Let's talk Power Cords!
Comments
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And don't forget to use Armour All to clean your CD's.;)Personally, I'll just stick with my Tice Audio alarm clock and green CD marker...;)
Testing
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And don't forget to use Armour All to clean your CD's.;)
Oh, I always do that first. Then put my CD player on some Shun Mook Mpingo discs (made of rare African ebony, I'll have you know). It feels like a veil has been lifted from my music with more sparkling highs and deeper lows. -
know nothing my behind!:D
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Don't forget your Clever Little Clock somewhere in the room and some Brilliant Pebbles set about your speaker(s)
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Midnite Mick wrote: »These are all great points. However, if it is simply shielding how come I can hear differences in different type of ends? I also can hear differences in different constructions.....I am sure most higher end PC's would be shielded well and yet I still hear differences. In fact I tried 1 highly regarded PC and it ended up choking my system?
I hope this isn't coming across in a defensive and/or offensive manner...I am just posing the question.
Thanks,
Mike
I was responding to the suggestion that you should just hard wire your gear to the wall using Romex, or at the very least, build some power cords out of Romex. I have seriously considered this, thinking Romex must work pretty good to get the A/C to your outlet, why not use it to get the A/C to your gear? I tried to debunk this idea as best I could, although in all honesty, I haven't tried it yet!
As for A/C and IEC plugs, one could assume that some models make a better no loss connection with the wall socket and the female IEC socket on your gear. Also, some plugs may be better shielded than others - I know you can spend hundreds of dollars just on A/C and IEC plugs alone.
As for why we experience differences in performance resulting from different wiring configurations, gauges and alloys used in different PCs - if it doesn't have anything to do with shielding - your guess is a good as mine. All I know is that I think some cords work astonishingly better than others, and shielding is the only possible factor I can understand for that difference. I am sure there are other factors, but they are beyond my rudimentary grasp.
I must say that I find it remarkable the effect that a few passive strands of wire placed in various portions of an audio chain can have on what comes out of your speakers or headphones. I don't pretend to understand fully why this occurs, but I cannot deny that it "works". Unfortunately, I also think the positive effects of ICs, power and speaker cables are highly system dependent, and what works really well for one person may not work as well or sound as good to somebody else. That is why I recommend trying out different cables to see what works for you. And if OEM cords and hardware store cables work best or as good, you will save enough money to buy a lot more music or videos. kn -
Yeah I don't quite understand why ICs sound so different... I liken them to an electronic component... they have capacitance, inductance, resistance... all cables do to an extent.
PCs because they are behind the PSU of your gear, and if your PSU is well enough designed, I figure that from a cost standpoint, the money makes a greater difference in other areas.
I don't doubt that there is a difference... since your electrical power is essentially an audio signal with a ton of current, but that so far the difference in sound from a GOOD quality (but not expensive aftermarket) PC and some of the exotic designs is something I have not noticed too much. I don't have thousands to spend on cords... and maybe a $3000 cord would make a large difference, but there are $500 dollar upgrades that make a much greater difference than a $500 dollar PC would give me. -
When the Music Hall CD 25.2 CDP ($600) was reviewed by Sally R. in TAS she said it was a really good sounding player but it really struted its stuff when she installed a $350 power cord on it. Now I'm not one to doubt what a reviewer heard however, it really doesn't make any sense to me to purchase a piece of gear that needs an after market power cord half again as much as the initial cost of the unit to make it really shine.
My point is if an after market PC can completely change a mid-fi unit into sounding like a high end one well I think it would be worth a 30 day trial even at the risk of tying up some funds for that month.
On the other hand would a $1000 CDP sound as good or better than the Music Hall CDP & aftermarket PC at $950. See my problem isn't doubting the validity of the $350 PC it is why I would want to buy a piece of gear that isn't good enough on its own.
Then the following comes into play;
Every high end piece of gear that I own recommends and I quote the user manuals of two, "the highest quality ICs" and an "equally high quality" aftermarket power cord should be installed for the best performance. I don't ever remember seeing Timbre or Spectral selling ICs & PCs so I have to believe that these well received companies know what they are talking about when it comes to the performance of their products. -
For those of you who haven't seen the Sept. Issue of Affordable$$Audio, I did a semi-scientific review of a set of cables in comparison, to a higher quality stock, and a true generic pc.. I made multiple measurements of the amount of hiss coming out of the tweeter (both speakers) using different cables with a db meter. The result, I record lower number with the quality cable.
