Why Power Cables Affect Sound


I just bought a new CD player and was underwhelmed with it compared to my cheaper, lower quality CD player. That’s when it hit me that my cheaper CD player is using an upgraded power cable. When I put an upgraded power cable on my new CD player, the sound was instantly transformed: the treble was tamed, the music was more dynamic and lifelike, and overall more musical. 

This got me thinking as to how in the world a power cable can affect sound. I want to hear all of your ideas. Here’s one of my ideas:

I have heard from many sources that a good power cable is made of multiple gauge conductors from large gauge to small gauge. The electrons in a power cable are like a train with each electron acting as a train car. When a treble note is played, for example, the small gauge wires can react quickly because that “train” has much less mass than a large gauge conductor. If you only had one large gauge conductor, you would need to accelerate a very large train for a small, quick treble note, and this leads to poor dynamics. A similar analogy might be water in a pipe. A small pipe can react much quicker to higher frequencies than a large pipe due to the decreased mass/momentum of the water in the pipe. 

That’s one of my ideas. Now I want to hear your thoughts and have a general discussion of why power cables matter. 

If you don’t think power cables matter at all, please refrain from derailing the conversation with antagonism. There a time and place for that but not in this thread please. 
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Showing 1 response by miketheguy

This thread is quite interesting and has many posts with a variety of opinion, theories, pseudo science regarding electrons, and marketing material regurgitation. Also some good advice, reflection, and reputable electrical science.

I believe cables do make some difference.

They cannot compensate for or correct most electrical utility problems - how can the composition of 6 feet of wire reconstruct perfect 120 volt 60 Hz electricity after its being distorted and affected over hundreds of miles from the generating facility, utility switchgear, local industry and transformers, neighbors with unusual electrical loads, possible poor grounding bonds in the home service panel, and the cheap 14 gauge wire and 25 cent receptacles in typical modern homes.

A power cable with good conductors and contact, sufficient wire gauge, and excellent shielding can however maintain voltage level and keep the power from being corrupted by EMI/RFI at its most vulnerable - the lowest voltage end of the line state.

It is a question of not allowing it to get any worse from the wall to the component. If you are also using a good conditioner or regenerator, then the PC from there to your component is many multiples more important as you are removing many other potential effects and keeping the AC pure is far more possible.

Good conductors of sufficient gauge, good contact surfaces, excellent shielding. That will make a difference.