Width and depth increase in sound stage. Improvement in clarity in high frequencies.

Causes very annoying transformer hum in power amps. Some electrostatic loudspeakers may not be able to utilize the multiwave feature.

This unit was purchased with the intent of connecting all of my components to it. You'd better have your power amp in another room if you connect it to the Power Plant because the transformer hum during low volume passages will drive you nuts. With the power amp that I'm running (Plinius SA-100), you can hear the transformer hum 15 feet away from the unit.
Also, if you are running electrostatic loudspeakers that have device protection relays, the relays may "chatter" at single and multiwave frequencies greater than 90 hz.
Now the good news, for front end equipment (preamps, CD players, tuners and tape decks), you will be amazed at how much better this piece of equipment will make your system sound. The high frequencies open up like a hibiscus in sunlight. The width and depth increase in the soundstage accuratly place each indivdual instument in space. Intense , complex passages (Pat Metheny's Imaginary Day)are vivid in their clarity.
If I knew then what I know now, I'd probably would have purchased a p-300. For just front end equipment, the p-600 is overkill.

Similar Products Used:

None

Sin/60Hz - does it all

multiwave & BAT = no-go

Hello all:

I'm using the P600 for a BAT VK50SE and an extensively modified, balanced output Pioneer DV-37; occaisonally the TV, VCR, cable box.

The device is absolutely phenomenal: bigger, deeper soundstage, lower noise floor, glorious blacks and decays.

However, multiwave is no good for BAT stuff. I agree with Eric's negative review points regarding euphonic, rolled off sound, but only when using PS2 & some of the other multiwaves. PS2 sounds so bad w/my BAT gear, it made my friends and I laugh hysterically :) We couldn't believe what we were hearing! I still cannot comprehend how the PS2 (& most other) multiwave can make music sound that bizzare. Images were gigantic, towering and expanding out over the soundstage. Voices were 10' X 10' and seemed about 10' deep! That said, when the unit is set to Sin/60Hz, it performs better than all others I've tried. That includes Tice products.

I cannot understand how anyone could listen to this device without using multiwave and opine that the soundstage is flat.

Conclusions- multiwave is hit and miss, no good for BAT, at least. Also, it overheats (sorry guys). Don't even attempt to use a BAT VK60, 75, SE whatever tube amp with the P600. Nevertheless, I haven't heard anything that brings forth such an honest, analogue sound. Don't mean to keep referring to other reviews, but -jeez-. Excellent product, I just don't need multiwave.

Larry

I needed to upgrade from the P300 to the P600 to give myself the ability to power all my equipment with no danger of shut-down. Whereas my system was riding upwards of 280 on the P300 (which has a maximum draw of 300 W as the name suggests), the readout on the P600 for the same components is only 160. I'm not sure why this is. . .

As for the sound quality, I get the same open, taught dynamics with the P600 as I got with the P300. This was such an extraordinary improvement over the Monster HTS1000 which I was using previously that I cannot recommend any monster device for line conditioning. The HTS1000 constricts the imaging, tonal nuances and chokes the bass compared to the P300.

When I upgraded to the P600 I bought a unit with the multiwave card. I was not particularly impressed. In fact, all of the multiwave settings sound worse than the regular sine wave setting (still an option with the multiwave card). I would describe the multiwave settings as less natural/more processed sounding. It does seem more "defined" in producing tones and maybe this is why it receives the rave reviews it does.

Power is a critical part of any system, as much a part of the overall sound as any component you choose. And as such, power needs to be addressed for the sake of each component in the system. As the best power treatment device I have ever tried, the P600 comes with highest recommendations.

One final word: I have had back surgery yet still managed to get this unit (double boxed) into a honda civic and then up 4 flights of stairs, unboxed it, and installed it on the top shelf of my system with only the help of a flat dolly. If I can do this without breaking my back or the power plant, anyone can.

Clearly improved sound even with finest gear

Cost, size

First off, anyone who buys this and can't hear a difference must have really cheap gear or clogged ears. I have a Chang Lightspeed 6400, and compared side by side, there is just no comparison. The 600 clearly adds dimensionality, a bigger soundstage, and a stability to the individual sounds that is addictive. Don't believe those who say it doesn't have any effect on hi-end gear - I have a Krell KPS25SC front end, 25K, and Wilson Watt Puppy 5.1 speakers - highly resolving by anyone's standards, and the improvement is clear. It makes everything sound more 3D and stable; focused. The Multiwave seems worth it and I keep it on the SS1 setting, which seems to work best. It is quieter and bit airier that the straight SINE wave setting.

By comparison, the Chang or the API sound compressed, hazy, and "digital", to use that word unflatteringly. The PS 600 is also powering my Pioneer 501 HD TV; I set it to SIN when viewing the TV. But for music, it's SS1 and then the sound becomes a movie - so real, just that extra degree of palpability with good recordings. I have done comparisons for non-audiophile friends and they too have clearly heard the difference - I wish it was half as much money, but if you have the gear and the ears, you won't be dissapointed.

