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May 8, 2018 by Paul McGowan

When we wish to measure a Power Plant’s output impedance we’re looking to see how much it wiggles.

In a perfect world where the impedance is zero (and it never is) a Power Plant’s output voltage would not change (wiggle) with a load. Plug in a monster amplifier to a Power Plant’s output and the steady 120 volt doesn’t budge. Not even a little. This would indicate a zero output impedance and infinite current capability.

Try the same thing at the output of a power conditioner, or even just a wall receptacle, and you’ll get very different results. The voltage will fluctuate in direct proportion to the demands of the amp—and this is what occurs when it turns on and when it plays music.

But, of course, nothing has infinite anything so let’s look at real numbers. If a Power Plant has 10 times lower impedance than the AC receptacle, then there will be 10 times less voltage wiggle and 10 times less unwanted modulation damage to the sonics.

Make sense?

Add a power conditioner between the receptacle and amp and that wiggle gets even bigger (more impedance).

Tomorrow I’ll tell you how we’re lowering the critical output impedance in the new P12, P15, and P20 beyond anything yet seen in a Power Plant.

Or, a wall receptacle.