The Power Plant Regenerator debate drags on


I have seen a lot of videos on this topic and read a lot of threads. Do AC regenerators work -- in the sense of actually contributing to the improvement of a system's sound? This, of course, assumes there is a problem to fix, but if there is, it's an interesting question.

I know ASR did a couple videos about the PS Audio Powerplant in 2022 and there was a lot of discussion around that time.

It was surprising to see Paul McGowan raise the issue just a month ago (Dec. 2024) on his channel, here: https://youtu.be/wAywgassj1Q?si=6PqP7Y1jP2IebxE1

It's a pretty predictable "objective measurements" vs. "subjective listening" issue, but there is some discussion of placebo effects in Paul's reply.

Anyway, possibly of interest. Or not. Just weird to see it come up again after a couple years.

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Every neighborhood has crappy power. (I work for a very large utility)...
there is no "if" you have crappy power, you do.

If this is true -- and I’d like to know HOW the average consumer can measure what matters at the outlet into which they want to plug in their gear -- then why do many people hear no difference with power products?

If power IS crappy for everyone AND that results in obvious sound defects then why don’t these products fix it for them?

We can say some are too insensate to notice

We can say others have equipment that masks the problem.

But many others simply do not hear a problem (with their good ears and sensitive gear). (Many on THIS forum have said, "My power is not a problem for me.")

That would indicate that the initial premise is wrong -- and some people have power that is not a problem.

a) Room resolution bottleneck (untreated room for waf compliance, or 2 panels up for decorative purposes)

b) Old dudes, degraded hearing, untrained listeners, etc

If a, b or both are true, power products would only serve for safeguarding equipment, a cheap dac should suffice, 30 dollar cables are good to go, etc.

If this is true -- and I’d like to know HOW the average consumer can measure what matters at the outlet into which they want to plug in their gear -- then why do many people hear no difference with power products?

I have crappy power with THD often at 8 or 10%.  Using a PS Audio PP12 regenerator made a huge difference, and then I moved on to Accuphase PS-530 and PS-1250 power supplies that eliminate THD and produce a perfect sine wave from the distorted wave coming in from the grid.

The impact on my audio system sonically is not subtle - it makes a significant difference in blacker backgrounds, resolution, dynamics, musicality and bloom.  I have a solo piano recording (Schubert sonata) made in an old stone church in rural England, and in the quieter passages you can hear the birds chirping outside.  I only heard those birds after installing the power supplies in my system.

The Accuphase power supplies are massive and built to much higher standard than the PS Audio units, and they are silent and free of transformer hum.  They are also at  different price point, but worth every penny.