Do You Find Power Cord Upgrades Make A Difference?

univera

If so, please comment where you noticed a difference, i.e. cd player, amplifier, etc.

If possible, please comment on what difference in sound you noticed i.e. better bass extension, better highs, etc.

And, at what price point and brand did you notice a difference. Did you compare a cheaper upgrade such as Signal Cable vs. a more expensive, high dollar upgrade like PS Audio.

If you'd like, please comment on your comparisons and best bang for the buck, etc.

Prices paid are helpful and poll answers can reflect either new retail or second hand.

John in MA

I've never gotten the idea behind seriously upgrading a power cord in most cases. As long as it's big enough to avoid voltage sag it seems like it wouldn't have any change on the components. By the time the power reaches the inner workings of an amp it's been transformed down, filtered, and rectified.

If someone was really concerned about power cords, they'd be freaked to see how the house was wired up, and how the fuse/breaker box and meter were designed.

PolkThug

My experience is fairly limited on this one, I tried one with a sub and it made no difference.

zombie boy 2000

I noticed a difference when I went to SignalCable Magic Power, but nothing earth shattering.

My noise floor lowered a bit which I'm assuming is the result of better shielding in the cable over the supplied stock cord. For what it's worth, I noticed the greatest improvement going into my amp, but this may very well be particular to my set-up.

Early B.

Defintely an improvement on amps. The first upgraded power cable introduced to the system (usually on the amp) makes the biggest difference, IMO. The rest are harder to tell whether sonic improvements are made.

Ricardo

I noticed a difference...they are a lot more difficult to bend/handle

I have a PS Audio cord for the pre and amp; I agree with Early's comment above, in theory, but I really didn't hear a difference.

ND13

I'm fine with the $60-100 cords.

okiepolkie

I tried three different power cables on the Bryston B60, and I noticed a sizable difference with the increase in quality/price. I am about as skeptical as anyone else on stuff like this, and had to hear it to make my own decision.

Here is the progression I went through, as well as the results(one side note is that I was using the Shunyata Guardian 4, which made a noticeable improvement on its own):

Stock power cable - good sound
Shunyata Venom($100) - improved clarity and image, but no noticeable bass improvement
Shunyata Taipan Alpha($700) - imaging improved dramatically, clarity improved somewhat, and bass was tighter, deaper, and more defined.

I don't know if I would recommend a Taipan, or better, in every system, but it might be something to consider if the system level has the capabilities to notice the improvements.

Dennis Gardner

I have had alot of luck with PS Audio offerings in their power cable line. I heard a drop of 2-3db measured at 3 ft. transformer noise (hum) when using the Prelude model on my ASL AV 20 monoblocks. This is a physical noise change, not just an imagined improvement in the audio track.

I also received a much tighter bass and driver control when stepping up to the Prelude or Statement cord on my Odyssey Stratos amp. This helped the Stratos keep the mid woofers from bottoming out on my SDAs. The bass actually had more authority while having more control.

I haven't noticed as much real difference with my sources CD/DVD players in sound reproduction, but since they both use the C7 type of connection, I really like how PS Audio's Punch cables help solidify this contact.

MacLeod

Power levels can affect the way an amp performs, no doubt but only by increasing or decreasing the input voltage to the amp. But even a $3 Wal Mart extension cord will have plenty low enough resistance that it wont affect the current.

Think about it - the juice is coming into your house thru miles and miles and miles of wire and then once it enters your house it goes thru a ton more wire before it gets to your outlet. Even after it goes thru the power cord and into your amp it again goes thru a ton of tiny wiring before activating the devices that would affect the sound. So out of 100% of the currents path, the 3' power cord makes up about .0001%. Even if a fancy power cord would make a difference, it would have to start back at the power station.

Also, the AC current that is coming thru the wall and thru the fancy cord, is turned into DC current in the transformers inside the amps and receivers anyway so even if the power cord magically transformed the AC current into something special, the transformers inside your gear is turning it into something else anyway.

VR3

Let me put it like this...

Lets put this into perspective...

Audio Setup (components) - ANYWHERE from... 1,000 to... use your imagination...

Cables, 3-400 range...

Now lets say you buy some fairly decent cables, Analog II (50 a pair ICs) type deal...

Why would you spend that much on your stuff, that much on the other cables - then leave in those STOCK power cables...

Difference or no difference, if you upgrade your ICs, speaker cables, the power cables should not be left behind..

disneyjoe7

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

Let me put it like this...

Difference or no difference, if you upgrade your ICs, speaker cables, the power cables should not be left behind..

Well put Trey.

zombie boy 2000

The "weakest link" theory has never held much water for me...

Why put any quality parts in at all if they're only as good as the worst participant?

John in MA

Why would you spend that much on your stuff, that much on the other cables - then leave in those STOCK power cables...

You'll have to forgive me, but to me that's like saying "why leave on that STOCK faceplate lettering, or that STOCK room lighting." Some things don't always need upgrading. I can see shielding a power cord and making sure it's heavy guage enough, but past that I just don't see the point. The wiring traveling miles from the power company, from the pole to your house, inside the fuse box, and through the walls to your listening room is hundreds of times worse in quality. Heck, inside the amp/tuner/whatever the wiring is pretty plain.

As long as it's 115-120V at a clean 60Hz it's good enough for me.

F1nut

Heck, inside the amp/tuner/whatever the wiring is pretty plain.