Similar Products Used:

Chang Lightspeed 6400, API Powerwedge

Very hot! Do not appear to work well with high end gear having their own regulated power supplies. Sounds very "hi-fi" with my set-up - music sounds clean but clearly etched, enough to know immediately it's far from being analog or "live". Soundstage appears much narrower than with Tice.

I was truly relieved to read Eric's email in the P600 review. Like him I was afraid to be the first to say something about the emperor's new clothes having read nothing but rave reviews from Stereophile reviewers and from fellow audiohpiles on this site, especially in relation to the P300 model. I used the P300 to plug in my transport, upsampler, DAC and pre-amp. My power amps get their power straight from the wall. I left the P300 running for 5 hours to let it warm-up (it's been thoroughly run-in) in my system.

When I got down to some serious listening I was immediately struck by how squeaky "clean" everything sounded - the high notes were more transparent but the bass definitely lost its authority. Everything sounded very "polite" as if I had changed my pre-amp for a Nagra. The soundstage was narrower but not deeper and I did not detect a more holographic 3-D imaging. Diana Krall lost some of her warm husky tone and sibilance was very slightly enhanced. I then switched to track 2 on the sample XRCD from Three Blind Mice where there was heavy bass notes followed by very clear tinkling of the piano. The effect was great - the transient decays of the strings were there in your face. You almost held your breath to hear the "clarity" of the decays. But it became tiring - wonderful if you want to hear sound effects but not great if you want to tap your feet and enjoy live music at home. Playing around with the frequency adjustment switch (up to 65 Hz) improved the sound but not, in my opinion, enough to reach the level of the Tice described below.

Switching back to my Tice Power Block II/Titan II, I was most relieved to hear the wide soundstage come back in force and so much more unforced music coming through. Everything was there but much less in your face. More musical and analog. I repeated my listening tests on separate occasions and with different types of music but my A/B notes remained the same each time despite trying to hear this transformation others have raved about.

The P300 is a capable power regenerator but my gut feel is that it may work best with equipment which lacks good regulated power supplies.

Equipment used: Mark Levinson Reference Series transport, DAC, preamp and power amp (33), Danish Audio 2004 upsampler, XLO Limited Edition AES/BU (2 x), Transparent Reference XL interconnects and speaker cables, Siltech G3 18 power cords, B&W Nautilus 801 with Sound Anchor stands, black diamond racing shelves and cones, Goldmund cones, Tice Power Block II/Titan II.

Similar Products Used:

Tice Power Block II/Titan II

None noted

Power consumption, heat generation, large size, cost/benefit, poor customer support

The unit failed after three weeks. After three weeks, numerous e-mails, and phone calls, the unit was still sitting there dead. Frustrated, I arranged a return and full refund. Then began the long process (more e-mails, phone calls, etc.) to actually get the promised refund.

While waiting for a repair resolution, I opened the unit. There I found some assembly anomalies which made me marvel that the thing ever turned on in the first place.

I have a P-300 which works wonderfully. I hope that it never breaks.

The single stars for value and overall rating are due to the fact that there is no option to award 0 stars.

Similar Products Used:

PS Audio P-300, Tice PBIII, home-built isolation transformers

Top Notch Design and Build Quality-an AC regenerator
with MultiWave technolgogy.

with the "nifty gloves" enclosed in the packing box to pick up this 90lb beast-need a device to "pick your jaw up off the floor" after installation

If you think your AC current is fine then consider what "fine" is: 5-10% THD, flat topped sinewave (the peak of the wave is where almost all of the useable energy is), high impedence, varied voltage (anywhere from +/- 10V of the stated "best"). Upon installing the PS600 however, you get:
-0.0025% THD, selectable waveform (sine 50-120hz, or sequential/partial square waveforms), near zero impedence,
perfectly regulated voltage (adjustable)> And what effect/affect does this have on your equipment and your ears and eyes? Name a positive quality that your system could use as improvement (dynamics, imaging, separation, integration, etc. etc.) and the PS600 "will improve" them! When you consider how much time, technology, and money high end maufacturers
(and I'm talking the really big boys here 20/30K separates)
spend on their power supplies-then you get an idea of what I'm getting at here. I really thought my system sounded good.
Upon investigating the PS600 after hearing so much about it
(forum posts, magazine reviews, year end awards) I thought I'd give it a try. My system needs more than the PS300 can give (I have 5 amps, a pre, progressive DVD, Camelot Jitter
Filter, and a HD RPTV. With "two sets" of 4 plugs on the back
of the PS600 I was able to have 4 amps in analog side and the
remaining 4 digital devices in the digital side. I'll be adding a PSAudio Ultimate Outlet for the remaining amp later.
Listening to the PS600 at "beyond" reference level on a DTS
track at -21db the PS600 only showed 420 (out of the avaialable 700 W) Very impressive! And this baby makes my entire system absolutely sing! It is the single best upgrade
I have made (cables, acoustic treatments, etc.) in my entire HT setup. If I eventually traded in or changed out every other componant-this is the one I would keep. I cannot imagine a system without it. It is that good! And the best part is that you can audition it in your home for 30 days and return it with a no questions asked guarantee (and that is not something I think everyone would do). And, I must say, the PSAudio folks have the "best" customer service I have yet encountered. Paul, Robert, and Karen will respond to all inquiries, and do their very best to make you happy. They know they have a good product. How anyone here could give this product anything less than 5 stars is beyond me. Now my system sounds beautiful, natural, and open. Sonic poetic bliss!

