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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. 
mkgus
jea48
2,944 posts
 
mzkmxcv336 posts01-13-2019 9:04am@jea48

“Fullness” is a meaningless term, so not sure (do you mean deep bass?). Timbre is harmonics, so that’s easy.

However, no solid state amp should have timbre anyway, it should only output what the input signal dictates. However all amps have some THD/IMD, but when it’s 80dB down, it’s not important.


 Again, BS.
timbre noun tim·​bre | \ˈtam-bər, ˈtim-;ˈtam(brᵊ)\ variants: or less commonly timber Definition of timbre

: the quality given to a sound by its overtones: such as

a : the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound

b : the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument

Fullness? As in the sound Jennifer Warnes voice singing "Famous Blue Raincoat".
Or the sound of the piano when listening to any of Diana Krall CDs.

Just curious what is your opinion on interconnects and speaker cables? Do they make a difference in what we hear?
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elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
"" Just curious what is your opinion on interconnects and speaker cables? Do they make a difference in what we hear? "" .
Giant (I mean huge!) can of worms being opened...                        
I can hear the worms slithering already....
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
ay caramba


mzkmxcv
558 posts
 
@elizabeth

the treble has more clarity. easier to understand female vocals, hear cymbals clearly, massed violins sound as a group of separate instruments, not just some clump of noise

So less distortion and lower noise?

@jea48

Are you unaware that overtones are harmonics?

As for interconnects, as long as they are well enough shielded, then yes (at least in regards to audible changes). 
 
Do you think recording studios who spend >$10,000 on room treatment also are buying “audiophile” XLR cables?
jea48
2,944 posts
 
mzkmxcv337 posts01-13-2019 10:42am

@elizabeth

the treble has more clarity. easier to understand female vocals, hear cymbals clearly, massed violins sound as a group of separate instruments, not just some clump of noise



@jea48

Are you unaware that overtones are harmonics?

As for interconnects, as long as they are well enough shielded, then yes (at least in regards to audible changes).

@mzkmxcv

Harmonics? Yeah, I am aware of Harmonics. Can they pass through the windings of a power transformer of a piece of audio equipment? Can they be radiated? How far?

As for interconnects, as long as they are well enough shielded, then yes (at least in regards to audible changes).
Any proof? Actual test equipment measurements performed by credible 3rd party testing lab. Please produce a credible Link to a white paper showing ICs make a difference, why and how. Not theory, actual measurements.

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