Want to stick my toe in the "power cord" pool...

13

Comments

  • DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    So. I am 68 with a bit of tinnitus in my left ear, and I can hear power cord, and other cable, improvements in sound. It is obvious. I have some state of the art power noise conditioning gear, and as Skip said, you don't realize the 'noise' is there until it is gone.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
  • BlueFox wrote: »
    So. I am 68 with a bit of tinnitus in my left ear, and I can hear power cord, and other cable, improvements in sound. It is obvious. I have some state of the art power noise conditioning gear, and as Skip said, you don't realize the 'noise' is there until it is gone.

    At 68, lucky you. Not the norm.
  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,640
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.

    What?
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.

    Considering that there's very little above 16kHz except the very top end of the violin and female voice what does it matter? That's not to mention the discussion is about the benefits of lowering the noise floor and also room interaction. Why do you assume this applies to sound only above 16kHz?

    I'm over 50 and have no problem hearing differences in cables, gear and recordings.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    F1nut wrote: »
    I'm over 50 and have no problem hearing differences in cables, gear and recordings.
    Your also immortal and superhuman.... that MAY play a small part in that lol...
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    DSkip wrote: »
    To further that hearing vs. listening comment, hearing simply means your ears picked up the noise. Listening means you actively processed the information. Critical listening is all about processing. It's about the brain, not the ears. :)

    fo8btlkmlapm.gif
  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,162
    Unless you have a dedicated 20 amp line running to your gear, you are chasing your tail! Fact!!!!!
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    Unless you have a dedicated 20 amp line running to your gear, you are chasing your tail! Fact!!!!!

    Not always a viable option should you be renting a house/apartment. Its a step in the right direction and will help.

    That said, if your choices are dedicated outlet or powercable, I'd likely go dedicated outlet first, and run a couple at that.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.

    I'm pretty sure I can't hear above 14khz. I also have partial deafness in my left ear. Yet, still my closest friends trust me and my ears. My system at LSAF was competing head to head with the best at the show and at a lower price point. My limitations did not impair my ability to piece together that system, although at times, I did call on more ears to confirm my hearing as you do tend to get exhausted at shows.

    I shared these issues with Jessica from North Star and she then shared this information with Francesco at Rosso Fiorentino. While I think Francesco was hesitant, Jessica had experienced the systems and synergies I had created at my house and heard me talk about how I went about building it. These issues did not cause concern for her, something she also shared with Francesco.

    I coach my clients and to forget about what they can HEAR and instead focus on what they can LISTEN for. This hobby isn't about hearing - its about listening. When you focus on limitations instead of growth, you never will know what you are missing.

    What was your lower "price point" for your entire system ?
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,053
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.

    This may be true in some cases, but many improvements heard with gear, cables, etc aren't in the upper ranges. People with diminished hearing can still detect improvement or degradation between gear and associated accessories.

    I'm over 50 (51) and I still have extremely acute hearing. The full frequency hearing maybe a bit diminished vs. when I was 21, but I assure you I can and do hear all kinds of things that others didn't notice or don't hear. Part of it is just awareness and I'm talking in everything, not just audio.

    In fact the girlfriend gets annoyed with me at times because of my acute hearing. But my hearing has always been a bit more sensitive than most around me. I'm always saying "what's that noise"? "Did you hear that"?. To looks of confusion and dismay. In fact many times I have to sleep with a fan or other noise because I lay there and hear every little thing and it keeps me from sleeping. Once I hear a noise, I can't unhear it or block it out.

    I've even sat and listened to audio with people and an constantly pointing out nuances of certain songs. Have to give the GF credit, when I point it out or tell her what to listen for, she does hear it and in some instance is amazed. But in audio that comes down to training yourself what to listen for, etc.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • Of course, this doesn't apply to anyone on this forum.

    xzvpg7bn4h88.jpg


  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    heiney9 wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.

    This may be true in some cases, but many improvements heard with gear, cables, etc aren't in the upper ranges. People with diminished hearing can still detect improvement or degradation between gear and associated accessories.

    I'm over 50 (51) and I still have extremely acute hearing. The full frequency hearing maybe a bit diminished vs. when I was 21, but I assure you I can and do hear all kinds of things that others didn't notice or don't hear. Part of it is just awareness and I'm talking in everything, not just audio.

    In fact the girlfriend gets annoyed with me at times because of my acute hearing. But my hearing has always been a bit more sensitive than most around me. I'm always saying "what's that noise"? "Did you hear that"?. To looks of confusion and dismay. In fact many times I have to sleep with a fan or other noise because I lay there and hear every little thing and it keeps me from sleeping. Once I hear a noise, I can't unhear it or block it out.

    I've even sat and listened to audio with people and an constantly pointing out nuances of certain songs. Have to give the GF credit, when I point it out or tell her what to listen for, she does hear it and in some instance is amazed. But in audio that comes down to training yourself what to listen for, etc.

