Power cable placement
PSOVLSK
Posts: 5,244
Lots of discussion about power cables over the years, but I don’t think I’ve seen one addressing where to put your cables. By that, I mean where should you put your best cable…your worst cable, etc. I’ve always thought best cable to the amp/integrated, but I’ve seen others say best cable to the source. Matching cable would be best I suppose, but that’s not what I’ve got and I suspect it’s not what most people have. In my specific situation, I have an integrated, a streamer, and a cd player/dac. I also have a Wireworld Spaceport that requires a cable be used from the wall to the Spaceport, so that adds another level for me: best cable in that position or worst?
Any naysayers, yes, I know I’m wasting my money by using aftermarket PC’s, so you don’t have to educate me on how they don’t make a difference.
Any naysayers, yes, I know I’m wasting my money by using aftermarket PC’s, so you don’t have to educate me on how they don’t make a difference.
Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
Comments
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LOL, on that last sentence. I believe we are well past that stage at this point in time.
For me, it was equal top spots on the AMP and my sources. More so the streamer than the CDP for some reason. Both of these, IME, I would place directly into the wall, if possible. Leave the spaceport for LPS's, switches or any other network type devices (if possible).
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
I have my best power cable on my dac, but I still have good cables on the other pieces of equipment. Before I would put a real expensive cable on the spaceport, I would put in a couple of dedicated lines, one for the amp and the other for the spaceport.Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
All my power cords are the same, so every piece.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 -
I have my best power cable on my dac<snip>
While this was good? I would say that it was subpar to what I heard on the source. There was a vast difference in the end result as to what I heard.
That said, each system is different. There is no way to know how power differs within each other's system. There are so many variables, that it would be daunting to figure all of the scenarios out. That said, Paul? It may be time to experiment with this on your own, and with your own system.
This is audio. Nothing is set in concrete (unless you talk with TonyB).
Tom
~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
I think ideal state is equal quality cables everywhere. I think beyond that it’s going to have some guidelines (with differing opinions) and it might be different in each system.
So if you have cables of different quality, it’s best to just try them in different positions.Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Hifiman EF600 > Hifiman Arya Stealth
Discogs -
Good news for me is that my DAC and my source are one and the same.
All of my pc’s are pretty similar: 3 PS Audio Power Punch, a Shunyata Venom, and a knockoff of a high dollar cable that ain’t bad at all. I definitely need to switch them up and see if I can tell a difference. Thinking of picking up one of Todd’s AQ Thunder, but honestly trying to convince myself not to do it😆Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden -
In my system, I realized the most significant impact to what I was hearing by upgrading the PC on my power amp. I have tried multiple source cables with little to no change in presentation, but I think that is due to the power conditioner in use between the wall outlet and my source components. That's on my short list of upgraditis must haves. The other problem I have is that I can't easily swap source power cables, and my ability to retain the sonic differences in memory for comparison is lost during the changeover interval.Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp |
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Good news for me is that my DAC and my source are one and the same.
All of my pc’s are pretty similar: 3 PS Audio Power Punch, a Shunyata Venom, and a knockoff of a high dollar cable that ain’t bad at all. I definitely need to switch them up and see if I can tell a difference. Thinking of picking up one of Todd’s AQ Thunder, but honestly trying to convince myself not to do it😆
DO IT!!!2 Channel Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II, 2 REL Carbon Limited, Norma Revo IPA-140B, Lumin U2 Mini, VPI Prime w/SoundSmith Zephyr MIMC, Modwright PH 150, Denon DP-59l w/Denon DL-301MKII, WAY Silver 3 Ana+ Speaker Cables, WAY Silver 4+ Interconnect Cables, AudioQuest Niagara 7000 w/Dragon and Hurricane Power Cables -
Any naysayers, yes, I know I’m wasting my money by using aftermarket PC’s, so you don’t have to educate me on how they don’t make a difference.
Right!!! A cable is a cable is a cable......oh wait, that was my thinking back in 2010 LOL
I was running Pangea Audio AC-9SE MKII in my set up (amp and AVP) and using the Pangea Audio AC-14SE MkII C7 for my source (CD player).
I replaced those three cables with @VR3 cables and man, what a difference. I run the non-filtered cable on the amp and two filtered cables on the source and processor. I posted a mini review on the result of the cables. It was a no brainer buy.
Source: BRP Panasonic UB9000, CDP Emotiva ERC3 - Display: LG OLED EVO 83 C3 - Pre/Pro: Marantz 8802A - Amplification: Emotiva XPA-DR3, XPA-2 x 2, XPA-6, Speakers, Mains/2ch-Focal Kanta No2's, C-LSiM706, S-702F/X, RS-RTiA9's, WS-RTiA9's, FH-RTiA3's, Subs - Epik Empire x 2
Cables: AudioQuest McKenzie XLR's/CDP/Amp, Carbon 48/BRP, Forest 48/Display, 2 channel speaker cable: Furutech FS Alpha 36 12AWG PCOCC Single Crystal (Douglas Connection)
EXPERIENCE: next to nothing, but I sure enjoy audio and video MY OPINION OF THIS HOBBY: I may not be a smart man, but I know what quicksand is.
When I was young, I was Superman but now that old age has gotten the best of me I'm only Batman -
For those of you who are running with Pangea PC's, I would offer you this observation. Many of you know that I have been through a plethora of PC's over the years. Many different flavors and types/brands.
My observations are this. Pangea was one of the worst, if not the worst out of all of them. Not hearing any change to being a detriment is not surprising for me to read about.
I am not trying to knock those that have Pangea cables. If you like them? I am happy for you and please, rock on with your bad self. I just wanted to share my observations. If you thought PC's didn't make a difference and were using Pangea? I'd honestly probably come to the same conclusion.
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
Good news for me is that my DAC and my source are one and the same.
All of my pc’s are pretty similar: 3 PS Audio Power Punch, a Shunyata Venom, and a knockoff of a high dollar cable that ain’t bad at all. I definitely need to switch them up and see if I can tell a difference. Thinking of picking up one of Todd’s AQ Thunder, but honestly trying to convince myself not to do it😆
DO IT!!!
Just do it!2 Channel Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II, 2 REL Carbon Limited, Norma Revo IPA-140B, Lumin U2 Mini, VPI Prime w/SoundSmith Zephyr MIMC, Modwright PH 150, Denon DP-59l w/Denon DL-301MKII, WAY Silver 3 Ana+ Speaker Cables, WAY Silver 4+ Interconnect Cables, AudioQuest Niagara 7000 w/Dragon and Hurricane Power Cables -
Good news for me is that my DAC and my source are one and the same.
All of my pc’s are pretty similar: 3 PS Audio Power Punch, a Shunyata Venom, and a knockoff of a high dollar cable that ain’t bad at all. I definitely need to switch them up and see if I can tell a difference. Thinking of picking up one of Todd’s AQ Thunder, but honestly trying to convince myself not to do it😆
DO IT!!!
Just do it!
Tonight could be the night. I’m on my 2nd Old Fashioned, so the whiskey may start talking😂Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden -
Quick, Todd....Set him up a Staples, "Easy button"!!!
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
I am not trying to knock those that have Pangea cables. If you like them? I am happy for you and please, rock on with your bad self. I just wanted to share my observations.
I've been trying them out recently and have been enjoying having them in the system. Sounding good! Just goes to show that all of us have our own unique set of ears, and that everyone hears differently.
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Agreed; I have no complaints with the 3 meter pair of Pangea 9's I've had on my monoblocks for the past several years.
