Wander over to the cable section of audio asylum or maybe do a search here. I think the JPS digital cable improves the sound on my system, however, the trick to it seems to be just an rc network molded into the plug. The good news is that it can be had from the original manufacturer for something like $30.00. (No, I don't have the manufacturers contact info, but it should be easy to find on AA or maybe somebody else here has it). |
I had the JPS feeding my DAC at one stage and I thought it cured/rounded some of the "digital" nasties. IMO if your system is bright sounding it might just do the trick. My comparison was the PS Audio Xstream Plus PC. I finally settled for the latter which in my system sounded bolder while still sounding quite detail. I have Chris VH Audio Flavor 3 Power Cord connected to my Rotel/Transport though which again IMO was more neutral sounding than the JPS. |
I don't know the specifics of the JPS design, but i do know that proper impedance characteristics can DRASTICALLY improve the sonics of a system. If JPS is using some type of impedance compensation network on their digital cabling, along with good quality conductors and dielectric, i don't doubt that it is a good sounding cable. I've been using a cable that has those features for several years now and Stereophile ran an article about this very subject about a year or so ago. The fact that any cable can be modified in this manner and improve performance makes it a no-brainer in my book. Why more manufacturers don't use such an approach, i don't know. Sean
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For sake of clarity, are you guys talking about a power cord designed for use with digital products or an interconnect designed for use as a digital link between transport & DAC? Sean
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Sean, good point. Was thinking about the "JPS Digital" 120v power cord. |
As discussed over at AA, this is at least very similar to a production Eupen power cord that can be purchased in small quantities directly from Eupen's US distributor. There is some controversy as to whether or not it is a stock Eupen model or if JPS has them built to slightly different spec's. Most that have tried both have found that if there is a difference in performance, that the difference is so small as to be negligible. Sean
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Greetings Speedy:
The JPS Digital AC is highly recommended & comparatively inexpensive, so the cost-effectiveness factor is high. Many users have reported highly satisfactory results using this cord on their digital equipment. I have one among my large-ish collection of cords and in fact it's been in use for several years (on my EAD U2000 cdp). I have tried many other cords on that player but eventually I've always reverted to the JPS. As cheap as they are, why even bother to try mimicking a proven formula, with questionable results. Filtration isn't the only thing responsible; their aluminum conductor approach reportedly factors as well. |
Hi, I use the Eupen OEM cord. No difference between it and the JPS labelled one. The Eupen model no. is in an answer in my system description. In general, a valuable, fairly neutral upgrade. It wont tune the sound print of your player to be more lean or have more bass. |
I had a JPS Digital AC, purchased for use with my Levinson DAC. I found that it definitely had a "quieting" effect on digital. Too much of an effect, in fact. It crushed dynamics and made everything sound slow.
If this is the effect you're after, you can reproduce it yourself using a standard power cord and a ferrite core.
BTW, after reading about the alleged off-the-shelf origin of the JPS cord, I looked underneath the Techflex wrapping on my own JPS cord and verified for myself that it is indeed a repackaged OEM cord from Eupen. |
It did not float my boat. |
Utilizing the aforementioned JPS Dig AC cord from the Cable Co. on a Sony SCD xa 777 w/BAT vk5i, & Vk 500, and VR 4Jr's.... it certainly has a quieting effect.. improves the bottom end noticeably, and attenuates the highs to some degree... overall a presentation that is not bad... the only downside seems the lessening of the soundstage in an apparent condensing of it. Decay seems shortened. The sonics are good on balance... Vocals have the detail, and naturalness with some dimensionality. though I can see how a previous post indicates it to be 'slow'...I don't know if that's the most accurate term though.It does appaer that the music is emerging out of the blackness with some degree of resttraint, hence the diminished rise & decay. With power applied this too becomes less the issue. Another point to confirm the attenuation of the highs is the fact I can and did turn up the ambience tweeter a tad more. From it's usual position of about 11 o'clock (which is barely on), to nearly 1 o'clock... without any more thin or bright sound in the top end and no sibilance in the mids... this also brought bakck a good bit of the slightly compacted SS. . . yet kept the solid imagery. It's a good sounding cord. Given the prices of cords a decent value... and if the above posts remain true as to the fact it is attainable for far less than the $350 retail tag it has, employing it for a time until a more suitable one is integrated into my system is probably what I'll do. The Audience seemed almost the equal of the JPS with the same bottom end improvements, though an attenuation in the mids. the SS also was embraced firmly though the top end did not suffer quite the change the JPS offered up, it remained almost unaffected., Again not a bad choice. Price could indicate the one to be picked... The PAD venusta was quite the best. At first. That changed. It continued to change and became more than I could handle in the top end though. A very good cord but certaily not for me... or just my system... and it could all be the 'synergy' of the cords employed.. I didn't like the JPS and the Audience together. Didn't like the Audience and PK10 together... and as I said the Venusta & pk 10 ended up being a poor match. Beats me why. Just was.
I've a few more to check out for the BAT pre and Sony Cd, though before I make the purchase of ANY power cords, to be sure. Power snakes are next!
One last word here, as I'm visually challenged, my hearing is far more sensitive to the top end aberations. Hardness brightness, grain, edge, and the like, especially 'sibilance'... so this may not be applicable to others... I hear junk my friends say they don't, as a rule... so top ends Have TO BE VERY SWEET for me to dig them for any length of time... or at all for that matter. |
OK, I'll bite : where is this cheap Eupen cord avaiable and how much is it? At present I am using a VH flavor 4 on my Cary 308 and a VH flavor 3 on my Rotel 1072. |
One point : the plug is not the only thing that makes the sound of CD more analogic than most other power cables with the digital AC JPS, as I had to change the plug for the european voltage (and not with another special JPS plug).
Anyway, my CD/SACD player sound softer and more analogic with the jps digital cable without its original plug than with any other power cable I have (Audioquest, Cardas, Shunyata).
The benefit is clear in that way, but it depends a lot of the entire system - other cables, for instance.
If your digital player already sounds not harsh, too bright or kind of agressive, well it could be too much to use that cable : it could may sound the CD's too soft, restrained, dark. |
