[Speedskater]

Did I miss something? Just how and what does this do?  A 'thyratron' is just a very pretty Silicon Controlled Rectifier switch.  The kind of part that you would see in early (noisy) light dimmers.  In an AC circuit it is switched on at it's control pin and the switch stays on until the AC wave crosses zero.
In an AC circuit a low (or maybe negative) source impedance could be a good thing (remember this is the AC input).  But I don't see any large storage components in this unit.
 

[cab]

I would run away from this as quickly as possible.

[Jalanalog]

A new member here, who actually owns one of the Plasmatrons.  All I can say is evaluate one, and use both digital and analog gear on it.  We have had several group listening sessions, and even the most tin-eared listener preferred the Plasmatron playback.  I am listening to it with both digital and analog, and the improvement is not subtle.  I will be doing some recording with and without the Plasmatron....and may mail some copies to trusted ears. I will report on the feedback.  I did record Pat Barbers "Cafe Blue" with and without the Plasmatron, and I used the Sony burner, and the difference was clear to my ears.  I am going to try and replicate it in other systems before sending it out to others.  Jalanalog

[jtwrace]

A new member here, who actually owns one of the Plasmatrons.  All I can say is evaluate one, and use both digital and analog gear on it.  We have had several group listening sessions, and even the most tin-eared listener preferred the Plasmatron playback.  I am listening to it with both digital and analog, and the improvement is not subtle.  I will be doing some recording with and without the Plasmatron....and may mail some copies to trusted ears. I will report on the feedback.  I did record Pat Barbers "Cafe Blue" with and without the Plasmatron, and I used the Sony burner, and the difference was clear to my ears.  I am going to try and replicate it in other systems before sending it out to others.  Jalanalog

Can you share your equipment and room setup?

[Jalanalog]

Equipment used is Oppo 95, Quicksilver Full Function preamp, or Marsh balanced preamp, Marantz AV 8003,  Quicksilver Silver 90Monos (3 pairs) or a custom 70wpc stereo amp with VCaps at input and coupling caps  .22 600V, input caps at .33 600V, all silver teflon wire, custom transformers making text book squarewaves at 5 Hz and flat to 100k, mil spec parts, and a pair of MFA M200 100wpc triodes.  Cables l use are AQ Sky, Cardas Golden Reference, and assorted Silver Copper teflon cables.( All low capacitance).  Speakers are Nestorovic 5AS  MKIV Signature and Plasma tweeters Dukane (2 pairs).  Vinyl VPI Aries  with JMW 10.0, AT 150 MLX and VPI conditioner.  About 2000 LPs.  Power Cords by VH Audio, and Furutech silver Rhodium ends to match the Plasmatron.
Previous speakers; Magnepan 3.6 Bryston 14BSST, 4BSST, Marchand XM44 XOVER, Aerial 10T, MBL monitors,  previous preamps, amps include Pass, ARC, VAC, CJ, Bella Extreme,  and others.

[jtwrace]

Equipment used is Oppo 95, Quicksilver Full Function preamp, or Marsh balanced preamp, Marantz AV 8003,  Quicksilver Silver 90Monos (3 pairs) or a custom 70wpc stereo amp with VCaps at input and coupling caps  .22 600V, input caps at .33 600V, all silver teflon wire, custom transformers making text book squarewaves at 5 Hz and flat to 100k, mil spec parts, and a pair of MFA M200 100wpc triodes.  Cables l use are AQ Sky, Cardas Golden Reference, and assorted Silver Copper teflon cables.( All low capacitance).  Speakers are Nestorovic 5AS  MKIV Signature and Plasma tweeters Dukane (2 pairs).  Vinyl VPI Aries  with JMW 10.0, AT 150 MLX and VPI conditioner.  About 2000 LPs.  Power Cords by VH Audio, and Furutech silver Rhodium ends to match the Plasmatron.
Previous speakers; Magnepan 3.6 Bryston 14BSST, 4BSST, Marchand XM44 XOVER, Aerial 10T, MBL monitors,  previous preamps, amps include Pass, ARC, VAC, CJ, Bella Extreme,  and others.

