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Power Cords Snake Oil ??

Having been a long time audiophile living with countless high end compnents I have to wonder about the theory and practicality of high end power cords.

I have yet to hear the difference a power cord makes. Ive owned, synergistic, Shunyata, BMI and cardas. I in no way can detect any sonic signature or change. Give me a pair of interconnects and I imeadiately notice a difference somewhere in the sonic spectrum. Not the PC though. I have accomplished 4 blind tests with my friends. 3 out of the 4 they did not know their cord was replaced. All 4 were using a stock factory supplied cord. Each of the 4 tests were done on different components. Amp, CDP, Preamp & dac.

My electrical backround tells me that provided you supply the component with its required voltage bet 110vac or 220/240vac its happy. Now, change the incoming frequency from 60hz to say 53hz and watch how quickly your soundstage collapses.! This is often the case during the summer months when home air conditioners are in use and the utility company power output is taxed to the max. A really good power conditioner should however take care of the frequency fluctuations. But 110vac is still 110vac regardless of the conductor it passes through as long as its remains 110vac when it reaches the intended circuit. Does your 8k amp or preamp know the difference of the path the voltage took to reach it ? Many an audiophile will use a dedicated 20amp circut for their equipment.That is a good idea as voltage & frequency fluctuations will occur in the home circuit to to other loads on the main breaker panel but again, A power cord simply is the means of transporting the voltage from the wall to the component. IF there is a clean 110vac @ 60hz at the wall socket, no matter what the medium is to go from the socket to the component, it will still be 110vac @60hz.

Could somebody expand on this a bit more. I just dont understand it. ??
128x128jetmek

Showing 11 responses by eldartford

eldartford
4,262 posts
 
This is one of the more ridiculous ideas in audio, but, to help our nation's economy, I won't discourage people from buying $2,000 magic wires.

However, the suggestion that the power line frequency changes from 60 Hz is completely wrong, and if it were it would have no effect on the DC voltage generated from it. The power transformer might get warmer. No power cord could have any effect on frequency. Power companies maintain tight tolerances not only on on frequency, but also phase, even when the voltage sags due to problems. This is necessary so that different generating facilities can be tied together in a grid, and because many kinds of electrical equipment (eg: clocks) rely on the frequency for a time reference. Actually, once a day, usually around midnight, the power companies go through a brief procedure where the frequency is very slightly modified for a short time as necessary to have the exact number of cycles in one day (5,184,000). If they didn't do this electric clocks would gradually loose or gain time.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
"Snake oil"? With all this talk about string theory, corona's product (or at least his ideas) might better be described as a "can of worms".
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Nrchy...Science is not quite as primitive as you suppose. Don't be snowed by this string theory bs.

In particular it is very simple to measure whether two amps produce identical outputs. Simply feed the same input (a real musical waveform if that turns you on) to both amps (with level adjusted for gain difference) and make a voltage measurement, or oscilloscope observation across the two outputs. The difference voltage in units of millivolts can be compared with the output voltage in volts and expressed in units of dB. This would not be a very useful measurement for an amp designer, but it would give a user an idea of how well two amps compare... for example an inexpensive model vs an expensive one, or a modified vs stock one. It would not tell you which amp was better, just if there was any difference large enough to be audible.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Corona...I have never heard of "sign wave analysis". Please explain.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Clueless...Nice toys! Don't you think that zip cord is overkill. I suggest bell wire.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Nrchy...Because cosmology and quantum physics are not fully understood this does not mean that we don't know how audio amplifiers work. You need to keep your skepticism within reasonable bounds.

There is a book which I enjoyed reading, and I think you would too. "The Big Bang never happened". Get it from your library.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Zaikesman...I think that the way it goes is that, first, someone comes up with a "Hypothesis". At this point it is pure conjecture. Then, the Hypothesis is tested by examination of data from tests that ought to be affected by the Hypothesis. If most of the data corresponds with what would be predicted by the Hypothesis, it becomes a "Theory". Not all theories are equally well supported by data. However, when there is a great deal of good supporting data, the theory is called a "Fact". Few people would argue that the theory that the earth is round is not a fact.

I consider power cord effects to be a hypothesis.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Corona...You are right about me building an experimental power cord, and plans for a test to see if it had any effect vs the very small zip cord that came with the power amp. I have got the cord all made and ready to go, but I always seem to have something more important to do than to install it on one of two monoblock amps, and run the test. My cord simply immitates features of some aftermarket cords, and apart from having a lot of copper in it, I doubt that I will see any effect. This project is low priority.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Nrchy...Contrary to what you say, the workings of an audio power amplifier are understood "in all the minute details" by any competent engineer, and even by some incompetent ones. Cosmology is totally different.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Kt88...That IEC connector itself is probably a bigger problem than the use of #14 zip cord. Hard soldered to the power transformer primary wires is obviously the way to go.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Corona...Which way does the grain run in the "1 ½” thick solid walnut plinth" under your amplifier? Is it black walnut or English walnut? Did it come from a branch growing North/South or East West? (Magnetic field effects). What kind of varnish do you have on it? Was the tree organicly grown? What kinds of birds had nests in the tree? Did you ever fall out of the tree and hit your head?
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