Review: DH Labs Power Plus Power cord


Category: Cables

Having owned a few power cords from other manufacturers,that for all practical purposes did not really improve the system. I more or less back peddled in this area. Other than better build quality over the stock cords that came with a component, these esoteric power cords offered little else in my system.

However recently that has changed. During one of my recent trades came across a DH Labs Power Plus Cord, that a fellow audiophile traded for some other gear. Other than once again a superior build quality to stock cords and a few other high end cords, is this power cord worth the dollars spent. Although I just traded some gear and this was part of the deal.

Anyway the Power Plus cord sat around here, for awhile, contemplating, should I use it, or re-market the cord. Had to power down the system to switch out some other gear and remembered I had the DH Labs Power Plus cord stashed away. So what the heck, decided to use it on the Threshold 400A power amp. Got the system re-powered and did notice a slight sonic improvement. Oh well better than the other power cords I have used. But would I have gone out and plunked down $188.00 for a 1.5 meter power cord from DH Labs, most likely no.

Okay, fast forward to a little over month with the Power Plus in the system. Decided to sell the DH Labs Power Plus cable,as it was only a very slight improvement over the stock cord, or so I thought at the time.

Put the stock cord back in the system to the Threshold 400A, and GAD what happen!!!! Holy crap the signature of the 400 A went south big time, from what I was hearing with the Power Plus in the system. Remember the only change was the Power Cord, nothing else.

Needless to say the DH Labs Power Plus cable went immediately back into the system and the 400A regained its great signature. Snake oil or substance? Well this time substance to say the least. An upgrade that delivers. Now the 400A is delivering its full signature,that I thought I was getting with the others. The entire spectrum of the 400A is vastly improved and in the years I have had it,it has never sounded better than it does now. And with only a Power Cord upgrade. AMAZING!!!

Since then have added a DH Labs Power Plus cord to the preamp which is a Threshold NS 10 as well as add another to the Onix CD Player. And the results have been the same as with the Threshold 400A.

All of these DH Labs Power cords have made a positive dramatic impact on my system. The previous cords I have used from time to time added little or nothing at all.

This is not meant to disparage the others I have tried in years gone by. But clearly in my system with the components that I now have, the DH Labs Power Plus cords have added a new dimension, that I thought would not be possible with the simple introduction of the DH Labs Power Plus cords.

Why the DH Labs Power Plus cords work so well in this system,when others have fallen far short of their promise is a mystery to me. I just don't have the knowledge on the scientific side to make any judgement on those merits.

Plus I have to say I have spent far more in this area, than the cost of the DH Labs Power Plus cords, when compared to other power cords. With that being said the DH Labs Power Plus cord is an outright cost effective value in the arena of high end power cords.

This is a great product from a company that knows how to do it right and offer value at the same time, a rare find in audio today.

It is revelation to me how I thought the DH Labs Power Plus,was just another over priced power cord, until I switched back to the other cords, only to be enlighten to what the Power Plus cords actually did for my system.

This is one of the fun things that happen in audio from time to time where an upgrade such as this delivers the promise, not with a sledgehammer one soon tires of, but with an authority not often found today.It is indeed a rare treat to find products of enduring value,but clearly this product from DH Labs is just that.

So if power cord upgrades are on your short list of items to add to your system, the DH Labs Power Plus power cord should be at the top or very near the top. You can spend a ton more in this area, but I doubt if you will need to,once you audition the DH Labs Power Plus cable. All my other cords have been retired.

As it turns out I will be returning to the South Florida area soon and as luck has it, will be quite near DH Labs facility. Just have to go by and say hello and thank you.

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Recently, I had an opportunity to audition this brand of Power Cable (PC) in an Ayre/Goldenear system. Very good sound indeed. At the price-point, a real bargain.
Happy Listening!
I was getting some minor feedback buzz on my system.  I traced it to my active crossover.  Tried several different interconnects but it stayed! I had a "high grade" shielded audio power cable (real, not a Chinese counterfeit) on the crossover.  I tried removing the "ground safety" pin from the cable plug end and it helped slightly.  The noise was slight but standing at the speaker next to the crossover it was very apparent.  Not so sure it would be objectionable at my seat though, just a challenge.    I then hunted around for a "cheater" plug which avoids the single ground pin on the plug to try a Silver Sonic cable I built. (it did not have a removable pin on the plug).    Didn't find the cheater plug so I went without it.  The Silversonic cable totally eliminated the noise.  It may have been partially to the Silversonic being half the length but I doubt it.  The Silversonic cable was not shielded and the prebuilt cable was shielded.  I have two other "non Silversonic" cables that I built using the shielded Belden power cable. Now I need to try replacing them also.  One is on my preamp and the other on my treble amp.  Unfortunately both had to be solder connecxted since they do not have the input connections I can use with a computer type plug end. 
Jedinite24,

I really like and own several DH Labs Power Plus cords. In addition to the ss amps I use them on, the tube amps I use them on are:

Cary 805 AE monoblocks
Cary 300b push-pull
Art Audio Symphony II (300b SET)

The cords I had been using were the "older" Volex ones with the brass blades. I became a believer when I subbed in one of my older Volex's in place of the new OEM "black molded" one.

I only have a few of the older Volex's and needed a few more cords that would be at least that good and hopefully better. The DH's were it for me. I've tried many other cables that were more expensive but actually a step backwards for me.
Has anyone ever used the DH Labs Power Plus AC Cable on a tube amplifier? If so what were your thoughts on the pairing? Any other thoughts on the DH Labs Power Plus cables are more than welcome. I'm researching budget power cords as I've found some people who said the PCs I made using Belden 83803 wire may be lacking. Thanks
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The venerable Threshold 400A power amp is a Class A output power amp. It has one of the most liquid an detailed sonic signatures of any Class A amp I have heard and in 47 years have heard a lot of Class A amps.

What the DH Labs cable did was an open, transparent sound that let me hear the space and detail of the recording without turning aggressive, quiet backgrounds and excellent top-to-bottom coherence. The overall character of the sound was ever so slightly on the warm side of neutral.

Lesser power cords remove, truncate or veil detail so that only microscopic listening reveals all the detail in the recording. With good power cords like the Power Plus, listening is much easier. You don’t have to work hard to hear the detail and nuance of the recording and performance.

It did not change the overall sonic signature of the 400A,if it had, then it would be hanging in the closet with the rest of them,destined to be re-marketed.

Power cords, like all other accessories are system dependent and what I have experienced with the DH Labs Power Plus, may or may not be right for someone elses system.

But given their modest cost, in the world of mega buck power cords, these work very well for me.
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