Power Cords Snake Oil ??

OK, so since my last posting I've had a chance to revamp a few parts of my system and the following is what transpired...

I looked at the bottlenecks in my power supply components and in the power supply to the phono stage and the DAC the fuses seemed the weakest link. I replaced them with push button breakers, which allowed the attached sources to really improve their performance.

I also replaced the power conditioner with a DIY power distribution centre that utilized Pass and Seymour outlets and a push button breaker for safety.

I then tried some different power cord combinations and found that the Furutech outperformed the DH Labs Encore cable - not by a lot, but it was discernible.

The DH Labs Power Plus cable is still a top performer, capable of satisfying the most dynamic power demands.

So, my new benchmark power cables are the Furutech.

But if your budget will not stretch to their price point, the DH Labs power cables are very respectable options at a much more affordable cost.

Cost conscious readers should also take a look at the Vanguard line of connectors on eBay, which are gold on copper and very affordable at $23 for a mains plug and an IEC connector.

Enjoy:-)

If power cords can't make a difference, then nothing else in this hobby should either.

If you think stranded copper wire will sound just the same as solid core, then a tube amp should sound the same as a solid state amp.

If you think 18 guage zip wire sounds as good as Crystal cable,then a 300B tube sounds the same as an el84.

But of course nothing sounds the same as anything except it's self.Especially so if the gear are constructed from different materials and in different ways.An amp is an amp,if they meet the same specs they should sound identical.But do they all sound the same?
Remember when people avoided cars made on Fidays and Mondays?
I would like to know what amp has the ideal sound, so that we can clone it?
Sorry, I've never heard a modelling amp that when compared directly to the "source" sounds exactly the same.
Somehow old black face Fender amps sound different than the newer ones do, even if the names are the same.
A synthed Hammond B3 sound is nice, but nothing can match the real vintage B3 with a Leslie 145.
They sound about the same, but it's more like listening to a recording of a B3/Hammond,while the real thing sounds like the real thing.
And that comes from working onstage in a group with a Hammond X2 played by one fellow and a real B3,Leslie, played by another.The real thing has more presence, and the sound pressure(not volume) just envelopes you more than the synth organ.

Something tells me a small 5 inch woofer will sound a bit different than a Klanghorn, even if moddeled after the Klanghorn.

I remember reading about a fellow doing a repair to Robbie Robertson's guitar years ago, and noticed that one of his pickups had more windings around the magnet than he was used to seeing.
Robbie always had a "sound" but no one knew it was all just a chance happening.The fellow at the Fender factory was nearing the end of the roll winding the pickup and decided to just let the spool run out.
The extra bit of wire made the difference in sound.
That fellow, was Seymour Duncan,and he made a name for himself out of this discovery.

But why buy any of his pickups?
Why should they sound any different than a stock pick up?

Why should a $15,000.00 Clearaudio cartridge sound any better than a $150.00 Grado?
They are both capable of doing the job.
Why spend more if you don't have to?

Well you don't.
Some folks are quite happy with a cheaper Grado, in a system of cheaper components using zip wire, stock power cords and straight into the wall.

And then there are those who aren't .

To appreciate the good stuff, you have to ween yourself away from the mediocre stuff, and forget about all the science that tells you nothing should make a difference.

That's the kind of belief in science that put the fear of falling off the edge of the earth into everyone's minds,until someone proved the science wrong.

I understand there are those who can not distinguish differences in power cords, fuses, etc,but all that proves is that they do not hear the differences.
THat doesn't mean that no one else can't or is incapable of hearing differences.
There could be many reasons for this,physical, gear related, lack of learning how to listen crtically,attention deficit disorders,or just the desire to use listening to music as a way to block out the stress of the day.Passive listening habits.
If all you want from your sound is a bit of relief, then why sweat the hard stuff trying to improve the sound?
That's just more work and stress.And it costs money, which I have other things that appeal more to me to spend it on.

But for me it's all about sweating out the details.
After I did, the listening experience was even more rewarding.

Power cords,and other things labelled snake oil have given me some of the best sound ever.
All I have to do is to take them out and go back to "stock"
to prove it to myself.
And I'm the only one I need to prove it to.

Being away from Hi-Fi for a couple decades, I am amazed at some of the things I am seeing now. Quality of a digital cable such as USB or HSMI clearly cannot make a difference since the cheapest disposable cables virtually do not drop or change any bits. These cables operate at a macro level. Analog speaker cables are another matter because the timing and intensity of electron flow can be easily influenced. Can an 8 foot speaker cable be worth $17,000/pr? Of course not, that would be stupid. Before your cables are broken in, there would be an $18,000 cable that is just so much better. Nevertheless, a wealthy person with a finely developed ear may justify the wire without giving a thought to the millions of starving children in this country that have no speaker wire whatsoever. ( or old people that only have zip cord, oh God)

So, expensive digital cables, No. Expensive speaker cables and interconnects, yep, no conscience allowed.

