Upgraded Power Cables

Ethancf
Ethancf Posts: 458
edited March 2005 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Anyone here upgraded their power cables? If a component was worthy of an upgrade, wouldn't a power amp be about it? Curious.
THE SYSTEM
Polk Audio LSi25 Mains
Polk LSiF/X Surrounds
Polk Audio LSiC Center
Definitive Technology PowerField 1800 Subwoofer
Parasound Classic 7100 Pre/Pro
Parasound 2205A Amplifier
Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD Blu-ray Player
Monster HTS 2600
Microsoft XBox 360
Samsung PN64D550 64" Plasma
Post edited by Ethancf on
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2005
    You should make your own decision, don't listen to us morons.

    Cable Swap Program
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Whadyasay
    Whadyasay Posts: 300
    edited March 2005
    The only real advantage to upgraded power cables is a larger guage of wire. Most supplied power cables use 18GA wire, 16 in some rare cases. Using 14 or 12GA wire in the power cord may help your amp draw more current from the outlet to recharge the capacitors more efficiently (or something), but tonally, the only thing I could see is posibly less interference and noise...but that's most likely when compared to really cheap-**** power cables with crappy insulation and such...or with particularly bad electrical conditions...in which case a power conditioner unit may be a better solution.

    If you really want to try a power cable upgrade, and you're relatively handy with a screwdriver and wire stripper, here's the simplest way of doing it. Get these:

    http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=100-577

    http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=110-400

    http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=110-402

    Paying a few hundred dollars for a power cable is a bit ludicrous if you ask me.
    Polk LSi9 Mains, Polk LSIC Center, Polk RT25i Surrounds, Polk M3II Rear Surround, SVS PB10-ISD Sub, Denon AVR 2809 (as digital pre/pro only), Sony BDP-S350, Oppo DV-981HD, Cambridge Audio Azur 540C (CD), Marantz MM9000 5-ch amp, Outlaw ICBM, Panasonic th-42PX85u HDTV, Behringer BFD Pro, Monster Power HTS 2600 Conditioner
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  • dcarlson
    dcarlson Posts: 1,740
    edited March 2005
    Get in on the DH Labs Power in the swap. It's a no brainer power cable. Cheap and great performance.
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited March 2005
    I agree with doro....get in the Cable Swap program and give a couple of them a try. I was a skeptic until I HEARD the difference.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2005
    Originally posted by dcarlson
    Get in on the DH Labs Power in the swap. It's a no brainer power cable. Cheap and great performance.

    Thanks to Paul (pjdami) I am hooked to DH Labs power cables. In fact, I am making a couple more. Affordable, sounds great (for me), looks awesome! (without techflex), and simple enough to assemble.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2005
    I was also impressed with the build quality of the DH Labs PC that Paul made for the program.

    If you do get interested in the DH Labs, touch base with Dave Shepherd.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2005
    Originally posted by dcarlson
    Get in on the DH Labs Power in the swap. It's a no brainer power cable. Cheap and great performance.

    dcarlson,
    Are you going to post a review on the DH Labs Power Cord review thread. Let me have it one way or another. Don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything. I want an honest opinion. I think its a great power cord for the money and to me it sounds better than the SC magicpowercord in my gear. To me it sounds noticeably warmer (when used on amps) with a little more of a wider and enveloping soundstage (not that the SC is any slouch).
    Paul
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited March 2005
    Anyone here upgraded their power cables?
    I upgrade power cords on all of my gear. Makes a difference in sound quality. The better your gear, the more impact they make, so don't put a $100 power cord on a $50 CD player.

    And yes, start with the amp, then your source.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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