PS Audio or what?

[robertawillisjr]

I have two Shunyata Guardian (old style) power distributers. I have also had two Tice products and a Chang product. Before I bought the Shunyata's last year, I was considering the PS Audio Premier Power Plant. I wanted to get two. After a long conversation with a gentleman at Shunyata and a close look at my budget, I bought the Shunyata Guardians. They work well and are an improvement over my old Tice Power Plant III. They don't work well for my power amp*.

I am in the process of moving my audio stand from between the speakers and want to consider replacing the Guardians. Budget is around $2k for two. Which means that I'll be getting something used.

Why not PS Audio PPP?

* ML Quests (original owner), Mark Levinson 335 amp, Pathos InContro preamp, Esoteric DV50S, Pioneer Plasma, ClearAudio Emotion TT, ClearAudio Basic + phono preamp, Cable unit and Blu Ray player. Mostly DH Labs wiring.

 

[babydoc]

Power Distributors

I have two Shunyata Guardian (old style) power distributers. I have also had two Tice products and a Chang product. Before I bought the Shunyata's last year, I was considering the PS Audio Premier Power Plant. I wanted to get two. After a long conversation with a gentleman at Shunyata and a close look at my budget, I bought the Shunyata Guardians. They work well and are an improvement over my old Tice Power Plant III. They don't work well for my power amp*.

I am in the process of moving my audio stand from between the speakers and want to consider replacing the Guardians. Budget is around $2k for two. Which means that I'll be getting something used.

Why not PS Audio PPP?

* ML Quests (original owner), Mark Levinson 335 amp, Pathos InContro preamp, Esoteric DV50S, Pioneer Plasma, ClearAudio Emotion TT, ClearAudio Basic + phono preamp, Cable unit and Blu Ray player. Mostly DH Labs wiring.

If my math is correct you have about a dozen peripherals including speakers to hook up to power distributors. There are a number of good choices out there and the good news is that there is a used market for such devices. With a 2K budget you might be able to get the following in pairs:
Running Springs Audio Haley (2): 12 outlets
Nordost Thor (2): 12 outlets
Power Plant Premier (1) has 10 outlets

The most important thing is that the power distributors do not color the sound or limit the current. All of the above units will fill your bill. Good luck.

 

[robertawillisjr]

Thanks. Good used PPP's are going for about 1.2k each. Some dealers have refurbished ones for about 1k.

I've read a few reviews on Running Springs equipment, but haven't seen any. Had the Nortost in the system and the Guardian is its equal.

I guess the Cable Company's lending library is the next step.

 

[slowGEEZR]

I saw somewhere recently new or refurbished PPPs going for $1100, I think. The only drawback to PPPs is I think someone has mentioned they might reduce dynamics on very powerful amps??? But, I'm not sure I read that anywhere.

 

[robertawillisjr]

I saw somewhere recently new or refurbished PPPs going for $1100, I think. The only drawback to PPPs is I think someone has mentioned they might reduce dynamics on very powerful amps??? But, I'm not sure I read that anywhere.

I am now looking to using a PPP only in the rack and finding something for the amp and Spires or Summit Xs (depending upon consulting fees). I am now using PS Audio Duets (one each) for the Quests for switching and protection. I don't think I would want to use them for either the Spire or Summit X, so I need to plan for expansion.

If you guys haven't read Jeff's reviews about the Running Springs gear, you should. What I found valuable was his statement regarding high current power amps and power conditioners.

Thanks

 

[JMAUSGP]

I not only read Jeff's reviews, I actually put them to the test. I ran Running Springs Audio (RSA) Dmitri against a PS Audio Power Plant Premier(PPP) with a high current amp, a Simaudio Moon Titan.

Side by Side there was a noticeable difference in dynamics. The RSA had no compression, the PPP had noticeable compression and when drawing high current at fairly loud levels the RSA never flinches, at the time I had 4 PPPs and one of them blew up with a high current draw.

I talked to both RSA and PS Audio about ML and high current amps and RSA said no worries on any power amp, where as PS Audio specifically did not want me to use PPP on my ML system with the Simaudio Moon Titan.

I still use PPP on my components in one of my home theaters, it still works very well with components and I would recommend it for them, but not for Amps.

I now have 4 RSA conditioners, 1 PPP, and recently I got a PurePower 1050 for one of my video projectors. The idea that I could be watching while the power goes out and have the conditioner do battery backup for me is very appealing. Bulbs in the new Sony are $1K per pop.

PurePower claims that their top of the line model the 2000 is capable of handling any amp, but I have not verified that.

I have numberous PS Audio Duets and Power Bars for speakers, but I can say that a good Power Conditioner is the real deal. It makes the background black and it helps to keep the sound clean and crisp, IMO very noticeable difference between listening with and without, but of course YMMV.

 

[robertawillisjr]

Thanks. I've been in communication with a few folks that whose ears I trust and the consensus is Running Springs. I am also pulling the string on the Summit X so I really need to think what kind of Running Springs configuration I can stretch and reach.

 

[Dean Fox]

I have an PS Audio PPP, after reading all of these posts, I plugged my integrated amp (Boulder 865) directly into the wall and left all of the other components plugged into the PPP. I was greatly surprised that the difference was so instantly audible. The difference was not subtle. I am thinking about keeping the PPP for (phono, CD player, ML Vantages) then getting a RSA Duke for the integrated amp. Also, I think I read somewhere about line conditioners doing a very good job of filtering high voltage spikes but nothing to save the electronics from low voltage. Typically you can see the lights dim just prior to a power outage and it is the low voltage that really damages the equipment? thoughts, comments?

 

[JMAUSGP]

I have an PS Audio PPP, after reading all of these posts, I plugged my integrated amp (Boulder 865) directly into the wall and left all of the other components plugged into the PPP. I was greatly surprised that the difference was so instantly audible. The difference was not subtle. I am thinking about keeping the PPP for (phono, CD player, ML Vantages) then getting a RSA Duke for the integrated amp. Also, I think I read somewhere about line conditioners doing a very good job of filtering high voltage spikes but nothing to save the electronics from low voltage. Typically you can see the lights dim just prior to a power outage and it is the low voltage that really damages the equipment? thoughts, comments?

Dean,

I am not an engineer so I will defer to someone who knows the exact details and jargon, but my research has showed that low voltage is almost always followed by a power surge. It is the surge that causes the damage.

For the most part starving the equipment for power is much the same as cutting the power. The device turns off or can not perform.

However when a surge comes, it can blow transistors, tubes, capacitors, just about anything is game for destruction from a power surge.

 

[MOON]

You might want to look at getting one of these, an Audience Adept Response.This conditioner is none current limiting, so you can also plug your amp or mono amps into it. It made a vast improvement to my system.

You can also get this conditioner with teflon caps as well. Mine is the original version.

 

[Audioseduction]

You may want to check this unit out for the most ultimate pure power:
Balanced Power Technologies BP-3.5 Signature Plus w/Teflon V-Caps
@ http://www.b-p-t.com/balanced-power-ultra-isolators.html

I use 2 as I have 2x 20amp dedicated circuits for my 2CH system. I connect one PASS Labs XA160.5 Class A monoblock to each one. These provide 20A continuous rated output and peaks of 60A. They each weigh 65lbs.

 

[David Matz]

I second the Haley recommendation. At $700-$800 used there is nothing even close. The new Shunyata V-ray II may be better, but it costs 5 times as much.