Which wire provides the most profound audio improvement to your audiophile hi-fi sound system?

Empirical Audio

Industry Expert
Oct 12, 2017
1,169
207
150
Great Pacific Northwest
www.empiricalaudio.com
Why not install a parallel circuit and then the IC carries only the audio signal. Any good shielded IC cable will work as the parallel circuit provides a separate pathway for EMI back to ground.

If you connect a SE circuit this way, the shield provides a path for a ground-loop, which makes a loop antenna, which is susceptible to radiation because it will resonate. It also may change the sound of the cable because the return current may be running in one side of a pair and also in the shield. The shield is usually not as good quality as the signal conductors. Better to attach the shield to earth ground only on the driving end for a SE cable. The earth ground should be tied to the DC common of the driver at the source end inside the component.

For a balanced cable, you must connect the DC common from pin 1 on one end to pin 1 on the other end. The shield is optional and can be connected to earth ground only at one end, usually the driving end.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

RogerD

VIP/Donor
May 23, 2010
3,734
318
565
BiggestLittleCity
If you connect a SE circuit this way, the shield provides a path for a ground-loop, which makes a loop antenna, which is susceptible to radiation because it will resonate. It also may change the sound of the cable because the return current may be running in one side of a pair and also in the shield. The shield is usually not as good quality as the signal conductors. Better to attach the shield to earth ground only on the driving end for a SE cable. The earth ground should be tied to the DC common of the driver at the source end inside the component.

For a balanced cable, you must connect the DC common from pin 1 on one end to pin 1 on the other end. The shield is optional and can be connected to earth ground only at one end, usually the driving end.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
A parallel circuit in my example is a common mode grounding circuit.
 

Shadowfax

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2014
36
1
138
62
Southampton-Bucks County PA
I just recently dipped my toes in the Power Cord Abyss. My system sounded pretty good before but I have been reading, questioning, and procrastinating for a few years. Due to budget, I decided to start in at the entry level area. I purchased 2 Pangea AC14SE MKII cables, one for Pre and one for CDP, and two PS Audio AC3 cables for Amp and APC H-15.

Since I put all 4 cables in place at the same time, I am unsure which one had the greatest effect, but overall I was stunned with the results. So much quieter which lets you hear more music and individual instruments. Tighter bass overall and clearer vocals.

I then tried to order a Maze Audio Eden Cable, but after I questioned them about a Tracking number that wasn't tracking anything, they cancelled my order and called me a Demanding Customer.
They did me a big favor because that led me to purchasing a Cullen Gold Series PC which I placed on the APC from guidance from Patrick Cullen as well as several members at Audio Shark who all said to put your best cable where it hits the outlet.

That allowed me to put a PS Audio AC3 on my Pre, moved the Pangea to my OPPO, and I used the robust cable that came with the APC on my Integra 30.3.

Things just got better all around.

The $500 I spent on 5 Power Cords may be some of the best money I have spent for cost vs improvement factor, in my system. My only small regret is that I did not just start out getting all Cullen Cables.
 

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