Similar Products Used:

Monster HTS 2500

Consistently clean power 24/7

None that I am aware of.

I find it difficult to understand how the PS300 can receive such rave reviews while the PS600 is getting such a luke warm reception. I have never used the PS300, so I guess I am in no position to compare the PS600 to it; however,based on what I have read, I would think that the PS600 should offer more of what the PS300 offers in a quieter and cooler package. I use moderately priced equipment (Bryston 4BST, BP25 and a Rotel 991 cd player). I also live in a large metropolitan area with an electrical grid that serves numerous homes and industries. In my experience, the PS600 has made a significant contribution to the overall quality of the sound coming from my stereo. As others have said, sometimes "you do not know what you have got until its gone." After auditioning the PS600 for a couple of weeks, I disconnected it and plugged my equipment directly into the wall outlet (which is a 20amp dedicated circuit). I'll never do that again! The PS600 is, in my opinion, a great piece of equipment, and while I do not support nominating Paul McGowan for the Nobel Peace Prize(as others have suggested), I do think that his Power equipment is a genuine stroke of genius.

Similar Products Used:

None

Lowers Noise Floor

Inefficient

I have played with the P600 with several systems. The conclusion that I came to was that it works great with cheap to mid-fi gear but only marginally with the higher end gear. I know it sounds snobby. I own Jeff Rowland, Mark Levinson and Meridian gear that already have decent power supplies and the P600 did not do much. It did lower an already low noise floor. To give credence to Eric's review, I overheard one of the Audionut.com representatives tell someone that the power plants do not work well with BAT gear. The main drawback of the power plants is that they are very inefficient and can be costly to use. The power plants operate at half efficiency drawing twice as much juice as it puts out. This is a huge problem here in the San Diego area, where electricity was recently deregulated. Deregulation was supposed to lower electricity costs but instead San Diego resident's electricity bills have more than doubled. Last month my electric bill was an insane $450. The power plant is the gift that keeps on costing. Again, depending on the system the power plant may be worth it.

Build Quality, Looks

Expensive and extremely inefficient

I’ll be the first brave soul and give my negative experience of PS Audio’s P600 Power Plant. I was very disappointed with how the P600 sounded in my system. After reading all the rave reviews I was hoping the P600 lived up to all the hype. I have an all Balanced Audio Technology System (BAT), including the VK-50SE preamp and VK-D5SE CD player. BAT has a very sophisticated power supply that requires a lot of current. PS Audio told me that I would have to use the P600 to run my preamp and CD player because BAT’s products would shut down their P300 model. I started to become skeptical when a 300-watt power plant could not run my front-end equipment. Their explanation that BAT's equipment would shut down the P300 in the start up mode did not make sense to me. I really got confused when the P600’s readout never went over 220 watts. Anyway, the build quality of the P600 is first rate. It also looks pretty sharp. From reading all the reviews and PS Audio’s literature the P600 is supposed to: increase the depth of the soundstage, increase instrumental space, give better bass, and remove harshness from digital recordings. My experience in my system was that in several of these areas the P600 did the complete opposite. In my system, the P600 was guilty of dynamic shading. It rolled everything off. It made everything sound overly warm and euphonic. Subsequently, instruments did not sound very accurate. Miles Davis’ horn is aggressive and bright and that’s the way it should sound. With the P600 in place it was very warm and lost it’s aggressiveness. A Les Paul guitar has a growling character to its sound. With the P600 in place it sounded very tame. The biggest complaint that I had with the P600 is that it brought the whole soundstage forward in your face. All the instruments sounded like they were on the same plane. In addition, subtle background instruments such as symbols and say a snare drum sounded as loud as the lead guitar or the string section of an orchestra. The only positive thing that I noticed with P600 was that it did lower my system’s noise floor. I enlisted the opinion of several audiophile friends and two friends who are professional musicians. The also shared the same sentiments about the P600. I also listened to the P600 on two other high-end systems. One system where two P600's were running two Sonic Frontiers power two monoblocks and a P300 running a Meridian 861 preamp processor and Wadia CD player. I noticed some of the same drawbacks that I experienced in my system but not nearly as bad. That person also returned the power plants. I think one of the reviewers said it best when he stated that the PS audio power plants might be a panacea for the lesser expensive gear that may not have the best power supplies. I really wanted to like this product. I’m sure this product is system dependent and I don’t understand why it sounded so bad in my system. Some people may like this type of product because it brings a tube like character to the sound. One last thing that I think people might be interested in. The P600 is inefficient in that it takes 1200 Watts from your wall and gives you 600 Watts for your equipment. After demoing the P600 for ten days and puting approximately 50 hours on the unit, I noticed that my electric bill (which was pretty consistent)went up $15. Depending on your usuage the P600 can be expensive to use over a year's time. Good Listening!

Similar Products Used:

Cinepro, Transparent