I’m sitting in my listening chair looking at the over $1K power cable that came with my Running Springs Audio Maxim power conditioner. The guy I bought the unit from said he auditioned three cables all costing over a grand and liked these the best.
The cables are about the diameter of the cardboard center of paper towels (maybe even thicker) and weighs about five pounds. It’s absolutely monstrous! I’ve got a piece of wood supporting it under the receptacle and use other items to support it under the Maxim.
The electricity is carried through my house probably using 14 gauge wire. What’s the logic using more than that going from the outlet to any component?
I’ve got quite a few power cables of various diameters, the thickest (other than the one connected to the Maxim) being the AC9 s from Pangea. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever AB’d power cables, having just assumed they do make (at least) some difference.
It’s Interesting that people can be separated from their money with essentially zero scientific fact. It’s beyond placebo effect but certainly not nice to call it stupidity. Let’s have a few of these high cost cable manufactures randomly select on their honour of course, 10 people for blind A/B testing. Then have a further group of Random audiofile’s along with Company representatives set up an accurate A/B system. After solid testing results should the product show merit the company is a winner. Should the results be negative, showing zero improvement.. everybody involved gets free product. I’ll wager there won’t be a lineup of manufactures Interested.
They don't change the sound and they are huge because a lot of humans equate size/weight with quality. In the watch world, I've read where people say they don't like watch xxx because it's titanium and doesn't feel like quality. "It doesn't have heft."
Humans are so gullible and believe such silly things with no actual proof other than, "I know what I hear."
I find generally, cables, cords, and interconnects typically make noticeable and important differences in the sound quality and occasionally huge differences. I have not been able to predict which is going to be huge. I have a number of very fond memories of jaw dropping changes… equivalent to a component upgrade.
The noticeable and important changes are additive… so the small important difference in a single set of interconnects is very significant when applying to all components. Also, closer to the source tend to be more important for interconnects and higher power for power cords. But it depends. Direct lines virtually always make a very important contribution.
I’m of the camp that cables can and do make a difference but that those differences are always subtle, at best.
While I largely agree with this, I shy away from using the term “always” in audio. While most of my cable changes have made subtle improvements, there have been a few that were not subtle. However, I’d also submit that just because improvements may be relatively subtle relative to, say, a speaker change, that doesn’t mean they aren’t important or even indispensable once you hear them to the point you wouldn’t go back to what you had before. That’s my experience anyway.
Thanks for all your thoughts and external reading links. I do appreciate all of you.
I’ve not read them all but the idea that our components aren’t at the end of the electrical chain was interesting. I’ve never looked at it in that way.
I’ve always had a dislike for unyielding cables, be they ICs or PCs. Or even speaker cables, for that matter. I think this probably comes from having limited space behind the equipment rack where stiff, large cables were a chore or couldn’t be used.
I’ve also had lightweight components being tilted up in the front from the pull of the audiophile-approved power cables pulling down on them and also the small monitors connected to behemoth cables and wondering when they’d get pulled off the stands by the cables.
I’m sure you’ve all experienced this, as well.
In one of the articles where the proprietor claims a single PC can take your system from “good to amazing” I call BS on. I’m of the camp that cables can and do make a difference but that those differences are always subtle, at best. So subtle, as a matter of fact (or opinion in my case), that if one used unfamiliar recordings to A/B the differences in PCs their choosing correctly would be akin to flipping a coin. And with a “good to amazing” difference each of us should be able to pick correctly 100% of the time using music we’ve never heard before.
They can act like a “device” instead of a simple cheap 14-10g cord.
Super heavy gauge will certainly increase capacitance. You can also increase or reduce resistance. What’s the big issue here?
you can change these things inside the case (amp/preamp whatever component) as well.
I suppose it’s when to start calling them devices instead of cords??
I take a middle road, and if you read between the lines of some of the more learned opinions here, they seem to lean that way too.
In my opinion (that is the term most recommendations here should start with, however, much more commonly I see "without a doubt") it is indeed size that matters. Amps need fast access to power for dynamics. Don't throttle the power with a light cord.
I use generic 10 awg power cords. I do take the ends off of them and verify they have been well terminated. If you don't feel comfortable with doing that and want something absolutely reliable, then spend 10x as much and get a $500 power cord. Make sure it is heavy gauge, at least 12 awg, preferably 10. I recently bought an amp with a 2 year wait list. I was very lucky to buy it before someone else did. the seller included the upgraded power cord he had purchased. It was a $300 cord. I looked it up and it was 17 awg. I feel certain the cord is why he was unhappy with the amp. I used it on my CD transport.
Like others here say, cords are not tone control. Once you get plenty of power to your amp, anything else you hear is likely affirmation bias.
