Hello all
Writing on my phone with broken autocorrect keyboard.
First post from Slovakian long time forum lurker listwning in London, UK, Europe. I had to register as need to ask some questions, let me provide my 2 years feedback first to this thread.
I have two Puritan audio devices, 106DC and PSM156. I met Mike Lester (the owner) twice, and he’s absolutely the best and nicest person there is. I discussed many advantages but also anomalies and drawbacks one has to be aware of with his product (that even after two years I haven’t seen discussed anywhere). I am also "fortunate" that my newly built London flat has constant problems with electricity (DC cars, aircon and boilers in each flat etc.) So is great testing ground as you can’t listen during the day.
1. AC sockets are not completely isolated from each other, they seem to leak or be poluted from neutral line back to each socket (my assumption). There are YouTube videos and tests about it, so be aware of not plugging noisy devices there, LPs should be fine (not firing MHz noise back to line like SMPS do).
2. Plugging SMPS power supply is forbidden, you have been warned. Whenever you plug in streamer, TV or DAC or DDC or class D amp, with SMPS PSU, you alter sound of all other components in puritan. I did many test just with streamer and my amp in.I describe resulting sound it as magical, as if your super sharp 4K game full of sharp textures got super aliased into beautiful magical 1080p watercolour addiction full of colors, so gain on each from but lost contours. Soundstage opens up 10m (wrong phase but hell I like it), voices become silky smooth super adductive, black baground will be blacker than TON618 allowing you to hear breathing of audience etc. Those are but anomalies of, I assume, mad filtering that got crazy, coming out of your, say noisy streamer, to your amp (my rigorous test used high current amp attached, all other sockets empty as it is even worse then).
This also explain one of first YouTube videos where sound quality of PSM156 was transformative and guys couldn’t figure out why. As weirdly as it sounds, I absolutely adore this sound anomaly, beautiful heavenly open smooth magic... Up until I hear the issues... There’sno longer dynamic electronics effects on Peter’s Gabriel OVO, pianos rusty keys (I describe piano sound like C64 midi) or sharp strings on Mark’s Knopflers guitar...
This anomaly is also a reason, why Mammals Hands saxophone test track was without texture, air, contours of saliva... As reviewed in AlphaAudio.Net test. They plugged in SMPS streamer in with LPS devices together.
3. Original classic and classic plus cables are worse than back AMAZON ones, so be careful evaluating it.
In general, I love if but can’t escape another sound signature, during my 3am night listening... Obe can’t unotice this sharp sonic presentation, as described in another alpha audio written test...(their second one). They described it perfectly there, exactly what I hear.
Just my two cents, I never seen this discussed in my two years love with Puritan, same issue on both. Other power conditioners have complete isolation of sockets and thus components, example being more expensive Isotek Aqarius and others.
So stay away with connecting SMPS devices in, your PC will alter sound a bit less then streamer (was my case). It still will change it to NOT real one, albeit beautiful.
