thanks audition__audio! btw, after few decades of being sound/analog designer, a.s.r. is not my reference or guide at all!
enjoy the audio-hobby!
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
Showing 13 responses by westcoastaudiophile
@inna +1 "Accuphase stock cords are not too bad”, indeed! Accuphase cables are very good electrically speaking! More expensive cable upgrades cannot not change sound anyhow, assuming no other issues like RFI nose etc. In analog design PC is at bottom of design pareto chart, which specifies impact of every chain part to final result. +1 "The most important cable in the system is tonearm cable not power cords” yep, in analog sound system phono cable and tonearm wiring, on top of cartridge and tonearm itself, are very important parts!
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@jfrmusic +1 on findings "I have tried several upgrade power cords on my Accuphase P4600 amplifier. None sounded better than the stock Accuphase supplies. Upgrded cords seem to darken the sound, reduce openness and airiness. Accuphase documentation is quite emphatic about only using their cord." -hopefully your Accuphase IEC receptacle's contacts didn’t get significant damage, often random aftermarket IEC plugs, leave heavy marks on contacts, and damage contact surface. |
@helomech +1 "Use caution when shopping for “audiophile” cables and cords. Some of them are poorly designed and actually inferior to cheapo manufacturer-supplied cords/cables." |
@aberyclark +1 Yep, fuse resistance is significant impactor of IR (voltage) drop in amp’s power supply. Major problem with amp’s internal power quality is power transformer/rectifier/capacitors, not PC! if outlet wiring exceeds 20ft length, PC becomes less relevant to listenable IR drop issue.. |
@soix would love to see your blind test report results! |
@jl35 +1 on focusing and testing in details any changes, sometimes negative upgrades etc! |
@atmasphere with all my respect to you and your wonderful creations, I like to add more details to this, somewhat important, discussion: 1) I think it’s pointless do discuss effects caused by “most cables/cords/wirings” without bringing up technical parameters, such as R/L/C per foot or meter, for specific parts. Power cables in my usage are better than my house wiring, thus have less voltage drop per length. Other important variables in power interconnects are connections between wires and terminals, and between mics. contacts. 2) Amplifiers with transformers/rectifiers/capacitors in a power supply, draw current at very short time over sine wave. Worse, the better the amp is the shorter time/phase segment current is drawn. The best power block designs I’ve seen and worked on, current drawn only 1..5% of time. Such circumstances make even 20A certified wiring/outlets not enough to reduce IR drop over AC supply, which can exceeds 10 Volts! Thats why house wiring shuld be the first step to improve sound system power delivery, to reduce IR drop caused by 50A or more short current spikes. 3) Transformers’ used in the amp’s power supply are the most IR-dropping devices in the chain, that’s why top brands use very expensive, well performing, heavy ones. Priciest part of Parasound JC1 for example is transformer! |
@atmasphere I am measuring R/L/C very accurately at 50Hz/1kHz/20kHz freq. point often, using 4-wire RLC meter. Please ping me in IM if you need some guide. Measuring Voltage drop isn’t trivia, DMM isn’t enough, you need scope.. |
@atmasphere +1 "I don't think the 'greatest possible bandwidth' is all that important, since the charging time we're talking about is milliseconds rather than microseconds" power delivery capacitor charge speed is limited by: 1) power network, with all transformers, between power plant and outlet point, which is highly inductive, thus slow 2) some small effect of power cable. 3) amp internal circuitry, including transformer/s and series resistance in the charge current flow. |