Having read the link above…written by a chap selling very expensive extension cords, I see statements like this one: The current itself cannot be contaminated . Instead he refers to effects of EMI that exist throughout the power grid.
What I struggle with is that the power cord is not in the data chain. It simply feeds electricity from the wall, or conditioner to the power supply of any given component. And this, after it has run through hundreds/thousands of feet of cheap wire. I certainly agree that interconnects have a voice as they are carrying (especially analogue) data that may be audibly flavored.
Much is written by those with golden ears and expertise far beyond we mortals. But I can simply detect no difference whatsoever…granted that such nuance is subjective. Is there measurable data that verifies exactly what information is lost or flavored in the audio chain by the type of wire in the last few feet of electricity entering the transformers?
This is just my opinion, of course. Clearly, many here with hearing capabilities far beyond mine seem to feel strongly otherwise. The good news is that I can save the $$$ others may spend on a massive extension cord and plow it into equipment that my ears can appreciate. No need for argument, insult or debate. To each his own.
Power cords, interconnects, and speaker cables are all there to serve you and your system. If they are so bulky or heavy as to be a pain in the ass to handle, or risk damaging your equipment, swap them out for something more manageable. Plenty of options, and rarely only a single type to achieve your sonic goals.
@erik_squires I agree. Much can be done prior to the wall outlet as well as from the outlet to the gear and with minimal investment. Dedicated circuits are a must. Gear should be protected from surge with a good quality line conditioning surge protector with high current capability such as Furman Elite PF series. Furman units are used in many recording studios and are no bulls$#t. I use them in my theater rack with two 6 channel high current AB International amps. Black background absolutely silent system at idle. Same with my 2ch system. Dedicated 20amp circuit to Furman Elite. All Gear has standard power cords. Dead silent background with full dynamic range, no reduction of power and strong bass response. Ultra expensive bandaids may look pretty but with clean power on tap absolutely do not provide performance or benefits worthy of their ridiculous price. If the gullible with deep pockets are assured of promised improvements by slick marketing campaigns well let them spend thousands on a power cable that might possibly make a whopping 1/2% improvement.
When a system and ourselves are Tuned to our hearing Perception (which includes having a well sorted mains supply - without any power conditioning - and an earthing mat and rod system dedicated for the hi-fi) then it is very easy to hear significant differences in the reproduced sound, when any component, including power cables and fuses, are changed.
No need for hostilities… the reality is, everything matters. Cables DO make a difference, no question. Where that sits relative to price is up to the individual. Lamp cord works, so does a 20k cable, as well as everything in between. It doesn’t matter what it costs, if it suits your needs… so be it. Regarding the diameter of the OP’s cable, the majority of that is shielding and other “fillers/isolators” the actual wire is most likely 10 or 12 gauge wrapped within.
you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, obviously you have a pretty crappy system because power cords do make a difference, before you flap your gums maybe you should do some research so you'll know what you're talking about because you don't have a clue.
Power cords make a big difference in sound… that is the why. It is best to think about plugging into your outlet as plugging lake, as opposed to plugging into a 14 gauge “hose”. I think the founder of Shunyata uses this analogy. Power does not work like a hose.
Various companies use combinations of insulators and conductors… of various size and composition. Over my 50 years of pursuing high end audio I have had a number of jaw dropping experiences with digital interconnects, speaker cables and power cords.
The most recent when I changed my the cord on my amplifier from an expensive Cardas to a AudioQuest Hurricane. The difference was profound. It did exactly what I needed to the overall tonal balance. The stock cord was well balanced but not as quiet and hindered the dynamics of the music, the Cardas really improved the midrange and bass… but did not improve the details as much… basically tilting the sound towards the too warm side (in most systems this is great). But the Audio Quest equally improved the details… so maintained the balance. The Hurricane was only $1,700… honestly the improvement in my system would have been worth $5K… a good value… as it should be. So, when I can I will be upgrading to the Dragon… I think $5K. I suspect it will be worth the improvement… but I’ll see. Will not happen this year.
I have aftermarket cables. For the sake of this conversation, I changed the stock power cable on my Richard Gray power filter to a Shunyata Venom 20 amp and I could immediately tell a difference ( an improvement ). I’ll stay with my black leather jacket as it has a pocket for my Colt 45.
To satisfy your curiosity, purchase a Waudio cable on Amazon for about $50 and swap it in and see what happens. It won't tell you if the $1,000 power cable is better than a $500 cable, but it should tell you if it's better to your ears than a truly budget cable. The reason that I suggest the Waudio cable is that I have three in my system and noticed a significant difference with it for my amplifier.
I think there's an element of the size and weight that gives the impression of quality. Maybe it's an integral part of the design and maybe it's done for esoteric reasons. Every product has a marketing influence in the design.
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