Question for Atma-sphere, will expensive power cables improve your amplifiers?


The reason I am asking is I feel manufacturers of high quality components include all that is ever needed, power cable wise. Sure, some people buy power cables because they need special lengths or have some out of the ordinary "noise" issues that need extra insulation. Some even like the visual aspect of the aftermarket cables. I’m just curious why many spend thousands of dollars on such when the manufacturer has taken the power cable into account when producing the product. I cannot see a High-quality audiophile component maker (especially some that sell volume) pass on a few dollars for a better sounding power cable if indeed the cable improved their product. I cannot see a person buying that $7000 amp is not going to balk if the product was introduced at  $7100 (with the better cable). 

I wonder if Luxman, Accuphase, McIntosh, Gryphon...you name it "dressed" their power cables up to look like expensive aftermarket cables, owners would be so quick to "upgrade"?

I’d be curious to hear Ralph’s opinion on the subject

aberyclark

Showing 3 responses by oberoniaomnia

I would switch the question around: Why do equipment manufacturers provide a power cord at all? Leave it up to the customer to decide what kind of cord he/she wants. Many TTs are sold without cartridge, and are unusable without one. Or for tube equipment one has frequently options about tube sets.

I guess the above premise also provides the implicit answer: Like Nelson said, above basic requirement, it does not matter for sound in the vast majority of situations. 

I find it also interesting that the standardized power cords are upgrade worthy. However, I have yet to hear about cords connecting separate power supply chassis to electronics units to have upgraded cables. Just some idle musings ...

@devinplombier interesting possibility re legal requirement for some power cable. There would still be the possibility for basic and upgraded cable. Particularly those that according to electronics manufacturer have the best "synergy".

Someone else mentioned that the reason is that electronics manufacturers do not make their own cables. They do not make their own capacitors ... either, so that notion does not apply either.

Re simple interconnects, the ones I have on my Woo WA6 SE and also on the Holoaudio May are something quite different. My point stands that I have not seen any discussion on upgraded power connectors between power supply and signal processing box. Wall socket to power receptacle, yes. Signal interconnects of every description, yes. Power connection between power supply and signal box, no. I hope I did not give anybody any ideas, yikes!

@invalid "bus bars" sound like something *inside* one chassis. I google image searched Krell bus bar, and I only get single chassis items. I doubt that on a power amp there would be bare metal external linkers like speaker jumpers.

I am talking about 2 box set ups with connecting cable, and about so-called "upgrades" to those power connecting cables. See below on the Woo WA6Woo Audio WA6 SE For Sale - US Audio Mart

And here the Holoaudio May with power connection cable.

Forums - FS: Holo Audio MAY DAC KTE