Alpha Labs - Does an AC Regenerator actually work? Let's find out!

Рет қаралды 2,883

7 күн бұрын

Welcome at the Alpha Labs!
We have a PS Audio Power Plant 12 on our test bench. We are going to perform some measurements and tests to see if it actually works!
Do you like these kind of tests? You can support us on Patreon: / alphaaudio
More information on www.alpha-audio.net. Ask questions on our Forum and via the contact forms. Patreons get an answer more quickly ;-).

Пікірлер: 59

@mugen2002 3 күн бұрын

A comparison between sine wave and multi wave would be interesting. Along with a comparison between multi wave strength 1 to 6 and normal vs high current outlets. Based on what people are doing in the PS audio forums, you use sine wave for tubes and multi wave strength 6 for solid state.

@rm-mastering 5 күн бұрын

Really good video, thank you.

@SuperMcgenius 5 күн бұрын

Great info, thank you.

@mugen2002 4 күн бұрын

I think the phase tune should be left at 0, if the in THD is low. I think this is what PS Audio told me about this setting. Each time I select Auto tune, I get a different number on my P15. The powerplant will make noise from DC input, but it should eliminate it on the devices connected to it, like you are seeing. Another KZfaqr didn't like the DC blocking performance from the IsoTek product and found the Puritan p156 worked better. I can't recommend the P12, because of the fan noise. A P15/20 are much better options. Dual P15s with their own dedicated lines would be a good setup. I plan on upgrading the outlets to Furutech NCF on my P15 in the future.

@markschotgerrits283 4 күн бұрын

Yes it's expensive but in my opinion the best way to go for clean power. I have a P15 and a P20 and I'm very happy with it. The difference is not huge but noticeable. Also a big advantage is the regulated power output and the low impedance. The power Amp always gets the power it needs because of the large capacity of the capacitors

@TheAlphaAudio 4 күн бұрын

Indeed. That's also a big advantage.

@CarlVanDoren61 4 күн бұрын

Demo Shunyata Research Denali 6000s v2 20amp 20 amp dedicated line 😊

@Bill.K 6 күн бұрын

Great demo and analysis! With all due respect, around 13:50 you commented that the flattened top of sine wave was from DC while that's actually a sum of odd order harmonic distortion like clipping. DC would offset the zero crossing point of the sinewave, not flatten the tops. Keep up the excellent work, your videos are unique and valuable.

@TheAlphaAudio 6 күн бұрын

Thanks for pointing it out!

@NosEL34 5 күн бұрын

Keep exploring, testing, & tinkering.

@TheAlphaAudio 5 күн бұрын

We will!

@IrenESorius 4 күн бұрын

Thanks Jaap,, 🍻😎👍‍‍

@thewaygokid3135 5 күн бұрын

Great info. Thank you! Do you have examples of what contributes to grid noise in a typical home?

@TheAlphaAudio 4 күн бұрын

Solar panels, all switchmode power supplies, car chargers... Etc...

@cosplay_hifi 6 күн бұрын

💯💯💯

@Nephilim-81 4 күн бұрын

Wonderful info. Best of all you make ASR look like a putz. 😂

@TheAlphaAudio 4 күн бұрын

That is not the goal. I just have my way of measuring equipment.

@Nephilim-81 4 күн бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudioI appreciate your honest aim to represent the measurement equipment in its intended purposes. ❤

@TheAlphaAudio 3 күн бұрын

@@Nephilim-81 very welcome.

@miguelbarrio 4 күн бұрын

Do you have a video where you show the detail of the equipment you're using to measure this? I am curious to try and do this myself (I have a Rigol scope, but the FFT you're doing is probably run in your computer).

@TheAlphaAudio 4 күн бұрын

I have a Prism dScope III. But you can also use a Picoscope for example. We have a Picoscope 5000 series as well and it is brilliant. The Prism has the right scripts to pre set it for these measurements though. That is very convenient. The AC generator I use to feed it, is a GW Instek.

@jaakanshorter 6 күн бұрын

Great video. I do wonder what people saying it doesn't work really mean? It cost too much? They didn't hear a difference in their system? Or something else? I'd love to have a regenerator, just not in my budget. Personally it was easier to tell if the AC conditioner was bad in all the systems I've had vs if it was doing its job.

@TheAlphaAudio 6 күн бұрын

Thanks!

@johncitizen8108 6 күн бұрын

I step up to 300v ac, better sound stage and timbre

@williammeincke9071 5 күн бұрын

Can you do measurement and video on using Battery power with an inverter. Essentially battery is perfect but it need an inverter which is a necesary evil to comvert it from dc to ac, the inverter creates some noise tho.

@TheAlphaAudio 5 күн бұрын

We can try. I don't have an inverter laying around though.

@thinkIndependent2024 5 күн бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudioTruth !! The Power Plant is a repackaged inverter ACtoDCtoAC you build a 2000 watt for under $1000. Remember it only works up to the capacitor load

@TheAlphaAudio 5 күн бұрын

@@thinkIndependent2024 of course it works like that. There is no other way to regenerate to AC.

