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Power regenerator (Read 15165 times)
Rraymond
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Power regenerator
12/23/16 at 01:30:43
 
Who's using power regenerators and what changes has it made to your sound?

Rick
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Lonely Raven
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #1 - 12/23/16 at 04:40:43
 
Palomino is, Lon is. I'm sure they will chime in.

I have the PS Audio P10 - I got an open box at a great price. Palomino liked how it helped his Rachel and other gear so much, he scrambled to get one, and recently upgraded to a P5.

I'll be honest, it doesn't make a big difference with my ZMA. I think the giant caps are like an abyss for noise and gives the amp the current it needs for hard hits. Which is what the Power Regenerator does for amps that don't filter as well as the ZMA.

On fixing the sign wave side of power, it does help make the sound at 5pm sound almost as good as it does at 2am when there is less noise adding a bit of hair to your sound.

Because of the ZMA I feel the P10 only gave me like a 5% improvement in sound. When I brought it over to Palomino's house, I think we both agreed it was quite a leap in quality and we called it a 20% improvement in sound.

On the video side (I have my projector plugged into the P10) I really haven't noticed any improvement at all.

If I only see a 5% improvement (if that) in my setup and no improvement in video, why did I stick this this $4000 hunk of metal? Because I believe in having a really good foundation for my gear. It's one thing (power quality) I don't have to worry about for a long time.

If you have a dedicated room, I'd recommend sound treatment long before I'd spend big bucks on power treatment.
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Rraymond
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #2 - 12/23/16 at 21:30:49
 
A 5% improvement wouldn't be worth it to me. I don't think I would even notice a difference. I think when we get to the point of minimal returns, it almost doesn't make sense especially for that kind of money.

Rick
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Lon
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #3 - 12/23/16 at 21:41:47
 
I don't have a Zen Mystery Amp and I don't have a treated room (I'm married, and I've never had a woman living with me that would let me consider "treating a room.") I went from isolation transformers to the PS Audio Duet to the regenerators: PS Audio Power Plant Premier, PS Audio P5 (Palamino now has that one) to the P10 and I hear a lot more than 5 percent improvement. A lot depends on your incoming power and its quality/stability, though even out here in the country where I have had the cleanest, least fluctuating power of my lifetime the P10 reaps benefits, and I clearly heard the improvement from the P5.

I think the Zen Mystery Amp does indeed manhandle a lot of power problems with those huge nuclear caps. Every amp I've put on a regenerator has sounded better, and so have source components. There's a blacker background, and there's a controlled frequency response, a balance. These improvements have happened with incremental increases from the Power Plant Premier to the P5 (that was a real bump) to the P10 (a surprising bump). I'm glad that I started this journey and I feel these give me a great foundation to properly evaluate tube quality and character, and cabling and isolation differences and character. Those who have heard my system through the years have also noticed the changes. So I feel the regenerates have provided a neutral platform for me to tune from as I can't play with diffusers, absorbers, traps et al. I've been very happy with the regenerators and very glad that I have the P10, that last sale tempted me and I have no buyer's remorse.
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Steve Deckert
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #4 - 12/24/16 at 04:12:18
 
I would love to see everyone do the following and report back with an approximate percent of perceived change:

1) find the breaker for your audio room down at your breaker panel.  Replace the breaker with a fresh new one and make sure the contacts are clean.

2) Replace the receptacle for your stereo equipment with a hospital grade duplex receptacle.

3) Clean the power cord prongs for your audio gear with sandpaper, or a wire brush.  Clean the female end of the cord with a spray contact cleaner.

4) Clean the IEC connector's metal prongs that receive the power cord.

5) Clean the RCA jacks inside and outside with contact cleaner.

6) Clean the RCA cables

7) Clean the speaker binding posts on both amp and speakers  and finally the speaker cable ends.

8) If you have tube gear, clean all the individual tube pins with a pencil eraser and then spray them with a contact cleaner and re-install them into your components.

Hook everything back up and turn it on with the volume all the way down, and let it settle for an hour.

Return and listen to your system.

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stone_of_tone
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #5 - 12/24/16 at 16:16:33
 
Not needed for the ZMA (XLO powercord to it though), as LR said. For my front end, Tport & ZDSD, the difference is more than subtle Raymond. PS P3 is all that is needed for me and the Shunyata Zitron Alpha digital powercord to ZDSD is more than subtle as well.

