Power cord upgrade

I had AQ Tornado on my Aurender N200 and didn’t like it - too dull, narrow stage, mushy. Using Nordost Heimdall 2 now and also tried Frey 2. Both are better to my ears and in my system than the AQ. 
I would go with Transparent or Nordost especially if you already have the Hurricane on the amp unless you like soft and dark sound. 

Try a WireWorld Silver Electra on your streamer, they are well liked for that purpose.

I just received a Puritan PSM156 last week and have been breaking it in with the Classic+ cord that came with it. I know the Puritans take about two weeks to break in, but after five days of painful listening with terrible, etched highs, I had to swap out the cord for 20A Shunyata I had laying around.  This quickly resolved that problem though it will not be my final cord for that unit. I suspect that the Classic cords are not shielded and that was the issue. So, yes, I would agree that the cord may be holding you back. I was planning on getting their ultimate cord, but now I am a little concerned that I might have the same experience. 

When I had PSM 156 I swapped connectors on classic cord with Furutech rhodium plated FI-28 and FI-32. Made a really nice improvement. 

OP Iam not surprised the Heimdall and Frey will work in favor of AQ . I used AQ storm series on amp and preamp.

Also, OP…don’t buy the puritan ultimate cord without ability to return it. I tried it, gave it few weeks of break in and sold it. It was harsh, thin and fatiguing in my system with all pass labs amplification at the time. I eventually got rid of psm 156 as I found it to be an overall bad fit for my system and I only ran source components off the puritan. 
good luck

Using the Shunyata Denali 6000 v2 I have had great success with both the Shunyata Sigma v 2 and Kubala Sosna Elation power cables.

I’ve been impressed by reviews of some direct sellers that are worth exploring as they offer high value and generous free trials.  On the lower end there’s the Ice Age OFC “Frankencable” and on the pricier side there’s the Snake River Signature both of which seem to punch well above their respective price points.  Best of luck. 

https://iceageaudio.com/ice-age-audio-store/ols/products/ofc-power-cable/v/OFC-PWR-CBL-6FT-LNG

https://snakeriveraudio.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=36

I’d recommend a Transparent Reference. That is what I have on my system components with a Hurricane on my power amp.

@skids: I tried an AudioQuest Hurricane source, and a AQ Hurricane high current (along with various other AQ PCs) power cable in my audio system on different components, and after much trail and error, and out of all the AQ power cables I tried, I ended up using an AQ Hurricane high current PC on my AQ Niagara 3000 power conditioner only. I absolutely love the AQ Hurricane HC power cord on my power conditioner, which it will remain for the foreseeable future. As far as AudioQuest power cables are concerned, I found only their upper tier power cables to be to my liking, as I also use an AQ Firebird source power cable on my streaming DAC.  A totally phenomenal AQ Firebird source power cable, although very expensive, would work wonders on your streamer.  Otherwise, you’ll just have to keep on experimenting with different power cables until you find the right one. Happy listening.

I had a Anticables PC on my Aurender N150, I thought it was good, I use Anticables speaker wires and they blew away my Wireworld Equinox and Audience AU24...

But I use Acoustic Zen on everything else, interconnects are AZ Absolute etc, and I love Acoustic Zen Krakatoa power cords.. well I scored another Krakatoa and replaced the Anticables Power cord and it was like buying and new price is gear, totally opened up and smoothed out everything,  bass way more subterranean...

@zlone

I know the Puritans take about two weeks to break in, but after five days of painful listening with terrible, etched highs, I had to swap out the cord for 20A Shunyata I had laying around. This quickly resolved that problem

Interesting. I just removed the ultimate cord and inserted the classic back into the PSM156 because I thought this comment was quite odd. I certainly don’t get any etched highs, if anything it is smoother and easier to listen to than the ultimate. Less resolved, less detail, less refined and not as nice sounding, but not terrible by any means. The worst part of the classic and the part I noticed the most was the bass was bloomy and very much uncontrolled with the classic vs. the ultimate. But I suppose the Shunyata is that much smoother by comparison? Which Shunyata cord is it?

@skids I wish I could try the Hurricane HC in the Puritan but it is not a C19.

Won't know without trying, right? I am satisfied with the over all sound now, so looking for more of it. Make any sense??

Yup, makes total sense. I feel the same about my system right now, leaves nothing to be desired, so I have a C19 Sigma V2 on the way to see if I prefer it over the Ultimate.  We are audiophiles, right? 

@skids - My experience was a little different than Audphile1. I also have the Puritan 156 in my primary system which absolutely up-leveled the quality of my listening experience. I upgraded to their Ultimate Power cable and used it on the Puritan 156. In my system it was a definite improvement leading to deeper and more propulsive bass and more meat on the bones for the music. 
 

There's no such thing as upgrading power cords so don't waste your money NO REASON.

(if money is no object to you... then... )

@classicrockfan Don’t wast your breath, the Force is strong said Darth Vader, old age, disposable coin, hearing loss, gullibility, marketing, some of the powers at hand !! 

AQ Tornado source is perfect for that a bit more money but better suited the the HC version.

@audioman58 Could you please clarify that statement, that the Tornado is perfect for that? Perfect for the streamer dac?

I got the best result with Puritan PSM-156 from using a ZenWave PSR-11 than a AQ Dragon HC. On the other hand, Dragon serves my Grimm MU2 better than Zenwave. Simply put, I like the synergy better. 

I’m a fan of Nordost Hemdall 2. Remember, some manufacturers have recommended lengths. As an example, Nordost recommends 2m for their power cords. If possible, purchase a cord you can return if you don’t like it. 

I have tried a host of power cords and Furutech DPS is by far the best sounding in my system; it's on all of my components to include the Puritan PSM156.

Wig🎶🎵

For kicks try a diy solid core with hospital grade Hubble and Marino iec

in Europe use a 3x1.5mm solid and in US a 16awg (for source or 14awg for amps)

synergy? These are the cables in your wall

you might be amazed….

@mclinnguy Interesting. I just removed the ultimate cord and inserted the classic back into the PSM156 because I thought this comment was quite odd. I certainly don’t get any etched highs, if anything it is smoother and easier to listen to than the ultimate. Less resolved, less detail, less refined and not as nice sounding, but not terrible by any means. The worst part of the classic and the part I noticed the most was the bass was bloomy and very much uncontrolled with the classic vs. the ultimate. But I suppose the Shunyata is that much smoother by comparison? Which Shunyata cord is it?

Yes, it was definitely surprising that the Classic+ seemed to be the source of my issues. Substituting the Shunyata (it is just a Venom model) changed everything. I still plan to replace the Shunyata, as I think it is limiting. The only other time I had to remove a power cord from my system was when I used an unshielded cord on my amp and had similar results. I have no explanation for this phenomena, but it is pretty apparent and seems to be addressed with shielding.

I have the N200 and recently switched to a Clarus Crimson cord and it seems to have cleaned up the sound. I noticed it in the bass and midrange the most.

All the best.

Other people's advice on cables is useless.

Find a dealer (brick & mortar or online) who lets you audition them in your system, make sure they're broken in and try them in your system.

Trust your ears.  That's all that matters.

I've tried cables that sound terrible in other people's systems and not bad in mine.  And vice versa.

dont throw money away  - try Ice age audio Frankencable power cord or used Triode wire labs Obsession.

You'll never know what has the perfect "synergy" without trying every power cable available (but none make an objective difference). Happy hunting.

get a power cord that has OCC single crystal wire in it, OCC single crystal wire is far superior to anything OFC on the market and any price, OFC is the cheapest wire made it has 500 crystal barriers per foot which are little fractures in the wire I can't believe companies like transparent charge $70,000 for that cheap crap.

I got a synergistic research power cell and euphoria cables.  But the biggest difference will be plugging your DAC into a portable power station like the ecoflow delta 3. That will give you far more bang for the buck.

Although suggestions and recommendations form others are always welcome and sometime very helpful, at the end of the day, they aren't worth a hill of beans when it comes to you finding the right cable that will synergize with your particular streamer best to your liking.  As already mentioned, trail and error is the only way.  All you can do is to bring in as many power cables for auditioning in your system as possible, and hope for the best.  Eventually, you'll find the perfect cable.  Happy listening.   

I appreciate everyone’s input, and at the end of the day I know it’s all about what sounds best in my system.

And yeah, trying every cord that’s out there would be nice.

Certain brands come up more frequently, such as AQ and Transparent, and I like that for a good starting platform.  

@skids 

Certain brands come up more frequently, such as AQ and Transparent, and I like that for a good starting platform.  

After trying a few others I wouldn't be surprised if you prefer the Shunyata V14 NR cord you have on the Aurender now, as that was specifically designed to be used with streamers. But sounds like you want to go with AQ or Transparent. Let us know! 

If you just must have a high end PC, you can get one for $460 shipped new.

Voodoo cables Vision. 8 gauge OCC copper, multiple gauges, teflon dialectric. Very high end connectors. Tough outer jacket. And perhaps it’s biggest draw. It’s thick and looks cool. :). But seriously. The best copper there is with teflon dialectric. There’s really nothing better out there from a standpoint of materials and performance. And under 500 bucks. If you spend 5000 you’re wasting $4500.

@megabyte Voodoo cables Vision. 8 gauge OCC copper

This caught my eye, as I have had good luck with OCC copper cables. I could not find any reference to OCC for the Vision cables. That would be a good price if they were OCC, did I miss something?

@zlone If one simply wants the cheapest OCC cable, look no further than Audio Sensibility. You can get an OCC power cable for half that amount. This is in CDN dollars. 

Steven Huang owner of AS was a family friend of Dr. Ohno. 

@zlone

I apologize. I was confusing its copper with another cable. Voodoo states it’s 8 AWG, and uses silver plated high purity copper, each strand individually insulated, Teflon dialectric (the best save for air), gold plated tellurium copper hardware, copper braid shielding and cryo. Maybe I was thinking of their next level up. Still, I doubt you’re getting any better performance by spending thousands. Just my opinion though.

Frankly I’d still say it’s more than you need to spend on a power cord. But at 460 I feel like you can safely eliminate any chance you don’t have a top notch PC. Not necessary. But I don’t mind spending some more to get something very well made whether it’s audible or not. Plus, it looks cool. :) 😎

@megabyte No problem, there are so many choices it is easy to mix up the specs. 
 

I have never noticed much difference with power cables until I tried this Shunyata on my Furman PFi 20, and the Puritan that replaced it. A profound difference, not all better, in sound. Just for fun I might build a new one using Neotech OCC gear. 

@mclinnguy Thanks, Audio Sensibility is on my list.Very fair prices and it looks like decent gear. 

OP: +1 System synergy. I have Transparent Audio cabling from the wall to the TA power conditioners. Then Synergistic Research cabling to the components. Adding an upper-tier digital SR power cord to the streamer was a ’wow’ moment.  Ask if your local SR dealer has a trial period.

I will admit it . . . I am a Shunyata fanboy.  I have all Shunyata Alpha v2 power cords, and they are fantastic.  I also use Shunyata Sigma v1 speaker cables, a Sigma power cord for my Shunyata Everest.  The Venom, while a decent power cable, is on the low end of the Shunyata line, and by moving up the ladder, you get more of the good things that the cable can do.  Although most of my power cable upgrades (from other cables, not stock) were subtle but noticeable improvements, the improvement over stock on my ARC REF 6 was not subtle at all.  And the most surprising improvement was putting in the Everest with the Sigma cable.  It is odd to say it, but everything that I wanted in my system snapped into place, especially the depth of soundstage.  It was a startling improvement and I recommend trying one, and moving up the Shunyata line.

The debate as to whether power cords have an audible impact on the audio output of sound systems has been going on for years.  There is an excellent article written by Kurt Denke (Blue Jeans Cables)

https://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/power-cables 

on this subject in Audioholics dated April 29, 2011.  As far as the power cables that are in the middle to high end audio that equipment manufacturers use, I tend to trust their engineering.  By that I mean would they risk degrading the performance of their brand by opting to install a poor-quality cable to supply power to their equipment?  I know that my response does not answer your query, but as with many aspects of our hobby/passion power cord "upgrades" is a subjective one.  In the end purchase whatever satisfies your desires because life is short.

That depends on the Tornado model,  if you used the HC I can see that just too big for the application , I spoke with AQ engineers the geometries are different for the far less demanding Source products like Dac Streamers ,DDC Reclockers ,preamps , this is why they developed the Source Tornado. The Engineers offered this information without me asking them .they took the time to explain ,myself a technical person appreciated this. Perrotta Consultants has a Special pricing on these . 

DH Labs Red Wave or Furutech NCF.

The only thing you'll achieve by buying a new expensive power cord is having something that might look pretty compared to a standard cable. But besides that, you won't hear a single difference. You might actually be introducing noise. That's snake oil for ya. If you're not happy with the sound of something, check your room acoustics, make sure you have a capable amp, and/or replace your speakers. That's it.  Everything else is a waste of your money.

@squared80 You do have a valid point on the room acoustics but not on power cables. Guessing you have a lo to mid-fi system and should head on back to ASR. 

I originally had Nordost Red Dawn on my streamer then upgraded to the Tornado source cable. I just upgraded from that to a Snake River Audio cables. I bought 2 different ones. One is the Signature which is a hybrid of 24K gold and silver. The other is the Cottonmouth which is 24k gold. In my setup, the cottonmouth sounded better on the streamer and the hybrid on my phono. Couldn’t be happier with the results. Highly recommend giving them a look. (SRA runs some pretty good deals now and then).

@vetsc5 I like the article you referenced and have three comments.

1.  Just about everybody assumes that exotic power cables fix up the power coming from the wall.  Why that last six feet has that effect is beyond me.  Instead, I would suggest that power cables may reduce noise coming from your own components!

2.  The article was written some time ago, when transformers were near ubiquitous. Now we have switch-mode or switching power supplies in many components. Switch mode works from the high voltage spike produced when you suddenly switch off current.  Class D amplifiers use this principle.  A high frequency chopped square-wave contains lots of very high frequency harmonics!

3.  I have personal, objective, repeatable evidence of the dramatic effect changing a power cord can have on a digital source.  I live in a marginal reception area for digital TV and have a small motorhome with a domestic AV stack.  The TV aerial is on the roof above the stack, and a powered KEF Class D subwoofer is at the bottom.  TV reception is perfect until the subwoofer is switched on, which totally annihilates the picture.  The solution, as mentioned in your article, is a couple of cheap ferrites clamped around the subwoofer's power cord.  What is happening is that the Class D amplifier in the KEF in injecting high frequency electrical noise into the power cable.  The obvious effect is interference with low-level broadcast digital signals, but equally this noise is injected into other components on the same circuit.

@skids - so many cable options, no easy answers.  My personal list of PC based upon others positive reviews (prices not current):

• 0.4 Black Cat Silverline
• 0.4 LAVRiCABLES Grand 30 CORE Silver Mains
• 0.6 Morrow Map4
• 1.4 Transparent Reference
• 1.7-1.9 PowerKord Kimber PK10/PK14
• 1.0 Zavfino OCC Silver Dart Graphene
• 2.0 Siltech Classic Legend 880P
• 2.5 ZenWave PSR-14,11.   
• 2.5 RSX Beyond 
• 3.0 Synergistic Research Atmosphere UEF Level 3
• 3.2 VooDoo Phoenix, Dragon, Tesla 
• 3.5 Synergistic Research Atmosphere SX Euphoria
• 3.5 Audioquest FireBird
• 4.0 QSA Lanedri Gamma Infinity 
• 4.0 NanoFlo Superconductor Holographic 3D6
• 4.8 Hemingway Audio Z-core Beta
• 5.5 Audioquest Dragon

Audio Bacon 2019 PC shootout here

To classicrockfan:

You are 100% correct.

As long as a power cord is thick enough to handle high current, any such a cord is good. The cheaper, the better. Power code can not affect audio sound quality (maybe 1 - 2%?).

I have Vienna Mahler speakers. My pre, power amp is very old and relatively cheap. Onkyo pre, Yamaha 200W power. Cheap but thick power cords, $20 interconnect everywhere. The sound? Awesome!!!

Please, do not waste your money, just get higher end speakers as you can afford.

I used to think components were more important cables.

I now have done a 180 and am sure that cables are more important than components.

 Have a modest system compared with most of my friends in our audio club.  Many of them have spent well north of $500k on their rigs.

 Have now rotated many sets of high end power cables, interconnects and speaker cables through my sub $50k system and I can tell you without reservation that a set of $100k cables makes my system sound better than the best $750k rig I have heard.

If you want body and soul without losing transparency and soundstage try Clarus Crimson, exceptional, not just for the price.