POWER CABLES: Would it be a waste of money

nooshinjohn

I don't kow yet just how much the PS Audio cords I am using on my tube amps are affecting the performance, but for what I have invested in them, I was not about to go cheap on the cords. They do look fantastic, and their beefy construction and look complement them perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing about them. When we get a house, each amp will get their own 20 amp service.

transmaster

Look at these:

http://www.8audio-mall.com/servlet/the-517/7-Layers-Triple-Screens/Detail (Price: $12.50)

http://www.8audio-mall.com/servlet/the-378/Professional-Audio-Triple-Screen/Detail (Price: $50.00)

http://www.8audio-mall.com/servlet/the-502/Referenc-Grade-Audio-8/Detail (Price: $70.00)

http://www.8audio-mall.com/servlet/the-319/Hi-dsh-end-Audio-Equipment-Power/Detail (Price: $32.00)
Noosinjohn this one is for tube type amp's


I would love to try any of these but I don't presently have anything I can use them on and because of their construction it isn't really practical to adapt them to something with a hard wired power cord.:sad:

F1nut

WayneBob wrote: »

Dude, I said up front it was speculation.

Yeah dude, I know it was speculation. Hence my comment about speaking from experience instead.

WayneBob

transmaster wrote: »

Look at these:

http://www.8audio-mall.com/servlet/the-517/7-Layers-Triple-Screens/Detail (Price: $12.50)

Cool! Thanks for the tip! Those are technically appealing and seem to be at a good price point. However, I'm not quite sure if they're quoting a price per foot for cable, or a terminated cable assembly. My amp is also hard-wired for power, but I'm good with tearing into it, crimping, soldering, etc.

transmaster

The DIY cable is sold in 3 meter lengths at $12.50 per meter.
The assembled power cables are 1.5 meters in length. As good as my Onkyo TX-NR709 is I kind of wish I had gone for the 809 it has a detachable power cord these cables would have plugged right in. I have a great deal of experience with power cords but in a different way I deal in RF and nasty things happen in a HF transmitter plugging along at a 1000 watts or more when you get an RF feed back loop started from this RF getting into a power cord, it is a real head rush to watch an SB220 destroy its self with parasitic arcing, you can only get to the remote power switch so fast. This power cable would be great on my Heathkit SB220 would look so much better then the Belden coax I am using on it now.

The $50 dollar and $70 dollar cables are assembled.

transmaster

With the really high cost of some of the cables mentioned here it strikes me it would cost effective to install (or have installed) a dedicated circuit for your AV equipment, place a line conditioner on this circuit and, run oversized Romex to the AV area and install hospital grade wall sockets to plug your equipment into. I have such a dedicated circuit for my Amateur Radio station, and have 110, and 220 VAC power available. line conditioners are not needed but I do have lighting surge protection on this circuit. Plus I have a master switch for the whole thing within couple of steps if and when one of my 100 plus pound monster rigs start to smoke. I can kill the power fast.

I have looked at a number of audiophile grade wall sockets and plugs, I am not going to say anything about sliver, solid gold, innards. But the one thing they have to be in my mind is constructed to hospital grade standards this is the most exacting standard for plugs, and sockets. If not all you are getting is a cheap wall sprocket/plug with fancy metal insides. Read below




North American Hospital-Grade Plug Standards and Requirements

cords used with North American medical equipment must be hospital-grade. The plug makes the cord hospital-grade. Commonly known as hospital-grade plugs, they are subject to special requirements contained in the following standards: Medical equipment standards: UL 60601-1 and CAN/CSA C22.2 no 21; Power supply cord standards: UL 817 and CAN/CSA C22.2 no 21; Attachment plug and receptacle standards: UL 498 and CAN/CSA C22.2 no 42.

The hospital-grade plug diameter conforms to NEMA WD-6 and UL 817 standards; (1) the blades must be solid instead of folded brass, (2) the blades are usually nickel-plated, and (3) the plug includes an internal cable retention device or strain relief to prevent any stress to the plug?s internal connections.

Interpower North American hospital-grade cords most carry the ?green dot? signifying that they have been designed and tested to UL 817 and CAN/CSA C22.2 no 21 as hospital-grade power cords and cord sets. Specifically, UL 60601-1 sections 57.2 and 57.3 require that ?patient care equipment? used in the ?patient vicinity? must use hospital-grade attachment plugs. ?Patient care equipment? and ?patient vicinity? are defined in UL 60601-1 sections 2.12.19 & 2.12.20.

There are no specific maximum lengths for cords noted in the standards listed above, yet the equipment must pass the leakage current test requirements in UL 60601-1 and CAN/CSA C22.2 no 21. cord length has an effect on leakage current within a system.

It is imperative that the ground connection be reliably maintained to protect the patient and medical staff. Although many hospitals prefer that the plug be clear so that internal connections can be inspected visually, the UL and CSA standards do not mandate clear plugs, nor do they provide any restrictions on color. Gray is another common color for hospital-grade plugs and cords.

The North American hospital and medical industry frequently sees problems with hospital grade cords. These problems typically occur in frequent, and urgent, connect and disconnect applications where plugs are quickly pulled from the socket.

Please note that Interpower recommends using power cords incorporating the IEC brown, blue and green/yellow conductor color coding in place of the traditional North American black, white, green conductor color coding. Wiring various country specific power cords to equipment before export, including shipment to the U.S., is simplified when standardizing on the IEC color coding system. Both the U.S. and Canadian national electrical codes, as well as UL and CSA standards, allow the use of the IEC brown, blue, and green/yellow conductor color coding.

Special medical requirements place significance on fusing and filtering when selecting power entry modules and other components used in medical equipment. Patient-connected medical equipment can be subjected to low-leakage current requirements. The use of a low leakage filter in the 5?A range at 250VAC is desirable. In addition, fusing of both line and neutral connectors may be required (i.e. double fusing).

niente

Price Vs Benefit and what may need improvement in a system were my considerations recently on this topic

I still can't get past the Sticker Shock of some power cords out there and while some improvement might be audible I'm not sure even with my sysytem which is IMHO fairly up there in performance - that I could hear it over the whine which would eminate from my checkbook!

Truth is, even with the power conditioner in my sys (admitedly not super) the outlets also power a few light outlets AND a ceiling fan.

Quickly turn the fan on to high........ and the Parasound AMP which is set to turn on with an audio signal .. would sometimes turn on!!!!

While i had an electrician wiring in a disconnect so i can run a generator for power into my house ( last year had 16 days no juice!) i had a dedicated 20amp breaker added with upgrade wire and outlet added for my system.

Audible change ? I can't say there is Video - yes..less noise And NO issue with fan any more

It's all in ear of the listener I guess.

niente

Sorry----"the outlets also power....."
The "Circuit" used to power additional outlets for lights and a ceiling fan

whitecamaross

polkfarmboy wrote: »

Well I have decent MIT ic's and spkr cbls so my next step I would think would be to add some new power cables into the equation. The thing is that the apartment I have to live in has crap wiring after I brought in an electrician in to have a look, he said they dont even wire places up like this anymore lol.

My question is that if its going to be a waste of time buying new more expensive power cords because I need all the spare cash I can get to buy more skinny jeans

i would get them and see if it makes a difference.