Knowledge Base
PS Audio Learning Center
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Why do aftermarket power cables make a difference?
Power cables are the connections between the AC power source and your equipment. Think of these in the same way you might envision a water pipe. If you have a restricted flow water pipe, you will not be able to deliver as much water as may be required. The same is true for AC power. Great care must be taken to make sure the power delivery system to each piece of equipment in your setup is unrestricted at a minimum.
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What should you expect in performance benefits with a Power Plant?
Better dynamics, far more open sound, better imaging for audio and richer, more saturated colors for video.
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Explain the difference between passive and active power conditioners
Passive power conditioning is, by far, the largest category of power conditioning available. In a passive power conditioner (of which there are two types: series or parallel) passive components are used (capacitors, resistors and coils of wire) to act as filters to reduce unwanted noises on the AC line. The most effective passive power conditioners are series devices, the least effective are parallel devices.
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Do parallel power conditioners clean without restriction?
Yes. In fact a parallel powe r conditioner like those manufactured by Shunyata, Richard Grey, Transparent and Audience (among others) have only the added power cable feeding the power conditioner as a restriction. The power cleaning circuitry itself does not restrict the AC power at all.
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Do Power Plants restrict the AC power from the wall?
No. In fact quite the opposite. Up to their rated power, they have excess energy storage on board (50 amps vs. the 15 or 20 available from the wall socket) that increases the instantaneous power available to your equipment and maintains a steady regulated voltage.
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What is a dedicated line?
An AC power line dedicated to one AC receptacle that optimally powers one piece of equipment. Most AC power lines in our home have multiple AC receptacles connected to them. Each piece of equipment we connect to the AC power can add back contaminating noise into the power line. Using a dedicated line to feed your equipment can reduce the noise contribution of the equipment.
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How can a power cord attached to home wiring make a difference?
Many customers want to understand why a properly designed high-performance aftermarket power cord makes any difference when that very power cord is attached to your home’s internal wiring that is perhaps 100 feet in length and acting like a superb antenna for noise!
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What does THD on the AC power line matter?
Because THD is a telltale sign of far greater problems affecting the power your equipment receives. The PS Audio Power Plant Premier, as well as other PS Power products, provide a built in THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) analyzer on their front panels to display both the incoming and outgoing THD on the AC line.
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Power amps and power conditioners, ok?
Some power amplifier manufacturers write in their owner’s manuals not to use a power conditioner for their amplifiers. So, does this mean that all power products should be avoided with a power amp?
