Puritan Audio Laboratories PSM136, PSM156, PSM1512 Power Conditioners

[anyoldears]

Although slightly off topic, I would say although I agree the fuses do make a difference, make sure your vibration isolation is done first. Iso Gaias are very good for speakers and Ingress audio level 3 rollerblocks also excellent for components. Get those done first, then do fuses

 

[zappazappazappa]

I am a big fan of audio grade fuses, and I run Synergistic Research Master fuses where ever I can. We don't have fuses in our cables in the US, or I would have already done it in my Ultimate XX.

I have used the Synergistic Research Purple and Audio Magic M1 fuses in the past and the new SR Master best them all by quit a bit and is flat out magic and is all I use now. The SR Master is quite expensive, but believe it or not is worth it in my opinion.

Here is a good review https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0423/Synergistic_Research_Master_Fuse_Review.htm

I would give it a go if I where you.

Thought SR said you only need one or at most maybe two Master Fuses in any given system - 'One fuse to rule them all'?
They seem to be suggesting that the addition of a Master Fuse would enhance the performance of your existing SR fuses. E.g all Purples, Oranges or Blues.

 

[zappazappazappa]

Have recently become a member of the 156 owners club. I thought long and hard about purchasing this item as, to me, this is major expenditure; but now I've got it I'm really happy I did. All I can say is: wow! I've spent a lot on various upgrades over the years but this is one of the very best items I've purchased - it seems to have fully unlocked the full performance of the other items in my headphone based system.
I am currently using it with the supplied Classic power cable. I intend switching the supplied fuse for an SR Purple over the coming weekend and will report back on the results.
With regard to the Puritan cable range there seems to be a lot of love for the Ultimate cables mixed with some comments saying they think the Classic gives a more musical/richer sound. Any further comments on this theme? One comparison which I can't find anything on is: Classic vs. Classic+. Anyone think the Classic+ is much better than the Classic or even prefers it to the Ultimate?

 

[kumar402]

Joining the club soon. Been using ZeroSurge, a reliable surge protector,for long time however I am in apartment and the power is not great to say the least. I am hopeful that this will solve my problem for foreseeable future.
Most of the reviews talk about cleansing but how is the surge protection?

 

[ArkNerevar]

One comparison which I can't find anything on is: Classic vs. Classic+.

I actually ordred my PSM156 with the classic+ but they didnt have any in stock so they sent it with the normal classic which I used for a few weeks until I was sent a classic+, after using the classic+ for a few weeks I felt that I actually prefered the stock classic, I had sent it back to my audio dealer and when I told them how I felt over the phone they sent me back the stock cable so I could compare back to back, I ended up keeping the stock classic and returning the classic+, to my ears the + lowered the noise floor a little and made the sound a little cleaner but it also weakened the transients a bit and smoothed over the sound in what I felt was a more unrealistic way to the stock classic, this was ofc only my impression between the 2 cables on my system and ears etc etc.

 

[ArkNerevar]

Most of the reviews talk about cleansing but how is the surge protection?

I'm not exactly sure I can tell but my unit seems to be fine in this regard, in the sense I havent had any surge's that blew the fuses on my gear but, well, I had a basic power strip with surge protection before the PSM 156 and I didnt have any problems with that either, so Im not sure if I can quantify that the PSM156 is better in this regard.

 

[Jake2]

Lthough slightly off topic, I would say although I agree the fuses do make a difference, make sure your vibration isolation is done first. Iso Gaias are very good for speakers and Ingress audio level 3 rollerblocks also excellent for components. Get those done first, then do fuses

You reminded me of something I meant to share, that last night I tried a 10 x 6 cm piece of fo.Q’s three layer 2mm thick SH-22K piezo-electric damping material on the Ground Master. I had applied some lightly tacky adhesive to the 22K which doesn’t come with its own adhesive unlike the TA-102 which does. Applied it to the GM's wider top surface with the label. Brought additional sound stage clarity, vocals less bloomed with greater focus, refinement. Slightly improved speed and impact in the bass. Reason I tried this is getting unexpectedly obvious improvements in my recent application of this to my Quartz Acoustics signal grounding boxes. For one box, attached to my AV streamer, it almost doubled the box's potency. Not sure why but it seems grounding of HF electrical noise is aided by potent vibration damping/energy dissipation.

