PS Audio Power Plant P500 User manual

Table of Contents
1. What’s in the Box
2. Warning
2. Safety Instruction
2. Overview
3. Quick Start Guide
4. Rear Panel Layout
4. Front Panel Controls
4. Display Modes
6. Additional Display Notifications
6. Setup Display Mode
8. Servo System
9. MultiWave II
10. Troubleshooting Guide
11. Specifications
11. Warranty and Service
12. Contact Information
What’s in the Box
• One Power Plant P500
• One 6 foot AC power cable
• One user’s manual
• One warranty card
• One spare 1 amp fast blow fuse
• One spare 15 amp slow blow fuse
IMPORTANT:
Be sure to save all packing materials included
with the Power Plant P500 as this will be
required if you ever need to ship the unit for
service or modification.

Warning
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose
the unit to rain or moisture. To avoid electrical
shock, do not open the enclosure. Refer ser-
vicing to qualified personnel only.
To prevent electric shock, use a 3 prong,
grounded type power cable.
Any change or modifications not expressly
approved in the manual could void your war-
ranty.
Safety Instructions
Any turntable or equipment with AC
synchronous motors, such as some cooling
fans should not be used with MultiWave II.
This equipment must be used with 60Hz
SineWave mode.
We recommend the use of the SineWave
[SINE] or TubeWave [TWAVE] with any type of
tube based audio products.
Read the operating instructions provided with
your P500.
Retain the operating instructions for later use and
reference
Unplug the P500 from the wall outlet before
changing the fuse or performing any cleaning or
service.
Do not operate the P500 near water.
Avoid placement near a water res-
ervoir or excessive moisture.
When replacement parts are
required, be sure they are specified
by the manufacturer to have the
same characteristics as the original
part. Unauthorized substitutions may
result in fire, electric shock, or other
hazards.
Do not operate with faulty or frayed power
cables.
Overview
The Power Plant P500 is a power regenerator
capable of delivering the highest level of AC
performance to all audio and video components.
The PS Audio Power Plant P500 is designed to
operate as a stand-alone power management
device, or as part of a larger power management
system. In many cases one P500 will be all that
is necessary to protect, clean and regenerate
power for a 2 channel audio system or small
home theater system.
The P500 has two power delivery zones: Four
outlets produce "Regenerated AC" with MultiWave
II™. Two outlets pass "Filtered AC" by filtering
power with Ultimate Outlet™ technology.
The Regenerated AC zone is capable of delivering
up to 500 watts of peak power, depending on the
load. The filtration zone is not current limiting and
will deliver as much power as your wall socket can
provide.
All settings in the P500 are non-volatile. Any
changes made to the settings will not be lost,
even if the P500 is disconnected from AC power.
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• Up to 500 watts power delivery - depending on
load requirements.*
• Next generation MultiWave II technology
featuring AutoWave and TubeWave.
• Independent power zones keep power for
analog, digital and high current equipment
electrically isolated.
• Regenerated AC delivered through 4 Power Port
outlets.
• Filtered AC by High Current Ultimate Outlet™
delivered through 2 Power Port outlets.
• Front panel display for systems monitoring and
user interface.
• Front panel displays waveform setting, output
voltage, wattage and percentage of maximum
power output.
• Massive heat sink with thermally controlled
cooling fan.
• Reduction of AC line noise by more than 70dB.
• High voltage surge suppression devices for
surge and spike protection.
• Lower AC impedance for better transients.
• Massive toroidal transformer for extended
headroom.
• PS Audio’s brushed aluminum FRAME chassis.
• Optional rack mount capability.
• PS Bus for communication with other PS Audio
devices.
* Note about power consumption:
The P500 is capable of delivering up to 500 watts into a
reactive load and up to 350 watts into a resistive load.
Examples of a reactive load are: most solid state equipment
and video products. An example of a resistive load is: tube
based equipment.
