Nice Warm AC cord for a PLC

It's actually pretty simple, Abe. It improves the sound. That is the goal, better sound, right? Don't knock it if you ain't tried it. Maybe the view of a fairly non-technical type might help. That being me, of course.

Let's just stick with physical differences and basic electrical theory for the moment. I only got as far as the second year of high school electonics, so this will be pretty basic. The cords that came with every component in my system were the standard grade 14 AWG issue. Cheap connectors, low grade wire, PVC insulation (my guess), etc. Take one apart sometime and look at the construction. It's amazing these things don't cause fires more often! The wall wiring is 12 gauge Romex and the wall sockets were el cheapo grade Levitons with push connections for the Romex; nice for a builder in a hurry, but not the most solid of electrical connections. Based on the amount of paint, dirt and dust on them, these sockets date back to when this place was constructed.

There's lots of potential problems with the stuff above, the biggest being the power cords are incapable of handling all the juice the Romex can carry to a power hungry amp. All those loose connections are bad, too. We were taught in basic electronics that efficiently moving power from one place to another required clean, solid connections and a conductor capable of carry a sufficient current to meet the load. Hopefully this is all still reasonable stuff.

After some basic system upgrading the power cables are now significantly larger and capable of carrying more of a load than the Romex. They're no longer a smaller gauge bottleneck like the original cords. They also have high grade connectors on each end which equates to a better connection to the wall socket and the equipment. The sockets are hospital grade (orange and ugly) so they hang onto a plug like nothing else. They're almost a necessity with the heavier cords if a good connection is desired. Oh, don't forget they're cleaner, too. ;-) So, now there are overall better connections at the equipment, socket and inside the wall and sufficient current carrying capacity for what the house wiring can deliver. Nothing to hold the equipment back from a power perspective, right?

Any improvements from any of this? Yes. The better (heavier) cords on the amp and pre- made very noticeable differences, especially on the amp. My guess is the 14 AWG was a bottleneck between the amp/pre- and the Romex, especially on demanding musical passages where the current draw can be very extreme. There was also a difference on the power line conditioner where the pre- and several other pieces are plugged in. Got to feed the PLC to feed the pre-,...even if it's doing nothing more than playing high priced power strip. The differences on the rest of the gear was noticeable, but mostly minor. Blacker background, more musical, the usual 'phile claims. Again, my guess is that at very least the better connections decreased things like micro-arcing, a source of noise, and resistance that limits power carrying ability. Simply going for good electrical connections and power carrying capability is still acceptable, right? To go a bit further, is it reasonable to think that using better materials or different grounding schemes can bring their own improvements? We won't get into some of the real esoteric claims as that really isn't necessary. Hopefully you're still with me and none of this reeks of voodoo.

Let's say each of the upgraded items added an average of only a 2% improvement each which is actually pretty conservative, especially considering what it did with the amp. Yes, trying to quantify these to a number is a reach. Just hang in there for now. In my system, given an average of just a 2% improvement per item equates to a 14% increase in performance for a 5% cash outlay. Not a bad investment if it's the cash that's the concern. If the average were only 1% it'd still be a good bang for the buck.

But it isn't about money with me, at least within certain boundaries. It's the music, the sound and what it does for the soul. Some things are hard to put a price on, but when a passage of music relaxes me, raises goose bumps on my arms or brings a tear to my eye it was worth every penny and all the time spent getting it just right. Making sure that what sits between the gear and the Romex was adequate did make a difference. Not all of them were big, but they add up when considered as a piece of the whole. If I owned the place there'd be dedicated circuits with better wire, grounding, fuses, etc. But I rent, so do what I can without breaking the lease. Hope, too, that this was helpful in some way.

PS - Most of my cables aren't colorful. They're mostly all black. Wish the speakers cables were...instead of purple!

