DIY Power Cable

MillerLiteScott

I am pretty happy with my current set up and have decided to concentrate on tweaking. My next tweak will be power cords for my amp and CD player. I have a Musical Fidelity A 308 and a Jolida. I would love to get some PS Audio Statements (SC) but I certainly can't afford new and don't have internet access during the day to catch the used ones that come up for sale on audiogon.

So I have been looking a the DIY Audio site that has a parts list from Parts Express. I know this is not near the same quality of the PS audio cords but I can eventually move to those cable if I can afford them and move the DIY cables down the audio food chain in my system.

Belden 83803 12 AWG 3 conductor
Marinco 15 amp wall plug
Marinco 15 amp IEC plug
Techflex 1/2" expandable sleeving
12 mm Heat shrink 3:1
Ferrite core 3/8" cord noise suppressor.

All told this comes to about $80.00 in parts and pieces for a 1 meter power cable.

However Signal Cable has essentially the same thing except 10 awg 3 conductor for $59.00, which is probably better and has a name attached to it.

Any thought on the Signal Cable power cords? They also have a cord that is design more for digital applications for $ 69.00.

I also think there are options for upgrading the plug end to Furutec and another brand I don't remember for another $10.00 I think.

Anything is better than the stock cords that I am using now.

Any thoughts

Scott

bikerboy

Hi Scott,
I used PS Audio and Signal Cable pc before I made VH Audio "Flavor" cords using Furutech connectors. I sold the others and use the VH Audio wire with the teflon cover and copper Furutech connectors and am very happy. They seemed more balanced or flatter in the way they let the sound come though the system. The vocals and midrange sounds more natural. When you make them yourself you can make them any length you want. The Furutech connectors are great, very solid and easy to use. I used the 12 ga x 4 star quad wire for the amp (Flavor 4) and the shielded digital wire for the dac and cdp. His website has a lot of info. The bad thing about diy is resale is not good. Have fun.

fbm211

I agree.VH audio is the way to go for DIY. Lots of options..

tryrrthg

The signal cord is nothing more than a Carol power cable that you can buy by the foot at Lowes or Home Depot. The Belden cable is probably a better cable because it has a shield built into it.

carol cable: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=100-581

You could by a volex 17604 cable for less than $10 and replace the connectors. Back when I researched the DIY power cords I found out that the cable used in the volex is the same as the one used in the Bob Crump "asylum cable"

http://www.diycable.com/main/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=100

volex cord: http://www.cbcdirect.com/direct/Products/ProductListDetail.aspx?pik=847225&productId=847225

I did a lot of research on the DIY cords and I realized I couldn't build them any cheaper than just buying some PS audio Punch power cables.

zingo

I have also built power cables and the savings was little from a good MIDFI cable like the PS Audio Punch like stated above. Making it for learning or a project is a different story, but from a cost/quality perspective, a brand-name used cable is hard to beat.