PDA

View Full Version : New Power Plant coming soon


Ammonite Audio
27-05-2011, 16:33
Just as I was hoping that Kevin of Signature Systems had forgotten about my order for the new PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 5 (http://www.psaudio.com/ps/products/description/perfectwave-power-plant-5?cat=power), so that I could spend the money set aside on a new gas boiler, he phoned to confirm that it will be ready in a couple of weeks. Drat! I'm secretly chuffed, though, since the new unit is supposed to be much better than the PPP.

http://www.psaudio.com/uploads/images/products/P5-straight-on.jpg
IanG-UK
03-06-2011, 22:40
I've a lot of time for PS Audio, for Paul MaGowan (the top man) and for Kevin at Signature Systems, the UK distributor.

I have three Power Plant Premiers, including one which was problematic and fixed within days.

I believe there was a general design fault for UK markets which I suffered from on one PPP, namely there were limitations on the degree to which one could adjust the (undistorted) output voltage from the (distorted) input voltage.

Currently, my Vin is generally 251V and I set my Vout at 245V - and the THD in and out are 1.6% and 0,4% respectively. Originally I set Vout at 230V and this caused instability with the PPP - I understand that with the new PerfectWave Power Plants, whether P5 or P10, this fault has been eliminated.

In addition, the front panel has more data and more "playthings" along with an internet connection which might be useful - certainly for fault diagnosis and correction.

I did try to persuade Paul McGowan to display, visually, how the PWPP5 is "better" than the PPP, but he declined. For understandable reasons as he set out in his newsletter:

"I know many of you want me to now list all the reasons why (the PWPP5) is so much better and I’ve taken a lot heat on the forums on the subject. However it’s never been our policy or inclination to offer more than just a general overview of improvements such as the lowered output impedance, increased power supply, better DAC etc. The reason I am not comfortable focusing on these comparisons, as a means of helping you decide if it is indeed better, is because you really can’t base your decision on this info. It’s like buying a car or deciding on a fine wine based on a review or specs without ever driving it or tasting it."

So whether it is better soundwise can only be ascertained by trial. And, of course, if the PWPP5 is deemed to be "much better" than the PPP, then that's the same as saying the PPP is "much worse" than the PWPP5 - and who wants any "much worse" kit in their audio system.

My sense is that, in certain operating environments at certain times, certain listeners may be able to discern a very small difference between the PPP and the PWPP5 - but ask that to be done in a double blind test and I bet there would be no statistically significantly difference identified.

But I'd still like three.
John
04-06-2011, 05:26
Hi Ian
Can you pop into the welcome section and say hello
Cheers
IanG-UK
04-06-2011, 20:46
Hi John

Will do!

Ian
MartinT
04-06-2011, 23:14
Good luck with it, Hugo. I shall definitely want your views on the comparison between P5 and PPP. As you know, because I need five zones I would have to upgrade my PPP to a P10 and that's a big step money-wise. For the moment, I'm happy to wait.

P.S. I agree with Ian's comments on Paul McGowan, he is a real gentleman and makes the time to talk to you and get your views. More power to his elbow.
IanG-UK
05-06-2011, 13:30
Good luck with it, Hugo. I shall definitely want your views on the comparison between P5 and PPP. As you know, because I need five zones I would have to upgrade my PPP to a P10 and that's a big step money-wise. For the moment, I'm happy to wait.

P.S. I agree with Ian's comments on Paul McGowan, he is a real gentleman and makes the time to talk to you and get your views. More power to his elbow.

Martin

Did you have any problems with your PPP? I found some instability if one tried too great a variation between Vin and Vout - with Vin at 250V or so I found Vout at 230V was a struggle for the PPP so I later set Vout at 245V with no problems as a result. Apparently this design fault (in the UK environment) has been corrected on the P5 and P10.
IanG-UK
05-06-2011, 13:45
Martin, Hugo,

You might be interested in this:


http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/paulmcgowan/1.html

Ian
MartinT
05-06-2011, 15:33
Ian - no, never. But then the trick with the PPP is to set Vout as close to Vin as possible. This keeps the distortion at its lowest and allows the PPP to regulate with the least effort. The absolute value of Vout is pretty immaterial as long as it's within reasonable bounds.
MartinT
08-06-2011, 20:06
Correction - it's not quite as I set out in post #8. In fact, there is a distortion curve with a minimum that does not correspond with input = outout.

I've adjusted mine to the lowest possible output distortion of 0.7%. My input voltage varies between 247-252V, with 3.1% distortion. Output is 242V.