Apologies in advance for going further OT, but in case it is of interest re the role of vibration damping in grounding here's some more info re the fo.Q stuff. Kiso Industries Co. ltd is the owner of the fo.Q brand, and developed these materials :

• PIEZON - Resin-based vibration-damping material
• ZEROBUMP - Rubber-based vibration-damping material with piezo properties (incl damping below 100hz)
• fo.Q 'tone control material' - developed with support of Japan Science and Technology Agency (of which TA-102 is an example, the 1mm thick material some folk on this thread have tried on their PSMs and capacitors in other components)

Details here http://www.kisoind.co.jp/en/development.html

It seems the fo.Q branded SH-21/22K sheets I have that I used on the GM and ground boxes use the first two materials (they are mentioned in a cross-section image on the sheets' packaging). Interestingly ZEROBUMP is also used in Fo.Q's ground box, pictured below, albeit an integral part of the design sandwiched between sheets of copper rather than an exterior add on.

The takeaway - borne out by my experience - better vibration damping / energy dissipation increases the efficacy of grounding measures as a sink for noise on the ground plane.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I have heard some talk here about fuse ugrades, but Puritan has told me there is no fuse in the 156 (or the cable- I assume), so I am a bit confused.

Here is a quote from Mike: "There are no fuses in our product. Overcurrent protection is by a ThermoMagnetic contact breaker with solid silver contacts chosen for sonic transparency."

 

[Jake2]

I have heard some talk here about fuse ugrades, but Puritan has told me there is no fuse in the 156 (or the cable- I assume), so I am a bit confused.

Here is a quote from Mike: "There are no fuses in our product. Overcurrent protection is by a ThermoMagnetic contact breaker with solid silver contacts chosen for sonic transparency."

I have the UK version where they put fuses in the power cords. Lucky you re breaker and no fuses to replace. Makes me wonder if the internal design of the PSM156 differs from country to country or if, in the case of the UK, if the design is the same with the internal breaker the fuse is just a compliance requirement and effectively redundant. Not something I'd assume without definitive proof. It'd be interesting to compare a photo of the UK model to the model they sell in your or other countries.

 

[Jake2]

I’m second guessing myself now. I was going off my recollection of something I read - the position described by Mike in 2017 as quoted in this article (and reinforced by the very square and chunky ultimate cable plug which looked like it held a fuse consistent with a comment from a poster re UK power cord design earlier in this thread):

http://www.puritanaudiolabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Audiophile-Man-Review.pdf

Designer and Puritan boss, Mike Lester commented, “So the PSM156 aim was to eliminate the need for overcurrent protection in the box with the fuse in the plug of the power lead providing the overall safety (Schuko, Nema, etc. versions have a single internal 15A fuse as these plugs are unfused, this fuse is not present in UK versions). To achieve this each independently filtered output needed to be rated at 15A. This is achieved with chunkier heavier windings…”​

On closer inspection of the Ultimate cable and the PSM156 just now I see no obvious fuse location, certainly not in the pictured Ultimate or Classic + power cord nor in the PSM itself. So perhaps the design changed in the intervening years. If so, my bad, sorry...

Edit - I spotted and depressed - encountering moderately springy resistance - what is almost certainly a breaker push reset button, circled. Well that's good, saved a few Bob on a fuse there.

 

[Wes S]

Thought SR said you only need one or at most maybe two Master Fuses in any given system - 'One fuse to rule them all'?
They seem to be suggesting that the addition of a Master Fuse would enhance the performance of your existing SR fuses. E.g all Purples, Oranges or Blues.

Yep, that's what they say.

Ted Denney of SR designs great products, but he is also a killer salesman. Sometimes you have to read between the lines, and seeing that he came out with a new fuse that cost more than double the previous flagship, it sure makes it easier for all those that went all out with the Purples, to give one of the new one's a try when you "only" need one. That being said, if one is good, then how much better is two, etc. . .and before you know it everyone that had Purples eventually has nothing but Masters. The Master is that much better, to where one will make quite a difference, and more than one will make even greater a difference.

