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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. 
128x128mkgus
mkgus's avatar
mkgus OP
82 posts
 
Going off of geoff’s list and adding some of the other views expressed here, here are SOME of the hypotheses for how a power cable COULD affect sound:

1. Purity of conductors 
2. Conductivity of conductors
3. Dielectric properties of insulation
4. Solid vs stranded core conductors
5. Shielding
6. Plugs (e.g., better conductors, tighter connections)
7. “Directionality” of wire
8. Single crystal conductors
9. The polishing of solid core wires
10. Cryogenic treatments
11. Conductor gauge
12. Dielectric bias systems
13. Cable constructions of multiple gauge wires that influence the way high, medium and low frequencies propagate through the power cable.
14. The physical 3D shape of the “signal” through the cable. 

Let me know if I forgot anything that was mentioned or if you have something to add to the list. Everybody take a number and go conduct rigorous experiments and report back. 🤣
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
I think Steve must have stumbled upon this thread as his insight on all of this is pretty spot on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRRe3soIZFU

And, despite his reasoned approach, check out some of the naysayers in the comments section. They're cut from the same cloth as those here.

All the best,
Nonoise
yang_hong
13 posts
 
That’s a great list.

Let’s start with the first one: Purity of conductors.

Assuming we’re comparing a $10 Amazon powercord and a $1k pure sliver (the best conductor?) powercord, why the latter would make a CD player sound better?

To me, since either one of them would be a massive overkill for the meager power draw of a CD player as far as wire resistance is concerned, I’m lost how the silver powercord could make the CD player sound better.


celander's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
celander
1,036 posts
 
Can’t let Geoff have the last word on this one.
+1, to markalarsen

I’d go further and suggest all cables are influenced by EMI. And some cables don’t have a shield. Just saying that as a matter of fact, not preference or argument. But arguably, some unshielded cables are highly regarded among those cables having the best SQ, including power cables.


acman3
2,267 posts
 
I think Audiogon Admin. is taking a stand on thread crapping. The last paragraph of the OP is pretty clear. 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=thread%20crapping
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