Power Cords - Equipment Priority?

Digital components generate noise and will benefit from noise filtering cords.The difference is plain to hear.Some amps are built with superior noise rejection,others are not,so it depends....

Replace the IsoTek on the power conditioner with one of your stock cords and see if it makes a difference.

It may or may not.

Then try the IsoTek on some of your source gear to see if it makes a difference.

DeKay

I have gotten a larger sound improvement with quality power cords than I have with changing out IC's or speaker cables. Not saying quality IC's & speaker cables are not important, they are as well. YMMV

@boxer12  +1  Power cords have been the most important cable in three different system configurations in a  row for me (basically since I really started trying them in earnest).  Power cords and conditioning are one of the key fundamentals for system potential, IME.

Do you have upgraded power cords on all your components?

Another question:   Is it at all redundant to have an upgraded power cord for a power conditioner?

Not all power cords are created equal. The range of performance and price is vast. You must however consider your baseline. Freebie power cords shipped with components are such awful crap just about any power cord at any price even the crappiest most overpriced crap will almost certainly be a huge improvement. 

But even more to the point, if you're running freebie cords, then whatever amount of money you put into power cords will buy you more improvement than that same amount of money could possibly get you if spent on a component. Got it? Any $500 power cord beats a $500 more expensive component. Until you replace those factory freebie cords it is probably even true that no amount of money is enough to overcome what you could get from what you have right now, only plugged into something like a Synergistic Research Master Coupler.

And yes the same holds for every single component in your system. You would be shocked to find how much you can spend before this even starts to change in favor of spending more on the component. Shocked.

Equipment Priority'

#1. Ac power, pc, conditioners. Start from the box and work you way to pc,s.
#2, speaker placement/position

#1 can cost thousands upon thousands of dollars while #2 cost you time, patients and research to get 90% there. If funds permit I would hire a master speaker set up person like Bob Robbins at myspeakersetup.com

I believe the power cord is the most important cord in my system. I've also come to the same conclusion that it has had more impact than changing speaker cables and interconnects. In simplistic terms, our systems turn power into music.

All the downstream cables (speaker cables & IC's) benefit from having quality power. One must tread carefully though as it can become really expensive if you get the itch to change all your PC's at the same time. I took my time and I also use 3 different brands (mix and match approach) instead of a complete loom as its more affordable. I've also found it's best to experiment, there is no fixed set of rules. My 'best' and most expensive power cord sounded better from the power conditioner to my integrated amp instead of from wall outlet to the conditioner so I kept it there. 

If you haven't read Nordost's Foundation Theory please do so as it made me think differently about how to optimize my system and how to get the most satisfaction when I do upgrade.

https://www.nordost.com/dealer%20downloads/FoundationTheory.pdf  

In my opinion, I can hear a positive difference with upgraded power cords on all components that have an IEC and will accept the upgraded power cord.
+1Dekay

@malatu - Cables are a very complex area to delve into and an area I have been investigating for many years.

I have found that the "amount" of improvement from power cords is dependent on the components. i.e. The better the power supply in the component the degree of improvement is less noticeable.
e.g. my integrated amp has a very good power supply, so using a third part power cord on it would not yield the same level of improvement as using that same power cord on my streamer that has a less capable power supply.

Having said that - for the best "bang for the buck you can get "similar levels" of improvement by putting an extremely good ($$$) power cord on the amp and a lessor ($$) power cable on the streamer.

Putting an extremely good power cable on ALL components is a "safe" approach, but can be a waste of your budget - i.e. unless you have lots of spare cash lying around burning a hole in your pocket :-)

As to which of the three cable types provide the best bang for the buck I have found the following...
- interconnects allow your components to get the signal to the amp - so good IC’s are imperative and I have found to be one of the most noticeable upgrades.
- speaker cables get the signal to the speaker - I found using the right cables provided the biggest improvement in sound
- power cables are perhaps the most daunting of the three, because gear tends to respond very differently with each cable/brand/component

I have spent more time on cables than I care to admit, but for me, now they are the most important "component" in my system - even my very affordable streamer performs way above it’s "snack bracket" when connected with good cables.

