FAVORITE POWER CABLE under $100 (1M)


Ready to replace my stock power cables with a limited budget...Ideas, opinions, favorites please...

 

 

 

larseand

I mentioned upthread that I had an Accuphase 40th Anniversary coming from Aliexpress a few months ago and now can comment on that cable. I ended up ordering one initially which I put on a subwoofer and a CD transport to good effect. 

 

Ended up ordering two more as I liked the results with that one in those two positions but wanted to experiment a bit more seriously, particularly on my phono preamp. Disclaimer: I had all these cords (and all my previous power cords) cryogenically treated before slotting them in my system for any serious evaluation so YMMV with this cord but the overall character should be as I describe without cryo; typically the treatment will result in slightly more extended frequency extremes, a smoother, more detailed midrange and more refined high frequencies but the treatment will not change the overal tonal balance or character of the original cord/wire. 

I rarely use the CD transport and, with a sub you are talking about only extremely low frequencies so it's perhaps a bit harder to draw a serious conclusion about a power cord's true ability in that application. 

But I finally got around to putting one of the Accuphase clones onto my phono stage (an Aqvox Phono 2CI) where it replaced a Viborg 1501 (also cryoed and with Viborg's top of the line all copper non-plated plugs on it), 

The 1501 is no slouch and a very good cord IMO. In the past I've used or had experience with a number of commercial offerings (some up to a retail price of around $500). For many years I used DH Labs Power Plus with Marinco connectors (all cryoed) but moved on to the Viborg 1501's in the past few years as I experimented with one initially and then essentially outfitted my entire system with them. They were a pretty huge improvement on the DH Labs. 

 

To my surprise, I found the Accuphase clone, at around $30 U.S. if you can believe it, to be a nice improvement over the Viborg 1501. At first I thought that the Accuphase lacked some of the bass energy that the Viborg has; that might be one area in which the Viborg might be better, but the more I listen and use the Accuphase, the more I have misgivings even about that. 

In the midrange and high frequencies the Accuphase simply sounds more natural and refined than the Viborg on my phono preamp. There's a slight edge and glassy quality in the midrange in particular that I did not realize was there that vanishes with the Accuphase clone. It's not a flashy, hi-fi kind of cord if you're looking for something like that: just more of a really neutral, but fleshed out & full bodied character. Sounds incredibly natural for lack of a better description. 

 

I'm not sure how the Accuphase would fare on my tube integrated-perhaps it will be too much of a good thing compared to the Viborg on that piece of equipment. But I've just ordered another one to try in that position and will report back. 

 

I cannot see anyone being disappointed by this power cord-it is crazy cheap and its price/performance ratio is off the charts. Price is not always an indication of performance. On some of the other audio forums, users there are divided over whether the Accuphase or Neardost clones provide better performance-some favor one over the other and vice versa but for around $30 U.S. the Accuphase is a no-brainer to try out. 

I ordered both from audioConnector Store and moonsaudio Store on Aliexpress: very good product and service from both of them. 

I'll post back in a few months after trying the next one on my integrated. 

If you can diy, then Furutech 14awg S022N. Price for 1m with plugs would be around 110$.Perfect for sources and integrated amps of reasonable current draw.

I never had this cable but I have a bigger model, FP-S55N paired with Furutech NCF 48 gold, and sounds too "HI-FI" to me. That’s why I preffer TCS762 / TCS31 instead

@petg60 Can you tell what are you using as connectors for SO22N ?

+1 Audience Forte - a few very positive reviews

@soix - Cullen cable - fantastic referral

Like many have alluded to, I’m not confident that the $100 budget is high enough to get you a satisfactory sonic uptick improvement. One can easily expect a sonic improvement over stock power cables if the budget was up to $1k, $100 budget not so sure.