There is no question that PS Audio's Paul McGowan is the one man most responsible for making the idea of regenerated AC power popular with audiophiles. His physically giant yet not very efficient PS Audio P300 Power Plants were all the rage with audiophiles, as they truly improved the AC power, breathing new life into one's audio system in ways most audio enthusiasts didn't think was possible. The problem was that you couldn't put very high-draw power amplifiers on the old PS Audio units, because they really only could convert about half of the power coming out of the wall into real energy for your system. Today's systems, including the $2,195 (USD) PS Audio Power Plant Premier, are far more useful and efficient.

Additional Resources
• Read more AC power product reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.
• Find some audiophile-grade source components to plug in to the Power Plant.

While dressed in a sexy silver case, there is a limited edition PS Audio Power Plant Premier that comes in black. The PS Audio PPP reportedly outputs 1500 watts of regenerated power and has programs that filter and clean the AC power signal quite nicely. There are a whopping 10 receptacles on the back on the system and, most importantly, the efficiency has been boosted by design changes made PS Audio's vice president of engineering, Bob Stadtherr. You get more of the power from the wall available to your rack, meaning you likely can run some level of power amplifiers via the PS Audio PPP system, depending on the draw of the amps.

Read about the high points and the low points of the Power Plant on Page 2.

High Points
• It's easy to hear and/or see the effect of regenerated power on your system. It's not subtle. Your source components sound more open. Your preamp sounds more resolute and direct. Your amps have better, deeper bass and more speed.
• The increased efficiency makes the PS Audio Power Plant Premier a much more relevant, usable product, compared to the older units.
• One wonders if Paul McGowan at PS Audio hired Richard Simmons to put his products on a diet, because at 35 pounds, the PS Audio PPP is so much lighter and smaller than past systems that it has been transformed from a clunky, huge amp-like device to a meaningful addition to anyone's equipment rack, no longer so heavy that it will bend the rack rails.
• PS Audio sells direct and offers a liberal in-home trial program, so you can experience the effect of the PPP on your own time in your own system.

Low Points
• There are those who suggest that the bigger amps out there will still shut down the PS Audio Power Plant Premier. For people running the biggest of amps (amps that don't have AC power regeneration built in, like high-end Mark Levinson and Krell amps), you might want to consider only putting a PPP on the amps and testing the system. You can either add components as you see fit or add a second PPP for the rest of your rack. Two PS Audio Power Plant Premiers together still cost less cost some of the other high-end AV power products out there.

Conclusion
The PS Audio Power Plant Premier is a drastically improved version of a groundbreaking but design-flawed product that only really appealed to the ever-shrinking market of Baby Boomer audiophiles. The new PS Audio Power Plant Premier is a much more mainstream product that excels in a modern home theater system setting, as well as the most cutting edge of audiophile systems.

Additional Resources

• Read more AC power product reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.

• Find some audiophile-grade source components to plug in to the Power Plant.