How can power cords make a difference?


I am trying to understand why power cords can make a difference.

It makes sense to me that interconnects and speaker cables make a difference. They are dealing with a complex signal that contains numerous frequencies at various phases and amplitudes. Any change in these parameters should affect the sound.

A power cord is ideally dealing with only a single frequency. If the explanation is RF rejection, then an AC regeneration device like PS Audio’s should make these cords unnecessary. I suppose it could be the capacitance of these cables offering some power factor correction since the transformer is an inductive load.

The purpose of my post is not to start a war between the “I hear what I hear so it must be so” camp and the “you’re crazy and wasting your money,” advocates. I am looking for reasons. I am hoping that someone can offer some valid scientific explanations or point me toward sources of this information. Thanks.
bruce1483
Hey Albert, have you found it odd that "the" guy who claims no possible change can take place from a power cord should have limited scientific knowledge? I must have missed something, but I was sure "he" had the answers.
Also wondering how power is "pumped", oh well guess I'll believe you in that you speak with a basis of knowledge.
All the anti-expensive cord people overlook the one fact that makes these expensive cords sound different. First they start with the false assumption that current demand by the component is somehow constant? They argue that the original factory cord will deliver sufficient current for the component to operate as designed. That is the only thing they are right about. The sonic difference comes in the PC's ability to perform during extreme dynamic changes in the music. When the music changes, the current demand by the component changes. If you choke the power supply in any way or open it up, these changes will be audible by the average person. The music is not static. Test tones are static.
Gumby -

Could you be so kind as to identify whoever stated that current demand is constant - I've never seen anyone say anything like that, and it would be a ridiculous statement in any case.

But strangely, while you agree (correctly) that the original cord delivers sufficient current you seem to imply that it also "chokes the power supply". This seems inconsistant, to say the very least. Could you point out some specific components that cannot draw adequate current through the orignal cord? I'm most eager to find out which vendors won't spend the few dollars on a cord of sufficient guage.

By the way, how many people can identify different cords in a well-designed objective test (barring too-small cords or RFI issues)? In the past few days on rec.audio.high-end, a gentleman who generally falls in the so-called "subjectivist" camp scrapped an article on PCs because he could find no difference.

JHunter
Gumby, I would be willing to bet that in a better piece of equipment the power cord never sees the severe changes that you talk about. I do agree that the AC side of the supply does see changes in current demand but if there is sufficient filter capacity just after the rectifiers the greatest demand for power should only be when the amp is powered up. This is true simply because an uncharged capacitor looks electrically like a very low resistance.
Once the caps are charged, the demands of the amp are borne by the filter caps which in turn is charged by the rectified AC from your transformer and power cord. I think that a well designed power supply with a hefty set of caps renders the expensive cords impotent. I do however hear differences with different interconnects and speaker cables.
Stevemj and 702. Until you actually plug a cable into a player like mine and have valid comments about such, I am going to do my best to ignore you. We have beat this topic to death in one way or another on multiple posts. We have literally devoted thousands of words to this and have arrived at exactly where we began.

You and 702 come here to fight, I come to learn about music. There are always people like you who know so much that they have their mind made up before they even begin. You definitely fall into that category. You will eventually learn that there are reasons that cables perform differently, and there may even be a scientific explanation for it (someday).

Until then, I am content with the high performance music that real life experience and long term listening has provided. You will remain content, fighting over theory and numbers. I got the better end of the deal. Your system, based on what you post here, sounds terrible. That should be punishment enough for you, it certainly would be an unacceptable experience for me.