Power Cord


Chord Dave owners...what power cords and interconnect cables are you using?
ricred1
I received several PM's and they all recommend Shunyata Sigma NR, but I don't want to spend $3K on a power cord. I guess I'm crazy for spending money on everything else, but not power cords?
I made my own....Furutech connectors and Accrolink or similar cable.  Easy to make and sound great. 
If people who have heard the Shunyata with the Chord Dave like it, maybe stay in the same line, and come down to a priced cord you can live with, or try some older used Shunyata, and just buy and sell till you find what you like.

It is all so system/room /personel preference dependent anyway.

I don’t believe that a specific brand of power cord is supposedly matched best to a specific brand/model of audio device. In my experience, it really comes down to power cord material (metallurgy) and composition/geometry.

I recently made a set of power cords by getting an Audioquest NRG-4 (the best Audioquest cord without the DBS battery). I chopped the ends and put Furutech rhodium connectors on. These power cords excelled! the NRG-4 uses their best PSC+ copper, which is the Audioquest version of OCC. Audioquest is also the only company I found that uses solid core conductors. The NRG-4 uses 4 x 19awg for hot, which makes 13awg. The neutral/ground are 5 x 21awg, which is 14awg.

In all my testing, solid core always wins.  Stranded just does not sound right - I found it gives a solid-state digital effect (or lo-fi).  I have tested this even with high grade Furutech OCC copper stranded cords.

I had Wireworld Platinum power cords, but they were only 1 meter. I moved my components around and required one 2 meter and one 2.5 meter power cords. Today I decided to try Wireworld Silver Electra 7 with upgraded plugs. After listening all day, I submit the Silver Electra 7 gives up very little to the Platinum. It may be because I’m comparing a 1 meter Platinum cord to a 2 meter Silver Electra 7 cord. I’m keeping the Wireworld for now.
Marc Tunis Silver Ghost.Ridiculously as good as it gets at a favorable price point.
I auditioned Shunyata Sigma NR power cords a couple weeks ago in my system. I thought they were different, but didn't add enough to my musical enjoyment to sell my Wireworld Electras.
Since then I decided to pursue interconnect cables. Long story short, after a home audition I replaced my Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 7 XLR with Audioquest Fire.
I sold my Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 speaker cable. This weekend I will have a listen to Shunyata Alpha speaker cables. I hope to have a home audition of Clarus Crimson speaker cables in a week.
Thanks for sharing Ricred. I am looking at pc's and spkr cables. I look forward to your comparisons. I have a wire world 5.2 sliver Electra pc for my amp. 
Unfortunately, I submit the answer can only be discovered by listening in your own system.
Ricred1
i al considering the wireworld platinum eclipse 7 xlr to replace my nordost Frey between my Berkeley alpha 2 and arc ref 6. I have the clarus crimson xlr between my ref 6 and constellation Taurus. I am very happy with the crimson’s after I switched them with another set of Frey’s. They added smoothness and musicality while not detracting from detail, transparency and space. I was also taking a close look at the aq fire. Can you share impressions vs. ww platinum 7?
The Fire has a more three dimensional sound to it. The Fire is cleaner and allows details further back in the soundstage to be easily heard. Cymbals, lead guitar,  and other instruments have really come to life,  without being bright.  There is definitely more air and space around the performers. 
@stringreen , what acrolink cable are you using please? Furutech NCF connectors?

Thanks.
Accrolink - 4030  (I think it has been updated).   Top of the line (Carbon Fiber) plugs.   Very happy with the sound.

+1 on Acrolink P4030 II, but also the P4020 II (smaller guage) is quite good for digital as well.

I use Oyaide P/C-004 connectors.

Single or double cryo both the cable and connectors just because. :D



jafant,

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to you.
The other thing I’ve been doing is comparing speaker cables. So far I’ve had Shunyata Alpha, Audience AU24 SX, and my own Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7(which I sold). In a week I will have Clarus Crimson speaker cables for a home demo.
The Shunyata is too colored in my system...it tends to mask small details and flattens the soundstage. The Audience was a very big surprise! The cable looks so unassuming and almost cheap. The sound, the sound, the sound! The Audience is open, detailed, and easily differentiates between height and front to back placement within the soundstage. In my system there’s no comparison between the Shunyata and the Audience. Compared to the Wireworld, the Audience does everything just a little better. The Wireworld is a tad bright is comparison. I was going to purchase the Audience, but I already have the Clarus Crimson coming to me and it’s suppose to be a very good match with Monitor Audio. The Audience has me so excited, I don’t really care how the Crimson sounds!
Many Thanks! ricred1

I liked the Audience as well when I first auditioned it about 10 years ago.
I look forward in reading about the impressions between Audience and
Clarus Crimson. Happy Listening!
I purchased Clarus Crimson speaker cables. The Audience is really, really good. The Clarus Crimson is on another level!
Looking forward in reading more abut the Clarus Crimson cables- ricred1.
Happy Listening!
There is only one way to know how any cable will perform in your system and of course whether you will like it Try it.  

