I tried one between a Running Springs Haley and my Pio.Elite plasma and noticed no difference between the OEM cord and the Shunyata. However it may be good on audio, just didn't need one there so I never tried it. |
If your looking for a cheap power cable try a diy DH Labs power plus cable with Wattgate connectors for less than $70. These cables work a lot better on video than audio... |
Anyone have experience with this cable in their audio system?
Thanks! |
I tryed the Diamondback; it's an OK power cord for the money. You might want to try the Emotiva power cord; I think it will surprise you. |
I use Shunyata Diamondback cords on all my source components and preamp. I use a Shunyata Coppperhead cord on my power amp. With the Shunyata cords, there is no background noise and the music seems to flow better. I also use Shunyata Guardian's for power supply filtering. A great bang for the buck and much better than cords costing double and triple the price (in my system).
Bob |
I have not tried the Diamondbacks, but I have two old-model (lavender jacket from about nine years ago) Shunyata Sidewinder cables that can be had for around $125-$140 when they periodically crop up on Audiogon. I have used them with CD players, preamps and amps, all to good effect. Considering the price, to my ear they offer a surprising measure of the noise reduction and increased detail that Shunyata's more expensive cables provide. But they might not be for everyone. Your post spurred me to look at what people have said on audioreview.com, and there is a detailed review at the top of the list that I agree with. They are a touch forward, edgy and energetic, which I personally like. |
I have posted previously on this cord.
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1107764210&read&keyw&zzshunyata=diamondback
Still using it and like it very much. |
Thanks to all who have responded..
I have heard these cords serve well in video applications, even my dealer suggested I try them on my plasma, (that's not the response I was seeking). Anyway, as the cables continue to break in they are sounding better, but as noted above they are a bit forward and lack dynamics. Maybe more break-in time? I have around 150 hours on them and was told I should put on at least 300 hours before critical assessment. Any additional thoughts would be most welcome.
Rpg |
>Currently breaking-in 3 Shunyata power cords,
So you already bought them. I would have took two different cords for the same price $375, one more expensive than the other, more like $150 and $225, and trieng them in different locations, on amps, dacs, transports. Cords ACT differently in different places. But bringing "signature" character is common.
I have put my thoughts in the other thread.. played with Diamondback, Copperhead, Taipan Helix Alpha couple days ago.. I found Daimondback not very interesting cord, yes noise floor lowered a bit, bass got more punch.. but I found this very subtle, really not worthy, and instanty wanting to go one level up.
Interesting things happened with Copperhead, which widened the soundstage (kinda loose imaging, though) and gave base huge and most importantly NATURAL feeling slam. Thats was on DAC. Then I decided to bring back imaging, so Copperhead fit nicely on amp, maintaining wide soundstage, + SLAM. And then I brought back detailed precise imaging by putting my favorite DAC cable Kimber PK14 (ordinary, not GOLD version!). This way I felt the power cord loop was complete.
So my suggestions - always get at least two different power cords...so you be able to COMPARE, search for positions, and have more FUN.
|
I had the Diamondback in my system for over half a year. Things I found not to my liking:
1. The IEC connector doesn't fit snug in lots O' inlets.
2. It's way to stiff!
Ultimately, I noticed no difference between "it" or the stock pwr cords on my DAC and phono stage. |
I have the Diamondback. I don't think it is materially better than what you can get for $10 at Radio Shack. I also agree that the IEC connection is looser than it should be.
Although somewhat more expensive, the Audio Arts Power 1 and/or Black Sand Violet Z1 are both real upgrades. Audio Arts is good if you are looking for a bit of warmth, Black Sand is good if you are looking for great dynamics. |
.
>>> have the Diamondback. I don't think it is materially better than what you can get for $10 at Radio Shack."<<<
You are welcome to your opinions about performance, applications, comparisons and suggestions, but your comment about material value is way out of line and grossly misinformed.
