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How can power cords make a difference?

I am trying to understand why power cords can make a difference.

It makes sense to me that interconnects and speaker cables make a difference. They are dealing with a complex signal that contains numerous frequencies at various phases and amplitudes. Any change in these parameters should affect the sound.

A power cord is ideally dealing with only a single frequency. If the explanation is RF rejection, then an AC regeneration device like PS Audio’s should make these cords unnecessary. I suppose it could be the capacitance of these cables offering some power factor correction since the transformer is an inductive load.

The purpose of my post is not to start a war between the “I hear what I hear so it must be so” camp and the “you’re crazy and wasting your money,” advocates. I am looking for reasons. I am hoping that someone can offer some valid scientific explanations or point me toward sources of this information. Thanks.
bruce1483

Showing 4 responses by elizabeth

elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Power cords make a difference. With a powercord, one on each piece of equipment... it is possible to turn the equipment on and (if you have paid your utility bills and figured out the complex series of operations to make the whole system work together) create a sort of noise. However without power cords, this is definitely NOT POSSIBLE. So... here is conclusive proof the power cords DO make a difference.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
OOPS I see my sense of humor was NOT found to create gales of laughter...
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I WAS a non-'enthusiast' of "special" vs "ordinary" power cords until I decided to actually TRY one. So I bid on and won a ZuCable power cord. I put it on my amp and WHAM! no bass??? Much better upper register, clearer and smoother treble, but the bass all but disappeared. So I took it off the amp and put it on the preamp, same thing but less problems with the bass. Eventually I cut the cord by 2/3 and 1/3 making two cords and put the long part back on the amp, but straight into the wall (not via conditioner) and the preamp via the conditioner, after a hundred hours or so of break in... the cables started workin' right. My SACD is via 3 conditioners in line with another 6' ZuCable now. After break-in the power cables bass was restored... And now I can say the non-Zu power is like a "wooley rinocerous" trampling around in my listening room. Where th Zucable is taunt, and way-more correct and true to the music. The treble remains cleaner and smoother. So a non-believer became a believer after trying one out. My story. The END.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
MY THEORY: All mechanical stuff is made. Apsaras like that sort of environment. Noisy, hot/cold, crud, rough and tough. they hang around new equipment 'cuz they think more smashing and bashing is on the way... and they hate to move out of a new place. Then you or I get the thing and plug it in. That's cool to the apsaras too.... but then you start playing music. They don't care.. but suddenly the Devas( who LOVE music and all those artistic and nice things) notice the new source of the nice stuff and start hanging around. The apsaras absolutely HATE the Devas (they SMELL FUNNY) and even though they hate to move out... as the Devas keep crowding in... the apsaras start moving out. And the "vibes" the owner gets from the spirits hanging around change to ones of pleasure. MY story and proud of it!
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