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Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect (Read 6987 times)
beowulf
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Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
08/14/15 at 03:19:57
 
Bryston BIT-15 Isolation Transformer/Surge Protector Review: http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-ac-power/ac-power/bryston-bit-15-isolation-tra...

Sounds like an interesting product and the pricing is not as "crazy" expensive compared to a lot of other products on the market.  For some reason I was expecting a $5K price tag and this component comes in at under half of that.
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will
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #1 - 08/14/15 at 03:49:55
 
Looks good, but after solving the PSAudio P5 veils and coloring in my system, the stable voltage is something I would hate to give up. I can't quite imagine having just surge protection and conditioning after this. And though not everyone has voltage problems, I do love the ability to decide what the voltage sounds best. The P5 set at 119 is the persistent sweet spot for me. No matter with tube, cap, wire changes, I always end up there.

Also, I don't know why, but being able to adjust the phase is really good for this system/room. I always end up with minus 3-4, a perfect balance of open spaciousness and tonal density here. The phase is subtler and I could probably use it in other settings, but a volt or two either way can slip the system a bit out of the truly real and gorgeous range. So as I "write out loud," even if I did not normally have 121-124 volts here (making my system sounds too variable and too dense and full), I guess even if voltage were stable, I really appreciate being able to easily adjust it, and therefore the system sound to tastes.

After all the work it took for me to "wake up" and adapt to the P5 as a primary power supply, I can't quite believe I am talking this way, but...
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All Modified: Balanced Transformer-DIY Strip/Shunyata Defender-RevolutionMacMini/Amarra-KTE Singxer/Gustardx20pro-ZBIT-CSP3-OldChen 300B/845, Torii IV, Simple Wave 300B-HR1/SVS Micro3000sub-Pi PCs-DIY PCs, ICs, USB, I2S, Speaker-SR and aluminum w ball bearing feet
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beowulf
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #2 - 08/14/15 at 07:01:11
 
@ will ~ I remember reading about your P5 journey and looks like you're dialed in nicely with what you have now.  IIRC you are using it with a Shunyata Defender somewhere in the chain correct?

It makes sense that you came to the conclusion that the Defender worked into your system nicely, as I read a review from Marja & Henk on the Blue Horizon Noise Analyzer (which is a line tester) that they were using it on a PS Audio P10 and it came up as very noisy over and over again and they mentioned the previous version Power Plant Premier was actually the quieter/better unit in their setup as the P5/10 series has no filtration and the PPP's did.  

I imagine that the P5/10 series are better regenerators than the PPP's, but still an extra step may be needed for filtration since those units don't filter and you have that covered nicely. A best of both worlds situation ... and I also find it interesting that you instinctively came to the same conclusion as Marja & Henk did. Cool
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will
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #3 - 08/18/15 at 00:27:52
 
Yes, I did not like the P5, but after my DIY cord (big difference in micro info and spaciousness, and notably better than a PSAudio AC12) and the Synergistic MIG feet (also opening it up notably) things shifted better...more open, complex, natural... less colored. Then I explored Voltage and Phase adjustments. All contributed to tailoring the sound to what I think is very good now, but it was a struggle.

I wonder if I inadvertently corrected some odd P5 issues with the cord (phase or something...). The power cord with the MIGs really filled in the spaces with fine detail, providing subtle information and nuance.

I tried, but I could not get where I wanted with the Defender plugged into the P5. Still too much P5 influence. But I guess this makes some sense in that the Defender circuit, though interactive, would have been effected by the P5 regeneration and therefore the P5 tonal decisions.

I thought the P5 did filter as it regenerates but I am not sure what parts are in there and where. Differentiating conditioning from regeneration seems very important to them in their sales talk, but if the newly regenerated AC produced is clean, the process must in effect “condition” the power, the method and levels determined by the PSAudio crew....what sounds good, and I guess I didn't agree fully. But it was workable in time, and I really needed voltage control.

I use the Defender as a conditioner plugged into my modded Brickwall with the Brickwall plugged into the same Furutech copper receptacle as the P5. So in theory the Defender is also filtering the receptacle and therefore the P5 before the cord. I can't recall what happened plugging the Defender directly into the outlet with the P5, but I think the main benefit I hear with the Brickwall is the Defender working there on the Tranquility DAC, USB power supply (AQVOX) and Mac Mini which are plugged into the Brickwall. The DAC in particular into the P5 suffered, but the Tranquility DAC with this USB power supply is extraordinary at “analog” micro information, something I needed to work hard to pull with the P5. But even the tweaked out P5 hurt the Tranquility.