Suggestion : go to THECABLECOMPANY.com  and access their lending library. 

Also see JPSLABS.com  Their cables are excellent.
jafant,

Happy New Year's to you and your family!

I've had the Clarus Crimson for almost two months now. This is what I hear compared to the Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 speaker cables that the Clarus Crimson replaced.
There are two things that standout: bass articulation and smoother midrange.
To my ears the Wireworld sounds thin compared to the Clarus...bass is a more articulate and powerful with the Clarus. Midrange with the Wireworld was a little forward and bright on some recordings. The Clarus still provides the detail and clarity without a hint of brightness.
The soundstage width is equal with both cables. I submit the Clarus does a better job of separation and front to back placement of instruments. 
I'm done with power cords for now. I really like my Audioquest Fire, but I would still like to hear the Wels Signatures in my system. 
Thank You for the update- ricred1

I love cables and cords!
Happy Listening!
I'm glad someone loves cables and cords. Finding the right cables is very tedious!
Yep, finding the right cables can be tough. In my experience they can make or break a system.

Cheers,

Scott
I need a flexible power cord for a new dac, so I ordered 2m of the Black Mamba bulk cable and a set of the Connext connectors with the rhodium plated copper contacts. I read about this recipe in the Cerious Technologies cables thread here on Agon. Total ~$200 for a 2m power cord or with a second set of connectors, less than $300 for two 1m power cords if I like the results. I'll let you know how it goes if you're interested in hearing. They would be replacing some Signal Cable PCs that I've had for a long time.
Done with power cords. I purchased two Audioquest Hurricane power cords and one Audioquest Tornado power cord. I will order one more Hurricane in a couple of weeks.
Alright! ricred1
Looking forward in reading more about the Hurricane in your system.
Happy Listening!
@ricred1

Congratulations, I have a feeling you are going to be pleased with what you hear.

I had all WireWorld cables in my system for about three years. While I believe WireWorld make good to excellent signal and speaker cables (system dependent of course); power cables are not their strength. In fact from my experience I'd say they are a weakness.

Enjoy the new cables and your excellent system.

Cheers,

Scott
Scott,
Thanks! Yes, I've had Wireworld in my system for a year or so and agree that there are better choices for my system. There are just so many options out there, is very hard to find the right cables and power cords in my price range that has synergy. I'm really happy with the new Audioquest power cords.
@stringreen @keithtexas 

Sablon Elite PC compared to off the reel Acrolink and top end factory Acrolink over on What’s Best Forum. Sablon came out considerably better. I’ll try and post a link.

His findings pretty much mirror what I’m finding with the Sablon. They are a lot less expensive than the top end Acrolinks, but still fairly expensive. They make an amazing difference in the system, using them on the Mola Mola Makau at the moment but intend getting more.
Here’s a transcript :

Happy to report that the Reserva elite with the Furutech NCF plug blew my existing power cable away........a long, long way. The existing stock Acrolink cable was connected from the Oyaide wall receptacle to the BIT 16 power conditioner feeding the entire system. While these had the then flagship Oyaide M1/F1 connectors, I must confess, there is no comparison ( probably a wee bit unfair too).

For starters, the noise floor and resolution are in another league. Completely another league. I can clearly hear more separation in instruments and the whole performance is at a different level of energy and propulsion. Then again, the soundstage is substantially wider and taller with a hitherto unseen and unheard image density, consistent in the center and the periphery. The Soundstage is deeper but the gains in width and height are far more substantial.

The energy in the room is at a different level too......alive with unprecedented room fill. The bass is superior in every way - extension, tightness etc.

Next step is to swap my lampi power cord (currently the special edition Acrolink 5500) with time the elite and see the difference. This may be a slightly fairer comparison. And then of course putting the elite against the erstwhile flagship Acrolink 9500on my preamp. I have a feeling, the elite might just edge out even the 9500. So let’s wait and see.

What a nerve racking hobby!

Cheers

Sujay

Anybody in the UK that would like to try, send me a PM to arrange.