First of all, find another power cord that uses 12 gauge wire and has molded connectors. I'll save you the trouble, there are none and there is a reason for that. The molds had to be created from scratch to accommodate a 12 gauge conductor set. The cost to manufacture custom IEC and AC molds for production is between $15k-$20k--each. Do the math. Try amortizing those costs into low-priced power cords over time. There is a reason no one else custom manufactures molded connectors for cords at these prices and its not because they are cheap.
The connectors are gold plated over brass with crimped and soldered connections. The conductors are pure CDA copper and are shielded twice, once with a foil shield, another time with a tinned-copper braided shield. I am not sure which part of that you consider to be cheap radio-shack $10 construction?
The DiamondBacks, Venom and new Venom3 are all UL Listed. Care to guess what maintaining a UL listing costs a company? How many UL listed aftermarket power cords do you see out in the market? That may give you some idea on UL Listing's cost and its complexity to achieve.
The shielded power cords in our line are _extremely_ high cost, low margin products, meaning they cost a great deal to manufacture and maintain and do not represent any reasonable profit for our business. They exist almost solely to get our brand better known and into applications that may not otherwise consider aftermarket cords at higher prices. We pay a premium to make them high quality so that our reputation is maintained even at entry level prices.
>>>" I also agree that the IEC connection is looser than it should be. "<<<
The 15A IEC inlet connections on electronics vary so widely almost no two are alike--which is why we use a C-19 IEC on our power distributors. We chose the most common 15A IEC circumference for the DBack connector but certainly it will not fit the wide variety of different spec connectors the same way. No 15A IEC ever will. We get some complaints they are too loose--which can be worked around and some complaints they are too tight.
With the hundreds of different power cord models out there and the mix & match nature of power cords/conditioners in many systems its no surprise that preferences and recommendations vary so widely. That is expected. There are certainly many choices available, especially on the web.
I understand that. What I don't agree with is pot-shotting products material value with no idea what that cost might actually be. Like them or not, the DiamondBacks are precision made, high-cost items to manufacture. If you think differently, head out and try to copy its spec's and offer it at a better price. I am sure your experience will enlighten your opinion a bit.
Regards,
Grant
Shunyata Research |
Dear Grant of Shunyata Research,
It is very nice to have a manufacturer in the discussion.
I am from europe, and the Diamondback PC I have evaluated was without advertised IEC and AC custom molded connectors - I assume the molding machine at your company simple said not capable to produce SCHUKO europe type AC connectors? Cable was fitted with really low-grade SCHUKO (rubber type) and IEC connectors.
My second concern was about cable length, local dealer was left with only 1 m-type of Shunyata leftovers, and I was bit surprised to see that there is not price difference between 1 m and 2 m Power cords. When everyone around charges more for longer lenght and less for shorter, i found Shunyatas position interesting. I bet there is a reason for this.
mjordanas
|
Grant,
You and so many other manufacturers are simply missing the point that, just because something is expensive to manufacture, doesn't necessarily make it _materially_ BETTER. Better constructed perhaps, but not necessarily with audible effect - this is what 'materially' refers to. Otherwise, take it as a challenge to provide measurements. I use your Sidewinder CXs in my Spectral system which offer absolutely no improvement over the stock, UL listed, power cord, and simply bought them for looks. Perhaps that stock PC was of very good quality???
Moving on to the Helix construction which allegedly reduces induction-based resistance - perhaps this is applicable to signal cables, but when applied to power cords, it does nothing to improve on the induction-based resistance of miles worth of average-quality wire leading up to our homes. Again, take it as a challenge to *prove* me wrong (not just *claim*). |
I use a mix of Shunyata Copperhead, venom and Dioamondback power cords in my system. The only component that isn't using a Shunyata cord is my Magnum Dynalab tuner because there is no IEC connection. I also use Shunyata Guardian 2 and Guardian 4 power conditioners in my system.
I have had Shunyata in my system for 2 years. One day I decided to go back to all stock cords and no filtering. The result was a very bright sounding system with more background noise. I think the lower priced cords give a lot of bang for the buck and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Shunyata products to anyone.
