Very excited about this purchase. I am a strong believer in the importance of clean power. My order was placed on 3/15, so I’m expecting receipt in a week or two. My system is all tube except for my CD player, DAC and Martin Logan Summit Xs. The tube components are mono block amps, pre amp, phono pre and headphone amp. Previous power conditioning was via Furman Elite 15. I plan to keep the Furman, thereby giving me a lot of power outlets. Between my components and enhancements I will need about 16 outlets.
Does anyone have any thoughts about what I should plug into each conditioner. Thanks in advance. I’m really looking forward to adding my first PS Audio Component. I do have two Sound Harvesters.
I’d say the critcal ones to put on there would be the monos, pre, phono pre, and DAC. CD player, too, would probably appreciate the perfect power.
The MLs are a little less critical since they’re only active on the bottom end. And the head amp depends on how much you’re using it and whether or not you have something else also vying for a spot.
Keep us posted on how things go when you get the P12 in!
The manuals could all be improved. Suggestions are made, they might get updated in response, they might not. Regarding SD card, the P12 manual says one is included in the box but it doesn’t tell you what to do with it. The manual refers you to release notes in the downloads section of the PS website but there is nothing there relevant to P12 at all. So your quest for answers comes to a dead end. All a little bit untidy, as you’ve noted.
Assume the SD has P12 software on it that has already been loaded on the P12 at the factory. If your P12 starts misbehaving you might need to re-flash the software, so keep the SD should the need arise. Otherwise you don’t need to do anything with it.
Done. Up and running. Meter shows a substantial improvement. If I’m reading it correctly, a factor of 25.
Amps, pre-amp and all source electronics are connected to the PP. Speakers, TT power supplies and speed controllers are connected to the Furman.
I’ve always thought that my system had a pretty low noise floor. It seems degrees lower now. I don’t know if there’s break-in period for the PP, but if there is, WOW!!
One new question. Would a better power cord make any difference in the PP’s ability to reduce noise and distortion?
I don’t know why but power cords make quite a difference on my P12. I guess it’s got something to do with so many things plugged into the P12, so it affect everything at the same time. I was using a Pangea AC9 SE Mk.II and the sound was rich, full, and very detail, but recently I put in a Acoustic Zen Gargantua Mk II and the sound is clearer and more open. You can change the sound by changing the power cord. I didn’t think the power cord can change the sound until I try it.
waymanchen11, thanks for your thoughts. A lot about audio is like that Bill Maher bit, “I don’t know it for a fact.I just know it’s true”. I use upgrade power cords in most of my equipment, but was wondering why one would make a difference when you’re regenerating power. I’m totally in your corner, but would love to hear an engineering type step in and comment.
Interesting, wouldn’t the better cable give you a purer version of the noise and distortion. This is getting way above my pay grade. Where are the engineers.
I am not engineer (and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night), but I recall Paul noting that depending on how noisy the incoming power is, a great power cable can make it easier for the regenerator to do its thing - thus having a positive impact. I would think that the power would have to be pretty wacked for a standard power cable to hinder the regenerator’s effectiveness. I am not a PS Audio Power Plant owner though, so I am not speaking from experience. Perhaps those with relevant experience will chime it.
I don’t recall him saying that before. But I do recall him talking about power cables in terms that they don’t improve anything. The better ones just do less damage, and are better at keeping EMI/RFI that is outside the cable, outside the cable.
Hey Alan. I do think the incoming power cable is important on a regenerator because the better we can manage to get power into the regenerator without noise or restriction the better sound we will wind up with in the end.
It’s instructive to remember that while the Power Plant dramatically improves all aspects of the power feeding our equipment it is not perfect. So any help we can give it is appreciated.
Another thing to remember is that one of the greatest sources of transmitted noise comes from the very equipment that is most sensitive to it, our stereo gear. A Power Plant is a big power amplifier. As such it generates EMI because of its power supply conversion from AC to DC. Using a well shielded power cable keeps that generated EMI out of the system and away from the other equipment. That’s important. Also, a Power Plant can take pretty big gulps of power from the line (although not for long periods). The heavier the gauge of incoming power cable we can manage the less restriction we suffer.
Those are just a few of the issues and reasons why one would want to have a heavy properly shielded power cable feeding the regenerator.
