Why Power Cables Affect Sound

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.

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’...

@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.

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."  

I think the argument can be made that the better a piece of gear’s power supply, the less sensitive it will be to power issues.

The argument can also be made that power cables may not be very cost effective.

My cost-effective balance is to ignore cables, wiring and sockets, and use an effective power conditioner as close to the gear as possible, and try to make separate zones of power.

That is, one for my sources and preamp, a separate for my Class D amps, and another for all my networking gear.

Within these, noise has to travel at least 2 filter sections to crossover.

I actually discourage the use of very large gauge electrical wiring (i.e. Romex). Having some impedance in the line can actually reduce noise a great deal. I don’t really want my amps that tightly coupled to the noise from my dishwasher for instance.