Good power cables on subs also provide considerable benefits because it allows the amp to exert more control over the speaker.

The only commercially available cables I recommend these days are...
- NORDOST
- KLE Innovations

They provide similar "levels" of very noticeable performance improvement. But unfortunately they are at the upper end of the cable price range. Having said that, once purchased, you may never need to replace them.

If you are into "serious DIY", by that I mean making the actual wire, not just buying bulk cable, I can recommend a Helix Design that I use throughout my system. to great effect.

If you just want to build you own cables using good a good bulk cable and connectors - look at the DH Labs bulk wire and use Sonar Quest silver plated connectors (Ebay). They will outperform some of the name brand cables for a least amount of $$$.

The problem with DIY power cables is - you really should be aware of the electrical codes in your area and adhere to them, otherwise insurance coverage could become an issue.

DO NOT ever use solid core wire for component power cables since it is not recommended by many electrical codes due to fatigue failures (i.e. breaking).

One last point - replace the wall outlets with Pass and Seymour MRI grade outlets - they clamp like a vice and do not contain magnetic materials

Hope that helps and apologies for the long post - Steve

DO NOT ever use solid core wire for component power cables since it is not recommended by many electrical codes due to fatigue failures (i.e. breaking).

Probably the majority of audio grade aftermarket power cords made today use solid core wire for the hot and neutral conductors in their construction.

Individual insulated solid core wires are paralleled together to make a larger gauge conductor.

Jim

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it!

@jea48 - I sorta generalised - I should have said DO NOT use ROMEX solid core wire. 

A case could be made for higher quality solid core wire being softer - as in the case of Gutwire cables. 

But I prefer not to use solid conductors at all because apart from breaking, the clamp in the connector can work loose resulting in arching.

And that's not the only problem - some cables  use wire that has insulation not rated for mains use,  e.g. they actually use speaker or interconnect wire for hot and neutral - I only use wire rated to 600v - a common mains rating.

Beware of cables that have forged UL stickers - not a good sign and very hard to spot

One cable I purchased around 10 years ago had LIVE/NEUTRAL wires connected in reverse polarity - which would make the neutral side of your components power supply circuitry - LIVE!

Lots to be aware of - another reason for going with a trusted brand or build it yourself

Regards - Steve

I have to agree with boxer12 and jbrrp.  Over the past 20 years, power cords have made the largest impact in my system when it came to cable upgrades (i.e., ahead of IC and spkr wire).  Depending on your box count, IME the first place the cord should go is the amplfier and a close second on your digital source (with a PC designed specifically for digital gear). 

On another point, off topic a bit, is the use of isolation transformers.  I've owned several well known PLCs in the past, but the most effective by far is an isolation transformer.  While there are several audiophile approved companies making them and audiophile prices upwards of $2K, I found a hospital grade Powervar iso xfmr on Ebay for a tad over $200.  I put in some better outlets/wire and WOW!  Line noise gone, lower noise floor, more texture, etc.and no downside.  Granted Imy amp is only 100w/ch, but larger iso xfmr are available. 

If you upgrade the power cables going from your conditioner to your amp(s), do you also need to upgrade the power cable going from the wall to the conditioner? 

Wondering if it's a case of the "weakest link" here, or if the power conditioner cable itself doesn't matter as much because of what the conditioner does to the power once it's received it from the wall, thus negating the importance of the cable from the wall to the conditioner.

On every power conditioner I have tried, including my current PS Audio P20 regenerator, I have found the cord from the outlet to the conditioner to be very important.  Prior to the P20, I had always found that putting my best cord between wall and conditioner brought my best overall system sound (with:  earlier Shunyata Hydra 8, Audience Adept Response aR6, Audiodharma Powerwing, Weizhi PR6, HB Cable Designs Acrylic and Marble).  I tried to save on that leg each time, but my ears told me differently.
My P20 really likes the massive Elrod Statement (the original version).  Not quite ready to try an Elrod Master Series on it.....