    H9

    Does yout acute hearing match your acute derriere?
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,053
    I'm told it does o:)
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    Now I'm jealous :/
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    TForan wrote: »
    What was your lower "price point" for your entire system ?

    Does it matter in this context? I can tell you there were systems 10x more spendy than Skips, and systems 2-3x LESS spendy than Skips.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    F1nut wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    On a side note, I've never liked the term 'noise' when it comes to audio. The perception is that it is something you can hear. It is actually quite the opposite. You never hear it, but it's damned clear when it's gone that it was there.

    You have to remember that a lot of older guys here don't have the hearing acuity of someone like you with young ears. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us. Super tweeters? Ya, right.

    I have some of the worst ears you can imagine. I've done a ton of critical listening to get where I'm at. Besides, if you get the room right, most of these changes slap you in the face. It's when the room is bad that you don't hear these changes - you hear the room and it's influence on the sound.

    Lots of guys 50 plus can't hear above 16K Hz. No room change will help that.

    Considering that there's very little above 16kHz except the very top end of the violin and female voice what does it matter? That's not to mention the discussion is about the benefits of lowering the noise floor and also room interaction. Why do you assume this applies to sound only above 16kHz?

    I'm over 50 and have no problem hearing differences in cables, gear and recordings.

    With music, everything can affect the sound.
  • That's not too bad of a price. Like to hear it. As long as I don't have to hear "Keith don't go" again or any of the other de rigueur audiophile demos.
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    TForan wrote: »
    That's not too bad of a price. Like to hear it. As long as I don't have to hear "Keith don't go" again or any of the other de rigueur audiophile demos.

    Skip played "Next Episode" by Dr. Dre and Snoop dog for me :smile:

    I have some more stuff for next time and am bringing it all with me digitally :smile:

    Lessons learned
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • TForan wrote: »
    That's not too bad of a price. Like to hear it. As long as I don't have to hear "Keith don't go" again or any of the other de rigueur audiophile demos.

    Skip played "Next Episode" by Dr. Dre and Snoop dog for me :smile:

    I have some more stuff for next time and am bringing it all with me digitally :smile:

    Lessons learned


    That's too funny. Middle aged white guys listening that stuff reminds me of this.


    https://youtu.be/XASNM1XEQPs
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    ^Only diff is I don't roll my windows up :smile:

    And I look more cool than he does :grin:

    I woulda had him throw down some Skrillex and Diplo, but his room was POPPIN 24/7 so I didn't get a chance.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    I was a nonbeliever for so long. But one day I tried it, and it sucked.

    Since then, I've had to shell out for these stupid cords.

    But yes, they work and they work well.

    I am a fan of Audioquest. It's what I stick with.
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    TForan wrote: »
    What was your lower "price point" for your entire system ?

    Does it matter in this context? I can tell you there were systems 10x more spendy than Skips, and systems 2-3x LESS spendy than Skips.

    I didn't really want to spend very much time in the spendiest room, just didn't gel with me. TETO
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    kharp1 wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    What was your lower "price point" for your entire system ?

    Does it matter in this context? I can tell you there were systems 10x more spendy than Skips, and systems 2-3x LESS spendy than Skips.

    I didn't really want to spend very much time in the spendiest room, just didn't gel with me. TETO

    Those horns were at least pretty to look at no :wink:
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    kharp1 wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    What was your lower "price point" for your entire system ?

    Does it matter in this context? I can tell you there were systems 10x more spendy than Skips, and systems 2-3x LESS spendy than Skips.

    I didn't really want to spend very much time in the spendiest room, just didn't gel with me. TETO

    Those horns were at least pretty to look at no :wink:

    Absolutely, they were gorgeous!
    Now that I think about it, I didn't really care for the second spendiest room either.
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    edited August 2017
    kharp1 wrote: »
    kharp1 wrote: »
    TForan wrote: »
    What was your lower "price point" for your entire system ?

    Does it matter in this context? I can tell you there were systems 10x more spendy than Skips, and systems 2-3x LESS spendy than Skips.

    I didn't really want to spend very much time in the spendiest room, just didn't gel with me. TETO

    Those horns were at least pretty to look at no :wink:

    Absolutely, they were gorgeous!
    Now that I think about it, I didn't really care for the second spendiest room either.

    My fav setup were Russmans, Skips and then surprisingly the little bookies on the desk in the GR room and the Black Hole room
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    Im not sure if anyone mentioned "Marrow Audio". They have some pretty good sales a few times a year.

    I was going to buy 2 powercords . One for the Belkin PureAV PF60 (would have to hard wire it in) and the other for my Parasound 2250 v2. But life stomped that out for the time being!

    Anyone have experiance with thier products?