If they were not significant and lasting for years and years to come = worth the money...........if not?, I would have sold them ~ period.
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Lonely Raven
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #6 - 12/24/16 at 16:22:12
 

Good call Steve. I just picked up another can of Caig Deoxit and went through my system since it's been in the same place for almost 3 years now.

I've seen magic made cleaning contacts on vintage guitar amps I was cleaning up and "restoring".  With our audio gear, the sound fades so gradually over time, we don't realize how it's losing that sparkle till it's brought back.

And all that for the cost of a $20 can of contact cleaner and a little scrubbing/swapping.
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stone_of_tone
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #7 - 12/24/16 at 16:26:27
 
Caig is pretty much garbage. However, if you want the best....and I have used for years, get:

http://www.kosmasaudiovideo.gr/showprod.php?id=1961
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Lonely Raven
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #8 - 12/24/16 at 16:30:00
 

Interesting - I've never heard of that one, but have used Caig extensively on 50-60 year old amps with great success. I wouldn't say it's garbage, but I'd be interested if there was something better.
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Lon
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #9 - 12/24/16 at 17:23:53
 
When I moved into my house here with Lucy I did all but change the circuit breaker. Big improvement, cleaning contacts is something to do periodically. . . but a regenerator brought a different improvement.
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Rraymond
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #10 - 12/24/16 at 19:36:44
 
Well, believe it or not, my house still has fuses so easy enough to change that out. All my gear is new so no cleaning needed there. The outlet I plug things into is new although not a hospital grade. I recently removed the Tripplite isolation transformer because it was making a aloud humming noise but after letting it sit for a week unused, it seems to be quiet now so I will put that back into the circuit. I have 5 different sets of RCA's (3 on trial) that range from $35-$800 a pair and my ears can't tell any difference. That's why I was wondering what may be hindering the improvement via different grade RCA's.

Rick
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Matchstikman
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #11 - 12/24/16 at 20:38:46
 
Rraymond, I can't hear any difference, either.
I've tried a few things and I've bought a few things without results.

PS Audio makes some great products and maybe I can't hear anything because I haven't tried the right thing.  The P3 is something I might buy but only after I bought everything else.
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will
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #12 - 12/24/16 at 23:29:13
 
If you can't hear that range of cables with such nice gear, I too would be quite concerned. But also, as you heard with your Morrow cables, if they are not burned in, you still don’t hear them fully!

Connections

Even with newish cables and gear, contact enhancers would likely help some. I have been making a lot of cables over the last several years, and use enhancers on new cable ends. Also on new wire ends for power cables with screw down connections.

Aside from that, I clean and enhance my system contacts pretty regularly and I am always impressed at what I hear when they are cleaned up and enhanced.

I have not replaced the breaker though. Will try that.

I like pink deoxit fine for serious cleaning, and for years I have used Deoxit Gold as an enhancer. The theory of increasing surface contact with micro particles filling micro imperfections makes sense to me. And I can hear it.

But what I heard first was bad from the Gold. I had similar results from Silclear silver paste...veiled. Then I think it was Dave Elledge from Pi Audio who said he polished off the Gold pretty quickly after putting it on. This worked for me, now an improvement without doubt. Lately, I got a bottle of Cardas contact cleaner, and it is a good enhancer, decent cleaner, and cheap. Out of habit, I don't let it set on the connection long before wiping/polishing.

I have a Furutech Copper receptacle. It was noticeably better sounding than a Hospital grade, though the Hospital was notably better than the standard recepticle. Hospital Grade allowed greater sense of complete signal, and the Furutech did more, allowing finer detail, complexity and musicality...very nice.

Regenerator

I have commented on my PSAudio P5 too much on this forum already, as have others, so a search might take you further.....

Basically, for me, the P5 was initially too veiled and colored compared to my modded Brickwall and Uberbuss, but I needed steady voltage, so persisted. One volt is a real choice with the Torii and CSP3 to my ears. They are darker fuller with higher voltage and more open/clear with lower, and my house power would move around 2-3 volts over days, messing with my sound balance.

But even with decent feet, the PSAudio AC12 cable, and the just-right (for me) settings (119v out, -4 phase, low distortion, sine wave), it was still a bit too veiled. So I worked more on feet to pull more open transparency and built a power cord that would likely be too bright/revealing in many settings, but resolved the P5 nicely. It is carefully configured small gauges of silver-plated copper/teflon adding up to 9 gauge, and rhodium ends.

