Power cable education needed


Hi everyone. I need some education on power cables. I have been reading that a good power cable is vital to a good sounding system. If that is true wouldn’t the companies the make the components include a good power cable to insure their product sounds the best that it can ? Should I evaluate the power cables in all of the components in my system? 
ronboco

Showing 5 responses by jerkface

 Let me try though, if you had a giant power cord, like half inch thick wires And a circuit blew inside the appliance it doesn’t matter how big the wire is before the fuse...It’s not like the large wire is holding a huge amount of electrical current as if it was water
Here's an easier way to explain it. 

The gauge/composition of the power cord stops mattering the moment the current hits the very tiny gauge wire on the other end of the power supply connector.

As long as the wire is heavy enough to handle the peak current draw of the amplifier without catching fire, it literally doesn't matter after that point. 

But, again, if you're enjoying your $800 power cable more than the stock cable that shipped with your amp, good for you.  Keep enjoying it. 
So then can you please explain to me what these giant power cords bring to the table? I purchased a couple and I couldn’t notice a difference. I’ve got good hearing and approximately 50 K in my system. I’m trying to figure out what a $10,000 Power cord brings to the equation. I’d love to have an explain to me. Thanks

Asking the wrong person.  Personally, I can't even see how such a product could be successfully A/B'ed to ascertain a difference.  I don't argue with people who believe in expensive power cables, because to them I'm just pissing on their fun, and I don't want to be that guy.  
It won't do anything about the noise the line picked up from the power station to the outlet you plug it into

Yup.  Which is why money is better spent on an isolation unit like the Tripp Lite IS500 I use for my audio system.  Nothing like a big fat toroidal transformer to clean up the noise in your input power. 
Any recommendation for make and model, and price of package?

Sure thing.  IK Multimedia does a solid room analysis package with a mic included.  Little slow on shipping right now, thanks to COVID, but...  

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ARC3--ik-multimedia-arc3-acoustic-analysis-and-room-correcti...
I appreciate your input and I’ve learned that treating a room is critical to good sound. I do have panels from vicoustics and gik on the walls. Have a look and tell me what you think. My room question was referring to the fact it’s not a great room really for a high end system being 2 story and open to other areas. I was wondering if there comes a point when continued upgrades would become fruitless because of the room.

My suggestion is, the next investment you make on your system should be on a spectrum analyzer software package, one that has a pre-calibrated microphone included.  That way, you can do your analysis on the room and decide for yourself if you need to put more effort into room correction before you start spending on "last mile" items like power cords.

Believe it or not, the fact that your room is tall and open to other areas is a *benefit*, not a detriment.  Phase cancellation from reflections happens because of proximity between reflective surfaces.  The fewer parallel surfaces you have in your room, the fewer problems you'll have with the room negatively impacting your sound. 

Trust me, it sucks a whole lot worse trying to correct a 12x12x8 square room than it does an open area like yours.