my amp is on the modest side (only 70w/ch, which is plenty for my smaller room).