Now quite good for most of the system, I still had to use my modded Brickwall with a Shunyata Defender conditioner for the front end to get the transparency and fine detail my DAC provides. The combination sounds better than what I had, and I have the blessed voltage stability I needed, but I have no idea how to say the percentage.

Questions of Problems and Value

Starting with really good gear, for me, the last 5-10 percent is worth way more than the first 90-95. And the last refinements generally add up in costs, but relative to what?

In my experience, the assumption that the primary components are where we need to spend the research and money, with the idea that the rest is secondary, makes no sense. If the room is not up to the source, amp and speakers...or if the power is not up to these...or if vibrations limit the potential of any of it...or connections/cables hobble the whole... haven’t we in effect wasted money on good source, amp and speakers?

Alternately, as long as our front end can provide it, and we don't mask/kill it on the way to the speakers, the potential of this level of gear seems pretty vast.

And no matter how we get it, greater quiet (less distortions) allows finer detail, speed, and space, things that effect every aspect of the frequency spectrum….an empty background provides room for subtler musical information...dynamics, detail, harmonics and ambient information. If these can make it sound like music rather than recordings, what is that worth?

Looked at another way, if improving noise management, cables, tubes, etc can make, say a 5-15 percent overall sound improvement...AND...it can cause a shift in the listening experience from really good, to downright engaging, what is that worth? What is the percentage of improvement when things shift toward feeling real?

The trick is sorting out where the worst hobbles are! Once they are resolved everything becomes pretty clear. No more wondering if or how much a tube, foot, cable, fuse changes things... but rather choices of which qualities give better overall sound and synergy.

Toward this end, for me, clean and stable power, excellent cables and feet, and room treatments are required in order to hear the most, and to keep from hobbling our musical experience.

Whether a regenerator will do that for you, who knows for sure, but most people that have them do not regret having paid a fair bit for them, even me who felt like I had to work too hard to get something that valuable to work well. But after all the messing around, my power is truly great, and interestingly, my house power has gotten worse with greater voltage swings and greater THD swings...Also, if I move, I am likely/maybe Smiley done, regardless of conditions. And finally, I like the settings on the P5 a lot, giving me a better baseline tuning potential. How it is set up effects everything else. So I am glad to have the P5.

That said, though you can find used regenerators, and seriously marked down ones like mine was, even then they are expensive. At least in this house, with relatively clean power, had I not needed voltage control, I guess I could have been good with nice "conditioners."

I wonder if you have a local store who would let you try power treatment without shipping. Music direct does, but unless it is a demo, you have the question of burnin, and also shipping. My P5 took forever to show its self (before I got it tuned up)! Just wondering about trying some things without full commitment to see if the cables you are trying become more revealing with better power.
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maddog07
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #13 - 12/28/16 at 23:13:09
 
I've had a PS regenerator for years now.  Started with the powerplant premier probably close to 10 years ago now.  When I first got it, I had a little trouble believing my ears.  Everything improved, more low level resolution, micro-detail, dynamics, blacker backgrounds, lower noise level, blah, blah, blah.  Heard things in music I've listened to for years that I'd never noticed before.  My PP Premier was "buggy" and got returned to PSA a couple of times for repair.  After that last time, I was done with it.  I then got a Power Plant P5, which I've now had at least 3 years, and it's been flawless in operation and has all the sonic benefits I'd become accustomed to with the PP Premier - and no bugs.  At this point I consider this component a "necessity" - wouldn't want to live without it.  And I do somewhat agree with some on this forum, that "some" amps may not need or see the improvement, due to their power supplies - but I would still plug my sources into it.

before the PS PP regenerators, I had the ole API Audio Power Industry power wedges, which use balancing transformers per each set of isolated outlets along with some kind of filtering.  These were good for sources I thought - at the time - till I heard the PSA regenerators.  But for most amps, without adding the API Power Enhancer(a giant like 1 farad capacitor I think) to the Power Wedge, the wedge by itself tended to "flatten" out the sound of most amps.  When the Enhancers are plugged into the Wedges your amp's plugged into, then things were better.  Anywho... after I got the PS regenrators, the API stuff was relegated to the HT system where it has remained untouched for years... until recently, when the spousal unit decided we needed to "remodel" and "update".  At which point, the whole HT had to be dismantled and moved out of the room.

