Description
PS Audio DirectStream Power Plant 12
With the PS Audio DirectStream Power Plant 12, in the process of regeneration any problems on your power line such as low voltage, distorted waveforms, sagging power and noise are eliminated. The results are both audibly and visually stunning when powering either audio or video products. Further, the level of protection afforded connected equipment is extraordinary. Feel 100% confident that a P12 will provide pure and safe power under any condition. Don’t starve your music or risk damaging your equipment. A P12 gives you greatly improved performance and safety from just plugging into the wall socket and far better dynamics, bass and a much bigger, open soundstage than any passive power conditioner on the market.
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Reviews
“One thing did surprise me. How do you make a four thousand dollar headphone amplifier sound better? Well, give it a clean sine wave source of power…. even the Pass Labs HA-1 was improved with the DirectStream Power Plant 12’s regenerated power, and that caused me to spend way more time listening to my headphones than I probably should have…”
The Audio Beatnik – Adam LaBarge
“As good as the system had sounded with the P5, with the P12 there was a major step forward in overall realism. With no change in volume setting, the sound was more dynamic. This was particularly noticeable with audiophile blockbuster CDs. In my initial bout of listening, amplification was provided by the PS Audio Stellar M700s, and as it’s likely that PSA “voiced” those amps with a Power Plant in their reference system, the P12 and M700 might be expected to act synergistically. And might it also be that amps with a class-D output stage, such as the M700, are particularly sensitive to the pur”
Stereophile – Robert Deutsch
I know PS Audio is doing things differently, and I had a basic grasp of the technology, but the deep, inky darkness coming from my system was quite unnerving. Once heard, it’s difficult to forget. This non background, in conjunction with some superior cabling, allowed hyper details into the gulf that was the soundstage.
Audiophilia – Anthony Kershaw
Features
Technology
- Overview – PowerPlants are personal AC generators that provide hard-working, perfected results from the AC power line. Power regeneration uses active components, like those found in large, powerful audio amplifiers, to rebuild the AC power and produce clean, clear, distortion-free, regulated AC to the equipment. The results of feeding your equipment with low output impedance are dramatic: unrestrained dynamics even under the loudest passages, an open, wide soundstage that does not collapse with volume and a naturalness to the music that is remarkable. The 4.3-inch, full color display on the front panel of the P12 allows you to measure distortion, both incoming and outgoing, improvement levels, and power consumption. You can also adjust your settings, such as the turn on/off sequence and the output voltage, as well as turn individual zones on or off, and measure the power quality with either the built-in oscilloscope or the THD analyzer.
- Output – The P12 takes in your home’s noisy, distorted, and unregulated AC and outputs pure and perfect power that dramatically enhances sound quality. It does this by rebuilding the AC, lowering output impedance, and regulating the voltage. Low output impedance is critical to maintaining a dynamic presentation. Powering equipment through a passive power conditioner only worsens the problem and should be avoided. The Power Plant, on the other hand, has such low output impedance (0.008Ω vs. typical 0.4Ω) that even the hungriest of amplifiers won’t be starved for clean AC power. When your amp is asked to produce loud orchestral levels, you want to make sure it has all the power it needs and only a Power Plant provides a constant output regardless of the dynamic demands of equipment or your neighbors. Power Plants also generate new waveforms that enhance the capabilities of your equipment. MultiWave extends the peak charging time of the sine wave so connected equipment has more energy storage and less power supply ripple. The results are dramatic: a bigger more musically accurate soundstage than with a simple sine wave.
- Protection – An electrical surge, or spiked transient, is an intense, short-duration voltage increase that travels through electrical wiring in our homes. It can severely damage connected equipment. Shielding devices from these potential electrical problems is mandatory if we’re to protect our investment and ensure the safety of our homes. These electrical transients are not the only potentially damaging problems faced by our sensitive audio systems. There are also sustained over-voltage conditions that many surge suppression devices will not be able to protect equipment from. Owners who have invested in a Power Plant can rest assured their connected equipment will be safe from any power line event such as over voltage, under voltage, surges, spikes and potentially threatening problems. The input voltage to the Power Plant is fully protected by state-of-the-art clamping devices and the output of the Power Plant is fully regulated so even large voltage swings that would normally damage connected equipment are made safe by either clamping or regulating. In most cases, connected equipment enjoys the protection and performance benefits of fully regulated power, even under extreme circumstances.
