Audioquest Dragon Powercord vs Hurricane


I don't want to get into a debate about if powercords and/or cables sound different or not. I just want to talk about the differences between the Audioquest Dragon and Audioquest Hurricane powercords in my system, based on my ears and preferences. My system consists of a Jeff Rowland 625 S2 amplifier, Jeff Rowland Corus preamp, Chord Dave DAC, Antipodes DS GT music server, Monitor Audio PL500 ii speakers, JL Audio F112 v2,  Clarus Crimson speaker cables, Wireworld Platinum series 8 XLRs, and all Audioquest Hurricane power cords.
I have two Dragon powercords for a home audition. I put one on my DAC and the other on my preamp. My initial thought is the Dragon added a lot of detail. I usually listen with the volume set at 60, but had to reduce it to 58 with the Dragon inserted. After letting the music play for awhile, I did some critical listening for 90 minutes or so. I'm pretty certain that I will keep all Hurricanes and not purchase any Dragon powercords. It isn't because I think the Hurricane is better. I submit they are different and I always say cables are system dependent. In my system the Hurricane is a more balanced cable, where the Dragon is forward to my ears and it's a cable that really highlights details in a way that I don't like. E.g. when I listened to a blues track by KEB MO, with the Dragons the guitar was very forward and dominate, his voice was out of balance and the bass wasn't as full. Returning to the Hurricanes provided excellent balance with detail and fuller bass. Things may change over the next couple of days, but I don't usually change from my initial thoughts. There are no absolutes in audio and careful component matching is more important than how much a component cost.  
ricred1

Showing 1 response by david_ten

Since the focus of this thread is the Audioquest Hurricane, here is Jay Luong's (Audio Bacon) take on it:

"The Audioquest Hurricane HC power cord has a singular personality. It prefers the fun, weighty, warm, and solid sound over a more spatial and energetic one. It also leans towards more of an analog molding of the musical pieces.

This cable has a full and fat sound. Speedy transients, cymbal sizzle, separation, organic textures? Forget about it. We’re talking a thick milk chocolate coat over everything. This, in effect, gives everything a more tangible, 3-D shape. There’s still sprinkles of sparkle, but that isn’t the star of the show.

This especially applies to vocal recordings – which are made to be addictively sweet and tangible. I really enjoyed this cable with more bass-centric and intimate recordings. It does get a little confused once the music gets busier, however.

Who should buy this cable?:  If you prefer a wet, liquid, thick, and more tonally smokier sound. It’s not muffled – just not as resolving. May be a great cable if there’s already too much treble or brightness in your current system.

Trade-offs: This cable is far from transparent. It lacks clarity, vibrancy, detail, and lower level nuances. This affects soundstage focus and the stereo image.

Notes:  Tonally dense, liquid, heavy, sweet, analog, smokey, juicy, grey."

https://audiobacon.net/2019/08/17/27-audiophile-power-cables-reviewed/16/