So.... with all the ole API power wedges sitting around, one day, for convenience sake, I needed some more outlets, so I plugged one of the API power wedges into my PS P5 regenerator and plugged some sources into the API - hmmmmmm..... I perceive I hear some "differences" - though I am not yet fully prepared to qualify or quantify just exactly what those differences are.....  ;D

* can one filter or regenerate too much?
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Palomino
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #14 - 12/29/16 at 11:34:47
 
I have been down a similar power treatment past.  Cryo'd industrial grade outlets, dedicated line to the listening room, power cords, isolation transformers, etc.  I do clean my contacts although not religiously.  In general, I got improvements with each power improvement tactic.

But when Lonely Raven plugged his P10 into my system and I heard the difference, it was one of those automatic buying decisions.  I began searching after he left.  I ended up with a power plant premier due to budget, but I got a good lift out of it and have never looked back.

Lon was upgrading, so I bought his P5 and it completely changed my sound again.  Biggest difference was how completely black the backgrounds were.  I did think the sound was a bit too sterile and consulted Will who I knew had played around with the settings.  Using his settings from his post above, I think I am getting closer to what I want, but I am still fiddling with it.

Some additional info.  

My house, even with a dedicated line to my room, has really crappy power.  I perceive big differences with both my Rachael and Torii.

I can confirm that Lonely Raven did not get as big an increase with his P10/ZMA combination.  We did some A/B.  

I also have a P300 which is an earlier model of the power plant which I took to my cottage in the boonies of Michigan with few houses on that power line and it did not make a big difference (although it did in my house, same as the PPP).  

I also took the P300 to Proggrob's house and in our short test, did not perceive a difference in his system.  Admittedly, we did not do much of an A/B.

So here are my conclusions from my experience thus far:

1. I think the size of the lift is dependent upon your amp and/or your power quality.
2. I believe that the P5 and p10 (maybe the P3?) are tunable to change your system sound.
3. I will always have power treatment as a foundation of any system build, but I would start with outlets and power cords first.


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will
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #15 - 12/29/16 at 17:46:28
 
Nice summary Pal.

P5 settings may be different there, but this is basically what I remember from my experiments: The voltage is pretty straight forward, more adds power and weight...bigger. And less is leaner, more open.

The phase is similar, more open with lower settings, and more full/dense with higher settings. But both ways, off-zero progressively increases fine detail and spaciousness, relaxing what to me sounds like an over-produced "signature" of the P5 at 120v and 0 phase. Either way 4 has been as far as I have gone, and generally my preferred area.

Minus phase settings in particular, from giving a more spacious feel, show more apparent micro info...space, textures, ambience, etc. Plus settings increase these fine detail characteristics as well, but with more body and weight, so less discernible...A different feel, but both help solve the things I don’t like about the P5 signature choices.

Either way, I am always seduced by the punch and clarity of High Regulation setting, but end up with the calmer and more nuanced and complex Low Distortion here.

I think overall, I preferred even phase adjustments. I seem to recall -3 or +3 being nice for a lot of recordings, but left some recordings sounding a little "off." I usually end up at minus 4 here, but have liked minus 2, and plus 2 and 4. On the raised phase settings, I like to reduce the voltage more to balance the added density/thickness form the Plus phase adjustment.

For example, if you like -4 at 119v, +4 at 117/118v can be an interesting variation.

Amps Resolving Noise - Thinking of the relative immunity to power noise Raven and Stone have experienced from the Mystery Amp…

When I tried power conditioning and later regeneration here, having relatively subtle effects in some of the most obvious noise reduction ways, I just figured my power was clean here. Then I thought about Steve's idea of the Torii's series wired voltage regulator filters pointing noise reduction toward regeneration territory. But MD and Lon have benefitted so much from PSAudio regeneration with their Toriis, when for me it was more a challenge rather than shoe-in. So it seemed the Torii can benefit quite a bit depending on the environment/system. Though not the case here, I suppose it is possible that everything feeding the Torii can be that much better from regeneration, making the Torii better...But presumably, just the Torii can benefit a fair bit with the right preconditions.

Considering the Torii design with Voltage Regulator noise reduction, it makes me wonder though….do you get better improvements from regeneration with the Rachel than the Torii?
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Palomino
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #16 - 12/29/16 at 19:01:32
 
I haven't done an A/B comparison of the two.  I only had the Rachael when Raven lugged his P10 over to my house and there was a night and day difference.  

