The final piece is on it way.

heiney9 · March 19

I have been slowly rebuilding my 2ch rig over the past year. Today I acquired the final piece of gear to complete the fully updated rig.

I have been researching power conditioners. I came across a UK brand, Puritan Audio and I like their philosophy and approach. Did some reading and then hunting for a used piece. They don't come up often but I snagged a PSM 136 Studio Master.

Lots of positive user reviews and some positive press.

https://jaguaraudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/hi-fi-choice-review.pdf

https://the-ear.net/review-hardware/puritan-audio-labs-psm136-power-conditioner/

http://www.puritanaudiolabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PSM136.pdf

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=173793.0

I've been using a very trusty and reliable APC H15 for about 15 years. The Puritan Audio should be a big step up.

The only thing left to change is my listening room. I am working on that as well, but I don't want to jinx it.

H9

gmcman · March 20

Nice, very curious to your impressions. I have been debating the PSM 156 but would likely only need the 136. Been on the fence for a few months and needless to say have not pulled the trigger.

displayname · March 20

I believe @marvda1 has one of these.

heiney9 · March 20

gmcman wrote: »

Nice, very curious to your impressions. I have been debating the PSM 156 but would likely only need the 136. Been on the fence for a few months and needless to say have not pulled the trigger.

The 156 definitely comes up used a little more than the 136. The 136 was more in line with my budget and when it popped up on-line, I had to pull the trigger. I've been looking at them for the past 6 months or so. In fact this is the first 136 to come up for sale in the past 6 months.

H9

marvda1 · March 20

I got the 156 then added the groundmaster city, totally silent background and improved Soundstage.
Purchased the face plate replacement so I can stand it on it's face.
I tried plugging my Norma integrated into it, but the 156 made it sound too polite, so back to the wall she went.

I read in many places where the 156 outperformed or matched much more expensive units.

heiney9 · March 20

Marvda1 how old is your 156? There was some talk in the reviews about slight power amp restriction. This was before they updated the 136. Each outlet is rated for 15 amps but each outlet had an 8 amp internal fuse. The newer units eliminate the fuse and some say that cured it. Not sure if it was/is the same with the 156.

The ratings are identical, the 156 has more filtering than the 136.

I am looking forward to hearing it.

H9

marvda1 · March 20

I don't think it's limiting the amp, I just don't like the sound, kind of like the British sound.
It also could be when the amp is plugged into the wall, it on a 20a dedicated line by itself.
When plugged into the Puritan, it is on a 20a dedicated line with everything.

treitz3 · March 20

Personally, I don't recall anyone giving advice to plug in an amplifier into a unit like this. I always hear/read to go straight into the wall, which is what I have always done.

Well, I did used to put in my Carver amplifiers into a RG power supply back in the day but that was only to keep the lights from dimming to the music more than anything else.

That's back when I had a system I lovingly referred to as, "Crackbaby".

Tom

marvda1 · March 25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyoiBVtM47Y

jdjohn · March 25

Here's my experience with the PSM 156:
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/199413/puritan-psm156-power-conditioner#latest

heiney9 · March 26

@marvda1 is the person who put me on to Puritan Audio and your results put me over the edge for purchase along with all the other positive reviews and a 60 page thread in one of the audio boards.

I wasn't necessarily ready to purchase as the Pass XA25 took most of my audio funds. A good deal came up and I couldn't pass it up. The unit arrived yesterday and it's basically brand new.

This is going to piss a lot of people off, but I won't be installing it right away. Most likely will be moving in the next 3-4 months and I am working on liquidating my parents estate and getting my house ready to sell.

I will have very little time to sit down and listen and it doesn't make sense to tear down the entire rig to implement this when I'll be boxing everything up shortly for the move.

So at some point in the future when things are set up in the new digs, I'll give it a review.

H9

VR3 · March 26

Need pics, no excuses for no pics

heiney9 · March 26

VR3 wrote: »

Need pics, no excuses for no pics

Yeah, yeah. I haven't even unboxed it yet. But I know people need the audio p o r n

heiney9 · March 26

I did inbox for inspection, but it went right back in wrap and all. I will post some pics when I have time.

