All my gear has the factory supplied power cords I’m ready to try 1 aftermarket power cable as a test. So what brand power cable should it be and what device gets it first? Tube pre? Tube main? D/A? CD transport? Roon Nucleus? Subs? GE Trefs?? Turntable? Oppo 103? Which piece of my gear should be most affected by the improved power cord?? I look forward to the responses and will likely choose the cord that has the most recommendations.
I tried the AQ Blizzard in my preamp on demo and it did wonders for my system. I am going Blizzard( two 1m and 1- 2m)now for my power amps and preamp, Monsoon for my Atmos amps and Oppo 105 dac and finally a 2m AQ Thunder for my power conditioner. I have a Monsoon hooked up to my preamp now and it sounds pretty fine in there but the Blizzard will really opens things up on my system anyways. So I ordered a 1m Blizzard(preamp) and two 2m Monsoons(Atmos amps).
Happy hunting and hope you find something that works and sounds right for you within your budget. If your dealer can let you audition some cables it really helps you decide to see if a particular PC will sound right to you before you invest the money or a good return policy works as well.
I’ll add to the Cullen parade. These are quite good and the only PC cable I use throughout the system. Crossover ll is his top cable and has stripped down many a competitor.
That is one thing about those cables,they are not very flexible! It took a little bit of effort to get the cable not to move my preamp. It was definitely worth the effort though.
@rocray It took me a while to find the VD’s but it paid off. I ended up with 4 total…Im keeping 1 in the event that I upgrade my power amp (my ARC D400MKII has a hard wired pc) I’d love to try the VD on my preamp but there’s no way I can get the bend radius to fit behind my rig, as you know they are ridiculously ridged.
jl1ny, I agree with your take on Virtual Dynamics. Because of budget restraints, I'm a used market purchaser for the most part. I picked up a used VD Testament r a few months ago. I tried this on various components. The biggest difference was with my preamp. It was definitely a WOW moment. I just recently picked up a Testament 2 for my amp. Another WOW moment. I also have a Power 3 that I will be using in my secondary system as soon as I get the ambition to rewire.
I'm sure there are better cables,however I just don't have the time or funds to try them all! In the meantime,I'm certainly happy with my modest investment vs rewards.
Virtual Dynamics literally changed my system for the better…I had a veil of congestion that’s been completely wiped away by Virtual Dynamics pc’s. I added a Power 3 on my Subwoofer, a Power 3 from the wall into my PS Audio ultimate outlet HC (main amp) and a Virtual Dynamics David series from the wall into my PS Audio UPC 200 (Preamp, DAC and streamer). I couldn’t be happier with the results…clarity & dynamics really improved. Friend of mine who’s familiar with my system was over and I didn’t say a word about the changes. He immediately noticed…”ok, what did you do here? It sounds great!”. Validated. I’m a believer.
+1 on effects of power cords. I have optimized my final system multiple times through 1. Speaker cables, 2. Interconnects, and finally 3. power cords. Each time the final system was very significantly better at the end… by at least a component swap level because of it. But in different systems… the same cords and interconnects would not have been optimal.
I love the cable believer camp! I'm a believer and I couldn't leave her if I tried!
After so many cables and power cords, then dismantling a big(ish in this as-far-as-you-want-to-go world system and now rebuilding another new system especially over the last year or so, I'm confident that cables are and should be treated as components. Spending commensurate with their level.
And great cables, especially ones that agree with your sonic palate, are great cables no matter what but still benefit from matching to the component they're attached to. In my experience, power cords are the most influential on a system's sound...sort of a wall out approach.
There are bang for buck cables and you can hear a difference, but sometimes less of one and it's generally less impactful than other cords. I used to think of cables as a "finishing" sort of endeavor and still start with speakers, then match amp and source before cabling and yet try to hold on to the best cables to my ear while selling off other gear when that time comes around...go figure.