I do sense a similar P5 signature on both amps so it is having an effect.

What was confusing for me later was when I took my power plant over to Rob's house.  I figured another "non-regulated" amp like his zen select would also present a night and day difference.  It did not.  

This is what lead to my "amp and/or power" comment above.

Everything is ip for grabs again now because I finally ponied up and bought a 2012 i7 quad core Mac mini.  You wouldn't think it would change the sound signature of the system but it has.  It sounds far better and I haven't even installed the linear power supply.
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will
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #17 - 12/29/16 at 19:35:55
 
Yes it is interesting the variability of the regeneration benefits! No doubt the P5 effects things here also, the voltage the big benefit for me. Just wondering how the Torii might fit in the amp design-based noise solving scheme.

Also the new Mini...Eric Hider, of the Tranquility DAC, has done more work on the computer end of sound than any I personally know. Even back in the day, he always recommend things like improving Mini processing power, memory, SDs, software adjustments, external drives, cables, etc. So your improvement does not surprise me.

His projects lately seem to be focussed on a totally worked over Mini, including a new System they developed. Last I spoke with him, he said he is getting amazing results from this new system in concert with mods! Pretty amazing.

And like power treatment, still all about resolving noise and supporting signal integrity.
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Rraymond
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #18 - 12/29/16 at 21:36:37
 
Well I would have to say my sound is much better today than it was when I started getting into this hobby almost a year ago. I guess with trial and error you find what works and improves the sound. Apparently there's still room for improvement since I can't hear any difference between low grade and higher grade cables. If the power source is the bottleneck to resolving this, that would be another leap in my sound quality. It's almost like we are trying to chase down the chicken or the egg to achieve the best possible sound. It's good that a lot of the manufacturers allow a trial period so we can determine what the weak link is.... Undecided

Rick
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will
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #19 - 12/30/16 at 22:22:25
 
Hey Rick,

In a way it is chicken and egg, but in others...not. Beginning to resolve important baseline necessities (most of which we tend to hope we can avoid, but typically can't) the problem areas become clearer. It has been too long since I have had interest in turntables, but from the sound of your system, it seems unlikely that the main components are your bottleneck. This leaves the things your components are impacted by, and need to perform optimally, right? So you are looking at interconnects, a good idea, but not hearing the differences showed other problems. So you are on the track!

Steve’s stock tubes are pretty good and should be relatively revealing, revealing enough for cables to show. That is, unless your amp, in your system/room, is too weighty and bassy, potentially setting up all sorts of masking of important information. If this is the case, a simple tube change could help get you on the track, making your system more revealing, and allowing you to hear changes better. Steve’s stock tube sets in my rooms tend to be a bit more dark/dense/forgiving than I prefer, with room, causing them to be a little less revealing and transparent. If this is the case in your particular setting, changing out one or two can change what you are able to hear. It could be a good tool for learning what is up.

Also, your question about power is a really good one. Power and vibration both can cause meaningful distortion, masking open spaciousness, and slurring definition enough to limit system/room performance. Power cables, as Palomino suggested are a good start if you have not gone there. They make a big difference on fundamental levels that effect everything....signal flow and density, tone, and by potentially clearing up some power issues.

Also room modes can really hurt, excess frequency bumps and dips. Particularly unresolved bass can cause blurring/masking about anywhere in the spectrum. Associated, room reflections turned into wave overlaps, depending on how they overlap, cause attenuation of important frequency areas, and amplification of others, throwing off the balance.

Together, these problems, room, power, vibration, tubes, cables...can damage system potential in big ways. So working away at them, little by little, or en masse, is inevitable if you want the most from your system/room.

Once sorted out enough to know what is up, the questions become how far you are willing and able to go. But just getting close enough to be able to discern subtler differences can be very rewarding in the musical experience.

If you have optimized speaker placement to give the most balanced frequency response you can get, and still have boom, or hot, or empty places, room needs work. Bass is usually the first place to try and solve, making everything else clearer. There are a lot of ways to deal with room, from traditional treatment to more "esoteric" methods, to speaker choices, to EQ, especially for more minor issues.

If you feel like you have a pretty balanced frequency response, but are lacking generalized definition and clarity, power and vibration can be good places to start.

