Help with PS AUDIO POWER PLANTS? (1 Viewer)

[NicholasL]

Hi everyone. I have been doing some research and I've read alot of things about PS Audio's power plant AC regenerators. I was wondering if anybody here uses the P300, P500, P1000, or P1200, and if they truly made your dreams come true, or perhaps made only a slight difference.

I only became interested because I've noticed that at higher volumes when I play my music, if I walk right up to the horn of my Klipsch RF-7's I can hear a faint static hiss. If I pause my CD then I can hear it better. As I increase the volume, the hiss becomes more and more apparent. Now granted, if I was playing the source at these volumes it would be so loud the HISS would not be audible...but it still bothers me that I have HISS despite using XLR cables between the Halo C2 and A51 and A21 amps; PS Audio power cables; top of the line monster conditioner units (htps 7000 and avs 2000); AND I have no lamps or any other things around that could introduce interference.

Is this minimal hiss normal, or is something terribly, terribly wrong?

 

[NicholasL]

Advice?

 

[Chu Gai]

It is probably normal and if as described by yourself, not a cause for concern. The thing with hiss, is that once you hear it, you tend to zero in on it. Kind of like picking at a scab.

It is extremely doubtful that any sort of conditioner is going to make a difference here. What may people consider is to run a separate line from the breakers to their HT. The more 'neurotic' will have it come off a subpanel with an isolation transformer. You could, if you want, replace your existing outlets with industrial grade, and instead of stabbing the copper wire into the back of the outlet, wrap it around the screw to make a more secure connection.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Nicholas,

You didn’t mention what kind of electronics you have, but from what I can tell this is fairly common these days, and it has nothing at all to do with power conditioners.

I got my first piece of stereo gear in the mid 70’s, and back then no self-respecting hi-fi component, even down to the lower models of a manufacturer’s line, exhibited any hiss unless you turned it all the way up. And even then it wasn’t audible unless you put your ear up to the speaker.

Needless to say, I was quite surprised a few years ago to find my flagship receiver exhibited a much higher level of hiss – much as you are describing. I don’t know if it’s because they are cutting more corners now to keep such complicated equipment affordable, or if its all the added circuitry to accommodate digital and video circuitry or what. But it does seem to be common.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[NicholasL]

Ok, you guys have made me alot more comfortable with the hiss. Wayne, the equipment of note I have are Klipsch RF-7 speakers connected to Parasound Halo A51 and A21 amps which are plugged directly into the wall. I have the amps running off the Halo C2 via XLR cables, which goes into my Monster HTPS 7000. All the units are connected with PS Audio Prelude Xstream AC cables.

I've PMed a few people over at AVS forum and the general response was that whether I plugged the amps (which would probably be the source of the hiss) into a PS Audio Power Director or a Power Plant, there would be a negligible difference as hiss is normal, and I was also told that because of the Klipsch's high efficiency, the hiss becomes a little more apparent. You're definately right in that respect, Chu...once I hear it I zero in on it...but then I shouldn't worry I guess since the only time the hiss is LOUD is when the speakers are 20dB above reference level, and the source is on pause.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

It is extremely doubtful that any sort of conditioner is going to make a difference here.

I'm not so sure. Any power line conditioner of quality will lower your background noise floor. They often automatically improve the grounding of the system as well.

A variety of things may be causing the hiss, though, so a better line conditioner may not matter as much.

 

[JackS]

Nick- If you have the ability to obtain and switch-out your amp and pre-amp, try it. Repace one at a time then recheck for the hiss. If the hiss is not related to your speakers, speaker wires or your current power supplier, I would guess that it may be either of these two main components. You could also try disconnecting source components one at a time to reassure yourself that these aren't the culprits. It is also possible as already stated, that you really have no problem since the hiss is not actually noticable and would also guess that many of us who activly tried to produce or detect a hiss from our current setup, could do so.

 

[David S]

Oh the irony (or we've all learned a lot and moved on). A year ago the hiss discussion(s) around the Outlaw 950 were the bomb - very few seem to want to accept that hiss -especially when hiss is LOUD is when the speakers are 20dB above reference level, and the source is on pause ie., not during actual listening) was reasonable, and the 950 was just a poor implementation.

Few could believe that "other" system elements, etc could contribute to the problem.

 

[Chu Gai]

They often automatically improve the grounding of the system as well.

if the ground is flaky, then I'd think putting some sort of conditioner in the middle that you'd have your receiver hooked up to your conditioner hooked up to a flaky ground. no?