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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
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
If electrons are the cars of a train then, as Bob Dylan said, there’s a Slow Train Coming up around the bend. You know, since electrons in conductors, whilst being almost massless, are virtually motionless. Or as close to it as you can possibly be without being dead.

“Do not seek the treasure!”
boxer12
1,703 posts
 
pkvintage, "What happens when you plug an expensuve power chord into a cheap power bar that is plugged into a $1.00 wall socket? Or is it automatically assumed that a power conditioner is part of the equation."
Good question; Everything is part of the equation.

IME, you can control this equation to greatly improve your sound quality. This is what I’ve done to clean up the power to my system:

Power amps:
Have Oyaide Tunami power cables plugged into an audience conditioned which is connected to an SR wall outlet. I’ve tried them directly into the wall & find that the audience conditioner improves the sound considerably.

Preamp:
SR power cable plugged into Acoustic Revive conditioner which is plugged into an ExactPower transformer. The transformer has an Oyaide power cable connected to a Pangea premium XL outlet.

Front end:
Turntable uses DH audio power cable into a VPI analog drive system which is connected to the ExactPower transformer.
CD & DAC are connected with Oyaide (DAC) & Furutech (CD) power cables into the Acoustic Revive conditioner.
Power supply for the DAC & Phono amp have a Furutech flux 50 connected with an Oyaide power cable into the Acoustic Revive conditioner

I’m by no means saying this is the "best" solution to cleaning up the power going into the components, just that it all makes a difference to sound quality.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
A few posts back to: (paraphrasing) "What happens when one sticks the aftermarket power cord into an ordinary wall socket. or a cheap power strip?"
Good question!
The answer is more than if the power cord also was cheap. but less than could be achieved with that power cord and some good but inexpensive duplex and other accessories.
The main point I would make is those other parts DO NOT HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE!!!
For the wall duplex. or an extension duplex, ordinary $5 or so Heavy Duty Pass & Seymour 20 amp variety,Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Legrand-CR20WCC12-Commercial-Receptacle-125-volt/dp/B001AXBWD0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=... (which also can serve 15 amp plugs) are highly recommended. I used them right up to this year! and they are very good for $5 a pop. Power strips? Best to find a type you can substitute ordinary design duplex. So you can again, put in the Pass & Seymour duplex. (and perhaps later upgrade? to Hubble like offered here on Audiogon for $50 each)                  
The worst cheap strip is so cheap. They cost $15. You can make a far better one for a little more money! say $25I do have to admit the endless piles of junk power strips is amazing. They all have one thing in common, no user replaceable outlets!Here is ONE design where it sure looks like user replaceable duplex! eBay ttps://www.ebay.com/itm/3Ft-110V-15A-6-Switch-Plug-Outlet-Power-Supply-Block-Strip-Surge-Protector/12196203...$20 free shipping.Here is a much better one.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hammond-Industrial-Quality-Power-Bar-Strip-1583H6B1-Extension-Lead-6-Outlet...$65 but does seem like it is better made.So for $5 in the wall. and say $65 plus maybe swapping out the duplex (or they may be good? I have no idea) say yeah you add three new duplex $15. SO for a total of $85 you have a pretty good AC and worth using with you aftermarket power cord. YOU DO NOT need to spend ’thousands’...
erik_squires
5,268 posts
 
@areed622


This is why I love series mode surge protectors. Only one's I know of that work down in the audible range, around 3 kHz.
And yes, it is useful to keep noisy things like that "outside" of your cleaned up power or you will pollute it.


@jea48

I used to have a desktop lamp with a fluorescent lamp and when I looked at the garbage it was putting on the AC, wow! It was really horrible. You could hear it in my stereo too.


So if noise on the AC line can cause distortion in audio equipment, then it stands to reason, if, say a CDP is putting noise back out on the AC line, the noise will inter through the power cord of a preamp that is plugged into the same wall mains AC outlet as the CDP. Correct?

I have seen plenty of evidence for this happening with an oscilloscope. So I know for a fact that this happens on a technical level.

What I don't always know is how audible it is, unless you have a fluorescent lamp! :)

Also, how much value it is. I mean, I really was not given a mind and soul to spend money exclusively on power conditioning equipment, so sometimes the expense can seem really extravagant to me.

What I normally recommend is Furman with SMP and LiFT as really good, cost effective protection and noise reduction. Some units have multiple banks, so you can avoid cross-contamination. This is one of the low end models with both features:

https://amzn.to/2BI1N5U

They make higher end models too, but that is seriously good for the money.

Above that I love the PS Audio line, but they are pricey. PS Audio also uses the series mode protectors.
fleschler
766 posts
 
At another forum hosted by Roger Modjeski of Ramtubeworks, he specifically 100% denied that PC make any sonic difference other than adequate gauge.  His forum https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/does-anyone-care-to-ask-an-amplifier-designer-a-technical-que...  answers questions concerning amplification versus Atmasphere manufacturer who are often at odds.  Roger basically takes the attitude that if a PC makes an amplifier sound different, the amplifier has an inadequate power supply or design.  Only his RM line of amps are correctly designed and built because they are are unaffected by different PCs.  He then sort of berates me as an uneducated person.  His quote " My stand on power cords is entirely intellectual from an amplifier designer and transformer makers point of view. I know what is inside a transformer and how it works. When you know about transformers, house wiring etc. we can further discuss this interesting topic."  
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