Anyone who thinks their cords are cheaply made can'
t be from this planet! All their products ring of high quality. I have seen many cords from other high end manufacturers that could learn a lesson from Shunyata. They will stay in my system forever.
Bob |
Hello Ack,
I have no interest in dragging this into the usual bait and switch circular debate, so I'll address your comments and move on. If you want more info, feel free to e-mail or call.
I took the term "materially better" at its literal meaning. If the poster wanted to say "performance", I assume he would have. The word "Material" can only be twisted so much, even here.
>>>"Otherwise, take it as a challenge to provide measurements"<<<
Oh, that old dog. Actually, we have had obvious, compelling measurements for years but saw no need to expose them. We will be posting them soon. Not that this will end debate. It will only change the arguments of those who come here to argue and relieve their stress risk free.
>>>"I use your Sidewinder CXs in my Spectral system which offer absolutely no improvement over the stock,"<<<
You have a mixed system with a great many variables including a variety of other cable, power and filter elements of which the Sidewiinder is one.
Ask Rick Friar what his dealers say about our products matching to his electronics. Almost all Spectral dealers world wide also sell our power products together with Spectral because they match and perform well. Rick knows this. That your experience was not a positive one could relate to any number of variables. It's not worth trying to guess at here.
Once again, you use the older than dirt "miles of wire" saw horse. This means almost nothing in terms of effect on electronics immediate electrical connections and near-field power products impact on performance. I have posted about this before at some length.
And once again yes, you will see posted measurements that are definitive, peer reviewable and repeatable from us in less than one month. Not that this will satisfy those that like to use forums to criticize and argue. In fact, I'm sure they will only inspire more creative arguments from the arm-chair critic crowd.
Regards,
Grant
|
Mjordanas,
You are correct about the connectors. We did not make schuko AC molds because at the time ('04) Europe was an emerging market and these cords have to be made in enormous runs to get decent pricing. I believe we will try to do this in the future but I cannot say when that will be exactly..
We have our less expensive wire manufactured in enormous runs so the wire cost is reasonable compared to the US labor that hand terminates these products. Certainly, as length exceeds 2m-3m the cost goes up but at the shorter lengths the wire length cost difference is secondary to the power cable hand-assembly cost. Paying close attention to open contact junctions and termination is part of the reason we believe our products perform well.
If you have other questions, or if I can help further please e-mail. I normally only participate to inform or correct misinformation.
|
Grant,
if you want to drag Spectral into this conversation I suggest you first learn how to spell Rick's last name. Every time a manufacturer gets into these discussions all they end up doing is offering more of the same - nothing; the end result is that you drag your own company down with unsubstantiated claims. So I eagerly await your test results. |
Mjordanas,
You are correct about the connectors. We did not make schuko AC molds because at the time ('04) Europe was an emerging market and these cords have to be made in enormous runs to get decent pricing. I believe we will try to do this in the future but I cannot say when that will be exactly..
We have our less expensive wire manufactured in enormous runs so the wire cost is reasonable compared to the US labor that hand terminates these products. Certainly, as length exceeds 2m-3m the cost goes up but at the shorter lengths the wire length cost difference is secondary to the power cable hand-assembly cost. Paying close attention to open contact junctions and termination is part of the reason we believe our products perform well.
If you have other questions, or if I can help further please e-mail. I normally only participate to inform or correct misinformation.
|
Ack,
I cannot dispute your experience, and I am sure you heard what you heard.
My experience was different. I did a fairly extensive test of different Shunyata power cables with my CDP played through a Moon and Dynaudio system that was highly resolving and utilized premium Shunyata and other brand cables throughout. I carefully compared the surplus heavy duty 16 guage moulded printer power cable I had been using to the Shuyata Venom, Diamondback and Taipan Alpha Helix VX power cables. I listened to the same 15 pieces of music at the same volume and in the same listening position in the room for several hours (very generous dealer, Tim at Experience Audio in Seattle). The printer cable had worked better than the stock cable that came with the Cambridge CDP, and was my current "reference".