It was fine, but I was used to better. I am convinced that if your system can extract the very fine and complex detail, then the potential for music rather than a system is notably higher. Once again...how many times have we read and heard....if it is not at the source, it is not there. And my variable voltage influences are not noticeable for the DAC like they are with the Decware tube amp and pre, so no problems I can hear.

This simpler Brickwall/defender front end treatment makes for a less "confined," more transparent sound...In this arrangement the Mac Mini/Tranquility is very, very good at making the music feel real. And the amps sound great through the P5 so all is good.

I got my P5 over 1/3 off, so all in all it is worth that, especially since I could find no other real options that covered voltage with good return policies. A costly power system non-the-less, but once sorted out with the rest, the best I have had for sure and very good indeed.

That said....I also have a lot of other little things for power cleaning, and they all matter. Kemp Schumann resonators, some EMF/RFI AC line filters, black discus....I guess like many, I have found that power is sort of massive in the whole for “real” sound. Can't say I have figured it out, but organically adding this and that over years, it is really good!
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All Modified: Balanced Transformer-DIY Strip/Shunyata Defender-RevolutionMacMini/Amarra-KTE Singxer/Gustardx20pro-ZBIT-CSP3-OldChen 300B/845, Torii IV, Simple Wave 300B-HR1/SVS Micro3000sub-Pi PCs-DIY PCs, ICs, USB, I2S, Speaker-SR and aluminum w ball bearing feet
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beowulf
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #4 - 08/18/15 at 22:11:36
 
Good post Will.  If Marja & Henk's measurements of the noise from the P series are true then it seems to me that most people would get a better effect of any PSA P series regenerator by incorporating some type of filtering with either power cables or a device such as the Defender somewhere in the chain such as you have done.  

But I was thinking that it would make the most sense to place them "after" wherever the P series is in the chain.  Since you can clean up your power all you want beforehand, but if the P series is generating noise like Marja & Henk said then its possible it is still sending noise to your amps, preamp and/or whatever else is plugged into it if you don't have anything in the chain after it.

I have an Entech Noise Analyzer, I could send it to you (they are fairly cheap on eBay as well about $29) so you can test the noise of your PS Audio P5 just for kicks, it may also be useful in telling where the Defender is best located within your audio power chain.

Here's a video (that I may have posted elsewhere), but you can see how good the previous PSA Power Plant Premier performs and filters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZJcKcuFUqM.  Marja & Henk compared the PPP to the newer P series and the P series didn't fair as well (noise wise).  So it would be interesting to hear about somebody else's results in comparison.
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Lon
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #5 - 08/18/15 at 22:32:18
 
I don't have much to add as I don't have a way to measure etc. but. . . though the Premier may have had less "noise" it does have more of a pronounced "sound" to it than the P5 that I have, though I enjoy the sound from each.

And I had my Premier and have my P5 mounted and fed by a PowerBase which does have filtering, and have my other components mounted and fed by PowerBases which are connected to the P5. All power cables are PerfectWave AC-12. Again, I can't measure but the clarity and yet body of the sound is stunning to me and I'm so glad I went this route.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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beowulf
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #6 - 08/19/15 at 00:35:05
 
Lon you seem to be dialed in nicely and have both regen and filtering covered.  I imagine your setup is quite nice! Smiley

I'm thinking the best of both worlds would be regen + passive filtering after the regen.
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Lon
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #7 - 08/19/15 at 00:50:21
 
Works for me! I could see upgrading my vinyl set up (turntable upgrades or new table) but I'm done otherwise for I hope a long time.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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hifitubes
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Re: Bryston New Power Transformer/Surge Protect
Reply #8 - 08/19/15 at 10:45:35
 
I had an epic battle with what I am pretty sure was DC riding my AC. Even with a Cullen outlet, custom DC blocker, then P3 I would still get a nasty buzz at certain times of the day out of my 98db/w drivers.

I had electrician switch one of the 3 phases coming in and the problem went away, but has since come back.

We had a big storm last year and I wouldn't be surprised if some wiring change upstream.

Thinking now though to try the custom DC blocker just for my Dec. amp as I think it's the most sensitive overall.

My P3 always buzzes a little bit itself.

Magnetostriction. F@#$%. Gotta love it.
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