Power cord theory - I know - over hashed - but what if...
ALL212
Posts: 1,577
A strange set of circumstances have led me to rethink the power cord magic. The odd thing is that some people swear by a particular cable as it makes major differences and some, even after having tried good cables, don't seem to hear a difference. I have been in the "cover my butt" corner and refuse to use stock cables but I do use upgraded cables - not having noticed a difference between them. The straight logic is that it's a wire - if it's big enough to supply the current needed then it's done.
After reading an article and also having a discussion with a very learned person today I'm going to pitch this and see how many stones come zinging my way.
I think my theory goes like this: It's not so much that the power cable actually makes an amp sound better but that the power cable masks poor power supply design or poor building wiring.
I'm still trying to piece this all together so don't go writing a bible yet. :rolleyes:
Power supply's have resistors, caps, inductors...all that electronic stuff that makes the magic. But each of those components also has other electronic characteristics. Caps have a resistive value, resistors can have a capacitive value, inductors have a resistive value - on and on. These values are very small and are not normally figured into the design of the overall unit. What if these other values are creating their own circuits and creating noise? This noise would be reflected in all the circuitry it connects to. This noise might not even be initially audible but could potentially cause components to not perform exactly as expected.
Say the unit has this issue - combine it with poor house wiring (of any flavor - I'll expound further later...) and a stock power cable. If you replace the stock power cable with a well shielded one that is put together well with good components it's possible that some of the "effects" of this combination could be lessened. We might percieve this as a problem in the original cord or in the house wiring but in actuality it's from the unit itself.
I'm not an electrician, nor an electrical engineer - so my "expertise" should be in question - I'm just pitching a theory here.
House wiring - two sides of a breaker box. Some fuses on the left side...some on the right. These fuses (opposing) would be on different legs of your inbound power. If you have one side of the room on a "left" breaker and the other side on a "right" breaker will you have the same exact ground potential? Would it be better to feed your room from breakers all on the same side of the breaker box?
Poor power supply design combined with not perfect house wiring combined with a stock, unshielded power cord = a different sound?
After reading an article and also having a discussion with a very learned person today I'm going to pitch this and see how many stones come zinging my way.
I think my theory goes like this: It's not so much that the power cable actually makes an amp sound better but that the power cable masks poor power supply design or poor building wiring.
I'm still trying to piece this all together so don't go writing a bible yet. :rolleyes:
Power supply's have resistors, caps, inductors...all that electronic stuff that makes the magic. But each of those components also has other electronic characteristics. Caps have a resistive value, resistors can have a capacitive value, inductors have a resistive value - on and on. These values are very small and are not normally figured into the design of the overall unit. What if these other values are creating their own circuits and creating noise? This noise would be reflected in all the circuitry it connects to. This noise might not even be initially audible but could potentially cause components to not perform exactly as expected.
Say the unit has this issue - combine it with poor house wiring (of any flavor - I'll expound further later...) and a stock power cable. If you replace the stock power cable with a well shielded one that is put together well with good components it's possible that some of the "effects" of this combination could be lessened. We might percieve this as a problem in the original cord or in the house wiring but in actuality it's from the unit itself.
I'm not an electrician, nor an electrical engineer - so my "expertise" should be in question - I'm just pitching a theory here.
House wiring - two sides of a breaker box. Some fuses on the left side...some on the right. These fuses (opposing) would be on different legs of your inbound power. If you have one side of the room on a "left" breaker and the other side on a "right" breaker will you have the same exact ground potential? Would it be better to feed your room from breakers all on the same side of the breaker box?
Poor power supply design combined with not perfect house wiring combined with a stock, unshielded power cord = a different sound?
Aaron
Enabler Extraordinaire
Enabler Extraordinaire
Post edited by ALL212 on
Comments
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Most good resistors are noninductive and should also exhibit no - or at least negligible - capacitance.
The DCR of an inductor (choke) is an important parameter when large(r) value inductors are used in power supplies - and crossovers and is factored into the circuit's design. -
If you want to learn about power cords then read this.
http://www.shunyata.com/Content/DTCD-indepth.html
http://www.shunyata.com/Content/DTCD-whitepaper.htmlLumin 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. -
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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I believe that a good dedicated 20 amp home run to the breaker box should be 1st priority. Then try the power cord."The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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I didn't mean to start a buying spree but I like the thought of these and they aren't priced too bad. Face - you using these? How stiff are they?Aaron
Enabler Extraordinaire -
The main advantage of upgrading your power cable is that it looks very cool. If it looks cool it must sound better. All of your sensory devices work together in a conspiracy. It's kind of like women, if they look hot and smell good then your brain ignores their wicked nasty personality.DKG999
HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED
Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC -
House wiring - two sides of a breaker box. Some fuses on the left side...some on the right. These fuses (opposing) would be on different legs of your inbound power. If you have one side of the room on a "left" breaker and the other side on a "right" breaker will you have the same exact ground potential? Would it be better to feed your room from breakers all on the same side of the breaker box?
Electrical codes and power company vary from place to place, so what works in one location might not work, or might be detrimental, in another.
The monoblock power amps in my two channel system are on different dedicated 20 amp circuits, each of which is on a different leg. There is a third 20 amp circuit which feeds the source components and preamps. I don't have any issues with ground loops.
My home theater system is fed by two dedicated 20 amp circuits, each on a different leg. Again, no issues with ground loops.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
I didn't mean to start a buying spree but I like the thought of these and they aren't priced too bad. Face - you using these? How stiff are they?
Yes, I use their Aurora cables throughout my rigs. They're very flexible."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
Me, being the novice that I am, I would probably worry about the wiring and outlets to whatever cable that you may like, before worrying about the power supply cable. I could be wrong here, but I'm fairly sure that each and every reciever/amp/sub/etc has a transformer really close to the output of that power cable.
The transformer, by it's very nature, isolates the circuitry from the line voltage. Sure, transients, spikes etc... can be transferred through the magnetic field. I would probably try a good quality power conditioner before multiple cables first. -
The main advantage of upgrading your power cable is that it looks very cool. If it looks cool it must sound better. All of your sensory devices work together in a conspiracy. It's kind of like women, if they look hot and smell good then your brain ignores their wicked nasty personality.
Simply not true in my experience. I've even heard improvement on my equipment that resolves at an "average" level. The materials, geometry of the wire and quality of the connectors all play a role.
I recently upgraded the connectors on a DIY PC I've used for years from a marinco IEC/wattgate AC plug to Furutech Gold. While the improvement was not overly dramatic it was detectable without too much effort.
Not trying to start a cable debate, but you should play around with some different designs."Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer -
buy a nice power conditioner and be done with it. Like this one http://www.amazon.com/Panamax-M4300-PM-Outlet-Clean-Power/dp/B000SXWGDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352648246&sr=8-1&keywords=panamax+m4300
Its the Panamax 4300. You can get it new on AMAZON for 180 (they just put out a newer version so the 4300 is cheap now.)
I cant tell you how many of these I have installed, maybe 200 and more then 100. They clean up all the nasty sounds coming from our third world power from LIPA here on Long Island. A must have.B&W CM9Classé Sigma
