I need advice for power cords


In my system there are 4 components that power cords are interchangeable.  They are PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube Preamplifier, PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube DAC, Manley Chinook phonostage and Dayton Audio sa1000 subwoofer amplifier.   Should they all be upgraded, if not all which one to change to give me the most improvements.  I can't go crazy on cost, 1k to spend.   I've followed along with many threads on this subject. Always looking to make improvements to sound quality.   Many of you have much more experience with cables than I do so what do you recommend and I can do the research.  On a side note my McIntosh MC75's are vintage so old thin manufacturer cables and probably shouldn't change them. 

Thanks 
Mike 
zardozmike

Showing 4 responses by tantejuut

Upgrading the house wiring is the best you can do for your equipment. 1.  separate phase (if you have 3 phase system) 2 separate group, 3 high-end breaker, 4 hospital grade outlet 5 good cable(s). 6 multiple groups of cables with the exact same length for splitting power amp/front end 7 Star wired distribution block. (Isotek, Kemp, Wire World).

It is all about lowering the (contact) resistance and separating your system from noise/household appliances. If you are on a budget you can use multiple runs of standard wiring and combine them because the inductance will get lower every time you double the wire per leg. (e.g. 2 x AWG 13 per leg is better then 1 x AWG 11). You can check your combined AWG here:

https://www.wirebarn.com/Combined-Wire-Gauge-Calculator_ep_42.html

Aim for 10 AWG or less, your power amp will be grateful. 

Lower inductance is, aside from less (contact) resistance, the second most important part of the job. Star Quad or Helix cable geometries can be helpful with multiple runs of wire so you can create a self shielding type of cable. Don't use shielding on analog equipment or your house wiring. Only use shielding with digital equipment that spits out to much junk/hash. 

If you buy fancy cables before you upgrade your house wiring you will always chase the (sub)bass. And if you buy only one fancy cable, put it between your hospital grade outlet and your distribution block. From there the improvements will be more subtle. Some people think the source is more important, other think the power amp is more important.

Budget recommendations:  Anti Cables Level 3, Shunyata Venoms. Vovox Sonorus, Audience Front Row. Just my 2 cents. Or go the DIY route if you know what you are doing. 
In Europe you can have single phase or a 3-phase electrical system in your house (eg 1x230V at 35A or 3 taps of 230 V 25A). You can use 1 phase separate for your equipment and the other 2 for your all your other groups in your house. There will be no contamination from leds, dishwashers, microwaves, phone chargers etc..). If you have a oscilloscope you can check for the best phase with the least of noise from your neighbors. (I checked it at my listening hours)

If you want to do more, you can also put another earth rod in the ground for your audio system. There are some audio shops that provide this kind of service. I am an electrician myself and I worked at a cable company as a (test)engineer and I have some equipment at home (I am not on the level of a brilliant designer like Bruno Putzeys or Nelson Pass) but I understand the importance of low R,L,C values and a good foundation for your equipment. Tightening your screws and using contact enhancers is also a simple and good tweak to start with.
 
An isolation transformer like Torus or Topaz is also on my list to explore. Balanced power also. Heard a lot of good things about them. But my opinion on house wiring stands. Get the electrical foundation right and then shop for fancy power cables. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Our hobby deserves it.
I would buy 4 anti cables level 3 cables. Or try a few cables mentioned in this thread. I guess that you are happy with your equipment, but you want more performance out of it. Good power cords make the sound bubble bigger (wider & deeper) and also cleaner (more details) because your equipment is performing better.