Quick Start Guide
1. Place the P500 in a rack or on a shelf in the
audio/video system. If placed on carpet it is
necessary to use isolation or accessory feet to
elevate it above the carpet 1 inch. Ensure there
are no objects within 6 inches of the rear of the
unit as it is necessary for proper ventilation.
Failure to do so could compromise the power
regeneration capabilities of the P500.
2. Connect audio/video equipment to the P500.
There are three electrically isolated duplex
receptacles on the P500, which are oriented
vertically.
For optimum performance, we recommend that
equipment with low wattage power requirements
be plugged into the "Regenerated AC" receptacles
(2-ch preamps, AV processors, DVD/CD players,
Satellite receivers, PVR’s, D to A converters, low
power solid state amplifiers, etc).
Equipment with high wattage power requirements
should be plugged into the "Filtered AC"
receptacles (direct view TVs, plasma or projection
displays, multi channel, tube or high powered
amplifiers).
3. Plug the P500 into a power source such as a
wall AC outlet. Use the supplied AC power cable,
or an aftermarket power cable. We would strongly
urge the use of an xStream Power Cable.
4. Turn on the P500 by pressing the power button
located on the far left side of the front panel. The
Regenerated AC zone will become active. The
Filtered AC zone becomes active when the P500
is plugged into a live outlet.
5. If desired, select a MultiWave II setting or allow
AutoWave to adapt to the power needs of your
system using the front panel controls.
Default settings
The P500 comes from the factory with standard
default settings that should work well for most
situations. The type of power delivery can be
configured to achieve the optimal performance
for any system.
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Rear Panel Layout
1. PS Bus
The P500 comes equipped with a built in PS
Bus. The PS Bus allows other PS Audio products
equipped with a PS Bus to communicate via
standard RJ11 "twisted end" crossover cable.
2. IEC AC Power Inlet
15 Amp IEC standard male socket.
3. Main and Protection Fuses
The main fuse is a 15 Amp slow blow. The
protection fuse is a 1 Amp fast blow. Both can be
removed by inserting a flat device into the fuse
holder and twisting counter-clockwise.
4. Power Ports™
Three PS Audio Power Ports™ provide the best
possible connection to power equipment.
5. Ventilation slots
The ventilation slots provide exhaust for the
thermally controlled cooling fan. Leave at least 6
inches of clearance behind the unit at all times.
Front Panel Controls
There are five buttons on the front panel of the
Power Plant P500.
1. Power
2. Mode Down
3. Mode Up
4. Edit Down
5. Edit Up
Power On/Off
The power button will activate the front panel
display and output AC power to the Regenerated
AC zones. Power will continue to pass through
the Filtered AC power zone as long as the P500
is plugged into a live AC outlet.
Mode
The Mode Up and Mode Down buttons cycle
through the available display modes.
Edit
The Edit Up and Edit Down buttons cycle through
the available options within each display mode.
Display Modes
There are six available display modes on the front
panel of the P500. The Mode Up and Mode Down
buttons cycle through the following six modes:
1. Waveform setting
2. Frequency generated (SINE mode only)
3. Voltage produced
4. Wattage produced
5. Percentage of maximum power output
6. Display blanking mode
Waveform setting
This mode will display the name of the waveform
presently being delivered through the Regenerated
AC outlets. In the SINE mode the P500 will
generate a perfect SineWave (50-120Hz). Each of
the successive Multiwave™ modes will generate
a different series of frequencies through the
Regenerated AC outlets.
For more information about each of the
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MultiWave™ settings, see the MultiWave II
section of the manual.
Frequency generated
This mode will display the frequency the P500 is
generating, while in SINE mode. The frequency
can be adjusted in 1 hertz increments from 50Hz
to 120Hz by using the Edit Up and Edit Down
buttons. The default setting is 60Hz.
The frequency setting will only be displayed if the
Waveform menu is set to SINE.
Voltage produced
This mode will display the output voltage of the
Power Plant at the Regenerated AC outlets. The
output voltage can be adjusted in 1 volt increments
by using the Edit Up and Down buttons. The range
varies depending on the Power Plant model:
• 100 volt model ranges from 95 - 105 v
Default setting is 100 volts.