H9

VR3 · March 26

Box pics are good and in depth review of box and packaging will hold us over

heiney9 · March 26

This was triple boxed. Hopefully these hold you until I take the unit out for photos

Clipdat · March 26

I think he was joking.

heiney9 · March 26

...and I went along with it

Clipdat · March 26

VR3 · March 26

Lol does look sturdy!

jdjohn · March 26

@VR3 may be sleep-deprived with his new little guy

He commented on mine when I posted about it several months ago. I had un-boxing pics and everything.

I went with Puritan's upgraded 'Ultimate' power cord to connect the purifier to the wall. I didn't have a comparison cord for evaluation, but I'm certainly still digging the performance. Since one of their regular power cords was included in the price of the purifier, they let me select a regular, 2 meter, 15AMP IEC cord with my purchase. I actually hacked that into two separate 1 meter cords, which I now use for my DAC and preamp

I may look further into their grounding solutions. I've been told by a couple of electricians that our townhomes don't have a 'proper' earth ground.

VR3 · March 26

I believe standard procedure is pictures of everything everytime something changes hands... Always

jdjohn · March 26

marvda1 wrote: »

I got the 156 then added the groundmaster city, totally silent background and improved Soundstage.

How are you incorporating the Ground Master City...connecting the green wire directly to your PSM156? I'd love to try the bigger Ground Master, but installing an 8ft copper grounding rod into what is technically a common area might violate my townhome's HOA covenant, and when I move, I don't want to try and pull that bad boy back out.

"marvda1 wrote:

I read in many places where the 156 outperformed or matched much more expensive units.

I read that as well. For example, supplanting Audioquest and Shunyata products.

treitz3 · March 26

Grind the rod below ground level and the yellow pad old grumps won't know the difference.

Heck, they probably wouldn't know the difference if you had one installed...

All they want is violations and to feel like they matter.....

Tom

heiney9 · March 26

Head-fi has a 60+ page thread on Puritan 136 and 156. Displaced lots of very expensive and well reviewed power conditioners. Lots of excellent and positive user reviews from people who own other expensive power conditioners. Lots of input for non-headphone systems as well

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/puritan-audio-laboratories-psm136-psm156-psm1512-power-conditioners.963397/

I posted the one form Audio Circle (19 pages) in the first post.

H9

jdjohn · March 26

treitz3 wrote: »

Grind the rod below ground level and the yellow pad old grumps won't know the difference.

Heck, they probably wouldn't know the difference if you had one installed...

All they want is violations and to feel like they matter.....

Tom

Yeah, with my luck, one of those grumps would be on the HOA board, and out walking his mut, while I'm pounding an 8ft copper rod into the ground. Don't get me started on those old farts.

treitz3 · March 26

My bad. I joined the "squad" for about a decade to defend the homeowners from the yellow pad folks.

It worked while I was there but after that? The HOA went bankrupt. Luckily, I sold the townhouse by then.

Since then? HOA rates have gone up by more than double. Crazy, given what they offer...

Tom

marvda1 · March 26

I hooked the city to the psm156 and a regular 15a outlet as I was told it doesn't make a difference between hooking the city to a dedicated line or regular.

jdjohn · March 26

marvda1 wrote: »

I hooked the city to the psm156 and a regular 15a outlet as I was told it doesn't make a difference between hooking the city to a dedicated line or regular.

Thanks for that. I intend to try this myself, so really want to understand specifics. So, for a typical dual-socket wall outlet (my only option right now), one socket would have a power cord connected to the power conditioner/purifier, and the other socket would have the GM City plugged in, with the green 'grounding' cable connecting the two components.

Do I have that right? Thanks in advance.

treitz3 · March 26

Marvin......just because Ben Franklin wrote it on the internet?

Well...

Tom

marvda1 · March 27

jdjohn wrote: »

marvda1 wrote: »

I hooked the city to the psm156 and a regular 15a outlet as I was told it doesn't make a difference between hooking the city to a dedicated line or regular.

Thanks for that. I intend to try this myself, so really want to understand specifics. So, for a typical dual-socket wall outlet (my only option right now), one socket would have a power cord connected to the power conditioner/purifier, and the other socket would have the GM City plugged in, with the green 'grounding' cable connecting the two components.

Do I have that right? Thanks in advance.

Yes, once you have the Puritan grounded, all six of it's outlets are grounded.

The final piece is on it way.

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