Power cords - do they really make a difference, other than potentially reduce noise?
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I for one believe power cords make one heck of a difference .The placement on the source componets
for me is paramount to dynamics and a listening experience that puts the "Live" performance in the room.
Of course mileage varies as to your wallet size
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Oh I do too. Like I said though, relative to every other main component, lowest on the totem pole. Mine looks something like this
Room+Speakers
Amps for speakers chosen
Quality of source material
Source
Preamplification
Speaker Cables
Interconnects
Vibration Control
Power Conditioning
Power Cords
That's just my mileage though given my wallet size Somehow I think that even if I had Bill Gates wallet my totem pole would stay the same
Room+Speakers
Amps for speakers chosen
Quality of source material
Source
Preamplification
Speaker Cables
Interconnects
Vibration Control
Power Conditioning
Power Cords
That's just my mileage though given my wallet size
Somehow I think that even if I had Bill Gates wallet my totem pole would stay the same I tried some of my components with power cords and then without. Power cords make a huge difference!
But, seriously folks. I'm going to throw out a story just for the heck of it. Mark Levinson apparently has a program where their employees are allowed to purchase gear at deep discounts. Some of them buy the gear, hang onto it for awhile, then sell it on the used market and make a few bucks on the side. I happened to buy my amps from one of the Mark Levinson engineers who designed them.
I asked him whether they designed the amps with detachable power cords so buyers could replace the stock power cords with upgraded ones. The guy answered that they only design the amps with detachable power cords because it makes the amps easier to pack and that because of the amp's design, there was absolutely no advantage to be gained from any other power cord.
When I asked him about the testimonials I'd read on-line where posters talked about upgrading the power cord and getting better sound, he found it kind of amusing and then he asked an interesting question. He said, "if you don't think our engineers know enough to spec the correct power cord, why in the world would you buy an amplifier from us?"
I asked him whether they designed the amps with detachable power cords so buyers could replace the stock power cords with upgraded ones. The guy answered that they only design the amps with detachable power cords because it makes the amps easier to pack and that because of the amp's design, there was absolutely no advantage to be gained from any other power cord.
When I asked him about the testimonials I'd read on-line where posters talked about upgrading the power cord and getting better sound, he found it kind of amusing and then he asked an interesting question. He said, "if you don't think our engineers know enough to spec the correct power cord, why in the world would you buy an amplifier from us?"
Oh so true. If I recall the bigger 300 series amps had captive power cords to make sure the consumer wouldn't use an under spec'd cord like I did with my less powerful 431.
Yeah, but you also have to remember that Bryston was a big opponent of any kind of line conditioners and anything power related.... until THEY started making money with their Torus line.
Regards,
Regards,
Well if their engineers are so all knowing, why the hell did they put the IEC socket underneath and in the middle of the unit?
There was nothing more inconvenient than this arrangement!This topic comes up freqently on many of the audio forums and always the same arguments are presented. No, there are no scientific facts to support a swap in power cables make a difference in sound quality. I believe the same fact holds true for ICs and SCs. This hobby is not about scientific facts. It is all about your ears, your wallet and how owning your system makes you feel about it. I personally attended a G2G where we did nothing but blind test different power cords. The results were interesting and yes there was a definite impact on the sound from the different cables.
My recommendation is to build your system and then experiement with what I call the audio jewelry - the cables. Start with the Speaker Cables, then the ICs and finally the PCs. Others may disagree but like someone wrote above you are better off to purchase better components than investing in higher dollar cables.
Ken
My recommendation is to build your system and then experiement with what I call the audio jewelry - the cables. Start with the Speaker Cables, then the ICs and finally the PCs. Others may disagree but like someone wrote above you are better off to purchase better components than investing in higher dollar cables.
Ken
I think you know the answer and at any rate may be kiddingWell if their engineers are so all knowing, why the hell did they put the IEC socket underneath and in the middle of the unit?
. But just in case not, they put it there since it shortened the path to the power transformer.
I think you know the answer and at any rate may be kidding
Oh of course but 1) they couldn't have designed it to be more ergonomic? and 2 ) I think they did it so people couldn't play with the AC cord since it was a PITA to get a 90 degree plug or put the unit on tiptoes since the IC cable would pull the unit off the cones
Well if their engineers are so all knowing.... We don't profess to be all knowing...just pretty damned intelligent
Actually, I believe there must be a scientific explanation, as cables are *at least* RLC networks, so by definition they can theoretically make some sort of difference anywhere they are placed - question is, is it material, and for which applications. In addition, there is also transmission line theory on this stuff that's entirely scientific, and certainly cable shielding is a scientifically derived approach. The reason I focused on power cables when I started the thread is because PCs can lower noise and measured to do so, and that's a scientific attribute I think, even if that means just fending off RMI/RFI. Again, the question remains - is this material difference... I think it probably varies from cable to cable. However this was not my question, so let me rephrase: since science establishes that at least they can lower noise, I am simply unable to see how some of the after-market cables can offer even that with the construction approaches they take, like the Shunyata. The Helix construction is claimed (by the patent) to lower induction-based resistance and Shunyata also claim it can improve "impulse current efficiency" (I take the latter to mean they can push more current in a shorter amount of time)... fine, let's assume there is less resistance and it can push more amps in a shorter amount of time... but why does this make a difference when hundreds of miles of wiring leading up to the power outlet probably exhibit much worse electrical characteristics, and does any of this have to do with lower noise at all???
So I hope I am missing something and am looking for technical enlightenment...
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The agrument, in my humble opinion, falls apart when you consider that an exotic PC represents the last few feet in a very long feed from your utility. A feed that is NOT shielded and is subjected to all sorts of harmonics and other nasties. But hell, if there were no self deception, this hobby it would be no fun at all.
is it possible that the PC adds some sort of filters to clean up that last several feet of feed?? Just asking as I don't know
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