Power conditoner broke - now system sounds better without it (to me)

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glynnw

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For 7 years my system has chugged along drawing power (except for the subs) from a PS Audio Power Plant Premiere.  It just started malfunctioning so I now have everything that went from it plugged into the wall and a cheap power strip (it is all on a dedicated circuit).  I feel there is no question that my system sounds noticeably better now.  I have just spent a very pleasant afternoon glued to my chair playing song after song.  I mean no disrespect to Paul - maybe my system is the only one that performs like that, but there is no question it now sounds better.  Better bass - although the subs run directly from the wall, they get their signal from a DSpeaker DSP thingie that runs off a small linear supply that was plugged into the Power Plant.  And the top end is absolutely crisper.   One of my tests is the triangles in Van Morrison's Madame George on his Bangmasters album.  I have probably played the first minute of that song 100 times checking the sound after making some change, so I am intimately familiar with the sound.  Now they sound much more realistic.  There is a chance that the Power Plant was slowly going bad over the years and degrading the sound, but I don't think so.  As always YMMV.

Folsom

You are not alone in the people that enjoy more noise. Not in the least. The complex impedance on high frequency junk is poor in a system with no treatment, and problematic even with most treated systems. This gives a fair amount of increased presence to the higher frequencies in the audio band.

To me it just hurts my ears. And it usually sound pretty one-tone. But with many systems, especially vintage, it has appeal to numerous people. Age and hearing quality may be very related.

There's a better way for the average hearing ability, BUT there are few if any really practical ways to get there currently.

Mr Peabody

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How did you feel about the change when you first inserted the Power Plant?  I'm assuming you did do comparison to make sure there was an improvement before leaving it in the system.

There were times I tried power products and passed.  I tried one of the earlier Transparent pieces, I had a Krell amp at the time, the sound was better without the conditioner but I believe it was limiting th power to my amp. 

I do use the PS Audio Quintet which has outlets for power amps, it seemed to improve on whatever was plugged into it.  I now have my power amp into a Surgex piece.  My HT and a few other things go into the Quintet.

More recently with a Pass X250 I tried one of those Audience outlet devices, a dealer lent it to me and all the mags rave about the piece.  I did not like the overall effect, it made the sound too polite.  The piece wasn't supposed to limit anything, I doubt the effect was due to less distortion, but, if so, I can live with it.  Natural music has dynamics and I want that in my system.

I don't think power products for the most part will work the same for everyone across th board, due to variables in gear, in power to the house, in othr items plugged into the homes power circuits etc.

You mentioned a dedicated line, that's supposed to have a large improvement in itself.

Elizabeth

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The way to compare is after the Powerplant is repaired and then se how it sounds back in the system.
The power conditioner may have been going bad for a long time, gradually, so you never noticed its gradual decline.
I have noted even a single duplex gradually going bad. Changing it alone made a noticeable improvement.

So I do not think one case of noting a change is a blanket statement that conditioners  are 'bad' vs straight to the wall.(nor do I think the op is saying that)

The one big positive is YES, we should 'check' stuff we have used for a long time to actually hear if it is currently better this way vs that way.

(I should do this too. I have not moved a powercord for years.

pmch

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I have noticed differences with various power conditioners. To me some sound better for instrumentals and others sound better for vocals. Just by plugging my power cables in and out or cleaning them often improves the sound for me.

rbbert

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The power conditioner may have been going bad for a long time, gradually, so you never noticed its gradual decline.
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Exactly my thought when I read the topic title, before seeing any of the replies