I WAS a non-'enthusiast' of "special" vs "ordinary" power cords until I decided to actually TRY one. So I bid on and won a ZuCable power cord. I put it on my amp and WHAM! no bass??? Much better upper register, clearer and smoother treble, but the bass all but disappeared. So I took it off the amp and put it on the preamp, same thing but less problems with the bass. Eventually I cut the cord by 2/3 and 1/3 making two cords and put the long part back on the amp, but straight into the wall (not via conditioner) and the preamp via the conditioner, after a hundred hours or so of break in... the cables started workin' right. My SACD is via 3 conditioners in line with another 6' ZuCable now. After break-in the power cables bass was restored... And now I can say the non-Zu power is like a "wooley rinocerous" trampling around in my listening room. Where th Zucable is taunt, and way-more correct and true to the music. The treble remains cleaner and smoother. So a non-believer became a believer after trying one out. My story. The END.
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.
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.
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- 193 posts total
- 193 posts total