Dropping some coin on power cords can yield seriously impactful results. Most recently I've had Synergistic Research CTS digital and analog and Atmosphere X level 2 and 3, PS Audio AC-12, different TWL's and and Audio Envy on my DACs (Cary 306/200, now AMR DP777SE) and integrateds (VPI 299D, now Leben CS600).
And I've kept coming back to BMI. They may be an off brand, but Brian can really build an amazing cable. His Oceanic Statement recently blew a cable non-believer friend of mine's mind and he's now an ecstatic convert feeling like the "fidelity [he's] hearing from [his] system has doubled." My system can't do without one...or two! It's an astonishing upgrade to my system on my DAC and amp, but especially DAC...and my friend's system too, on his tube integrated.
AND, recently, I've rediscovered Dynamic Design. Omystarsandgarters! A Heritage cord on my Leben CS600 has made a remarkable and huge sonic upgrade to my system with even smother, more natural and palpable presence with clarity, dynamics and detail - control with swing - and an even more layered, big quiet stage. Really a treat - especially sharing it with my wife - she's got a great ear, a large palate for enjoying music and the blessing and curse of perfect pitch (painful to hear me sing....even ( and maybe especially) in the shower....apparenly!).
Anyway, with what I'm (we're) hearing, I'd think Dynamic Designs would be in a lot of systems! BMI, too! I'm looking forward to hearing what DD's more recent iterations offer - yes, admittedly an enthusiast like that! So, spend what you can, listen on up and enjoy the tunes! I like my system to be a tranporting magic carpet ride.
HA! Looks like I started and ended with song quotes showing my age...oh well....it was my birthday yesterday and I'm flying that flag high! 62 pretty good years that are getting better and better lately. Go figure.
If you haven’t changed out spec (cheap) grade wall receptacles and dedicated circuits you may not hear much of a difference with aftermarket power cables. Start there first. Hospital grade Hubbell receptacles are a good place to start. I use AQ NRG Edison outlet/plates. Tried and owned several brands over the years, AQ, Kimber, Shunyata, Nordost, Supra and Tributaries and for me I landed with WyWires. All the others were and are very good but I just prefer the openness and lack of drawing attention or very neutral cables and that’s what WyWires deliver.
For large power amps definitely stay with a heavier gauge (HC high current) cable and for digital stay shielded for noise. On most cables it’s the quality of the plugs that make most the difference, so if you are handy build your own but don’t go cheap on the plugs. VH Audio is a great source for parts.
LOL. I roll cables like I roll tubes. Ditto for capacitors. It's not like I'm unhappy with my sound, but I cannot help myself trying out something new. I think if I ever stumble on the "perfect sound" it will ruin the hobby for me!
I guess even in a rather exclusive group such as audiophiles, there are a wide range of different personalities with wildly differing goals and opinions.
Anyway, I'm glad you found your sweet spot ... and I'm glad I haven't found mine.
I'm happy with Pangea. The high end cords didn't sound any better (not sure of the brand). I sold them for shipping cost to get them out of the house quickly.
Power cords don’t make much difference in my system because of the components.
I cannot tell whether you are implying your system is too good or not good enough to benefit from cables. (looks like a very nice setup to me) But either way, I would suggest you try one really good cable on your power amp and then make the call.
I found power cords made a bigger impact on my system than either ICs or SCs. What goes down your speaker cables is sourced from the mains. The input signal dies at your first amplification stage. The cleaner the AC that enters your amp, the better your sound.
You’ve spent money on your system, don’t keep it back by cheaping out on PC’s.
When I tweak amps, I always spend most of my effort and resources on ripple/noise filtering on the power supply. I’ve always found that to be the best bang-for-buck. A good PC enhances your amplifier's power supply ability to produce a more ripple and noise free DC supply, whether you have a budget system or a cost no object system.
The newer AQ power cords are quite good. Blizzard is a good value and sonics for the money spent without going overboard. For front-end gear, a PS Audio P-12 regenerator would be a great addition to your system.