• 120 volt model ranges from 110 - 125 v
Default setting is 117 volts.
• 240 volt model ranges from 220 - 240 v
Default setting is 220 volts.
(adjustments in 2 volt increments)
As long as the voltage
to the Power Plant does
not deviate more than
10% below normal it will
continue to output the
voltage displayed on
the front panel.
Wattage produced
This mode will display,
in real-time, the wattage
the P500 is generating.
The P500 is capable
of delivering up to 500
watts for short amounts
of time, however if over
500 watts is drawn
for too long or peak
wattage is too large
then the P500 will go
into protection mode. The watt meter will only
show the total wattage produced for the zone
labeled Regenerated AC.
Percentage of maximum power output
This mode will display, in real-time, the percentage
of total power currently being used by equipment
on the Regenerated AC outlets. This reading
will factor the type of load into the percentage
of maximum power output. The percentage
of maximum power output is not necessarily
proportional to the wattage produced, as it will
vary with the type of load.
It is possible that the display will show over 100%
for short amounts of time during heavy current
draw. This will typically occur during loud or very
dynamic passages of music or very bright scenes
in video. The P500 will not maintain 100% output
power continuously.
Display Blanking
This mode allows discrete front panel operation
by blanking the display. The PS logo will continue
to illuminate in blue to indicate that the unit is
operational.
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Additional Display Notifications
HOT! - If the P500 exceeds safe operating
temperature the front panel display will flash
"HOT!". The Regenerated AC outlets will stop
generating AC until the P500 returns to safe
operating temperature. The internal fan will
continue to run and the power should not be
disconnected at this time. See troubleshooting
guide if problem persists.
PERCENTAGE - If the equipment connected to
the Regenerated AC outlets draws current over
100% for more than 3 seconds, or over 200%
for any amount of time, the display will flash
the over current percentage (ex. 184%) and the
P500 will shut down. If the behavior continues
the load should be reduced. This can be done by
moving some of the equipment powered by the
Regenerated AC outlets to the Filtered AC outlets.
See troubleshooting guide if problem persists.
SHORT - If the P500 detects an electrical short
either internal or external the front panel display
will flash "SHORT". If turning the unit off
and back on again from the front panel
does not correct the problem then the
power cable should be removed and
reinserted. See troubleshooting guide if
problem persists.
FAULT - If there is any other type of
operational error the P500 will flash
"FAULT" in the display. The same
procedure should be taken as in SHORT
mode. See troubleshooting guide if
problem persists.
Note About Operation:
In all of these situations the Regenerated AC outlets will
not produce power, however, the Filtered AC outlets will
continue to pass power. If the P500 is in display blanking
mode the above notifications will still be displayed.
Setup Display Mode
There are 4 additional parameters that you can
access in the setup display mode. The setup
display mode can be activated by pressing the
Mode Up and Mode Down buttons simultaneously
while powering on the P500.
Pressing Mode Up/Down will scroll through the 4
setup parameters. The 4-setup parameters are:
1. Software version [VER.]
2. Network Address [N ADR]
3. Network Group [N GRP]
4. Reset [RESET]
To exit the setup menu at any time, power down
the P500 and all changes will be saved.
Software version
This mode will display the current version of the
P500 operation software. Press the Edit Up/Down
key to display the version number. This mode
cannot be edited.
Network Address
If more than one piece of PS Audio equipment is
used in a system, then each piece connected to
the PS Bus must have a unique Network Address.
In this way, each piece of PS Audio equipment can
easily be recognized and identified in the Network
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Bus. There are 8 possible Addresses which can
be selected by pressing the Edit Up/Down buttons
when in the Network Address mode.
If no Network Address is set then the P500 will
operate independently of any other PS Audio
equipment on the PS Bus.
Network Group
It is possible to assign the P500 to a unique
Network Group. There are 3 possible groups
which can be selected by pressing the Edit Up/
Down buttons when in the Network Group mode.