Just my two cents.Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
Former Staff Member TONEAudio
2 Ch. System
Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3 -
Can I say that measurements yield results sometimes, but that the end result as to what hits your ears is the final test? What is more important?~ 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. ~
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hearingimpared wrote: »When the Music Hall CD 25.2 CDP ($600) was reviewed by Sally R. in TAS she said it was a really good sounding player but it really struted its stuff when she installed a $350 power cord on it. Now I'm not one to doubt what a reviewer heard however, it really doesn't make any sense to me to purchase a piece of gear that needs an after market power cord half again as much as the initial cost of the unit to make it really shine.
My point is if an after market PC can completely change a mid-fi unit into sounding like a high end one well I think it would be worth a 30 day trial even at the risk of tying up some funds for that month.
On the other hand would a $1000 CDP sound as good or better than the Music Hall CDP & aftermarket PC at $950. See my problem isn't doubting the validity of the $350 PC it is why I would want to buy a piece of gear that isn't good enough on its own.
Then the following comes into play;
Every high end piece of gear that I own recommends and I quote the user manuals of two, "the highest quality ICs" and an "equally high quality" aftermarket power cord should be installed for the best performance. I don't ever remember seeing Timbre or Spectral selling ICs & PCs so I have to believe that these well received companies know what they are talking about when it comes to the performance of their products.
The bottom line is how good does your system sound to you. You may have trouble explaining to your better half, to your best friends, and to wire skeptics on the Internet why you thought it was necessary to spend more than half of what you paid for your CD player on a "piece of wire" to hook it to the wall (and the another half on two more pieces of wire to hook it to your pre amp!!). But if it makes your $600 CDP sound as good TO YOU as a $2000 CDP with its stock cord attached, then it is probably worth it. If on the other hand, all you can hear is the echo coming from your pocket where your money used to be, then maybe you should save your scratch for a better source. I cannot overemphasize the need to test new gear including cables in your own system playing in your own listening space. I suggest keeping an open mind and don't let other people (except your spouse!!!) tell you what "makes sense". kn
PS - there have been many recommendations on this forum for products like SignalCable that may provide over 90% of the benefit of well designed cables at only 10% of the cost of some of the more exotic products currently on the market. Try as many kinds of wire as you can. Some stores will lend you their demos with a credit card deposit, and some if they know you will loan them out for free. -
I don't ever remember seeing Timbre or Spectral selling ICs & PCs so I have to believe that these well received companies know what they are talking about when it comes to the performance of their products.
I know Spectral recommends MIT cables for their gear.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 -
Don't forget your Clever Little Clock somewhere in the room.....
Ive never tried the Clever Little Clock; however my Little Epox Clock transformed my system. It is more musical and live-sounding, and it even improved my vison. The best placement for me is on the top shelf of the rack, at a slight angle just to the right of the turn table and slightly ahead of my digital source power supply. Setting the temp display to metric improves the mid-range ever so slightly. Duracell Procell batteries improve the bass and last longer than Energizers. The soundstage improves when I turn the display light on, but it is on a timer and shuts off after a few seconds so I just leave it off.Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
SCompRacer wrote: »Ive never tried the Clever Little Clock; however my Little Epox Clock transformed my system. It is more musical and live-sounding, and it even improved my vison. The best placement for me is on the top shelf of the rack, at a slight angle just to the right of the turn table and slightly ahead of my digital source power supply. Setting the temp display to metric improves the mid-range ever so slightly. Duracell Procell batteries improve the bass and last longer than Energizers. The soundstage improves when I turn the display light on, but it is on a timer and shuts off after a few seconds so I just leave it off.
The relativistic small clock theory of improved sound reproduction, or E=M$2, is unproven at best, but if you hear a difference (or is that the silence coming from your domestic partner because you finally bought something for your stereo that actually does something useful, like tell time), then more power to you. kn -
If you turn the clock radio on to a crappy commercial "alternitive rock" station (preferably clearchannel owned) and listen for a few minutes, and then immediately turn it off as you press play on your HiFi source with a well recorded album, you will notice even further improvement!
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SCompRacer wrote: »Ive never tried the Clever Little Clock; however my Little Epox Clock transformed my system. It is more musical and live-sounding, and it even improved my vison. The best placement for me is on the top shelf of the rack, at a slight angle just to the right of the turn table and slightly ahead of my digital source power supply. Setting the temp display to metric improves the mid-range ever so slightly. Duracell Procell batteries improve the bass and last longer than Energizers. The soundstage improves when I turn the display light on, but it is on a timer and shuts off after a few seconds so I just leave it off.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ROTFLMAO LOL!!! -
hearingimpared wrote: »WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ROTFLMAO LOL!!!
Busted, eh? I exaggerated a bit Joe. I am still partially color blind and need my corrective lenses. OK, all my little Epox clock does is help me log accurate system hours.Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
