T+A PS 3100 HV – Powerful Power Supply for T+A A 3100 HV and T+A PA 3100 HV
Rather than supplementing the existing power supply in general terms, the T+A PS 3100 HV assumes one precisely defined task: it feeds only the output stages of the T+A A 3100 HV or T+A PA 3100 HV. This leaves the amplifier’s internal supply responsible for the input stages and high-voltage amplifiers, physically separating their work from the high charging currents and demanding loads associated with the output section. At € 13.900,-, this is a resolutely specialised expansion for an already ambitious HV system.
- The T+A PS 3100 HV turns either compatible 3100-series amplifier into a two-box system with a strict division of electrical duties. Its 1.200 VA transformer and 24 parallel high-performance capacitors provide 240.000 µF of reservoir capacitance and store up to 1.200 joules for the output stages. A processor-controlled soft-start circuit manages switch-on, while a newly developed VU meter can display either supply-voltage stability or current flow. The external power supply is available now for € 13.900,-.
An external power supply can be approached as an accessory, but that description does not adequately explain the role of the T+A PS 3100 HV. T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG has designed it solely for the T+A A 3100 HV stereo power amplifier and T+A PA 3100 HV stereo integrated amplifier, and its contribution is defined by division rather than duplication. Once connected, the PS 3100 HV takes complete responsibility for the output stages; the power supply already inside the amplifier is then reserved for its input stages and high-voltage amplifiers.
This matters because the PS 3100 HV is intended to keep the large charging currents, mains-related interference and difficult loudspeaker loads encountered by a powerful output section physically removed from those parts of the amplifier in which its sonic character is shaped. The manufacturer therefore presents the unit not simply as a larger energy reserve, but as a means of reorganising the amplifier’s power architecture. With a 1.200 VA transformer, 240.000 µF of reservoir capacitance and up to 1.200 joules of stored energy, T+A has given that idea suitably substantial hardware.
Key Facts T+A PS 3100 HV
- External high-performance power supply for T+A A 3100 HV and T+A PA 3100 HV
- Dedicated supply for the output stages
- Connection via T+A M-23 special Powerlink cable
- 1,200 VA transformer
- 24 parallel high-performance capacitors
- Total reservoir capacitance of 240.000 µF
- Stored energy of up to 1.200 joules
- Processor-controlled soft-start circuit
- Newly developed VU meter for supply voltage or current flow
- Price: € 13.900,-
A Power Supply with One Clearly Defined Job
Connecting the T+A PS 3100 HV via the substantial T+A M-23 special Powerlink cable changes the allocation of power within the system. The external unit feeds the output stages, while the internal power supply of the T+A A 3100 HV or T+A PA 3100 HV is left to serve the input stages and high-voltage amplifiers. The arrangement is therefore not based on two supplies sharing the same burden; each is assigned to a different part of the amplifier.
According to T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG, this physical separation prevents the high charging currents and mains-borne interference that may occur around powerful output stages from affecting the more sensitive amplifier sections. The core proposition is consequently broader than additional headroom. It is the electrical isolation of circuits with markedly different demands.
1.200 Joules on Call
The numerical scale of the PS 3100 HV reflects its narrow but exacting remit. Its power supply is built around a 1.200 VA transformer and a bank of 24 specially developed high-performance capacitors. Together, these provide a total reservoir capacitance of 240.000 µF.
T+A connects the capacitors in parallel to keep their internal resistance and inductance as low as possible. The complete bank can store up to 1.200 joules, which the output stages can draw upon during brief dynamic peaks. The manufacturer sees a particular advantage when the amplifier is partnered with demanding loudspeakers, where high current must be made available quickly and remain stable under load.
It is an important distinction: the PS 3100 HV is not specified as a device that alters the amplifier’s basic output rating. Instead, it is designed to give the output stages their own large, low-impedance energy source while removing that task from the amplifier’s internal supply.
