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

devinplombier

432 posts

03-25-2025 at 11:56pm 

Cable warning: In recent years a number of cables have emerged on the marked that are manufactures with no or little consideration to the electronics that they are connecting, unfortunately there are no standards and some ”exotic” cables can create unstable working conditions, these cables are often coaxial speaker cables that may work fine with Tube amplifiers or other bandwidth limited constructions.

wtf does that even mean 

I apologize if I'm not using the proper methodology to quote subscribers posts but I'll get a handle on this eventually.  Now on to my comment...

Yes Devin, what planet does this guy live on?  The whole industry surrounding accessories for hi fi has mostly been based on ludicrous claims about what these products do and the dubious and unscientific claims manufacturers make about them.  If it seems too good to be true it probably is!  On the other hand, reliable connectivity and continuity between components is without exception but if a hobbyist wants to dress up their system with cables other than what comes in the box with a new component by all means and forums like Audiogon can be a valuable resource to help wade through the hype and make rational choices about realistically functional additions to their systems even if they know its superfluous bling. 

I thought that (power) cables discussions (pro et contra) on audiophile forum are thing of ancient past. However, for anyone who has doubts, my advice would be to simply insert all Cardas power cords in his system and than change them with Nordost. If one could not hear the difference, its in a wrong hobby, or needs an urgent control of his ears

On the other hand, the ’proper’ question should be why and how the certain manufacturers had managed to make their power cables sound like the rest of their lines, meaning, ic and speaker cables. For example, if you take above mentioned Cardas or Nordost , you will notice that CGR or Nordost Valhalla power cords have the same sound signature as other cablles from that particular line..

So, imho, its obvious that manufacturers have the ways of ’tailoring’ the sound of cables. Would be very curious to know and understand process behind it

its obvious that manufacturers have the ways of ’tailoring’ the sound of cables. Would be very curious to know and understand process behind it

So would I

would it be safe for me to summarise that you are of belief the primary and perhaps even only issue of the effect of a power cable on sound has to do with voltage drop across the cable and little else?

@kevn No. Bandwidth makes a difference too. I mentioned this at the top of the previous page.

these cables are often coaxial speaker cables that may work fine with Tube amplifiers or other bandwidth limited constructions.

We’ve made OTLs with more bandwidth than some solid state amps. All 'constructions' (which might mean 'amplifiers') are bandwidth limited no ifs ands or buts. If you have enough feedback in the amp (+30dB) it can correct for phase issues that for which you otherwise need the bandwidth which is how class D amps do it.

The bandwidth of the equipment used has nothing to do at all with whether or not the power cable will have an audible effect on it.

But I do agree with some of the warnings presented; you don’t want to use a cable that could start a fire or cause electrical problems; that bit is just common sense.