2. cables
  3. 1071276890

Power Cords Snake Oil ??

Having been a long time audiophile living with countless high end compnents I have to wonder about the theory and practicality of high end power cords.

I have yet to hear the difference a power cord makes. Ive owned, synergistic, Shunyata, BMI and cardas. I in no way can detect any sonic signature or change. Give me a pair of interconnects and I imeadiately notice a difference somewhere in the sonic spectrum. Not the PC though. I have accomplished 4 blind tests with my friends. 3 out of the 4 they did not know their cord was replaced. All 4 were using a stock factory supplied cord. Each of the 4 tests were done on different components. Amp, CDP, Preamp & dac.

My electrical backround tells me that provided you supply the component with its required voltage bet 110vac or 220/240vac its happy. Now, change the incoming frequency from 60hz to say 53hz and watch how quickly your soundstage collapses.! This is often the case during the summer months when home air conditioners are in use and the utility company power output is taxed to the max. A really good power conditioner should however take care of the frequency fluctuations. But 110vac is still 110vac regardless of the conductor it passes through as long as its remains 110vac when it reaches the intended circuit. Does your 8k amp or preamp know the difference of the path the voltage took to reach it ? Many an audiophile will use a dedicated 20amp circut for their equipment.That is a good idea as voltage & frequency fluctuations will occur in the home circuit to to other loads on the main breaker panel but again, A power cord simply is the means of transporting the voltage from the wall to the component. IF there is a clean 110vac @ 60hz at the wall socket, no matter what the medium is to go from the socket to the component, it will still be 110vac @60hz.

Could somebody expand on this a bit more. I just dont understand it. ??
128x128jetmek
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
I remember when soda was 10 cents and they came out of a vertical rack that was hard for a kid to pull on. Sometimes they'd stick. I also grew up with this black ring around my finger from dialing for those rock concert tickets. And I do remember LBJ. Kind of.

All the best,
Nonoise
brayeagle
206 posts
 
As an old-time ham station guy and electrical engineer, I started building my own audio systems following WWII, I'll state, based on many years of personal experience, that power cords do matter; BUT only in those instances where the cord's gauge isn't sufficient to carry the load imposed by the device. You just don't run a large Bryston or Pass amplifier on a piece of lamp cord. I have changed power cords on domestic electrical appliances, HF radio equipment and audio amplifier gear when it was obvious the manufacturer skimped on the power cord's gague. What you really should worry about is whether the  wall socket is connected to a 15 or to a 20 amp circuit in your home's distribution box. (For example: My Bryston 4BSST2 has its own 20 amp circuit.).   Just a thought.

ostensible_constituency's avatar
ostensible_constituency
75 posts
 
It’s all been said already, but you’re so busy huffing and puffing you probably don’t read it. God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. If I were you I wouldn’t wait by the phone for someone to agree with you.


I’ll say it directly in response to you as well, and since you’re a legitimately conflicted participant - being a person who supposedly earns a living from selling audiophile "tweaks" which one might assume includes cables in addition to "quantum" nonsense - I will resume my participation in this thread as soon as someone re-broaches the actual topic; that is AC power cables. But people like Geoff should be verboten from taking part in any discussion whereby a person asks for objective advice on any audio tweak when he is so clearly conflicted.

Until then I can be found elsewhere on the Internet properly explaining this subject to people who are actually interested in learning something - and not subject to some kind of strange personality disorder that prevents them from reading for comprehension or acquiring new knowledge.

But if you really want so badly to change the topic, Geoff - Why don’t you give us a rundown of your credentials and/or provide a link to where this has already been done?

Until then....I leave you individuals (you know who you are) to your group pathology. LOL

P.S. Still no contact from the moderators. Maybe they're not all that concerned after all until someone flags a post? 
Ag insider logo xs@2x
david_ten
2,509 posts
 
Young enough to remember taught history. Jackson. No. 7.  : )
ostensible_constituency's avatar
ostensible_constituency
75 posts
 
" As an old-time ham station guy and electrical engineer, I started building my own audio systems following WWII, I'll state, based on many years of personal experience, that power cords do matter; BUT only in those instances where the cord's gauge isn't sufficient to carry the load imposed by the device. You just don't run a large Bryston or Pass amplifier on a piece of lamp cord. I have changed power cords on domestic electrical appliances, HF radio equipment and audio amplifier gear when it was obvious the manufacturer skimped on the power cord's gague. What you really should worry about is whether the  wall socket is connected to a 15 or to a 20 amp circuit in your home's distribution box. (For example: My Bryston 4BSST2 has its own 20 amp circuit.).   Just a thought." 

Now that we're back on topic, I totally agree with your thought and experience. Now let's see if Geoff and his little crew of hangers-on care to dismiss or denigrate your opinion....
More to discover