Audioquest custom made triple weave design power cable (Storm Series).


Hi everyone,
I am interested in having my own customized Audioquest power cable build based of their new power line Storm series, which can be found here:

https://www.audioquest.com/ac-power/ac-power-cables/storm-series

The reason being the new line is out of my budget AND I am very interested in how a tailor made Audioquest applied with my own ideas will sound.

The idea:

• Use Audioquest NRG 4 cable, which can be bought in bulk: https://www.audioquest.com/ac-power/ac-power-cables/3-pole/nrg-4

• Dissecting the NRG 4 cable into three different wire parts: neutral, live, earth.

• Add multiple layers of shieldings per wire part: carbon fibre, copper braided sleeve, carbon fibre sleeve.

• Twist the three shielded wire parts in a geometry as the new Audioquest cable above, also have a look at:

https://www.lessloss.com/dfpc-series-p-213.html and

http://anticables.com/power-cords#!/Level-3-Reference-Series-Power-Cords/p/14644872/category=3461168

These great performers also use the same triple twisted design.

There must be something good going on with this geometry? That is why I want to apply it.

• Finally add, Oyaide plugs at each end (046, 079 or 004) and fill it with special crystal mineral against vibration, EMI, RFI, see: http://sablonaudio.com/index.php/power

First of all, would the geometry and design help you guys think?

Would it be worthwhile to try?

I can get Audioquest nrg4 relatively cheap. It has to be Audioquest wiring for me.
128x128richardhk

Showing 11 responses by folkfreak

By the way Garth Powell is on record (see below) that the braided design is not for sound quality, but only to make the cable flexible
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/audioquest-storm-series-and-niagara-ac-power-...

this is review also contains some interesting material on his testing regimen
Regarding stiffness, yes they are but not unacceptably so and they do hold their shape. 

I have the Dragon HC so as stiff as they come. You need a 3' or so turning circle to get them to go into anything. So in my case with power amps alongside power conditioner I can get them to work with 3' for them to make the arc. You also need to dress them so the orientation of the outlets align. The SR Black outlets in my conditioner are not the grippiest so I must take care not to disturb once they are in but as the cables are uniformly stiff they hold their shape well and do not sag causing the plug to pull itself out (as my long SR Galileo power cords do)

Overall provided you have room you should have no issues.
Made in China? I believe I remember reading so, however there is no information provided with the cable (itself a clue as those who manufacturer or assemble in the US like to trumpet the fact) personally I don’t care, I judge how the piece performs
Here it is @jafant, important you have the latest as the prices went up a lot (China tariffs and copper/silver I guess)
https://www.audioquest.com/content/aq/pdf/AQ_PB_US-RTL_19-02.pdf
Seems the story of the AQ Storm series is a little more complex than appears at first glance -- especially at the top of the range

Turns out the Dragon PC has been redesigned. V1 of the Dragon HC (per the AQ Price Book Jan 2018) was 11AWG and PSS/PSC+ at $4400/M.
 
The current Dragon HC is 12AWG (i.e. thinner) but PSS only and $5200/M. (per AQ price Book Feb 2019)

The place of the old Dragon in the line (i.e. a copper and silver mix) is now taken by Firebird expect the gauge and pricing (and potentially the PSS/PSC+ mix) of Firebird is not the same as the old Dragon

Frankly it does not do AQ well to reuse the same name while fundamentally changing the design. I'm sure the Firebird is a great cable and I own the Dragon V1 and like it a lot but now I'm not sure what the heck I'm getting with a Dragon (V2) I just ordered

And from comments on this and other threads it doesn't seem as if the dealers have a clue either

@adi74 a few things to look for

1) The V2 (all silver) is thinner gauge (12 AWG vs 11 AWG for the high current) so should be more flexible -- of course you could only tell if you had them side by side (and for the source cable the gauge stays at 16 AWG)

2) The paperwork included with the cable (a one sheet promo flyer) should state which one it is

There are also subtle differences in the logo relating to the font size of the wording but these do not seem to correspond to the design change (i.e. I have a PSC/PSS cable which has the 'newer' larger logo)
The newer Dragon will also have the carbon DBS instead of the black, but as these can be bought separately and swapped after the fact that is not a definitive identifier 🤨

Net net is demand complete paperwork if purchasing used, or work with a reliable dealer

ps whee are you getting the information on the copper silver percentages? I’ve never seen that
Oh and to the question are AQ cables made in China? The answer is definitively YES. The box my brand new Dragon came in is labeled “made in China” but also “Perfect Surface Metals made in USA”. So maybe this keeps everyone satisfied 😜
Suppose a local dealer has a Dragon50% cable (original version) in stock, he can put it in a 100% silver dragon box and sell it at a different price (the boxes of Audioquest are not sealed ); because there are no clear differences between the two versions; 


More to the point I took delivery of (what I assume and was told) is a V2/silver Dragon and it came in a (new design to me) box which was labeled Dragon PSC+/PSS on the outside!  My dealer is taking this up with AQ as we speak. BTW at least here in the US few dealers keep these things in stock so the phenomena of reboxing isn't that much of a problem ... the used market however is screwed
So the official AQ line is “we changed to all silver but we don’t provide any way of you knowing what you’ve got, in fact we ship it in a box labeled copper and silver” .... pretty stupid if you ask me
That kind of makes sense. But it would be nice if the advertising copy (online, boxes, price book) was at least consistent and explained the differences ... still as you say who cares as long as it performs. Good news is the 2M source I have looks as if it’s long enough to use in my current install so I’ll be able to see how it compares to my current Galileo LE