Controlling the Moment of Switch-on
Large transformer and capacitor capacities also create a practical issue before a note of music is played. If the capacitor bank were charged without restraint at switch-on, the resulting inrush current could trip a conventional household circuit breaker.
The T+A PS 3100 HV therefore uses a processor-controlled soft-start architecture. It limits the initial current, raises the system voltages in a controlled manner and charges the capacitors progressively. This allows the considerable storage capacity to be accommodated in everyday use without imposing an unnecessary current peak on the domestic mains supply each time the system is powered up.
The VU Meter Has Work to Do
Visually, the T+A PS 3100 HV has been conceived as the natural counterpart to the amplifiers of the 3100 generation. Its large, newly developed VU meter takes up the design language of the T+A A 3100 HV, but the instrument is not there merely to animate the front panel.
Users can select between two readings. The meter can show the stability of the supply voltage or indicate the current flowing to the output stages. It thus provides a direct visual account of how the external supply is being used as the amplifier responds to the system and programme material.
An Amplifier System in Two Enclosures
Compatibility is deliberately restricted. The T+A PS 3100 HV is intended exclusively for the T+A A 3100 HV and T+A PA 3100 HV, continuing the concept of the preceding model within the current generation. In mechanical appearance as well as electrical purpose, power supply and amplifier form a coordinated unit.
That positioning also defines its audience. The PS 3100 HV is for owners or prospective buyers of either amplifier who want to take the separation of power-supply duties as far as T+A permits within the system. Its case rests less on the idea of adding a generic reserve than on preventing the output stages from sharing a supply with the circuitry responsible for signal handling and voltage amplification.
The Most Important Advantages at a Glance
- Dedicated output-stage supply: The T+A PS 3100 HV assumes sole responsibility for powering the output stages.
- Electrical separation: The amplifier’s internal supply remains dedicated to the input stages and high-voltage amplifiers.
- Substantial energy storage: A 1.200 VA transformer and 240.000 µF of reservoir capacitance provide up to 1.200 joules.
- Rapid current delivery: The parallel capacitor arrangement is designed to minimise internal resistance and inductance.
- Controlled start-up: Processor management limits inrush current and charges the capacitor bank progressively.
- Purpose-built connection: The T+A M-23 special Powerlink cable links the supply directly to the compatible amplifier.
- Useful visual feedback: The VU meter can display either supply-voltage stability or current flow.
- Matched appearance: The enclosure and meter design complement the T+A A 3100 HV and T+A PA 3100 HV.
Price & Availability
According to T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG, the T+A PS 3100 HV is available now through authorised specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is € 13.900,-.
Getting to the Point
The T+A PS 3100 HV is not a universal power upgrade, nor does its price suggest one. It is a tightly focused system component for the T+A A 3100 HV and T+A PA 3100 HV, designed to give their output stages an exceptionally substantial supply of their own while electrically relieving the more sensitive sections of the amplifier.
At € 13.900,-, the prospective audience is inevitably small. Yet within a correspondingly ambitious T+A HV system, the engineering logic is coherent: the investment buys not merely more stored energy, but a deliberate separation of the amplifier’s electrical responsibilities.
| Product | T+A PS 3100 HV |
|---|---|
| Price | € 13.900,- |
Technical Specifications
| Product | T+A PS 3100 HV |
|---|---|
| Product type | External high-performance power supply |
| Compatible models | T+A A 3100 HV, T+A PA 3100 HV |
| Supplied section | Output stages |
| Transformer rating | 1.200 VA |
| Capacitor bank | 24 parallel high-performance capacitors |
| Total reservoir capacitance | 240.000 µF |
| Stored energy | Up to 1.200 joules |
| Start-up control | Processor-controlled soft-start circuit |
| System connection | T+A M-23 special Powerlink cable |
| Display | VU meter for supply voltage or current flow |
| Brand | T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG |
| Distribution | T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG |
| More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG |
