Power Cord brands mixing. "Your Opinions"

Mixing cables virtually assures mediocrity.

The value of power cables synergy depends on the designers concept and the quality of the system.

When I had Electraglide cables and Shunyata Anaconda Vx's, one Anaconda in the system was great, a second one slowed down the systems sound to much. I'd say that the Anaconda wasn' neutral, but it was very successful to compensate errors in my system - it added warmth, analog sound.

But when your system is neutral and you do not benefit from error compensating methods, you may very well benefit from an integrated power system.

When I had a complete Elrod Statement system this was great and neutral, but still not a completely intergrated power system.

Sharing the same design principles for all your power cables and your power strip offers the best solution to manage the outer and inner interfering fields.
Thus the potential of an intelligently and thouroughly designed integrated power system is clearly above any not integrated system or far above mixed power cables.

Today my complete Schnerzinger power distribution system perfectly fulfills the concept of an integrated power system, sharing the same (and very sophisticated) design principles throughout the system - from the wall outlet to all devices - a huge step ahead. To me there is no way back.

How do they sound thats what is important.I use Audience AU24 wonderful sound.

Now that my systems are wired totally with Audience AU24e (primary) and Au24 (bedroom), I don't envision changing anything, and it's been nearly a year now. The musical involvement continues to amaze me.

Using all cables from one brand does not at all guarantee synergy. Synergy is what is often referred to as the bandaid process to use one product's weakness to offset another product's weakness. If you use only one brand, unless it is perfect (yeah right), you will only get additive flaws with each additional product from that one company, whether it is less and less resolution, clarity, frequency extreme coverage, etc. You need to try numerous products in each link in the chain to find what works "best" for you. And then when you "upgrade" a link, you often need to repeat this process for some or many other links.

From a technical standpoint, the comment by Bill (Audiofeil) makes complete sense, IMO, because I would expect the sonic effects of a power cord to be highly dependent on the design of the component it is connected to. Many technical reasons could be cited for that.

Just to cite three examples:

1)A Class A power amplifier draws essentially constant current all the time, while other amplifier classes do not. Therefore constraints that may be imposed by the power cord on sudden surges in demand for current, as a result of inductance or other characteristics of the cord, will be far more relevant with Class D or Class AB amplifiers than with Class A amplifiers. Those constraints will also be mostly irrelevant with preamplifiers and other line level components, which in most cases also draw essentially constant current.

2)Voltage loss due to resistance in the cord will vary depending on how much current is drawn by the component, and a given amount of voltage loss will certainly have differing effects depending on the function and the design of the specific component.

3)The significance of differences in shielding effectiveness among different power cords will depend on the amplitude and frequency spectrum of rfi that may be fed back from the component into the power cord, and also on the rfi sensitivity of other parts of the system, and on rfi that may be picked up from other parts of the system.

12-23-11: Mrtennis
Can anyone offer a logical reason why mixing or not mixing makes a difference, intrinsically?

From a technical standpoint, I certainly can't envision any.

IMO. Other opinions will certainly differ in some cases.

Regards,
-- Al

Agree with Elizabeth. Adding a subpanel, dedicated lines, and Porter Port cryo'd AC outlets made a HUGE improvement in my system. Much larger than the difference various cords yeilded. Plus the lights don't dim in the room when I crank it up anymore.

regarding 558's implied question as to the consequences of mixing power cable brands, can anyone offer a logical reason why mixing or not mixing makes a difference, intrinsically ?

Since very few systems contain electronics made by one manufacturer, I see no valid reason to use cables from one manufacturer.

I am in the all the same brand category. I use various Shunyata powercords and conditioners throughout my system. I am a firm believer in synergy.

I guess you guys are right. It does sound good.I have read about the teflon tape and it seems to work also. I think tweaks rock.

I have always used a mix but have has a chance to buy 8 identical cables of a good brand; I will report my impressions but will not be able to make a comparison. I have sold or am selling most of the ones I had to be able to afford the new ones.

I have to concur with Plato on this.The real question is "what do you think?"

I think if it sounds good to you it's great. Two problems in asking for this kind of advice: 1) Probably no one else here has that exact same combination of components and cables, and 2) You don't list any of your other cables so how is anyone to have a clue?

When it comes to system cabling and personal listening bias there are just too many variables; so short of inviting a bunch of us over to witness "the loom" no one can really offer a valid opinion, including me.

Happy Listening!