ESL15As into a PS Audio P20

[Ken Mitchell]

Greetings!

I am going to purchase, or at least trial, a PS Audio P20 Power regenerator. I believe I am receiving a variable quality power supply, I’m definitely getting a little low level hum. Mid-week evenings, my ESL 15A speakered system sounds fantastic, and at other times it just isn’t anywhere near as good.

I’m in the UK so the P20 edition I would obtain would have just 2 high current outlets one of which would be used for the power amp.

So, what to do about the ESL 15As? 2 speakers, 2 power cables, one high output outlet left on the P20. Does anyone know, can I plug the ESL 15As in to the lower current outlets on the P20? My old Sequel IIs, I would not even have asked but these ESL 15As each have 500w internal amps for the bass units.

Possibly, another solution would be to use a ‘double adapter’ so I could plug both ESL 15As in to the remaining high output outlet on the P20.

My Krell power amp is Class A 80W per channel but the manual says it peaks at 140W. My pre amp volume rarely gets above the 30% position.

I would appreciate any advice or thoughts as my knowledge of current, power, wattage etc is just not good enough to work this out. I will of course, be asking the same question to the retailer (fortunately they sell both PS Audio and ML), however you guys have a lot more experience and knowledge than a random sales bod in the retailer.

 

[user 49612]

For a fact the 15As barely draw any power. Plug them into any outlet, it would work fine. (The class D amps runVery efficient)

But PLEASE demo a Puritan 156 or 1512 first. Miles ahead of a P20

 

[Nuri58]

Ahh up to 900w per channal. But of course at normal operation not so much.

 

[Leporello]

Greetings!

I am going to purchase, or at least trial, a PS Audio P20 Power regenerator. I believe I am receiving a variable quality power supply, I’m definitely getting a little low level hum. Mid-week evenings, my ESL 15A speakered system sounds fantastic, and at other times it just isn’t anywhere near as good.

I’m in the UK so the P20 edition I would obtain would have just 2 high current outlets one of which would be used for the power amp.

So, what to do about the ESL 15As? 2 speakers, 2 power cables, one high output outlet left on the P20. Does anyone know, can I plug the ESL 15As in to the lower current outlets on the P20? My old Sequel IIs, I would not even have asked but these ESL 15As each have 500w internal amps for the bass units.

Possibly, another solution would be to use a ‘double adapter’ so I could plug both ESL 15As in to the remaining high output outlet on the P20.

My Krell power amp is Class A 80W per channel but the manual says it peaks at 140W. My pre amp volume rarely gets above the 30% position.

I would appreciate any advice or thoughts as my knowledge of current, power, wattage etc is just not good enough to work this out. I will of course, be asking the same question to the retailer (fortunately they sell both PS Audio and ML), however you guys have a lot more experience and knowledge than a random sales bod in the retailer.

Low level hum isn't necessarily a problem you need a power regenerator to solve. It may, just by isolating from your house ground, but so would an isolation transformer. Either a piece in your chain has a faulty power supply, you're getting external pickup from somewhere, or you have a ground loop somewhere. The latter 2 causes can probably be solved for free, the former is not going to be helped by a power regenerator.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

The speakers hardly draw anything, just plug them into the wall. As others said, a regenerator won't solve hum, that's usually a grounding issue.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

For a fact the 15As barely draw any power. Plug them into any outlet, it would work fine. (The class D amps runVery efficient)

But PLEASE demo a Puritan 156 or 1512 first. Miles ahead of a P20

Thanks muchly TiBoneFramer. That's a relief!

I've read all about the Puritans, they appear to be very good value for money compared to the PS Audio, but those that have used both seem to point to the P20 being better sound quality. Would be interested to hear your opinion on SQ.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

Low level hum isn't necessarily a problem you need a power regenerator to solve. It may, just by isolating from your house ground, but so would an isolation transformer. Either a piece in your chain has a faulty power supply, you're getting external pickup from somewhere, or you have a ground loop somewhere. The latter 2 causes can probably be solved for free, the former is not going to be helped by a power regenerator.

