Power Cord brands mixing. "Your Opinions"

I have to agree with Doug here, pretty strongly too. I've done quite a bit of messing around with power products over the years and admit to that factor being the most challenging for me in system design. One thing I understand from all of that experience is that each brand seems to have it's own character. I know exactly what a Shunyata cable will sound like in my system regardless of which one, same with Nordost, Tara, Acoustic Revive, MIT, Isoclean...so on and so on. Most of those brands are very different in voice and to my ears tend to sound mucked up when mixed in a system. I hear much more coherence from one "voice" throughout vs the mixing of those voices. I suppose it depends on an individuals goals when building their system, mine involve bringing a true to the source end result so the more coherence the better.

Regarding the comments that suggest a power cord/brand will sound very different depending on the gear it is connected to, from my experience this is not accurate. I'd guess many reasons for this, some beyond my knowledge base some I think I get. Many cords use different methods to provide clean, ample current...including the use of elements (ie Tara or Acoustic Revive and some Shunyata) or even the winding techniques but these bring a specific sound with them in most cases. That sound or voice is pretty consistent. Acoustic Revive uses Tourmaline in many of their products and the reaction of Tourmaline and an electrical signal is audible hence most of their products have the same overall character. I'd say this is also true of filter techniques...ie MIT...that have a character in the sonic outcome. Mixing these "voices" has not given me positive results in achieving my system goals.

I realize some of this is redundant but was trying to illustrate why I held this opinion.

Al...I was specifically referring to power cables in my comments. There is not a doubt in my mind that most brands of power cords have a sonic character...regardless of what piece of gear they are powering. I do understand that if you approach this from a purely analytic perspective vs one of application, that may be hard to fathom but I am certain of this.

I'm sure it is hard to take some idiot's post on a forum (me) as gospel on the matter but if you search through the vast amount of information on this forum and many others like it you will find very consistent description of how some of the more popular cables sound. Just search Nordost Valhalla for example....I would guess many readers of this post could tell you before you get to the results what they will say. Why?

Thanks for the kind words Al. Agree or disagree, always a class gentleman.

Not to beat an already weary horse but if you read through others experience, you will find the same character describing certain brands of cords. So beyond my personal experience, it seems others are hearing the very same things. Many others.

I think you are a guy that needs to understand the "why" of it which is a tough one in this case. I'd bet there are different reasons and it would be challenging to understand them all. The scientific reason Tara cables sound darker and Nordost sound bright and lean may be very different but ask a sample of guys who have a lot of experience with those cables and you'd hear those same words over and over and over...all folks with different systems.