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The Truth About Power Cords and there "Real" Price to Performance

This is a journey through real life experiences from you to everyone that cares to educate themselves. I must admit that I was not a believer in power cords and how they affect sound in your system. I from the camp that believed that the speaker provided 75% of the sound signature then your source then components but never the power cord. Until that magic day I along with another highly acclaimed AudioGoner who I will keep anatomist ran through a few cables in quite a few different systems and was "WOWED" at what I heard. That being said cable I know that I am not the only believer and that is why there are so many power cord/cable companies out there that range from $50 to 20-30 thousand dollars and above. So I like most of you have to scratch my head and ask where do I begin what brand and product and what should i really pay for it?

The purpose of this discussion to get some honest feed back on Price to Performance from you the end user to us here in the community.

Please fire away!


 


128x128blumartini

Showing 4 responses by andy2

andy2
1,534 posts
 
Your experience with amplifier instability using high capacitance speaker cables is a perfect example.
Also in the analog world, amp does not go from "working perfectly" to "instability" just like that like 1's and 0's.  There is a transitional curve and during being on this curve, the amp sound quality will change before instability sets in.  So by simple logic, the amp + speaker combination will affect the sound as the cable capacitance gradually changes.  It's not something that happens abruptly, like a 90 degree cliff.  

andy2
1,534 posts
 
Well, there is always the exception to "the Norm"
Actually it's always analog.  What you interpret as "abrupt" or "sudden" or "just like that", in the analog world, there is always some "transitional curve".  The "transitional curve" may not be able to be "recorded" or "captured" by our perception or our ability since our brain cannot capture things like the oscilloscope can, but it's there.   

In order to have "just like that" in the real world, the energy required is "infinite".  Like a step response, on paper, it's abrupt.  But in the real world, there is no such thing as a "step response" since it would require "infinite" amount of energy.  


andy2
1,534 posts
 
The capacity of Humans for self-delusion is apparently unlimited - Mr.Spock
Nicely said ... but here's the counter point.

Mr. Spock himself is the product of human unlimited self-delusion.  

andy2
1,534 posts
 
I know a guy (who made my living room speakers) who has spent years perfecting his brand of power cord.
I am glad the power cord has no feeling :-)


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