Just like @ Lalitk recommended; you would be hard pressed to find a better sounding/constructed PC compared to the Zavfino Majestic MKII at its ridiculous low asking price and ALL OCC Copper... You could not even build a DIY PC with ALL OCC Copper at that price and the Zavfino sports some fantastic technologies built into their cables.
"Unfortunately, the Audiobacon cable review as all other suggestions is only an opinion which many will disagree with."
One has to begin somewhere. One can research the opinions of others or not-- utilize them or not. If one knows what one's priorities are, in terms of SQ, then reviews can be helpful as a starting point. I never claimed others' opinions were a magic bullet. I would've thought that was self-evident!
Unless, of course, you've discovered a purely objective means of determining how a given cable will sound in my system, in my room, to my ears/brain. . .
What a potentially confusing collection of responses!
You feeling overwhelmed ninja12?
I don't belive you ever stated your budget. That would've helped.
Power conditioning might or might not be worth the investment. Where I live, the power is very clean-- I tried a PS Audio regenerator in my system and could hear no difference, nor could the dealer. YMMV.
Your initial post discussed starting with one power cord-- perhaps you ought to stick with that idea for now, before diving into the "Power Product Vortex".
You've been given some suggestions for power cables, at a variety of price-points.
My experience concurs with those who suggest you start by upgrading the power cord to your amp/integrated. Order from a company that will give you a trial period and refund, should you elect to return the cord. What have you got to lose? (OK... shipping costs, but that typically doesn't add up to much).
Hello, As many stated above power is the single most important factor behind a good performance out of your A/V system. For me what worked best in this regard are 1. Two dedicated circuits with 10 AWG Romex cable 2. Furutech Receptacle GTX-D NCF(R) kit- the receptacle, aluminium side bracket and faceplate I connect all source components to one receptacle and power amps to the other receptacle. The level of performance I get out of the Furutech receptacles is way better than any power conditioner/isolation product (Audioquest Niagra, Shuniyata Denali, Einstein, etc) that I tried in my system. Now coming to the power cable, for my system, it is always the source components where I find a better power cable almost always enhances the system performance. I was using Nordost Frey-2 power cable for a long time. However I have replaced it by a relatively low profile brand Audio Sensibility based in Canada. I am using their signature power cable and I couldn't be happier. Their signature line of cables is so good at least in my system that I replaced most of the Nordost Frey-2 cables. In my system I have no hesitation to say that they beat Nordost Frey-2 hands down. It is definitely worth a try if you are looking for a good cable at a moderate cost. Thanks.
I was stumbling thru various power cords until I purchased 3 used Wywire Silver Juice power cords and heard a definite change for the good. I have since added several Platinum power cords and interconnects and am pleased with the improvement.
Start on your power amp and for $200 or less try the IsoTek EVO3 Premier....Flexible, easy to use PC. Your music should sound more real...a violin sounds more like a violin....piano sounds more like a piano...etc....Could follow this up with an IsoTek or AudioQuest power conditioner.
Paul Speltz Anticables PC did it for me. Being a disbeliever for many years I finally tried a pair (with a full refund guarantee). One in my DAC and one in my amp. The improvement was immediate and very obvious. I was shocked at the benefits. I've tried many others since, many of them much more expensive but keep going back the the very reasonably priced Anticables.
I’ve found that even the base Shunyata Venom V14 power cord makes a noticeable improvement over stock power cords on a DAC. I think the benefit comes from better shielding of electromagnetic interference. That could be a good starting point.
FWIW, not every "audiophile" power cord sounds good. I’ve heard power cords that made my system sound worse than with the stock power cord. Matching the characteristics of a power cord with the characteristics of your components is important to do. The Shunyata Venom seems more neutral in its effect on all equipment.
A good way to then test out more expensive power cord at low cost is to use The Cable Co's lending library of cables to see if you can hear any improvement over a Shunyata Venom.
Shunyata power conditioning for me. Also on the cords. But to get real results go with alpha NR or Sigma NR level. Both not cheap but you will get noticeable results!