I don't think you need a regenerator to check out power. If you don't have one, 1st I would get a cheap volt meter and monitor your voltage for a week or so. You can just plug the leads into an outlet that is part of your system, and turn on the meter every time you think of it and keep track. If it is relatively stable at or near 120v, a conditioner would likely work fine. But even if the voltage is moving around a couple volts, and not too high, a decent demo conditioner could show you what it can do with your particular power and toward more resolution. This is why I suggested checking your local stores if they will loan gear.

Then, if a conditioner really helps, the choices for power treatment are vast and varied...research time….but there are pretty popular standard choices, PSAudio being a good one, especially if you have both voltage and noise issues, and/or, want to be equipped no matter where you live.

BTW, there is a regenerator made in Canada called PurePower. They had their ups and downs, perhaps worse than PSAudio did, but last I read, had sorted it all out. I did not get one to try because I could not find a place that would take them back if it did not work for me, but this may be different now.
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Rraymond
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Re: Power regenerator
Reply #20 - 12/30/16 at 23:04:28
 
Thanks Will,
Yeah I have changed some of the tubes in the Torii Jr. The regulator is now a Philips and the pre-amp sections are also different, although I don't recall what they are and am on vacation so I can't verify what they have been changed to but I've tried 2 different sets.  I haven't tried changing the 4 output tubes yet as I thought they would be less likely to reveal a change than the others I've swapped out.  I did purchase some Graphene Extreme power cords and ended up selling them because I didn't notice a change but that was before I got the new TT and Streamer sources which made a huge improvement. Currently I'm using $35 Linn power cords that the local store recommended which look like plain old cheap power cords. My next step is to add a pre-amp which I'm looking at the Micro ZOTL from Linear Tube Audio. They just came out with one that has a remote control so that's a plus for me.  I may even get their 10watt power amp and compare it side by side with the Torii Jr. just for kicks. If there's no improvement in any of this, I'm guessing that the power may be something to seriously consider. Currently the sound is really good but it seems as though there's an undesirable frequency somewhere in the mids with the vocals which I'm suspecting could be room dynamics. Not a whole lot I can do with the room because it's not a dedicated listening room but we are going to change the huge entertainment center to something more streamline and mount the TV on the wall. I was thinking of adding some decorative wood on the wall that the TV goes on which may help with the sound reflections. Seems as though this hobbies keeping me busy, but I guess that's part of the fun especially when there's a golden pot at the end of the rainbow.  8-)

Rick
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lLance
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Posts: 164
Re: Power regenerator
Reply #21 - 12/31/16 at 02:34:54
 
Rick,

I have all CT Graphene cables and Linear Tube Audio gear. With the CT cables the real ass kicker is the speaker cables. They are by far the biggest bang for the cable buck out there, then the interconnects are good and the power cords are last but not shabby. They definitely need break-in time to come around.

I have the LTA Micro ZOTL and am waiting on the new MZ2-S with the remote option. This preamp is killer. I have heard the ZOTL10 and thought it was impressive. I have the ZOTL40 now driving my Janszen's and it's hard to grasp at first, the transformer haze is gone and there is only pure music with an unbelievable clarity. The ZMA is one of my all time favorites and I have put the ZOTL40 up against it..... I feel its almost sacrilegious to say this but I'm thinking about selling the ZMA.
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stone_of_tone
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Posts: 3217
Re: Power regenerator
Reply #22 - 12/31/16 at 17:48:52
 
llance, I see where you're coming from, me, having owned the MicroZOTL Preamp, and a Audio Research LS17 SE and CSP3.

However, you need to drive through some x-over's with the JanZen's. If I never modified my Acoustic Zen Adagio's and did not know Decware.....I could see an all Linear Tube Audio gig happening here for me. But, I do know Decware and with the single Mundorf MCap Supreme in each Adagio modification and the ZMA driving them....the tone/timbre is nothing solid state, even output transformer-less can touch. Plus, add in NOS Plat tube rolling and I can't leave the Room.

However, I understand your love for the JanZen's....and what YOU need to drive them with......LTA.

I'm also coming from the aspect, you need more drive through the x-over's of the Janzen's...with the LTA Pre. I've found now, the purity of the ZMA sans Pre, is outstanding, with my mod Adagio's. I'm also fortunate to own the Kimber Select KS6063, that provide an additional level of clarity, dynamic's with musicality/ZMA....I could not obtain with Kimber 8TC or even Select KS3033 (yes folk's; cabling matter's and NOS tubes). First and foremost....treat your room though.
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