My findings were that there was little difference between the printer cable and the Venom, a big positive difference between the Diamondback and the other two, and a smaller positive difference in the step up from the Diamondback to the Taipan. This was not the result I wanted, because I was hoping I would not be able to decern much of a difference between the various cables and would be happy purchasing the Venom. I ended up purchasing the Diamondback and were cost not object, I would have purchased the Taipan. For the lower current CDP, the shielded printer cable was nearly as refined as the Venom. For a higher current amplifier application, the thicker guage Venom may very well be clearly superior. For whatever reason, the Diamondback worked well in this test and continues to work very well with my source in my system at home.
My experience carfully listening to and comparing these Shunyata cords has made me interested enough in the subject to build some cords of my own, changing the sound of my system in everycase and usually, but not always, for the better. YMMV. |
Your last abbreviation, "YMMV", is exactly what I expect manufacturers to respond with. Some hear differences and others don't, and I am glad you do. In my case, I even used a Sidewinder CX directly to one of the Spectral amps, and the stock cord to the other - no difference whatsoever, even when playing mono material. From this I conclude the stock power cord is just as good as the Shunyata for *this* particular application.
I am very eager to see what Shunyata has to publish in terms of tests which will hopefully show that reducing induction-based resistance (as per Helix patent) in the last 6ft of a power cord has any benefit. Perhaps this geometry can reduce line noise, and since my MIT power conditioners already achieve that, the benefit isn't there for me???
Finally, I took it as a challenge to myself to verify that "Almost all Spectral dealers world wide also sell our power products together with Spectral" as Grant claimed. Results: two out of the total four in the US don't carry Shunyata (Music Lovers and Innovative Audio). Of the total 10 international Spectral distributors, 7 (seven!) did not carry Shunyata either. You can compare for yourselves at http://www.spectralaudio.com/dealers.htm and http://www.shunyata.com/Content/about-worlddist.html
Mr Grant - your credibility is very shaken with me. |
Ok Ack, no one is making up stories so relax. My 'almost all" comment was
made without looking at their site and I did not know Elliot at Innovative was
still a dealer. We are represented by Overture in Delaware and Goodwins in
Boston who are likely two of Spectrals top selling US dealers. We are also
represented by Audio Components Germany and More Music Netherlands who
are two high-volume, committed Spectral distributors. Their network may be
small but their distributors are top quality, as are their electronics.
My simple point was that we work with many Spectral dealers, who routinely
sell our products together so I have a fair amount of feedback about the
combinations from many sources. I am sorry your experience did not go well.
Send me an e-mail and the name of your dealer. I will try to effect a return of
the product if you found it to be ineffective in your app. We did recently
discontinue the SideWinder CX but I will do what I can to help.
You have made some heavy handed accusations and comments based on very
little information. I have posted here since '01. I have never been accused of
lying or malfeasance and I have gone well out of my way many times to help
others both personally and professionally so save all your comments about
shaky credibility, they are entirely unwarranted. What's next, name calling?
Your last six feet comment is backwards. From the perspective of electronic
power supplies its the first six feet that is the most critical and most
electrically visible to electronics. Electrically speaking, electronics are near-
sighted.
Yes, we are formatting and finishing the supporting text for measurements
that do show obvious differences in impulse current efficiency and lowered
resistance. Since you have gone so far out of your way to be pointy and
accusatory, I will e-mail you the link when it comes available.
Enough with the insults. If you have more to say, I am easy to reach directly.
Regards,
Grant |
Looking forward to it. I hope you won't neglect to describe WHY these improvements are relevant and significant (read: material) when applied to a power cord, not just that your cables measure better than others.
Said differently, why is better impulse current efficiency and lowered resistance significant in various applications (amps, preamps, phonos, et al), when the wires leading up to our outlets are presumably much worse when it comes to those electrical characteristics (and perhaps lots of others) than Shunyata wiring.