But what about these pesky A/C cords where a molded version comes on just about every audio/video component and computer? Does the tainted water theory hold any water? Sort of because you can pour water out of your faucet into the finest crystal goblet and it will still be the same brackish swill that came out of your faucet. No filtration, same swill. Furthermore, it won't come out any faster, volume wise, if you invert a funnel and put a nozzle on it. So, if you decide to plug into an outlet that has 14 gauge aluminum wire strung through the push in connectors on the back of 8 other outlets before your chosen stereo outlet, you are basically going to get swill out of your outlet. An A.C cable is a passive device being neither a filter nor a conditioner. It will not stabilize voltage shifts or drop RF noise. Actually a good cord will transmit those things very accurately.

Yet when an audiofile the likes of Arthur Salvatore say they make a difference, you damn well better believe they do. If the cord cannot improve the nature of your service, then how can a fancy cord be better than taking a 5 foot piece of 12 gauge Romex and putting good connectors on the end? The assumption must be that the cables that come with equipment are so poorly constructed that 50 cents worth of Romex and 10 dollars worth of connectors, to maintain the "quality" of the in wall wiring, is dramatically better. It appears that most listeners with high end equipment have line conditioners that come before the high end power cord and following them are high dollar distribution centers (read that power strips). So you fix the swill as much as possible and then try to keep it pure. That makes some sense but that brings us to another question...

If a manufacturer of high end amplifiers and speakers, let's say Coincidence Speaker Technology for example, providing as they do. some of the best equipment in the world, just what do they give away with the A/C powered units? They don't give away speaker cable with their speakers. Can it be that they do not provide an A/C cable at all? There web site, which is truly excellent by the way, does not mention what their equipment comes with. They do sell a $450 A/C cord but when you read about people using there amplifiers, they usually have some other high end cord. Now, Coincident makes a statement (no pun intended) that some of their items are manufactured to the finest degree possible. "The build quality of the Statement Phono is the finest available. It was designed with no cost restraints and the highest priority placed on sonic performance". I would be very interested to know if they ship their equipment without power cords. I guess I'll find out when I order some. It seems like if they sent their $450 cord with each item that that would be denoted in their literature and it seems that if they shipped without a cord that that would also be denoted. After all, speakers do not ship with wires but the standard when you buy an A/C item is to get a damn cord with it. Now, if Coincidence puts a cheap cord on their equipment, they should post a warning tag on it that it must be replaced or all their no restraint work will be wasted.

I liked the mention by another poster that people re-wire their homes and provide dedicated circuits for their audio gear, many of us have been doing that for 50 years.

Another good idea is to order 10 different high end cords and demand a 90 day return policy before purchase. Then send 9 of them back after comparing them. Really, with USPO flat rate shipping, this would be cheap. Hopefully at least one of them will make a noticeable difference. Make someone else swap the cables blindly or you will just be placeboing yourself. Of course if you have been convinced that a 200 hour break in is necessary, then comparing cables is impractical. If your equipment needs a multi-hour run to re-break in itself every time your drop the power from it, you are kind of SOL as well.

The true fact is that you will never realize the true potential of your equipment. Everything affects everything else. It's entirely likely that when you have found your perfect A/C cord, you'll decide to change your turntable bedding or your cartridge or your speakers and guess what, that cord will no longer test the best. All is lost if you change your amplifiers or house wiring, things directly connected to your spendy A/C cord. Nope, you're stuck with your amplifiers and transports and DAC's forever once you buy that cord!

JAH

JAH I think you've been away too long,and like Rip van Winkle much has changed over the years.Not all for the best.
Snakeoil is still here, but then back in your day lifting speakers off the floor on spikes and anything more costly than lamp cord was suspect.

I've been at this for 40 years, have many friends who have tinkered with this hobby for just as many years and what been great is that we have all benefitted one anothers mistakes and fortuitous discoveries.

Most recently a friend of mine(a gear swapping,never satisfied tortured soul) audiophile has discovered the joys of room tuning devices.
He always suspected snakeoil but now has seen the folly of his old ways thinking.

He could never hear differences in power cords and as such was always disappointed when a new fix proved to be no better than the last.
I kept telling him, the only thing that never changes is his room, and it is imposing it's presence on his components.Or, the room was masking any improvemnts to his sound.

And so it is with most any upgrade,power cords or fuses,if the room and power are not taken seriously, then most upgrade's effects will be compromised, or get tossed under the category of snakeoil.

Back in the old days it was easy to set up a system, plug it in and spin the tunes, and be contented.

Discontent only arrived with exposure to systems and gear that let you hear things in the music that you never heard in your own set up at home.

You had two choices:
1-accept what you have and live with it
2-set about doing something to improve your sound.

Choice 2 is not a choice to be taken mildly.
It can be expensive,can lead to years of regret,angst or it can lead to joy,and can go on for as long as you want it to.

Or you can simply walk away from it all as JAH has done.

But all is not lost when you buy that upgraded power cord.
It will still improve whatever component it's attached to.
I've used my Annacondas on everything from solid state and tube mono blocks, to a nice headphone amp,while overkil, it still made for a major improvemnt over the one that came in the box.

So it's back to the two choices- accept or move on.

But all is not lost when you buy that upgraded power cord. It will still improve whatever component it's attached to. 11-25-13: Lacee

Your assertion is inaccurate. Every aftermarket (upgraded) power cord does not improve the performance of whatever component its attached to. There are those times when the wrong aftermarket power cord can muck things up worse than the original stock cord. I've witnessed this.