PS Audio C250 User Manual

C250 amplifier, producing a much more 

rich and open sound.

Having a Power Plant built into the Clas-

sic 250 to regenerate a clean AC signal for 

the input gain stage is one of the factors 

that sets this amplifier apart.  It is worth 

noting, however, that the Power Plant is 

only regulating the input stage.  Therefore, 

additional levels of AC regeneration can be 

implemented to improve the amplifier as 

a whole, for example with a P1200 Power 

Plant.   In other words, a clean, well regu-

lated AC power line will make a difference 

with the C250.

Typically the output stage of a power 

amplifier is tied to the input stage and 

together they form a “team” to produce the 

power.  Not so in the C250.  This revolu-

tionary and one-of-a-kind current stage is 

an absolutely separate and independent 

standalone current converter.  It has its 

own power supply, its own feedback loop 

and is physically separated from anything 

else in the amplifier.

The C250 can handle loads less than 2 

Ohms and still breathe easily.  To accom-

plish this we incorporated 20 high current 

output devices per channel.  Each of the 

40 output devices in the Classic 250 can 

handle 30 amps of power.

Obviously the purpose of a power ampli-

fier is to generate power.  Pure, clean and 

musical power that has no limitations.

Inside the C250 are two completely inde-

pendent toroidal transformers and power 

supplies and a short signal path to main-

tain the highest possible power quality.

Each of the two toroidal supplies is a mon-

strous 800VA transformer that is housed 

under its own chassis, isolated from the 

main body.  These transformers feed a 

robust 80,000 mFd’s of energy storage.

The front panel of the C250 was designed 

to bring both a level of elegance and sim-

plicity into your system.  The power button 

(on/off) is located directly in the center, 

below the meter display.  

Plugging the C250 into the wall activates 

both the regenerator (power plant) and 

voltage gain (input) stage.  The meter dis-

play will light up in yellow for 17 seconds 

while these two circuits activate, during 

which the power button will not respond 

to your touch.  These sections are kept 

powered up at all times.  After the initial 17 

second activation period, the yellow light 

in the meter display will go dim.  Still, the 

output section has no power.

Pressing the power button will initiate the 

power up sequence, which lasts for 40 

seconds.  During this period, the meter will 

light up in yellow and the PS logo in blue, 

indicating the standby status.  It is not 

advisable to try and play music during this 

period.

The C250 becomes fully operational once 

the meter display lights up in blue.  This 

indicates that the C250’s output stage is 

engaged.  Once fully powered up, pressing  

the power button again will turn the output 

stage off. 

The front panel display window in the 

C250 contains an analog meter that reads 

several useful statistics.

The top line, labeled “DCV,” is a represen-

tation of the voltage that is available to the 

output stage.  There is a direct relationship 

between this value and the input AC volt-

age.  For example, feeding the C250 with 

120 volts should present a DCV value of 

80 volts.

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