Any updates?

[Jalanalog]

If there are any Audio Circle members in the SF Bay Area, I would be willing to take the PT to your listening room for a couple of hours for a listen.  Hopefully more than one can hear it at a time.  I have limited availability but some weekends a few hours can be had.  In the next month I will be going to a friends house to compare with his PS Audio Regenerator.  Already compared with the Bit 20.  Not even close.  But plugged into the Bit 20 and even better than alone per a friend with one.  I have 5 friends who have bought them, mostly the 3A version was purchased.  All are happy.
To finish the question above, I have an upstairs listening room for nearfield listening with a live end dead end configuration with extensive Auralex on the back wall and side walls with corner traps.  The ceiling tapers up perhaps 15ft.  Room is about 10X20 ft. Speakers located on the long axis.  Downstairs system utilizes Auralex corner traps with absorbing furniture placed in strategic locations to prevent standing waves due to a wood floor.  I will likely settle on an area rug as a compromise of standing waves versus overabsorption and an overly dead room.  The ceiling is very high (over 15ft) so problems are mainly in the midbass.  Measurements have been +or-   3-4dB from 50-12k.
Regarding the Plasmatron and DA converters, the new models will have a relay option to switch to conventional AC when the unit is off with no power interruption at least that was my understanding.  Mine is a previous model.

[ketcham]

I have a unit arriving in the Portland, OR area later this month.  If anyone is around this region, feel free to hit me up.  For me, it would be nice to find some like-minded individuals.  My friends think I am crazy.  ...I think they are correct in their assessment.  I purchased the 6A version because I have in the works a 10 rail Paul Hynes Linear Powersupply that under paper, can temporarily pull 330W under load. 

[jtwrace]

I have a unit arriving in the Portland, OR area later this month.  If anyone is around this region, feel free to hit me up.  For me, it would be nice to find some like-minded individuals.  My friends think I am crazy.  ...I think they are correct in their assessment.  I purchased the 6A version because I have in the works a 10 rail Paul Hynes Linear Powersupply that under paper, can temporarily pull 330W under load.

What (10) dc devices do you have?

[ketcham]

I have a computer music server that I worked with Paul Hynes (with input from Paul Pang) regarding a true linear power supply for each rail of the motherboard (which I believe has 4 high current rails), then peripheral rails: ssd, sound card, FO, and to external rails going to a usb-spdif converter.  This was in the works since November 2012 and only now is being built.  Paul was willing to R&D it but after his production backlog was taken care of.

[jtwrace]

I have a computer music server that I worked with Paul Hynes (with input from Paul Pang) regarding a true linear power supply for each rail of the motherboard (which I believe has 4 high current rails), then peripheral rails: ssd, sound card, FO, and to external rails going to a usb-spdif converter.  This was in the works since November 2012 and only now is being built.  Paul was willing to R&D it but after his production backlog was taken care of.

oh

[One and a half]

A Thyratron is no more than a switch, phase angle controlled if you want to. There's the problem, as soon as you phase angle these switches they create EMC to the stratosphere. Conclude then they only stay on and start at 90deg for transformers and follow the AC mains frequency.
There's inherently a voltage drop across these devices, so without a cap or transformer, how does the voltage go higher?
There are two thyratrons operating in the +ve and -Ve waveform, it's a pretty blue switch.

Unless the Plasmatron is some kind of harmonics rejection device, but there are no frequencies other than 50/60Hz the thyrarton can make, nor do they claim it as a filter. Switching something like this on the mains creates a distortion on the supply. Maybe this sounds good?

So what does it really do? For $6000?

[cab]

So what does it really do? For $6000?

Exactly...common sense has to come into play at some point....

[Speedskater]

It's a lot like a Class 'B' amplifier with a big zero crossing notch.