PS Audio PP300 works great, but......

Meta: Sometimes more musical is less detailed. The P-300 definately adds more detail & instrument space with a blacker background as you word it. If your not used to it it might seem etched & possibly fatiqueing. Some feel it thins things out which may be that bass tightening you mentioned. I personaly found the P-300 to make a substantial sonic improvement. You probably as I had no idea what a diffence it would make. It certainly does make things sound very different, something you are not used to. Less involving???...not for me. In fact quite the opposite. Give it more time & than take it out of your system. I think you'll find yourself putting back rather quickly. Than again, it's not for everyone. Only you know if it's for you. Best...Sagger

Thanks for all the comments. I will post back in a few of days to let everyone know my longer term impressions. Sagger: I'm a detail freak (hence the Dynaudio Confidences)and I definitely hear more detail with the 300. However, it seems that it has gotten too laid back. Also, it is almost as if the musicians and vocals are now playing in isolation. Maybe this is just the "separation". I'm referencing with Mapleshade and Chesky recordings, so they are not overproduced.

Sometimes it does seem as if there is such as thing as too clean. too black a background. Musicians should not sound as if they are playing in the vacuum of deep outer space (black though it may be), there should be some sense of the "ether", don't you think, else they sound, as metaphysics says, as if they are playing in isolation (sometimes they are, of course). Yet it can be mighty seductive. I use a P300, but I appreciate that sometimes things sound bit too precious, as someone in these parts once put it.

Sounds to me that you have (1) a very high resolution system (2) a good pair of ears (3) know what real music sounds like. I too wanted the PS Audio 300 to be the answer to all the problems associated with AC power. I've been chasing down those AC gremlins before it was fashionable. Consider the following-Double Tice Power Blocks with Double Titans and Micro Block.Pac-Idos.Power Wedge.The original plastic cased MIT Z-Stabilizer.Chang Lightspeed.VPI Bricks.Cable Jackets.Versalab IEC Wood Blocks,Red Rollers, Split Rollers, Flat Rollers.Marigo Apparition (two different incarnations) with Reference Power Center.Bybee Pro wood case line conditioner with AC Chargers on every component.TG Audio power strip.PS Audio 300 (two of them)Audio Prism Quietline Parallel Line Shunt Filters,Noise Sniffer,Power Foundation 3,Waveguides.Honest to goodness it just blows my mind that I have owned and paid for all the above products(except the MIT Z-Stabilizer and the two PS Audio 300's which I returned for refunds) Power cords have been Cardas,Synergistic Research,Audioquest,Grace,Marigo,TG Audio,Silver Audio. As you can see my experience into power conditioning is extensive.Power cords so-so.I even convinced my power company to change out the transformer kettle servicing my house after an oscilloscope check showed the sine wave peaks were flattened from an undersized transformer.Before I end up boring you all to death with my stories let me get to the point.The PS Audio made a difference in my system just like all the above things did...but it didn't get me closer to the music. So what does do you say? I'll tell ya-Equi=tech 2Q Line Balancer,Quantum Symphony Pro and Omega Micro Active power cords. My advice is to first buy an Equi=Tech.These people invented the balanced power design and know it best.Furman copied it and makes it for CinePro.The Equi=Tech is simply incredable.You can make such a giant leap in the right direction by purchasing the Equi=Tech first.There are used ones out on the AudioShopper as I write this but my only experience is with the model 2Q.Yes I know..the Quantum got only luke warm reviews but then I always let my own ears tell me what is right.The Omega Micro power cords? Tweaky and expensive but worth every cent. So there you are,just my opinion...but I must say that it didn't come easy or cheap.My system FYI. Altis CDT-3 transport//Dodson DA-217 Mark II D//Sonic Frontiers Line 3//Manley 300B Retros//JM Lab Mini Utopias//Omega Micro Active digital cable//Mapleshade Clearview Double Helix interconnect//Mapleshade Clearview Golden Helix speaker cable//Walker Audio High Definition Links//Walker Audio Valid Points//Bob Regal feet//Rosinante' Dark Matter//Argent Room Lenses//Zoethecus equipment stands.Thanks and good luck..Deano

Meta: That's a great system you have there. Certainly very capable of producing high resolution. Being a detail freak, I would think you would you would absolutley love the P-300. It definatley allowed me to hear more detail in my system. I'm a little confused about your laid back comment. If anything I found the P-300 to give a more forward presentation, although I would not label it as being forward. You may have somthing there with the recordings your listening to. I'm not familiar with Mapleshade, but have several Chesky's & yes I would consider them laid back. So with that, I would think it's your source. The musicians & intruments now playing in isolation I would think has to do with the blacker background you mentioned earlier. Not such a bad thing as long as it does not seem to exaggerated. Like most of us audiophiles you have a new toy & your obviously listening very hard at every little thing. IMHO more detail is never a bad thing as long as the presentation does not come across as too bright. Again I think you need to give it more time. Try a wide range of different recordings. You have spent the time to carefully build a great sytem to suit your personal needs. Especially if detail is critical to you, I think over time you will grow to appreciate the P-300 & consider it an essential part of your sytem. Hope this helps. Enjoy...Sagger