2. cables
  3. 1396979983

Do powercords make a difference? A Test.

Well, I had this crazy idea that I could record the noise coming out of my speakers to evaluate different power cords in terms of noise reduction. Really simple and really stupid actually. I mean, if one powercord has more noise than another then maybe there's a difference.

I know a lot of people swear by the differences they can actually hear when adding an aftermarket powercord. And perhaps that's true, for some people. I have a hard time really telling the difference, though.

So here's what I did. And like I said it's really simple and really stupid!

I have a high end microphone and a USB preamp. I positioned the microphone tip like a half inch from the right channel tweeter. I then hooked up a basic powercord to my amp with no source components powered on. My DAC goes to a passive pre-amp and then from there to the amp. So I just kept my DAC powered down - no big deal, at least I think.

All I did was turn on the amp and record for about 5 seconds. I did this several times with multiple combinations. I tested a PS Audio Lab Cable, a Pangea AC-9, and the basic free cord we all have stored on a shelf somewhere.

So, what did I find? To my surprise you can actually hear the difference. But get this, the cheap power cord and the Pangea AC-9 are almost identical! I was not expecting that. And the PS Audio Lab Cable is by far the least noisy of what I've got.

I know this is not the typical way these cords are measured but how else can one really know what works and what doesn't? It's all about noise right? And the idea is to have less noise. Isn't that right?

Anyone else try this?
robpriore
czarivey
4,494 posts
 
I liked that approach. You can also analyse plots visually if there's a software to it.
I don't deal with aftermarket powercords because I simply believe that it's a marketting scam more than science or research and prices are not justified regardless of weather there's a difference or not.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
Blue Circle audio has been doing something similar for years for their power conditioners. There's a youtube video where they demonstrate the effectiveness of their power conditioners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Noc2OA-xWCM.

It's conceivable that one can take that "noise sniffer" and plug it into various power cords to hear which one "sounds" best but I doubt that any power cord, by itself, can sound as clean as a power conditoner. In fact, the better cords just may sound worse. It would be nice if someone tried it out.

All the best,
Nonoise
hifiharv
351 posts
 
It certainly is not just about the noise. Power cables have an effect on other aspects of the sound as well. Not to belittle your experiment... it's very interesting. But, you are only comparing one criteria by which we judge cables. I'd gladly take a little noise along with a great sounding cable, rather than a quiet cable with lesser sound.
twb2
125 posts
 
Research and read everything you can find about how Caelin Gabriel of Shunyata Research has approached this subject. Here is an interview done by 6Moons: http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/caelin/caelin.html
It seems the ability to analyze the effect of PC design demands a bit more than what you suggest.
robpriore OP
35 posts
 
I have a dedicated circuit in my board for the audio stuff. I use an MIT plug receptacle. So it's pretty well controlled. I mean, the fact is the cords sounded different. And the PS Audio was quieter. So I use that as the primary now.
More to discover