If it is necessary to have more than one Group
on the PS Bus then, all PS Audio products can
exist on the same PS Bus yet communicate in
separate groups so each Group will operate
independently.
Reset
If at any time it is necessary to reset all of
parameters of the P500 to their default settings,
it can be done by pressing the Edit Up/Down
button twice while in RESET mode. See Also the
troubleshooting guide.
MultiWave II
MultiWave II is a technology available exclusively
on the newest PS Audio Power Plant series of
AC Regenerators. The P500 includes MultiWave
II and also features AutoWave and TubeWave.
There are 4 MultiWave II waveforms as well as
TubeWave, AutoWave and SineWave mode.
MultiWave II is only available at the Regenerated
AC outlets.
Any turntable or equipment with AC
synchronous motors, such as some cooling
fans should not be used with MultiWave II.
This equipment must be used with 60Hz sin
mode.
We recommend the use of the SineWave
[SINE], or TubeWave [TWAVE] with any type of
tube based audio products.
[SINE] SineWave
In the SineWave mode the Power Plant will
generate a perfect SineWave (50-120Hz).
[TWAVE] TubeWave
TubeWave is specifically designed to optimize the
performance of tube based audio products.
TubeWave uses the same pseudorandom gen-
eration of frequencies as MultiWave2 waveform,
however it generates more tube-friendly frequen-
cies.
[MWAV1] MultiWave1
MultiWave1 is a single 60Hz SineWave with
a minute amount of 3rd Harmonic SineWaves
mixed together to form a single partial square
MultiWave. This is an improved version of PS2
from the original MultiWave™ series.
The partial square wave setting improves the
power supply’s ability to charge the capacitors
in equipment by extending the length of time
available to "top off" the capacitors' voltage. Use
this setting to enhance the performance of both
source and power equipment.
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[MWAV2] MultiWave2
MultiWave2 is a 60Hz SineWave that incorporates
a pseudorandom collection of frequencies which
are dithered from 55-65Hz.
Using this slightly random frequency deviation is
similar to adding dither on a digital audio source.
Power supply dithering can lower the perceived
noise floor and help remove apparent glare on the
audio signal.
[MWAV3] MultiWave3
MultiWave3 is a combination of Multiwave1
with a slight degree of 3rd harmonic addition
(MultiWave1).
Try this setting and see how the audio sounds
and the video looks. All systems can respond
differently to each MultiWave pattern.
[MWAV4] MultiWave4
MultiWave4 is full combination of MultiWave1
and MultiWave2. It generates a pseudorandom
collection of
frequencies,
however instead
of generating
SineWaves it
generates the
same waveform as
MultiWave1.
Again, try these
setting on your
system to see
which one has the
highest perceived
benefit in terms of
performance.
[AUTO] AutoWave
This revolutionary new process automatically
computes the best MultiWave II setting for
a particular power load as presented by the
connected equipment. The beauty of this system
is its ability to instantly change the power setting
of the AC regenerator with the dynamic load
variations the equipment presents.
AutoWave automatically selects MultiWave™ 2-
4 depending on the dynamics of the power load.
The selection is made continuously as the power
factor changes.
Music is a dynamic medium as is video. One
MultiWave II setting may be the best when an
audio/video system is reproducing low level
information and another MultiWave II setting is
probably better when higher levels of power are
delivered to either the loudspeaker or to a video
monitor.
AutoWave solves this problem by selecting
the exact waveform combination based on the
equipment’s dynamic needs.
Notice of MultiWave II operation:
Any turntable or equipment with AC synchronous fans
should not be used with MultiWave II or AutoWave. These
products must be used with 60Hz SINE mode or be plugged
into the Filtered AC outlets.
Servo System
The Power Plant provides a virtual Servo System
to continually correct for any DC offset. This will
reduce hum from problematic or sensitive trans-
formers as the Power Plant produces pure AC
waveforms indefinitely without the need for cali-
bration.