@williammeincke9071 4 күн бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudio A 1000watt inverter should cost about 60 euros, batteries usually more expensive and i have heard from gr research (youtuber) thath higher amps batteries sounded better. Also there is alot of noise reduction cicrcuits, that im not sure the regular inverters use, perhaps a audiophile inverter Might be cool. Alot of potential in this i think.

@rentabomb Күн бұрын

But how does it improve the equipment it is connected to ?

@TheAlphaAudio Күн бұрын

Definitely audible. Review will be live early next week.

@rentabomb 19 сағат бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudio So if it is audible then you should see this in the measurements ?

@TheAlphaAudio 12 сағат бұрын

@@rentabomb well... You see it in the measurements...?

@rentabomb 7 сағат бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudio The measurements of the equipment it is connected to ?

@TheAlphaAudio 4 сағат бұрын

@@rentabomb yes. We connected a Bryston amp to it and measured the speaker output. You can check the measurements in the written review as well.

@lupoal4113 6 күн бұрын

ok, that generator does a lot if it cost couple of undred euros... but that cost MUCH more... so thank you, very useful video!

@Balooba11 5 күн бұрын

Is it possible to measure how dynamics are affected? I believe this is what often is described as the downside with powerplants and filters.

@TheAlphaAudio 5 күн бұрын

I wish we could. That is our biggest challenge.

@bbfoto7248 4 күн бұрын

Let me posit a question. If the majority of recorded music that we listen to has on average just 12dB-15dB of Dynamic Range, how important is it to seek out electronic HiFi components with S/N or DR higher than the -80dB average?

@TheAlphaAudio 4 күн бұрын

@@bbfoto7248 noise floor is different from dynamic range.

@bbfoto7248 3 күн бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudio Of course. But the combined Noise floor inherent in the recording, playback equipment, AND listening environment essentially masks and limits the potential dynamic range we can perceive. Even a very quiet room will have a noise floor of 28dBA-33dBA. So if there are spatial imaging cues in a recording (let's say very low-level room/wall boundary reflections in a concert hall) which might help to give us a sense of the size and "space" or ambiance of the venue, that inherent noise floor of our listening room might mask that information, so essentially dynamic range is reduced or limited. Can you hear a proverbial "pin drop" when even a very faint jet airliner at high altitude temporarily flies overhead in an otherwise "silent" environment? It makes it way more difficult, if not impossible. It doesn't matter what the dynamic range is if those very soft/quiet parts in the music or any recording are masked by inherent ambient noise levels when being played back. Also, while not directly related, just for fun, look up the best possible channel separation specs or stereo "crosstalk" of a high end turntable cartridge/stylus that's used for playing vinyl records. Some people might be surprised, LOL. Yet somehow there is still heaps of L vs R spatial information when we play back vinyl records such as DSOTM, etc.

@saurabh190285 3 күн бұрын

I can see that you are measuring the noise in the Audio region viz. 20 Hz to 20KHz. But which noise are you measuring? If you want to look at the EMI reduction which all of these products, which they all are supposed to do, then you need to look beyond 20KHz till 100 MHz, as your main EMI is lying in that frequency range which is due to SMPS, VFD motors etc. Also see for dB reduction in noise because thats the scientific way of measuring things.

@TheAlphaAudio 3 күн бұрын

In the review we will publish both. No worries.

@saurabh190285 2 күн бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudio looking forward to those measurements

@koffeejunkee3753 5 күн бұрын

Wirklich super Test des PowerPlant. Kannst Du vielleicht demnächst deinen Bildschirm teilen und Dein Handling (Umstecken des Prüflings) klein einblenden. Ich würde mich freuen, wenn ich deinen Messungen besser folgen könnte. Bitte mach weiter mit diesem spannenden Thema!

@TheAlphaAudio 5 күн бұрын

Will try it next time. Thanks for the feedback.

@CarlVanDoren61 4 күн бұрын

PS audio power plants Power surges in import Equi=Core much better 😊

@TheAlphaAudio 4 күн бұрын

I don't get this... Sorry. Maybe cultural thing.

@VanillaIceCoffee 5 күн бұрын

Looks like your grid power is pretty clean to start with. In your lab environment, it's useless, let's be honest. At home? maybe your power is very different, maybe cleaner, maybe shittier. Test your power noise before buying such equipment! or buy better audio equipment with better power supplies.

@TheAlphaAudio 5 күн бұрын

If you have the possibility to test your grid, that would be perfect. And always try before you buy!

@mddawson1 6 күн бұрын

Is it worth the money for such a small improvement?

@TheAlphaAudio 6 күн бұрын

Who said the audible difference is small?

@mddawson1 6 күн бұрын

@@TheAlphaAudio Was the audible difference large? I know some amplifier designers, Bob Carver for example, say you shouldn't use power conditioners with their amplifiers.

@badd99 6 күн бұрын

Power conditioner is NOT a power plant. I use my entire system with a powerplant it's very big, including my amp. Look up "Doc Audio" and listen to the demos I think you will be blown away

@TheAlphaAudio 6 күн бұрын

@@mddawson1 like I said in the video... I haven't auditioned it yet.

@manijacik 6 күн бұрын

The benefit of PowerPlants is not just THD, but also power capacity it's able to deliver without lowering it's output voltage (e.g. it's low impedance power source).