DESIGN
The P12 takes your incoming AC power, converts it to DC, and then regenerates it, producing new sine-wave-perfect, regulated high current AC power. The input voltage to the P12 is fully protected by state-of-the-art clamping devices and the output is fully regulated, so even large voltage swings that would normally damage connected equipment are made safe by either clamping or regulating. The P12 PowerPlant features 8 outlets (US version) across 4 separate zones and delivers 1250 watts of pure, regenerated power to each receptacle through thick, copper busbars.
APPLICATION
In the process of regeneration, any problems on your power line, such as low voltage, distorted waveforms, and sagging power, are eliminated. With your system powered directly from the output of the P12, you can expect far better micro and macro dynamics, as well as cleaner, lower background noise. This is one of the most important pieces of audio equipment you can own, building a firm and reliable foundation for your system that will serve you for years to come.
Specifications
| Environment Specification | US/JP | Europe/Asia |
| Location | Indoor use only | Indoor use only |
| Duty Cycle | Suitable for continuous operation | Suitable for continuous operation |
| Moisture Sensitivity | Not sealed against moisture | Not sealed against moisture |
| Operating Humidity | <80%rh | <80%rh |
| Storage Temperature | -40C to +40C | -40C to +40C |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 40C | 0C to 40C |
| Max Operating Altitude | 12,000’ (3500m) | 12,000’ (3500m) |
| Electrical Supply Nominal Rating | 120V 15A 60Hz US 100V 15A 50/60 Hz JP |
230V 10A 50/60Hz |
| Instrument Specification | ||
| Unit Dimensions | 17” W x 14” D x 4” H (43cm W x 36cm D x 10.16 cm H) | 17” W x 14” D x 4” H (43cm W x 36cm D x 10.16 cm H) |
| Unit Weight | 37 lbs ( 16.7kg) | 37 lbs ( 16.7kg) |
| Shipping Dimensions | 24” x 21” x 10” ( 61cm x 53cm x 25cm) | 24” x 21” x 10” ( 61cm x 53cm x 25cm) |
| Shipping Weight | 48 lbs (21.7kg) | 48 lbs (21.7kg) |
| Nominal Input Voltage | 95 – 145 VAC | 200 –285VAC |
| Maximum Continuous Load | 1000VA | 1200VA |
| Maximum Peak Load | 3600VA | 3800VA |
| Voltage Regulation | 0.5V | 1V |
| Output Distortion (Resistive Load) | <0.5% | <0.9% |
| Output Distortion (Reactive Load) | <0.5% 0.1% typical |
<0.9% 0.1% typical |
| Output Impedance | <0.008 ohm | <0.008 ohm |
| Noise Reduction | 100kHz – 2MHz >80dB | 100kHz – 2MHz >80dB |
| Efficiency @1200 VA | >85% | >85% |
| Input Frequency | 45 – 65 Hz | 45 – 65 Hz |
| Under Voltage Limit | Continuous -10% of setting 15 sec duration -15% of setting | Continuous -10% of setting 15 sec duration -15% of setting |
| Over Voltage Limit | Continuous 5% of setting 15 sec duration 10% of setting | Continuous 5% of setting 15 sec duration 10% of setting |
| Energy Dissipation | 1020J | 1270J |
| Peak Current Surge | 90,000A | 90,000A |
| Max Surge Voltage | 6,000V | 6,000V |
| Clamp Level | 340V | 800V |
| DC Trigger Configuration | Tip Positive | Tip Positive |
| DC Trigger Voltage | 5 – 15Vdc | 5 – 15Vdc |
