I thought I would respond to Karma's recent post and JBzen's response by starting a thread specific to the PURITAN PSM 156.  Please do not take this to mean that I am implying that the Puritan PSM 156 is the best power filter one can get.

What I will say is that the Puritan PSM 156 does its job with spectacular results and IMO is well worth it's price tag.

Kamran posted a link to a recent you tube video.  The participants felt that the PSM 156 is particularly effective when used with a DAC but not as effective when it supplies power to and amp and/or pre amp.  I could see that happening if the supplied Puritan mains cable is used from the receptacle to the PSM 156.

I could not use it as the mains cable to the PSM 156, it was way too long in my setting.  I used a short length of DHC1 cable as the mains to the PSM 156.  The supplied Puritan Classic cable I ran to my Lumin U2 Mini from the the PSM 156.  The difference even without any burn in was amazing and after some 25 hours rather hard to come to grips with.

I then wondered what would happen if I swapped cables.  So from the PSM156 I ran the Puritan Classic to my UFO25 and the DHC1 to the Lumin.  Long story short... things fell apart.  I could still tell that it was having a positive effect but solidity and body was noticeably diminished.

Next, from the PSM 156 I once again used the DHC1 cable but I then ran the Puritan Classic to the Plixer LPS/Chord DAC.  To the Lumin I ran the stock cable from the PSM 156.

The results, once again, were nothing short of amazing even with the stock cable supplying the Lumin.

The Puritan Classic cable is a shielded cable that uses 15 gauge conductors that are supposed to be able to supply 20 amps. It is, obviously, a very good cable.  IMO, it was not able to work as well with the UFO25 because it is only 15 gauge.  The Puritan Ultimate cable is a 12 gauge shielded cable and the reviews do state that it is noticeably better than the Classic and may be the cable that would work well with amps and pre amps.

Because the DHC1 worked so well supplying the PSM 156 and the UFO25/CSP3A I am ordering the DHC3 cables but will likely keep the Puritan Classic on the streamer and DAC.

My advice is... use a good 10 gauge shielded cable to supply the PSM 156, amps and preamps and the Puritan Classic to supply DACs and streamers depending on the power draw of the streamer.

After experiencing what shielded cables and filters do on ethernet and power supplies I am convinced that as important as dedicated power supplies are even more important are good filtering systems from the receptacle to the components.

To JBzen's response: I Fully agree and would add... that after having the Puritan PSM 156 supplying the UFO25 I would say that it is grossly under rated.

This is a preliminary response.  After changing all the DHC1 to DHC3 I give my final impressions but that won't be till March at the earliest.

Hey Will,

I was using the entry level Blu Circle FX2 and was planning to upgrade.  Blu Circle has since shut down and Gilbert Yeung is still designing and possibly producing components in association with EnTracte Audio.  The power filter that I was considering was the EnTracte EF130 but the receptacles are not individually isolated from each other.  That was the deal breaker.

Next came the Plixir filters after my experience with the Plixir Elite LPS.  The cost was the deal breaker.

Then I came across the Puritan PSM 136 and decided to go for the PSM 156.  Ticked all the right boxes and I pulled the trigger on it.  Glad that I did.

Some time back I also changed the plugs and IECs on the DHC1 cables and never really completed that project.  So in conjunction with the purchase of the DHC3 I will be completing the Plug/IEC project.  Then I will post the results.

Thinking it through, I guess most of my modification work, my power cables, as well as a whole lot of other things that make up my system/room are fundamentally as much about refined power as anything. Sounds follows.

Hey Tony,

I agree... power cords have been bigtime here, having all exceptional power cables I can move around for fine tuning... and several were made specifically to improve other power gear that needed help for more transparency and speed... (Balanced transformer, PSAudio P5, Audio Brickwall, computer power supply...). But I was also thinking about my tuned amp power supplies, pre-stages, and DAC power supply caps, resistors, wires and connectors... also tuned filter caps on AC... tuned receptacles, IECs, fuses.... as well as many smaller but contributing active and passive cleaners/filters. Lots and lots about clean and musical power!

I knew this I guess, but it was all part of a progression. Just now though, with new talk about how important power can be, I noticed just how much of my ongoing quest for more ultimately engaging and complete music has been about power. So just supporting the thought here.

There are plenty of fancy power cables out there. Good ones can be purchased at reasonable costs. The only requirements are 10 AWG conductors, shield connected at the plug ground wire leaving it unconnected at the IEC connector, and quality connectors.

John