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

i just found your review

blumartini,

Did you have a chance to try the NRG cables.

Exactly hiendmmoe / +1

With cables the real price to performance is based on what you’re willing to pay.
Let say you have a $1000. Power cable and you really like it. Most people would say you’re crazy to pay that much for a power cable. For yourself you know to get what that power cable does at $1000. You can’t get with a power cable at lets say $300. That’s the real price to performance; what your willing to pay for it not what it cost to make.

Going to give NRG Custom Cables The 5 power cord a try, I am hearing really good things about the company, Any comments out there?

I don’t think being paid or compensated to review something should prevent anyone from learning from or being entertained by the reviewer. One objective of a review is obviously to sell the Product under review. Remember, if an audio component or device or tweak is not promoted something terrible happens. Nothing.

Whitecamaoss made a good point and this is why most are tired of B.S. Reviews from paid or compensated reviews.

So I was sent this conversation by a friend of mine.... This is a very interesting thread that just opened up ... It looks like this is now the new format that generations are asking for. It appears to me that most people are getting sick of the old school mentality as far as magazine reviews and now they want REAL WORLD users to give an opinion. I think manufacturers won’t know what to do if this is the new trend on the decade of the 2020s.
The tables will turn as new generations are now in driver’s seat in many industries and they no longer want to read what is being written by older audiophiles. I have seen this trend occur not only with audio but also car industries where they are sick of reading motortrend magazine, etc. They want to see the guy that owns the Mclaren 720s talk about how fast it is and see him drive the hell out of it at the track. They want HIM to talk about headaches, issues, maintenance, etc and not the guys who write the magazines.
Think about it, Amazon wiped out Toys R Us, Kmart, SEARS, etc, etc. Tons of retail stores are closing which includes: MACYS, JCPenney, LOWES, etc. and we don’t think this massive change is going to impact the way the audio industry rolls? Ok, then i will leave you with this thought: when you go out to a restaurant or you want to buy a product somewhere (whatever that may be), dont you go and read the reviews that ACTUAL users leave? i use amazon CONSTANTLY for everything in my house and i ALWAYS read what actual verified buyers are leaving as far as feedback because i dont care to read WHAT THE HELL a magazine said and i am sure you guys are doing the same thing too?

Mark my words, this is just the beginning of what will happen in this decade.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/would-you-donate-a-dollar-to-have-these-members-review-a-prod...

zug; you are right, no pc can actually improve the current even if a 6-7ft long heavy solid-core pc will slightly improve the flow from a stranded in-wall cable because it will act as a condencer to the powersupplies.

Sometimes the truth is so simple that it is taken for a lie. The only way to avoid any kind of filtering-effect is to run solid core copper of adequate size, shielded is a plus but not neccesary in most systems.

If all cables act like a filters to some degree and none is perfect and will never be, then there is no grail power chord or any wire/ cable out there since it's always system dependent?

I started reading this to see where it got me, the one thing i actually find interesting is AQ Niagara. Hurricane however good it is, seems absurdly expensive. Talking PS Audio's R20, I'd rather put 10K $ on acoustic treatments.

Ouch! Very ouch! 😩

Not to nitpick, but the expression is to each his own. 😛

@dynaquest4 

I am not here to knock why or how people spend there money or get swallowed and swayed by ego and imagination created by marketing and flamboyant audio writers that play on words and illusions that play tricks on your mind. 

To each there own.

The funny things about threads like these are the implied overlap of some rich douche paying what would be the cost of a home in a small town to those who'd pay a bit more for something better.

Conflating the two serves no real purpose, unless you recently lost an argument along similar lines.

As long as that dumb, rich, douche overpays for something that doesn't involve, say, a politician, then go with god is what I say.

All the best,
Nonoise

Sorry to say but you’re a little bit behind the times. Don’t flip your gizzard.

OK...ACC Series - Articulation Control Console - $80,099.00.  Probably cost something like $300 to build (if mass produced would cost $80).  So it could be sold at $600 at a 100% margin,  Not bad but, at this price, no one would buy such a strange, esoteric piece of equipment.  However, price it above 50 grand and the rich dumb guys come out of their closets and get interested.  One of the factoids of audiophilia.

It's not about the money, it's about the "REAL" audible return for the $$$$$.$$. That is where I was going with the thread. 

@geoffkait

Ok, you win.

Sorry to say but you’re a little bit behind the times. Don’t flip your gizzard.

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/music-interface-technologies-acc-268-articulation-control-...

@thyname
Read it an weep:

Siltech's Emperor Crown, part of Siltech's Signature series, uses silver and gold metallurgy to lower audio distortion, and is arguably the most expensive cable on the market costing $39,000 for a 2m pair.

Who in the right mind would spend $40,000 (forty thousand american dollars) on a power cord?

Let's answer this question first, then the rest of your question

@dynaquest4

Those pitiful remarks merely represent there inability to simply answer the questions "Smoke N Mirrors".

Shame, It appears I struck a nerve!

Give me a T. Give me an R. Give me an O...

Not to worry, bluemartini...your question has merit.  Disregard those with a limited vocabulary and the grammatic inability to intelligently participate in the discussion.  Instead, they just call you a troll. 

I'm really getting tired of that useless word being used so often on this forum.

bluemartini,
What $40K power cable are you asking about? FWIW, you really resemble a troll. 

Can someone please explain the true manufacturing/labor cost for cables that cost in excess of 40k.  I cant fathom anything above 5k never mind over 40k for cable measuring a justified audible sound benefit? Someone please help as I am trying to determine the mesurable facts behind what things really cost to build at that $$.$$$ level and what the "Real" dollars to ear percentage is?

zug

... you can often improve by defeating the ground of any power cord. In other words, use one of those cheater plugs or yank out the ground prong. It works ...  yes, you are taking a chance with shocks ...