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Troubleshooting Guide
The Power Plant P500 sets a new mark for
performance and protection. It has been
designed to bring forth the absolute best from the
connected equipment. In addition to the audio and
video improvements, the P500 will also provide
long-term product reliability and the piece of mind
that connected equipment is safe from electrical
disturbances.
In the event of abnormal operation with the P500,
please refer to the following suggestions:
Unit will not turn on
1. Check the obvious. Is it plugged in and is the
AC wall outlet live? This can easily be tested by
using a functional lamp. Plug the lamp into the
wall outlet and see if the light works. If not, the
P500 may be plugged into a switched outlet, or
perhaps the circuit breaker feeding the outlet has
tripped and needs resetting.
2. After plugging the unit into the wall, the display
will read "WAIT" for several seconds to initialize
its circuitry. The P500 will only become activated
after pressing the front panel power button. Be
sure that the unit is both plugged into the wall and
turned on by the front panel power button.
3. Check the Main Fuse. The chances of the Power
Plant’s main fuse being blown are very remote.
However, if the Main Fuse is blown, the P500
will be completely inoperable. To check the fuse
locate the section of the back panel labeled "Main
Fuse." Unplug the unit from the wall, remove
the fuse and check its conductivity. If necessary,
replace the fuse and try powering up the P500.
If the main fuse is blown and a replacement fuse
does not solve the problem, please contact your
dealer for additional service.
The Regenerator outlets are passing AC, but the
Filtered AC outlets are not functioning
Check the Protection Fuse. To check the fuse
locate the section of the back panel labeled
"Protection Fuse." Unplug the unit from the
wall, remove the fuse and check its conductivity.
If necessary, replace the fuse and try powering
up the P500. If the Filtered AC outlets still do not
pass AC, please contact your dealer for additional
service.
The P500 seems to be working, but the display
is blank The P500 may be in the display blanking
mode. Press the Mode Up or Down buttons on the
front panel and the display should turn back on.
My turntable or fan based equipment is not
operating normally.
Any turntable or equipment with AC synchronous
fans should not be used with MultiWave II or
AutoWave. These products must be used with
60Hz SINE mode or be plugged into the Filtered
AC outlets.
The display is flashing "HOT!"
The P500 will turn itself off and flash "HOT!" on
the display if it detects an internal temperature
that exceeds safe operating limits. The internal
cooling system will continue to operate until the
temperature has been reduced to a safe limit.
The P500 will not power up during the cool down
process. The P500 is ready to be reactivated only
after it returns to safe operating temperature, at
this time the power button will become active.
Please use this time to reduce the load that is
connected to the Regenerated AC outlets of the
P500. This message will be displayed when the
P500 is being overworked.
Note about operation:
This message applies only to the regenerator circuit. The
Power Port receptacle dedicated to the built in High Current
Ultimate Outlet will continue to pass AC.
The display is flashing a percentage
The P500 will turn itself off and flash a percentage
(for example, "184%") on the display if it detects
an over-current condition.
If the current draw exceeds 100% of the P500’s
maximum recommended capacity for more than 3
seconds, it will power down and display the over-
current amount.
If the current draw exceeds 200% of the
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P500’s maximum recommended capacity, it will
instantaneously power down and display the
over-current amount.
Press the front panel power button once to clear
the flashing display and again to turn the unit back
on. If this message continues to appear, you must
reduce the load on the P500.
Note about operation:
This message applies only to the regenerator circuit. The
Power Port receptacles dedicated to the built in High
Current Ultimate Outlet will continue to pass AC.
The display is flashing "SHORT"
The P500 will turn itself off and flash "SHORT" on
the display if it detects an electrical short, which
means a product connected to the P500 is trying
to draw too much current. This could be related to
a defective power cable that is plugged into the
back of the P500.
Press the front panel power button once to clear
the flashing display and again to turn the unit back
on. If it continues to flash "SHORT" disconnect
all output connections from the back of the P500
and power it up again. Be sure to check the power
cables for any defects before plugging them back
in.
