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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
mwoh419
54 posts
 
" Well, since the first 25 - 100' or more of cable in your house is most like 12 or 14 gauge solid core romex, shouldn't we just keep it all the same and use more of that? "

There's an old audiophile saying...  " don't think of the power cable as the last few feet... but the first few feet. "
dynaquest4's avatar
dynaquest4
445 posts
 
Otherwise intelligent people with too much unearned money will buy a $16,000.00 power cord merely so they can tell their friends, "That power cord cost me $16K." Then, when pressed, they will make up some BS about why such a power cord could possibly be a good value.  None of which would have any real bearing on the cords ability to actually enhance the musical listening experience.

No one has ever conducted a verified A/B double blind test on exotic power cords where the result was any other than inconclusive.  Save some money and stick with the good stock cord the manufacturer provided.
lightningbefore
6 posts
 
Any kind person have a link to where the Master Coupler is $250? Everything I've found searching online appears to be $500 plus and used...
phd
1,314 posts
 
Diminishing returns as you climb the money ladder.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Any kind person have a link to where the Master Coupler is $250? Everything I've found searching online appears to be $500 plus and used...

Wow. I paid $175 for mine, but that was back around 1993 when full retail was around $300. I saw ones a while back on here which is where I got my figures from, but I'm not really in the market. The $500 may have been the Anniversary Edition. I know the original Master Couplers like mine are really good. Not that hyped hifi sound that is so common, but truly well-balanced. Not as good as newer Synergistic but awfully good compared to just about anything else.

At $500, if it was me, I'd start looking at whatever newer Synergistic that would get me. Even back in the day, I have Synergistic Designers Reference which for sure is a whole lot better. Also for sure their newer is better. Synergistic is unique in this regard. Its simply a question of price. 

Take your time, keep looking, and give serious consideration to anything Synergistic around $500, be it Blue tech or CTS or Active or whatever. The downside of Active, some of them depending on when they were made used MPC wall warts. Some don't care for the extra wires. But the neat thing about Active Shielding, Michael Spallone does a killer cap and diode upgrade that elevates everything to an even higher level.

If all else fails PM me, I'll sell you one of mine, use the $$ to upgrade to even better SR.
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