Do power cables make a difference?

mhardy6647

Who knew?

http://www.visittrollaskagi.is/en/about-trollaskagi/location

(I'd add that this geographical feature doesn't much look like a peninsula to me, but I wouldn't want to be accused of sounding like a -- well -- you know...)

afterburnt

Some sexy electronical talk for everyone but the op https://youtu.be/5lHPjcXhK4c

mikeyb128

Even if he does here a difference, my guess is he won’t admit it.

Upgraded power cables on my amp has Made the least difference as compared to source components which is very obvious.

F1nut

mpitogo wrote: »

I read another thread that you can hear a difference in power cables. Not to hijack the thread I thought I’d start a new thread. I think it’s a bunch of baloney.

Assuming you have a standard AC outlet how far do you go back to upgrade your wiring? Get new AC outlets? Get new electrical runs? Get new breaker panel? And new breakers? Get new 200A service wire to your house? Request 3 phase commercial power?

A power regulator and noise conditioner I get, the transformers need good clean AC. But what is the point of an upgraded power cord to assuming a standard IEC receptacle. Once the new power cord is plugged in, what kind of wiring is inside? Also I’ve seen fuse upgrades, really? $100 for a new fuse will make a sonic difference? Really, after AC has gone through a transformer (likely) and then rectified and regulated (unless it’s an AC circuit) will the fuse allow more current than a standard one... nope, it’s supposted to commit suiside.

If people continue to buy, there will always be a market for suckers IMHO.

Ignorance is no excuse.

ZLTFUL

motorstereo

Ok the monsterous Pangea 9's are installed. I'd have to call it borderline lunacy trying to work with 7 gauge cable. They do not bend easily and you have to make long sweeping arc's with the cables. I thought my MIT music hose speaker cables were tough to work with (they are) but these things are worse yet.
As far as sound my initial thoughts were correct. The poor fellows that either can't or won't admit there's a difference really need to upgrade those electronics first.

afterburnt

"Do power cables make a difference?" Yes, because without them life itself would be impossible.

afterburnt

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Who knew?

http://www.visittrollaskagi.is/en/about-trollaskagi/location

(I'd add that this geographical feature doesn't much look like a peninsula to me, but I wouldn't want to be accused of sounding like a -- well -- you know...)

I guess that depends on what the meaning of peninsula is.

mpitogo

I was just in Iceland! Nice place to visit and tour. Brought home some vinyl from Tonar and Lucky Records in Reykjavik.

@motorstereo those are some impressive cables. Good luck with them.

I think I went in the wrong direction, a few weeks ago I bought a Panamax M5400-PM and it raised the noise floor, it’s physically loud and I read it’s due to the regulation.

afterburnt

Yeah walk that **** back

tonyb

BlueFox wrote: »

mpitogo wrote: »

If people continue to buy, there will always be a market for suckers IMHO.

This is troll territory.

LOL....DIG IT. Show me on the Troll where the power cord hurt you.

tonyb

mpitogo wrote: »

If people continue to buy, there will always be a market for suckers IMHO.

BTW...would you keep buying a product if it sucked or didn't make a difference over a cheaper alternative....any product ? No, you wouldn't.

Power cord brands continue to have repeat customers who usually move up in series of a particular brand. Much the same way with other cables. If they didn't produce any results, nobody would fork over the kind of money some require and their rep would be dirt.

We say this often, but not often enough it appears to have it sink in.

Audio is played on many levels. Just because you don't participate in a certain level doesn't mean the others are not viable. Heck, I can't participate at levels many here do, doesn't mean I can't appreciate their level, or at least get an ear on things even if I can never afford them. The appreciation for this audio hobby of ours doesn't end when your wallet does. Unfortunately some hold opinions based on the wallet, not the experiences they may acquire. Which in my opinion, really holds one back if musical enjoyment is the goal.

Just sayin'....nothing personal, but this audio thing requires one to step outside comfort zones, get ears on things even if they are beyond your means. This at least gives you a baseline of sound to shoot for in your own system. Moving forward requires some trial and error too, and that means your going to experience some tu-rds, as well as some keepers. That's just simply the nature of the beast.

To call people who buy upgraded power cords "suckers", is a bit over the line imho.

mikeyb128

^^ good point. Cable companies wouldn’t be in business if their products didn’t work.

afterburnt

@tonyb I respectfully disagree with you. Calling people "suckers" for buying power cables is a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham. I call people names all of the time not because of who they are but because of who I am. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. I hope this helps.

mhardy6647

afterburnt wrote: »

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Who knew?

http://www.visittrollaskagi.is/en/about-trollaskagi/location

(I'd add that this geographical feature doesn't much look like a peninsula to me, but I wouldn't want to be accused of sounding like a -- well -- you know...)

I guess that depends on what the meaning of peninsula is.

Well, I think it meets the letter of the definition of a peninsula... but it's kind of a broad peninsula, you know?