If the display continues to read "SHORT" please
contact your dealer for additional service.
Note about operation:
This message applies only to the regenerator circuit. The
Power Port receptacles dedicated to the built in High
Current Ultimate Outlet will continue to pass AC.
The display is flashing "FAULT"
The P500 will turn itself off and flash "FAULT"
on the display if it detects a general hardware or
software error. It is highly unlikely that the P500
will ever experience this condition, but FAULT
indicator has been built-in to ensure proper and
long-term product reliability.
If this message is displayed, simply turn the P500
off using the front panel power button, let it sit
for a few seconds and power it back up. If the
"FAULT" message continues to appear, please
contact your dealer for additional service.
Note about operation:
This message applies only to the regenerator circuit. The
Power Port receptacle dedicated to the built in High Current
Ultimate Outlet will continue to pass AC.
The P500 shut down but the display is blank
and the fuses are not blown
The P500 has redundant thermal protection that
will shut the unit down in the event the internal
temperature is too hot. If airow is inadequate or
room temperature is very warm and the P500 is
run near 100% capacity for very long periods of
time this type of shut-down may occur. The P500
will automatically turn back on when it has cooled
sufciently. If this occurs the load should be
lessened on the P500 or else improve the airow
around the P500.
How do I reset the settings to factory default?
The P500 was designed to easily reset the
microprocessor back to the original factory
default. If the P500 is displaying any characters
in the front panel that seem abnormal, if the front
panel buttons do not correlate with the display
read-outs or to simply reset all settings back to
the factory defaults follow these instructions.
With the unit powered off, hold down both Mode
buttons (Up and Down) and press the Power
button. This will activate the Setup Display Mode.
Using the Mode Up or Down buttons, cycle to
the "RESET" mode. Press either Edit button
(Up or Down) and the display will read "GO ->"
to confirm the choice. Press either Edit button
again to perform the reset function. Once it is
complete, the P500 will exit the Setup Display
Mode automatically.
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Specifications
Output:
Power - 500 Watts
Voltage - 95 - 250 Volts
(depending on model)
Frequency - 50 - 120 Hz
Current - 7 Amps
Peak - 10 Amps (soft limit)
Distortion (THD) - 0.1%
Input:
AC input range - 90-250 Volts
(depending on model)
Frequency input - 50/60 Hz
Input capacity - 750 VA
Power consumption - 35 Watts
(with no load)
General
Width - 17.25 in
Height - 4.25 in
Depth - 13 in
Weight - 33 lbs
Cooling system - forced convection
Warranty and Service
Inside the U.S. and Canada
PS Audio’s warranty is 3 years parts and labor, from
the date of original purchase. The warranty follows
the product itself regardless of ownership, new or
used.
Outside the U.S. and Canada
PS Audio has authorized distribution in many
countries of the world. In each country, the
authorized importing retailer or distributor has
accepted the responsibility for warranty of products
sold by that retailer or distributor. Warranty service
should normally be obtained from the importing
retailer or distributor from whom you purchased the
product. In the unlikely event of service required
beyond the capability of the importer, PS Audio will
fulfill the conditions of the warranty. Such product
must be returned at the owner’s expense to the PS
Audio factory. Contact your PS Audio distributor or
the PS Audio customer service department for more
information.
Service issues
Should your unit ever require service or if you have
any technical questions about the P500, you must
either contact your dealer (PS Audio if purchased
direct) or your PS Audio distributor. No equipment
will be received at our service facilities without an
attached RA number.
If purchased through an authorized PS Audio dealer
or distributor, the RA number must be obtained by
the dealer or distributor. If the product was purchased
from PS Audio direct, this can easily be obtained by
calling PS Audio at 720-406-8946 or by contacting
us via E-mail at <[email protected]>.
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PS Audio International, Inc.
4824 Sterling Dr.
Boulder, CO 80301 USA
Toll Free: 877-772-8340
Ph: 720-406-8946
Fax: [phone]
www.psaudio.com
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