Mapleleaf, we seem to share a similar perspective on cables. Somewhere there has to be a point of diminishing returns, though I don't claim to have pushed the envelope enough to know its boundaries. I have explored enough to know that cables can make a marked *difference* (sometimes better, sometimes not) in a system's sound and that experience has been supported by those familiar with the evolution of mine. What I am willing to pay for the right cables (and everything else audio oriented) has increased with the passage of time, but that's attributed to a mild case of audiophilia nervosa more than anything else. Certainly not common sense. ;-)

As to the original question, I, too, have a VansEvers Model 83 and put a Synergistic Research Master Coupler on it. Didn't add or subtract any warmth, but it certainly "unclogged" something. There was an improvement in overall dynamics over the "stock" cord (the Model 83 was bought used and I strongly suspect the cord wasn't the original one). Everything but the amp is plugged into it, so there's more than a nominal draw through it. It was well worth the money spent, even more so since it was bought used here on AudiogoN.

Sorry, Mapleleaf. Usually one to take the tack you describe, for whatever reason couldn't resist this time. How about we talk hockey instead...

The only thing I'll add, and with apologies to Mapleleaf in advance, is one also has to have a firm understanding of the effort and cost involved in bringing a product to market, especially in a low volume speciaty item. This has a *tremendous* effect on the end price. Get past what the basic materials cost, particularly what you *think* that might be (believe me, it's likely much more). Instead, consider what it cost to deliver the final product; go big picture. That is largely where some of the prices we see originate.

Most importantly, listen to the end result. It's the only way to determine the true value.

That's more than enough from me on the subject. What do I know anyway?

We know Roy does. They even taped one that eventually led to his leaving Montreal... ;-)

As for the Cup being fixed, it may be that the Devils just ran out of gas. They're such a "blue-collar" group (that's said admiringly). It was amazing when they won it all last year against a team with supposedly twice the talent. Which only goes to show how much the chemistry of a team means in hockey. What else can be said but that top to bottom the Devils' system is one of the best in the league.

BTW, Borque deserved to win the Cup at least once. Ray retiring without at least one Stanley Cup ring would have been like Dan Marino with all those records and great years in pro football, but no Super Bowl ring. A crying shame.

Well, the blue-collar moniker certainly wasn't meant to infer a lack of skills. More that they lack the extreme star quality, big name players like a Dallas Stars or NY Rangers. So, instead of riding a few big horses they are more focused on playing as a team. That shows in their transition game: go to the open man and make it happen. No one guy is hogging the puck. That they built a contender largely through the draft is also admirable. It's part of their system of doing things and my team (Sharks) started emulating a few years ago. That it's beginning to pay off is no surprise.

As for Melanie Brodeur, she couldn't have happended to a nicer guy. ;-)

Nolan gone? First I've heard of it. The hockey reporting here may be almost non-existent, but surely it isn't that bad! Actually, we just signed Nolan to a new contract at the beginning of last season.

Friesen we traded, along with Steve Shields, to Anaheim for Teemu Selanne. Freeze was one of the two most popular Sharks players ever (Arturs Irbe being the other), but he was quickly becoming little more than a fast checker. Very predictable on offense, steady on defense. Somehow he lost the ability to finish plays. He has SO much more potential than that and apparently Paul Kariya has already done a lot to motivate him to step up his game. Hated to see him go, but we did get a good, even better, player in return. For Jeff's sake my hope is the change in scenery turns things around for him.

One of the really fun things in San Jose the last few years has been the steady flow of quality first year players. First there was defenseman Brad Stuart who finished second in the Calder voting. Last year it was Evgeni Nabokov, Rookie of the Year candidate for 2001, and Miikka Kiprusoff, his back up. Both are goalies. Next up will be Jeff Jillson, another D-man who played last year at the U of Michigan. Fourth leading scorer on the team as a Junior. Supposed to be stellar. Hmmm, back to back Calders...

What's even scarier is there's a third goalie on our minor league team who's supposed to be even better than Nabbie and Kipper. His name is Vesa Toskala. Double Hmmmm...a Calder hat trick? Don't expect much, do I?