Table of Contents
What’s in the Box
PS Audio International, Inc.
4826 Sterling Dr.
Boulder, CO 80301 USA
Toll Free: 877-772-8340
Ph: 720-406-8946
Fax: 720-406-8967
www.psaudio.com
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
7. MultiWave II
8. Servo System
8. Troubleshooting Guide
10. Specifications
10. Warranty and Service
12. Contact Information
• 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.
12
Warning
Overview
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 servicing 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 warranty.
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
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.
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 reservoir 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.
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11
Specifications
Warranty and Service
Quick Start Guide
Output:
Power (regenerated) - 500 Watts
(filtered) - 1800 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
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 the product was 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, the
RA number can be easily obtained by contacting
PS Audio by phone at 720-406-8946 or by e-mail
at <service@psaudio.com>
• 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.
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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3
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 (50120Hz). 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
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
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
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 airflow 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 sufficiently. If this occurs the load should
be lessened on the P500 or else improve the
airflow 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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9
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 transformers as the Power Plant produces
pure AC waveforms indefinitely without the need
for calibration.
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:
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.
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)
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.
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
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.
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
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5
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 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.
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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
generation of frequencies as MultiWave2 waveform, however it generates more tube-friendly
frequencies.
[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.
[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™ 24 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 provides a solution 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.
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