Pangea ac9se mk2 power cable

Simple_Jack

So last week I received a new power cable the Pangea ac9se v2. I noticed absolutely zero difference in sq compared to stock cable to Parasound hca2200 ii…however I thought I should give it more time to “break in”. After about 35-40 hrs on that cable and not impressed I switched back to stock PC. The problem is now it seems like I’m noticing less dynamics, less bass, and seems slightly brighter now from both cables. I’ve switched back n forth multiple times and listened to the same tracks, artists.

Is it possible that the new .6m length (7ga.) power cable could’ve done something “bad” to my amplifier?

Hopefully I have just fallen into overly critical listening paranoia…
Thanks

erniejade

Give it around 100 hours then put the stock one back in. Bass, dynamics like you said should all slightly increase depending the rest of you rig will depend on how much you will actually hear. Just remember listen to a full album with and without instead of listening per track. Sometimes i keep a note pad to jot down notes as I am listening.

pitdogg2

Also those cables do not like to be bent. Hopefully it's a straight path to the outlet or yes it can severely stress connection points at outlet or IEC connection. With such a short cable you do not have much maneuvering abilities

BlueFox

I started power cable upgrades with Pangea. After a bit I swapped in a Shunyata Venom entry level cable, and was extremely impressed with the improvement, and haven't used Pangea for anything since then.

Emlyn

I had a Pangea AC9 when Audio Advisor first started selling them. It was way too heavy and thick for anything other than an amp or subwoofer. It was also ridiculously inflexible. And, I couldn’t tell any difference between it and a standard 14 AWG cord in those applications. I tossed it in the trash a few years ago after it sat unused. So I reverted back to just mostly using Tripp-Lite power cords for home theater applications. They’re much better to me not because of any impact on sound, because they have none, but because they are so easy to route behind a rack. The only thing I pay attention to is not running them parallel to speaker cables or interconnects. A good quality controlled cable of 14 AWG will cleanly pass up to 15 amps of current with no issues.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027JRMD0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

For two channel audio systems I do use PS Audio power cords to good effect.

VR3

You would really like the Supra lorad @Emlyn

Emlyn

VR3 wrote: »

You would really like the Supra lorad @Emlyn

Thanks. What's a good source for those?

VR3

https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/wire/cable/supra-lo-rad-power-cable-cs-us/

motorstereo

VR3 wrote: »

https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/wire/cable/supra-lo-rad-power-cable-cs-us/

Thank you for posting that link. I just ordered a 3 meter cable for my new sub as it seems like an excellent deal on what sounds like a well engineered cable. I also have a couple of 3 meter Pangea ac9's so I'm thinking there will be a comparison coming up soon. Another nice thing is free shipping for anything over $120. I just made it as the 3 meter cable is $122.

F1nut

Simple_Jack wrote: »

So last week I received a new power cable the Pangea ac9se v2. I noticed absolutely zero difference in sq compared to stock cable to Parasound hca2200 ii…however I thought I should give it more time to “break in”. After about 35-40 hrs on that cable and not impressed I switched back to stock PC. The problem is now it seems like I’m noticing less dynamics, less bass, and seems slightly brighter now from both cables. I’ve switched back n forth multiple times and listened to the same tracks, artists.

Is it possible that the new .6m length (7ga.) power cable could’ve done something “bad” to my amplifier?

Hopefully I have just fallen into overly critical listening paranoia…
Thanks

No way in hell the power cord damaged the amp.

Why such a short cord and why 7 gauge? I mean 7 gauge is a bit ridiculous and certainly not the most important aspect.

Power cords can and do make a difference, but there are factors involved. Unless you have a dedicated line you can't expect a power cord to produce magic. All power cords are not created equal. Synergy is always key, some gear responds better to aftermarket cords than others.

I suggest either giving this one more time or return it now and try a different brand. PS Audio and Shunyata are two good choices.

Simple_Jack

Thanks for the feedback guys. Well I’ve been reading very positive reviews on that PC for yrs, and after buying my new speakers and let them break in I decided to get the new PC. Living in an apartment complex that’s around 45 yrs old or more I was thinking that’d be about the only way of improving wiring. Unfortunately I can’t have a dedicated line or even change the outlet. Also, audio advisor was out of stock of the 1.5m or 2m cables, so I got the short run.

Just looking for ways to drop the noise floor as much as possible without spending $k’s… I’d love a new streamer/bridge, preamp/dac, but that’ll take yrs to save for.

Simple_Jack

I almost ordered a furman pst-8 power conditioner from reading buyer reviews but after doing research through here I see that would’ve been a bad idea as well. I’m just using cheapo power strips…any suggestions with that folks? Thank you!

Emlyn

I have a PST-8 that I use on with a high end desktop computer system. While I wouldn't run a large amplifier like the Parasound through one it is a solid product for a system consisting of a TV, receiver, and low current gear. It is important to have good surge protection and power line noise filtering in an environment where you can't control the quality of power.

I consider the PST-8 to a a very solid product when used within its design parameters. In your current situation I'd spend money first on a good surge protector rather than any power cords.

Some would say just run the Parasound amp straight to the wall and surge protect/filter the rest of the gear. In that situation the PST-8 may be a good choice.

Look into power strip products from Tripp-Lite too. Here's an example:

https://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Protector-Network-HT10DBS/dp/B0002QPC28

pitdogg2

Some would say just run the Parasound amp straight to the wall and surge protect/filter the rest of the gear. In that situation the PST-8 may be a good choice.

Plug amp into wall, most amplifiers do have the ability to suppress surges. A good surge protector for high current gear is not cheap and more than likely will strangle the dynamics of the gear plugged into it.

marvda1

@Simple_Jack I have one for sale a filtered power strip for sale here.
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/194920/supra-lorad-md06-us-sp-filtered-power-strip#latest

Simple_Jack

Thanks marvda that does sound like a great deal but unfortunately I need more than a 6 spot strip. Need at least 10 spots in order for me to plug my amp directly into the other wall socket.

jbreezy5

@Simple_Jack - I have 3 CyberPower GX1500U, and am very happy with their performance.

https://www.bing.com/fd/ls/GLinkPing.aspx?IG=CE2ACE406F9E468FBFFA373EB0E517B2&&ID=SERP,5157.1&SUIH=RNbL6TV4XK7-wlLLjVV4Hg&redir=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY3liZXJwb3dlcnN5c3RlbXMuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3QvdXBzL2JhdHRlcnktYmFja3VwL2d4MTUwMHUv

They are sine-wave battery UPS, surge protectors, voltage regulators, line purifiers, and… did I forget anything(?) - oh, 10 or 12 devices can be connected; too lazy to check.

Anyway, I run my B&K 125.7, 125.2, Yamaha surround receivers, powered subs, you name it, and don’t notice any degradation in SQ.

In my basement set-up, it actually corrected problems with voltage fluctuations, which was causing sound to go in-and-out.

lightshow

You just put static electricity in the system by changing cables. Happens allthetime. You carry a charge with you, especiallywhenyouwalkon carpets and you transfer it to the cables when you touch them. Happens when theres a sudden loss of current also, thunderstorrms. Siimply unplug the cables from the wall, touch the ground pins with something metal as large as possible to ground it again and you'll see those highs soften up and the bass become bigger again... Thats why people you grounding technologies on their systems...

F1nut

Oy vey