2. cables
  3. 193538-10803

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
invalid
1,271 posts
 

@devinplombier I pretty sure that hardwired appliances have to have a disconnect of some kind. This may have not been the case in the past.

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westcoastaudiophile
485 posts
 
@devinplombier +1 the best PC is no PC/IEC! House wiring and quality of power supplied to the house is the key!
mitch2
4,238 posts
 

Regarding the optimal power cord, one of the manufacturers (I seem to remember maybe Steve Nugent with Empirical Audio) used to say that Romex would actually make a pretty good power cord and that twisted 10 awg THHN would be better since twisting would reduce inductance. It seems twisted THHN in conduit would make a good in-wall wire for a dedicated line.

Chris at VH Audio offers his star quad 12 awg x 4 (stranded copper) bulk power cable because the star quad geometry reduces inductance even more than with a twisted pair.  Reducing inducance is a good thing for power cables and speaker cables.

My DIY 1M long power cables feeding my amplifiers also have a star quad geometry using four runs of 10 awg NOS Western Electric tinned copper wire for an aggregate total of 7 awg per pole.  Ground is also 7 awg.  I don't lose sleep over voltage drop.

niodari's avatar
niodari
322 posts
 

With my experience an expensive supposedly good power cord used for an amplifier gives you a little bit more power. I would not say that it really affects the sound quality, either in SS or tubes. 

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