Power conditioners are very dependent on your location not just on your system. In the UK we generally have good clean power and I live 4 houses away from a small electrical sub-station. Probably for this reason power conditioners make no improvement, and actually make the sound worse. In the US I believe that the quality of the power is poorer and many seem to get big improvements from conditioners. But it will still depend - rural locations vs city apartment blocks will have very different quality of electrical power.
Re power cables - there are too many brands to know more than a handful but of the ones I have heard I can recommend Shunyata. The mid-series Alpha range by them are particularly good value.
If you can’t instantly hear the difference in a blind test, then you shouldn’t buy it. Unless your system is at really high levels of performance and you are comparing expensive to very expensive power cords... it should be a no brainer. Most of us who have built great systems over many years remember their first digital cable, analog cable, and power cord upgrade moment... the moment we went “holy cow, how can a power cord make that much difference?”. If you don’t get that... just keep working on upgrading components.
Hello, The budget is very important. I am going to tell you to get a Puritan PSM156 power conditioner. This is a great foundation to start. If you can demo this like I did you will know 100% you need this regardless of what your system has. As a cheat you can plug in an inexpensive power strip to add more outlets or get a two or three way splitter for each plug. This will make a huge change for your system with one product. It’s like building a house. You have to have a great foundation then you can build whatever you need on top of that. When you do go for power cords you will really be able to tell the difference between multiple power cords. They make a PSM1512 model that is 12 outlets instead of 6. My issue is it costs twice as much and you get one power cord included instead of two. Plus you can buy two PSM156 or save a few bucks and get the PSM136 which has a few less filters. A lot of people will tell you one brand is better than the other. It’s all what your system needs. You might go SG on you amp and Nordost on you preamp with a Straightwire on your streamer. It all matters. You will know the biggest change on your DAC and the preamp in details and changing the one on the amp is going to get you better bass control and separation of sound or notes. Get the gauge up to 12 on the amp. The rest you can go from 14 to 16 gauge. Some DAC streamers are really serious so you might need higher than 16 gauge. Straightwire Pro Thunder on the amp. Black Thunder on the Preamp. Nordost Blue Heaven on the rest. If the Straightwire Is out of the price range try the Nordost Red Dawn on the amp and preamp. If you are in the Chicagoland area this store let’s you demo cables to make sure it sounds awesome in your system. https://holmaudio.com/ I hope this helped. I have tested this out for myself and it all made a big difference to me.
Looking over your equipment power cords may make a difference, maybe not. I would look in the $300 range... no more. If you spend more, then the money would be better spent on upgrading components. DH Labs on amp Power Plus and Preamp would be a good place to start. If this doesn’t have a significant positive impact... then they are good solid investment on your next generation system. . If you listen to streaming... my next investment would be a high end streamer. The Yggi is capable of a lot with a better input. Aurender makes some outstanding streamers at every price point.
My system sounds fantastic so I didn’t try any other power cords. I was happy with Pangea/BAT and now with Pangea/Spectral. Pangea is a very good investment. Power cords don’t make much of a difference with high end gear. Spending on other things like room acoustics will bring more improvement. Thanks for your comments and questions.
I agree that there are probably good cables under 1k from many manufacturers. And that is precisely my point. DIY is not going to achieve those levels of sound quality easily.
I disagree that good power cable is system dependent. If the power cable is system dependent then it has been designed to do something well and if you have the system that doesn't do that particular thing well you have a match. Otherwise you don't. The power cable doesn't make the music it allows the components to shine.
“Cables that are much better cost way over 5k and you will notice the difference immediately”
@begow, I respectfully disagree with above statement. There are plenty of professionally made high quality power cords to choose from that can sound incredibly good under $1K. As with any aftermarket cable, the degree of improvement one hears is system dependent.
People suggest DIY. You can try for sure but I can almost guarantee that you will not succeed. It is incredibly difficult to build a cable that sounds like a 1k cable from reputable brand like Shunyata. Cables that are much better cost way over 5k and you will notice the difference immediately. Read this and pay special attention to the last post.
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