Finally, I accept upfront that some power cords can at least lower and/or reject noise (and I have measured my shielded Siltechs to do so, as also evident by the reduced hum in my phono section) - something I have not seen you (or your web site) discuss with respect to your products, so hopefully your document will discuss what Shunyatas have to offer in this respect as well. |
Is there a difference between the Diamondback v.s. the Diamondback "Platinum" ? |
I have the Diamondback. I don't think it is materially better than what you can get for $10 at Radio Shack. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I used the word "material" to mean "not imaginary", a valid definition, and to refer to the power cord's sound quality, not its physical attributes. But since you claimed that I was just shooting my mouth off, let me be more specific about my experience with the Diamondback. I was short one power cord last year after adding a DAC to my system. To power the DAC, I decided to remove the Diamondback from my second system and replace it with an $10 power cord I purchased at Radio Shack. To my chagrin, the Radio Shack power cord sounded at least as good as the Diamondback. I can assure you I would have been happyier to learn that the Radio Shack power cord sounded inferior to the Diamondback. Nobody wants to learn he was a fool who has been separated from his money. Now that I have clarified my statement, feel free to assure us that the Diamondback is more expensive to produce, better accredited, and safer than a Radio Shack power cord. By the way, I am surprised to learn that the proprietor of Shunyata is going to the mat over an entry level product. I would have thought his time would be better spent on product development and manufacturing and that he would let the end results speak for themselves. |
FWIW, I don't own any Shunyata products, but have to say that I am now much _more_ inclined to purchase some of their PCs, based on Grant's responses here.
(This thread is the Kobayashi Maru for him.) |
Mcondon, much worse has been said of the performance of many commercial products than your comments above. I have absolutely no problem with you sharing your opinion and experience for better or worse--it is why I read the comments in the first place. You clarified your original post and cleared up the misunderstanding about "material value", which was my only issue.
Products like the Diamondback and others can never pretend to offer the perfect solution for every application or every system--no matter how much effort is put into making them. They are after all only one part of an overall electrical delivery system in which many variables often come into play.
This is why we use dealers who offer evaluations. If anyone feels stuck with a product that does not work for them, I will always "go to the mat" to help get the products returned or exchanged when bought through one of our dealers. Feel free to contact me if I can be of any help.
Regards,
Grant
|
Wow. Kudos for such a gracious response. Shunyata will certainly remain on my short list for higher end power cords and power conditioners. But obviously your recommendation to work with a dealer and to "try before you buy" is good advice. |
"try before you buy"
Worked for me. Trick is to find a dealer willing to work with you. |
Grant, care to chime in on the difference between the regular version Diamondback and the "Platinum" version?
Thanks! |
Nico, please e-mail me offline with product questions. I travel and cannot check forums regularly. I also do not want to use forum space for general commercial product info.
The short answer is the Platinum model was a more recent product run that used gold over brass plating rather than the previous silver plate over brass IEC. There was also a wire and extrusion change but nothing that should significantly alter a buying decision.
Regards,
Grant |
My system has 5 Shunyata diamondback power cords, 1 copperhead power cord and 1 venom power cord. I find the copperhead and diamondback to be a lot of bang for the buck and that is the most I would spend on cords. I am using the Venom for the turntable motor on my VPI turntable, 2 diamondback cords to connect my Shunyata Guardian 2 and guardian 4 to the wall, a diamondback for my preamp and 2 cd players and copperhead for my power amp.
The noise floor lowered dramatically when I started using the Shunyata products and I find their overall quality to be first class. I am not one to buy into paying as much for a power cord as I did for an expensive piece of equipment so these budget products if you will, suit me just fine.