You haven't seen my amps.

okiepolkie

John in MA wrote:

You'll have to forgive me, but to me that's like saying "why leave on that STOCK faceplate lettering, or that STOCK room lighting." Some things don't always need upgrading. I can see shielding a power cord and making sure it's heavy guage enough, but past that I just don't see the point. The wiring traveling miles from the power company, from the pole to your house, inside the fuse box, and through the walls to your listening room is hundreds of times worse in quality. Heck, inside the amp/tuner/whatever the wiring is pretty plain.

As long as it's 115-120V at a clean 60Hz it's good enough for me.

I tend to agree, for the most part, but am open to try things, as most of us are in this hobby.

In September, I was offered an opportunity to evaluate several Shunyata products to determine if I wanted to carry them as a brand. Again, I think have a hard time believing a simple power cable could make a difference, due to the things you outlined above. However, I did hear a difference. It doesn't really matter if people believe it from my personal experience. What frustrates me are the people(and I'm not picking anyone out specifically) that are unwilling to even have an open mind about it. I did end up sending the Taipan back for now, as I can't afford a $700 power cable at the moment, even at a discount, but I wouldn't hesitate to add one to my system in the future, or promote it to someone else.

One of the interesting concepts, evident in the Taipan, over the entry level Venom cable, is the design. Many power cables are twisted, then coated in a rubber/plastic substance insulate against shock and to keep interference out. From the twisting, the wires are 100% parallel, cutting down on some of the internal electromagnetic interference between individual wires. The Taipan is braided in a helix geometry, causing the individual cables to cross at almost 90 degrees. In theory, this should cut down on much of the internal and external E.M. interference. I don't know if that is what made the cable actually sound better, but I don't think it hurts anything.

Unfortunately, if I had not been given the opportunity to listen on my own, I would still be wondering if they actually make a difference.

Libertyc

The wiring traveling miles from the power company, from the pole to your house, inside the fuse box, and through the walls to your listening room is hundreds of times worse in quality.

I have 3 PS audio power cords and do not hear a difference.

I have to agree on the fact the electricty travels miles and miles, and then through the service panel and walls , but how does the the small 3 foot section from your wall your amp really makes that big of a difference??

What if I just skipped the outlet and power cord and just hard wired my amp.

zombie boy 2000

Libertyc wrote:

What if I just skipped the outlet and power cord and just hard wired my amp.

Why not just replace all the wiring in your amp with dental floss and stringed-popcorn? After all, all electricity is bunk anyway:p

Libertyc

I noticed a difference...they are a lot more difficult to bend/handle

That's the only difference I noticed.

* Tip - Anyone buying an upgraded should get one around twice the needed length. I have the Extreme power super punch and its thick as a garden hose. That damn thing is so stiff and very hard to work with.

univera

I'm not an expert, but it would seem the extra sheilding provided for power sources cables alone would be worth a modest investment. The heavier duty cables would seem to be better in that department, especially in light of how close they are sometimes to the other cables such as interconnects and speaker wire.

Trey, you are way more knowledgeable than me, but I don't see the reason to do anything just for the sake of doing it. Obviously, one has to try for themselves.

Johncan

I tried to hear a difference, but I did not. I really tried hard.

VR3

Weakest link theory man... weakest link...

PolkThug

I can see, in theory, why the last few feet are important. This is the place where your power wire comes the closest to lots of electrical devices in a concentrated area.

When the power cable makes its way to your house, it is usually underground or suspended in the air and not next to a dvd player, receiver, xbox, hdtuner, cd player, amps etc..

reeltrouble1

In honor of our departed member: MANCAVE LAW, He-Man Rigs need He-Man cords, wimpy cords need not apply, I use mine to tie the boat cover down.

RuSsMaN

Across the board, bass extension and control is what I've usually noticed. A hint of air - spaciousness on the top end in some.

You have a power source in your wall - how you want to tap the source is up to you. Hospitals use upgraded outlets, cords and connectors for a reason - the machines and aparatii hooked up to it can be pretty damn important.

Did I just make up that word - aparatii? Even so, I'm going with it, sounds good.

amulford

I've notice a difference, but have not gone any further than SignalCable. I would like to upgrade the cords on my 2 channel amps, but they would need some work to do that. I don't feel confident enough to tackle it.

John in MA

Hospitals use upgraded connectors and outlets because they don't want them to break or lose connection. Not because they add depth and clarity to the EKG machine.

Your entire listening room is surrounded by straight, single-conductor, unshielded, low quality copper wiring in the walls. Connected to the outlets most likely pushed into a flimsy spring.

RuSsMaN

amulford wrote:

I've notice a difference, but have not gone any further than SignalCable. I would like to upgrade the cords on my 2 channel amps, but they would need some work to do that. I don't feel confident enough to tackle it.

Go for it Ant'ny.

If they didn't want them to break John, they'd be screwed into the wall.

John in MA

Hard to move an instrument when it's screwed to the wall. Hospital Grade electrical connectors are designed not to become unreliable. Someone would get in trouble if the blood pump lost power because the plug had been plugged too much. Hospital stuff is great, rugged hardware, but it's not like a simple outlet delivers smoother power than a domestic one in working condition.

RuSsMaN

There's a guy here named John K you should talk to.

Just for the record, what have you tried, in your rig?

killerb

spend your hard earned money on magic beans, at least you can eat them.