Defeating a power cord ground can be a useful diagnostic tool to troubleshoot ground loops, but it's not a solution. If your system sounds better with the ground defeated, the solution is to get all the grounds at the same potential.

I’m not as savvy as some here about electricity (such as atdavid) but a few things. One, a reviewer once suggested that you can often improve by defeating the ground of any power cord. In other words, use one of those cheater plugs or yank out the ground prong. It works, I can testify I’ve compared many times with different components -- and in different houses -- and the ground is usually dirty. Maybe there are other ways to "clean it up" but I don’t know. (Although yes, you are taking a chance with shocks, but so far I’ve never gotten one)
The other thing is a question -- how can a power cord even constructed of pure copper or whatever, improve your sound when all the wiring in your wall is just ’average copper’? I know the cords can improve, I just don’t get how that could work. It makes some sense to me if you start with a power regenerator such as a PS Audio

Btw,  I hope your "high frequense loss" is meant as a joke

From a reader:

"  Unfairlane, can you explain your reasoning for why only single core would not reduce an amps performance? "

Yeah, years of experience

Given the lack of any consensus on best, one I think can assume there is no best, but perhaps best for a given situation, or best to suit a preference whatever that may be.


Unfairlane, can you explain your reasoning for why only single core would not reduce an amps performance? Some things to keep in mind:

• Transformers in most amplifiers are of fairly low bandwidth
• Many designers use inductive chokes to smooth the delivery of current to the capacitor bank (further reduces bandwidth)
• Stranded wire will exhibit less high frequency loss

Anything but a single solid core will reduce the amps performance

You do not want to use solid core, go with variable Awg multi-stranded copper or hybrid cable with cotton cloth or other low dialectic wrapping plus insulation and EMI/RFI copper surround and quality ends of silver or rhodium. Try for 7-10 Awg. total for your cable needs.

@talkskiwon
Thought you might be interested in this last minute steal of a deal on Jolida I believe it's a big step up with a better warranty.

https://www.morrowaudio.com/pages/jolida-audio-product-liquidation

Happy New Year's 

jagjag

... Acrolink 4030 power cable from breaker to socket, and from socket to device does it for me.

That cable doesn't appear to be rated or intended for in-wall use. Do you know otherwise?

 None of you have any experience with solid core pc`s?

 None of you have any experience with solid core pc`s?

The humble Acrolink 4030 power cable from breaker to socket, and from socket to device does it for me. 

No, it’s because you’ve been stalking and trolling me all day, joyboy.

The thing I find most annoying here is the arrogance of some members.
Especially when comparing DIY products against companies’ products who invest so much into developing and improving their product, and are continually doing so.
And reviewers? Surely they have not been fooled, as you so blatantly accuse others of being.

I have no doubt some DIY cables are indeed very good value.
However, when I spend money, I’m looking for better than most of these can provide.
---------------------------

Sounds fair enough this, like you most people believes what those colored catalogs or salesmen says.

The worst ic I`ve ever heard was diy`ed absolutely by the book, massive copper in cotton. Even dipped in linseed-oil after a famous danish reciepe. But it screamed, and the owner did not allow me to do an autopsy on it so I`m still wondering why.
But on the other hand, the best ic I`ve ever heard was made from a dual lenght of tv coax fom vivanco. So you never know.

Most of my audiophile friends has been doing their own stuff for years. Wery skilled guys, legends in audio-circles, with systems which far surpasses anything you can buy. This is one side of diy`ing, the other is the amateurs. But even amateurs can hit the nail sometimes.

And funny enough, someone else was triggered enough to think I was talking about them. I guess they are also insecure about the validity of what they post here? 

How could I be embarrassed by your stupidity. Just another SFT. I don’t even sell the products we were discussing. And stop stalking me, pinhead.

Hey Clearthink, one person, who is a noted troll on certain topics called me a troll. He did that after I embarrassed him by showing that he does not understand the fundamentals of the technology underlying the product he makes and sells, AND also embarrassing him by showing that his frequent claim of having introduced that technology to audio was also not correct. If that makes me a troll then a wear the title proudly.


I don't think you want to know what people call you. It's not polite.

After my initial buying mistakes made years ago based on too much faith in reviews, I now consider reviews to be leisure reading with the following exceptions;
- I have had personal contact with a couple of reviewers who I give more credit to than the others,
- I pay more attention to reviews that make direct and meaningful comparisons between the product currently under review and competing products
- I appreciate reviewers who at least make a good faith effort to match their review system with the component being reviewed (I.e., no mega-watt power amps for horn speakers, no impedance mis-matches, etc. - you get the picture)
- I like good photographs, and especially of the innards of the component under review....so, 6moons is at the top of my list for photographs

on the other side of the coin,
- I am greatly skeptical of manufacturers that do not allow pictures of the insides of their components or, worse yet, void the warranty when an owner opens a component to look inside
- I am skeptical of reviewers who claim every reviewed component to be the “best thing yet”
- I am in general skeptical of new technology that is said to be “as good as, or better than” proven and well-regarded existing technology as those new products are too often a “flash in the pan”

audiozenology"Are you finished stalking for the day, or should I expect more angry posts? I am putting together a compendium of your rants and just want to know how much time I should allocate today???"

Others in this forum have accused you of being a troll/stalker and now I see further expression, evidence, and demonstration of that characteristic so you would be well adviced, counseled, and cautioned to observe the terms of service of this group both in "spirit and letter."