Now Florida. Florida's a peninsula. Almost embarrassingly peninsular, I would opine.

afterburnt

It's not in the right place either.

tonyb

afterburnt wrote: »

@tonyb I respectfully disagree with you. Calling people "suckers" for buying power cables is a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham. I call people names all of the time not because of who they are but because of who I am. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. I hope this helps.

Dang it Bruce....are you actually speaking English ? LOL

Between you and the Professor, I'm gonna need a rubber room sooner rather than later.

Back to power cords, in more simpler terms. Hey, try one...if it works for you, cool. If not, also cool, and just move on. See how easy it is....

Clipdat

Did somebody mention Florida?

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Well, I think it meets the letter of the definition of a peninsula... but it's kind of a broad peninsula, you know?

Now Florida. Florida's a peninsula. Almost embarrassingly peninsular, I would opine.

afterburnt

@tonyb not so much it's word salad, my people call it ensalada de palabras or maize or something.

mhardy6647

Sham and a mockery, two bits!

oh, I may have seriously dated myself with that allusion -- not to mention the complete inanity of my attempted play on words

afterburnt

July 11 1954?

halo

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Sham and a mockery, two bits!

oh, I may have seriously dated myself with that allusion -- not to mention the complete inanity of my attempted play on words

Shave & a haircut, two bits!

https://youtu.be/6ds6w7SkHyw

mhardy6647

kharp1

mpitogo wrote: »

I read another thread that you can hear a difference in power cables. Not to hijack the thread I thought I’d start a new thread. I think it’s a bunch of baloney.

Assuming you have a standard AC outlet how far do you go back to upgrade your wiring? Get new AC outlets? Get new electrical runs? Get new breaker panel? And new breakers? Get new 200A service wire to your house? Request 3 phase commercial power?

A power regulator and noise conditioner I get, the transformers need good clean AC. But what is the point of an upgraded power cord to assuming a standard IEC receptacle. Once the new power cord is plugged in, what kind of wiring is inside? Also I’ve seen fuse upgrades, really? $100 for a new fuse will make a sonic difference? Really, after AC has gone through a transformer (likely) and then rectified and regulated (unless it’s an AC circuit) will the fuse allow more current than a standard one... nope, it’s supposted to commit suiside.

If people continue to buy, there will always be a market for suckers IMHO.

Everything added in the chain is a piece of a circuit. Capacitors have very distinct traits and it's noticeable when you change cap "x" out for cap "y." The same is true, to varying degrees, for every link in the chain, be it power cord, speaker cable, one dac chip for another, etc.

If you don't understand it, try it. Sometimes our mind is our biggest enemy.

Some equipment responds better to accessory changes better than others.

afterburnt

How do you folks feel about upgrading sub woofer cables?

EndersShadow

afterburnt wrote: »

How do you folks feel about upgrading sub woofer cables?

I've done it...... I'm running some Wireworld Equinox XLR's to my Crown amps. I've got DIY Douglas Connection Speakon cables for the amp to sub connections though.

I had GREAT success with Audioquest Black Thunder RCA cables when I had a regular sub. I'm going to eventually buy another set of them for my Denon to MiniDSP, right now I'm running a pair of BJC LC-1's.

GlennDog

EndersShadow wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

How do you folks feel about upgrading sub woofer cables?

I've done it...... I'm running some Wireworld Equinox XLR's to my Crown amps. I've got DIY Douglas Connection Speakon cables for the amp to sub connections though.

I had GREAT success with Audioquest Black Thunder RCA cables when I had a regular sub. I'm going to eventually buy another set of them for my Denon to MiniDSP, right now I'm running a pair of BJC LC-1's.

My rig needs improvement in this area . . , can you comment further on Equinox?

afterburnt

afterburnt wrote: »

How do you folks feel about upgrading sub woofer cables?

Duh, I should have said "power cables"

pitdogg2

afterburnt wrote: »

How do you folks feel about upgrading sub woofer cables?

I plug my sub directly in the wall love that 60hz thump

mpitogo

I swapped out RCA cables between my preamp and amp for balanced audio cables in the LR 2.0. The difference is incremental but the RCA was’t bad, if anything there is better noise rejection. One thing I can say which improved my main LR 2.0 is the amp upgrade to an RB-1590 over the MA5200 integrated. The LSiM707 wasn’t bass shy but bass region now sounds fuller and deeper. It hits harder and I’m running no equalization from either the MA5200 (which doesn’t have any) or the C47 (tone off for all inputs). The speaker cables are dual BJC Canare 4S11 with their ultrasonicly welded 45deg spades, total 5ga per speaker or 8ga per section.



From an electrical engineering standpoint I can understand this but power cables are something I’m trying to understand. I watched the videos but looks to have been sponsored by AQ. I own some of their cables but still skeptical.

@tonyb totally get it, AQ Dragon power cable at $4400 would do nothing for my system, but if it where mated to a Goldmund $550K Apologue speaker, that AQ $4k power cable would pale in comparison to what they must include. Systems are the sum of its parts and depending on the level we play in there are only so much you can do before power of diminishing returns kick in.

@Afterburner if you ask me all subwoofers should use balanced audio cables. Placement probably dictate longer distances between components and standard cables pick up noise.