 

[Wes S]

Have recently become a member of the 156 owners club. I thought long and hard about purchasing this item as, to me, this is major expenditure; but now I've got it I'm really happy I did. All I can say is: wow! I've spent a lot on various upgrades over the years but this is one of the very best items I've purchased - it seems to have fully unlocked the full performance of the other items in my headphone based system.
I am currently using it with the supplied Classic power cable. I intend switching the supplied fuse for an SR Purple over the coming weekend and will report back on the results.
With regard to the Puritan cable range there seems to be a lot of love for the Ultimate cables mixed with some comments saying they think the Classic gives a more musical/richer sound. Any further comments on this theme? One comparison which I can't find anything on is: Classic vs. Classic+. Anyone think the Classic+ is much better than the Classic or even prefers it to the Ultimate?

I have not compared the Classic to the Classic +, but I have compared the + to the Ultimate XX. The Ultimate XX makes the Classic + sound boring and lifeless, and it's not even close. The Ultimate XX has dynamics, weight, and detail with huge staging and a lower noise floor. Not sure where you read it, but Classic + most assuredly does not make the sound more musical and richer compared to the Ultimate XX and it's actually the other way around. Also, from what I have read, most of the people with glowing reviews for the PSM156, also have the Ultimate XX Power Cable as well.

 

[Wes S]

Joining the club soon. Been using ZeroSurge, a reliable surge protector,for long time however I am in apartment and the power is not great to say the least. I am hopeful that this will solve my problem for foreseeable future.
Most of the reviews talk about cleansing but how is the surge protection?

Nice! I would definitely get the Ultimate XX Power Cable (as well as the GroundMaster) to go along with your PSM. I am pretty sure they have good surge protection as well, and I wouldn't worry about that. I don't have the cleanest/best power in my old house and have had zero issues.

 

[zappazappazappa]

Yep, that's what they say.

Ted Denney of SR designs great products, but he is also a killer salesman. Sometimes you have to read between the lines, and seeing that he came out with a new fuse that cost more than double the previous flagship, it sure makes it easier for all those that went all out with the Purples, to give one of the new one's a try when you "only" need one. That being said, if one is good, then how much better is two, etc. . .and before you know it everyone that had Purples eventually has nothing but Masters. The Master is that much better, to where one will make quite a difference, and more than one will make even greater a difference.

I spoke to an SR dealer at a recent hifi show who said he hadn't listened to the new Master Fuse yet but had sold out his initial order with people coming back for more than one. So that backs up your point. Seems rather misleading of SR to get people to try a fuse which is 3 times the price of the current top of the range Purple (UK prices) on the basis that it will enhance their existing fuses (so only one purchase necessary) and hoping they'll replace them all. Still it's a neat marketing trick.
Unfortunately, in spite of knowing how good ,first the Oranges and now the Purples are I can't bring myself to part with the best part of £600 for an item which could quite literally (if you're unlucky) go up in a puff of smoke.

 

[zappazappazappa]

I have not compared the Classic to the Classic +, but I have compared the + to the Ultimate XX. The Ultimate XX makes the Classic + sound boring and lifeless, and it's not even close. The Ultimate XX has dynamics, weight, and detail with huge staging and a lower noise floor. Not sure where you read it, but Classic + most assuredly does not make the sound more musical and richer compared to the Ultimate XX and it's actually the other way around. Also, from what I have read, most of the people with glowing reviews for the PSM156, also have the Ultimate XX Power Cable as well.

Point(s) taken, thanks. I read the comments about the Classic, rather than the Classic + being preferred by some users (I think there were 2 people who felt similarly) on the various Audiogon threads which mention Puritan products. Found the comments I was referring to in these two threads for anyone interested - just to show I wasn't making it up! https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/puritan-vs-nordost-power-cable https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/puritan-ultimate-power-cable?highlight=puritan