Hi all,
I am a newbie at AudioAficionado.org and have become an eager reader of the comprehensive PS Audio thread.
I noticed that this forum is one of the most substantial sources of information in the web concerning PS Audio's PPP. Thank you for various contributions!
I have been a confident user of the PPP (European version, 230 V) since January 2010. It is the piece of equipment which has been convincing from the very first note of music playing - the buying incentive was initiated immediately.
I feed all my gear via PPP. However, I have started to use a Mac Mini as a source for uncompressed music - transmitting the digital data via Halide Bridge into my Accuphase DP-67 (used as a DAC).
Why I am telling this? Since the Mac Mini (with its integrated switching power supply!) came in, I realized a severe degradation of sound quality with noticeable distortion which translates into sinewy, harsh heights. If I bypass the PPP and use a separate wall receptacle for the Mac Mini in the same room the harshness is almost gone but also the major sonic improvements of the PPP.
One approach was to reduce the output voltage. At my place, the PPP had to add 7-8 Volts at an average. After reducing the output voltage, the PPP does not reach 230 Volts anymore but has only 1-3 Volts to add. I imagine that this has lowered the audible distortion a bit whiteout removing the cause in principle.
Has anyone of you made some similar experiences as switching power supplies become more and more common also in high end audio equipment?
Are there any means to avoid this audible distortion (e.g. shielded cabling, insulation or the like)?
I was wondering if issues like this might be also one reason for PS Audio to come up with two news models - being closer to the former power plants and moving away from switching power supplies - as far as I understand the technical concept…
I am thankful for any advice!!!
Best regards
Michael
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My system consists mainly of: Verity Audio Parsifal Encore speakers, Octave HP 500 SE hybrid pre amp, Gamut D-100 solid state power amp, Accuphase DP-67 CD-player, Restek Scalar tuner, Stax SRS 4040 earphones, Transparent interconnects and speaker cables and Eupen / Lapp power cables.