Bob |
I have been using a Diamondback since 2003. At that time, I had been using a Synergistic Master Coupler and ordered the Diamondback along with 3-4 other PCs up to around $350 each to perform a shootout. The Diamondback was the clear winner. The application for all was between a PS audio Ultimate Outlet and a Theta Pro Prime IIa DAC. I have only recently upgraded from the Diamondback to a Python CX, so it was in constant use in my system throughout various changes for over 7 years and I feel it is quite respectable for its retail price, especially for the prices they can be obtained at today. |
In my system I tried the Diamondbacks and was not impressed and I gave the cable about 300 hours of break-in. First, though they may have their merits, the connectors were average at best. I tried other cables fro big names and found the Nordost Magus to outperform the Diamondbacks by a significant margin and their about the same price. In fact, I was so taken by the Magus I fitted most of my system with it. At it's price point give the Magus a try, you will be surprised. One issue with the Magus is it takes about 500 hours for total break-in. A source of the Magus is Scott the cable guy, he burns in the cable on a device that delivers you the cable broken-in. Music Direct also sells the Magus. |
I have been exclusively using Shunyata PC's for the past 6 or 7 years. I had started with the sidewinder, coperhead and moving up to the Tai Pan, then Python, and, recently, Anaconda. The sidewinders/copperheads were marginally better than my signal cables, with more secure connections, better shielding and build quality. The "marginal" diffference enticed me to move up the line; the Tai Pans were a revelation, exponentially better than the prior, the Pythons were more of an improvement than the TaiPans over the Copperheads and the Anaconda upgrade on my CDP (all into Hydra 8, by the way) has brought my digital playback to a new level. All the while, I always felt the dollars invested were well worth the performance upgrade. You do need a very revealing system to discern the differences in power cables. I would think that the sidewinders (pretty much the low end or the shunyata line) exist(ed) to offer the end user a taste into 3rd party power cables. You really can't expect jaw dropping imporvements (over a Rat Shack $10 cable) for $160 dollars. But, once you see the difference in build quality, secured connections and think that maybe that shielding is doing something (or NOT doing something) one may think that there may be something to PC upgrades, and, if funds permit (you wouldn't put a $2,000 power cord on a $300 CD player) go to the next lever, audition some more, and see if there is something out there that really improves ones systems. Shunyata has done that for me. I would never have thought that I would have $10,000+ in PC cords but once I installed that first $165 PC, it just did enough for me to experiment. Great products. Great Company. |
I have been feeding my older Shunyata power cords to friends when I decide to upgrade. When I upgraded to the Python line, a buddy of mine decided he had nothing to lose and agreed to take my Diamondbacks. Like everyone, he was skeptical until I come over and hooked them up to his system. It's crazy how actually listening will change your perspective. One comment: I don't think one single power cord of any line is very impressive. However, when you start with a decent conditioner (like the Hydra) and build up from their, every cord you had is a quantum leap. Total system synergy when it comes to power cables is critical, IMHO. Of course, YMMV. Consider this: 4 diamondbacks for all of your components may seem like a hunk of change, but you will hear more improvement from that change than many component upgrades. |
My experience matches Vhiner and I agree with his comments.
I found it useful to understand the Shunyata system by subtraction. Even if you cannot afford them all at once, ask your dealer to let you borrow enough power cables to cover all the major components in your system - amps, preamp, digital and the motor drive to your turntable if you have one. Install them together.
Don't try to listen to individual components or a single power cord. Instead, take time over a week or two with music you know well to acclimate your ears to the net effect of the change. Maybe take a few notes on your general impressions and what you hear differently from familiar tracks. After you have a handle on your 'new' system, replace one cord with the stock cord that came with that component. Listen again. Remove another, listen some more. How does what you hear compare with your notes? What is different or missing?
While manufacturers test their power cords with a variety of componentry, few offer cords targeted at specific brands or models. In the world of electricity and signal delivery it can be difficult to assess the 'philosophy' and design goals of a manufacturer from a single instance. Sure, one PC can make an audible difference, but knowledgeable designers rarely take a bottom up approach by developing from the perspective of what a single cord will do. The overall net effect of how a manufacturer addresses, for example, capacitance and inductance, or spurious noise rejection back onto your in-house 'grid' is better understood, imo, by hearing their products as they meant them to be used together. This helps get a sense of the synergy of your existing stereo with a particular power delivery system and its designer's intent.