Thanks Leporello. I do get very good sound quality on weekday nights, even with the low level hum. The sound quality at weekends isn't so good, more people at home, doing more people things, more rubbish on the power lines - I'm guessing.

The hum was only introduced (or perhaps exposed) when I plugged in a Isotek power cable in to the power amp. If I put the original power cable back in to the amp, the hum vanishes. I left the Isotek in anyway as (to my ears anyway) it sounded better. (Just giving some context here, definitely not wanting to open the power cable can of worms! )

 

[Sedgewick]

Ken, don’t know your budget, but I’m using a Shunyata Hydra Alpha power conditioner. My sound quality also was previously all over the place at different times of day. The Hydra fixed that totally. I recently tried a Puritan 156 which is supposed to reduce transformer hum, but to no avail. It also introduced a fatiguing aspect to the sound, almost clinical, that the Shunyata does not give. Plus, all outputs on the Shunyata are high voltage. I’m a newbie to this this forum also, West Sussex UK. At least here in the UK our power is relatively stable, very rare to get any spike to take out any electronics!

 

[Fidji99]

Greetings!

I am going to purchase, or at least trial, a PS Audio P20 Power regenerator. I believe I am receiving a variable quality power supply, I’m definitely getting a little low level hum. Mid-week evenings, my ESL 15A speakered system sounds fantastic, and at other times it just isn’t anywhere near as good.

I’m in the UK so the P20 edition I would obtain would have just 2 high current outlets one of which would be used for the power amp.

So, what to do about the ESL 15As? 2 speakers, 2 power cables, one high output outlet left on the P20. Does anyone know, can I plug the ESL 15As in to the lower current outlets on the P20? My old Sequel IIs, I would not even have asked but these ESL 15As each have 500w internal amps for the bass units.

Possibly, another solution would be to use a ‘double adapter’ so I could plug both ESL 15As in to the remaining high output outlet on the P20.

My Krell power amp is Class A 80W per channel but the manual says it peaks at 140W. My pre amp volume rarely gets above the 30% position.

I would appreciate any advice or thoughts as my knowledge of current, power, wattage etc is just not good enough to work this out. I will of course, be asking the same question to the retailer (fortunately they sell both PS Audio and ML), however you guys have a lot more experience and knowledge than a random sales bod in the retailer.

Only now seeing the thread, so probably useless post.

PS Audio “high current” socket, is actually degrading the performance of your power amps, taking away 10% ov available watts and actually improving nothing in respect of better sound.

Low curremt sockets just do nothing useful, but are harmless.

 

[paulr1]

Only seeing this thread as well ;-), but I have Exact Power EP15 & SP15 no longer made that clean up my power and provide balanced power just in case. BUT, low level hum may be coming from your amp power supply capacitors. I have replaced them on my 1k watt monoblocs after trying many of the suggested 'cures' lifting the grounds, etc. Better to take your amp to a repair shop and have them check it out.

 

[Steelhead]

I had issues with electricity at my place. There is a transformer out in front of my yard and it emitted a very loud constant hum and I thought the damn thing was defective or on it's last legs. Contacted the power company and they sent a tech out and he checked my lines, agreed that the transformer was loud but within spec and came into my house and confirmed some line noise and stated he would send somebody above his pay grade to check. That never occurred but in the meantime I came across a Powerplant 15 at a great price and said what the Hell and bought it.

It was new so I had a 30 day try it and buy it or return it for full price refund, so figured try it. So glad I dd. It solved my line noise gremlins like right now. After 2-3 days it was not going anywhere. I have about a year with it now and it has been a great purchase for this listener.

Don't know if you have a try it or buy it option but in my case the Powerplant 15 was easily worth it to me. Own 15a's as well

Happy listening and hope you get your issue squared away.