Even if you only can afford to start with a power conditioner or a couple cords, you'll know the goal you're aiming for rather than going through an ad hoc discovery one wire at a time. (Going that way, who knows where your system will end up.) A strength I find in Shunyata's approach is the the evenhanded way their products work together and the resulting consistency of sonic effect across a wide variety of component combinations. This makes for low risk when investing small then moving up the line. |
Jtimothya,
You summed up the Shunyata "magic" much more clearly and eloquently than I could. I wish someone had given me your advice before I started experimenting with PC's. I completely agree that the ad hoc approach is fraught with difficulty. I spent the better part of a year once swapping individual cords from various manufacturers and it's not an experience I want to repeat.
I can't resist sharing one last story that does illustrate there are a few minor exceptions to the systems approach: Last Christmas my parents got a rather large Sony HD flat screen. I brought one of my diamondbacks over and hooked it up to the TV without telling my mom (who is 75 years old and doesn't know you can detach a power cord). My dad helped me move things around so I could install it. Once I got home I received a phone call from my mom. "The TV looks better. What were you two doing back there?" I rest my case. |
I had a Venom on my Bryston B60 for about 3 years. When the Diamondback went on sale at Music Direct, I bought one for the B60 and moved the Venom to my Theta DAC. I played around with configurations to determine what was doing what.
I didn't experience any increased forwardness or brightness as some said here. With each cable added, my system sounded more relaxed and effortless. Noise floor dropped pretty significantly too. Both were excellent in my system. My system sounded even better with both cables in at the same time, as others said.
At $125 for the Diamondback, its a hell of a deal IMO. The Venom was a great deal at $100 when I bought that too.
While neither power cord nor any other cabling Ive used were earth changing or as good as component upgrades, they definitely improved the system, and I hear no down sides. In my system, they've made bigger differences than any speaker cable I've used, and are on par with interconnect changes.
Grant -
If you're still paying attention...
Your powercords have taken my system up a step. My next purchase will be a power conditioner.
But... How about an entry level RCA interconnect along the lines of the Diamondback-ish price range or maybe a tad bit more? I'd love to hear an affordable Shunyata interconnect. |
I used the PC in conjunction with a PS audio duet and it was less than satisfactory. It sounded as if my ears were stuffed up. A friend of mine said , "it was not a good synergy" however the products were very good on their own. HMMMmmmmm |
I want to make a BIG CORRECTION to my previous post on the diamomdback/ps audioduet combo. I returned three days ago from a trip to Central Amreica and when I turned on my strero I was not aware that the powercord/duet combo had been off for the whole week. Just before I sent the combo back to the cable company...(questioning their expertise) I decided to give the combo one last chance. WOW I don't know what happened however what ever it was ..was wonderful. Now evrything was clear and had great soundstage depth. So the moral of the story is GEEEZZZ BREAK IN REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE! I AM SORRY ABOUT MY RECENT POST. I WAS WRONG...GIVE THE CABLES TIME TO BREAK IN BEFORE YOU (I) MAKE A JUDGEMENT.
CHARLIE
PS I BOUGHT THE DUET DIAMOND BACK COMBO |
The shunyata Venom 3 is the new best of at price point to performance ratio $99 for a cable that meats many $300
cables.p.s has also won many awards. |
I bought a diamondback a while back. really hated it on all things except for my plasma t.v. Was terrible on my source components especially. |
Blazerfan,
Everyone's mileage varies...but as many have posted here, breaking in a cable can take more than 100 hours of continuous playback. If you did that, then they definitely don't suit your tastes. I personally don't think the effects of power cords are as noticeable until one inserts a decent power conditioner to clean up the noise. fWIW. |
