Review: 6 Sons Audio Thunderbird Power cord


Category: Cables

6 Sons Audio Thunderbird Power Cable

I have recently had the opportunity to try the new Thunderbird from 6 Sons Audio. Being a power cord junkie I am always playing with power cords for the sake of experimentation and on several occasions have purchased cords without expecting the very best of sound. I have tried cords from many of the higher end companies as well as several of the Agon companies which seem to always have cables advertised or on auction.The Thunderbird was lent to me and my expectations of it were that of a mid level lush gold alloy power cable as many I have tried in the past. I was extremely surprised at the sound of this cable straight from the box and it has only improved over the past several hundred hours.I purchased it about ten minutes after I plugged it in as I knew this cord was a keeper from the beginning.
Sonically the Thunderbird has the transparency of the Synergistic Designers Reference cable, the quiet yet detailed sound of the new Dream State Veridical power cable and the smooth yet weighty sound of The Absolute Reference I have fallen in love with. How a thin cord , flat and braided, sounds like the above cord's better qualities I do not know but I do know that after a few hundred hours of the Thunderbird in my system I have purchased 3 more to recable my system and am giving the Windigo cord(the 7 stranded per pole cord) 21 strands total a try on my high powered components. I am obviously extremely impressed with the Thunderbird especially with burn in.The cord is composed of 12 strands total of gold alloy conductor each wire being individually wrapped in Teflon and each of the 3 runs is covered with mesh and braided to Oyaide connectors. My Thunderbird has the Oyaide 79P and 79C connectors. The cord itself is a thin braided cord which sounds a lot better than would be expected from a cord without the beefy looks of my other good cords. I highly recommend this cord as it is one of the better cords I have ever tried in any of my systems.

Associated gear
Hales T5 Speakers
Pass X250.5 amp
Pass X1 Preamp
Talk Electronics Thunder3.1b CDP
Magnium Dynalab Etude/MD100
Hydra6 ac conditioner
various power cables

Similar products
Synergistic Absolute Reference and Designers Reference2, Designers Reference
Dream State veridical and Vivid power cables
Electaglide Epiphany X
Acrolink with 46 and 79 connectors
128x128mitchb
Mitchb;

I own four(4) Windigo power cords by 6 Sons Audio and they are absolutely fantastic. I must start by saying that I am not an electronic junky or techno geek(sorry geeks!), but I thoroughly enjoy the sweet sound of music. I have tried a few other power cords - Electraglide Epiphany X and XLO to name a few and the Windigo are head and shoulders above these cords. The first thing I noticed when I plugged in the Windigo was their ultimate transparency, speed and agility. Voices were cleaner, sharper and imaging was greatly improved with better instrument separation. These cords are by no means bright or etched - they cut like a knife with great musical precision and explode with dynamic verve and are dead quiet. I use them on my active PMC speakers with awesome results - the rythmic drive and timbre these cords produced on these speakers was an eye opener to say the least, incredibly dynamic. I also use the Windigo on my pre amp, phono stage and cdp with great success. The Windigos, although beautifully built don't meet your stereotypical power cord look. They are very flexible and light, some may consider them featherweights -in boxing terms - but plug them in and get ready for a pleasant surprise, these cords produce music like no other cord in this price range and although I have never compared them to the big boys I wouldn't be shocked to hear them hold their own...flat out awesome power cord.

I must also touch on the customer service I recieved from 6 Sons Audio. This gentleman shoots from the hip, is honest as the day is long and will go to great lengths to make a customer happy. He believes in what he sells and stands behind everything.

PMC AML-1's
Bryston BP 26
Plinius M14
Amazon Ref
Tri-Planar IV
Benz H2 Denon 103R
Windigo(4)
Denon 5900

Gary is pretty good to deal with. I look forward to the possibiility of one day having a couple of Windigo's to use on my Hydra and amp. They are not the least expensive cords out there but when you consider the Acrolink connectors alone these cords have got to be pretty good. I love the Thunderbird and can only imagine the benefits the Windigo will bring to my system. I am saving money to purchase a couple as if they follow the Thunderbird in terms of sonics then they will probably be the best cords I'll ever have in my system. These cords having twice the amount of conductor as the Thunderbird and using the Acrolink connectors must be awesome.I shall rave I'm sure when I have availability to purchase one or two.
Gary truly is on to something with his new line of cables.
Wow

Wow!!! at last a powercord that excel any that I have ever heard. I recently owned the $4,000.00 Iso-clean supremefocus , the top 0 the line purist, just to name a couple, but the cords
That I have tried cannot come close to the Windigo's from 6 sons audio. Gary is the owner, full of integrity and knowledge. Before you dump a load of cash, give Gary's cord a listen. You won't be sorry believe me.
I demoed the Thunderbird as well as the Windigo cord that others have referenced above on my Consonance Cyber 800 monoblocks. Oh man, they both made big sonic impacts on my system.

The Thunderbird power cord caused an increase in soundstage, a blacker background, and an increase in the separation of instruments. I found it made my digital system sound more natural, accurate, and just caused an overall "tube" sweetness. I also found it to lean slightly to the warmer side of neutral.

The Windigo sounded quite different on my amps than the Thunderbird. It took a black background, separation of instruments to another level yet. This cord is definitely more neutral and dynamic.

I have recently demoed the Black Sand Silver Reference MKV and both of the above cords smoked this cord in every way in my system....no contest. I don't know how much 6Sons is selling the Windigo for, but for sure, the Thunderbird is an absolute steal at the asking price. You could not ask for a better dealer. Thank you Gary.

Thanks,
Mike
The Windigo sounds very interesting. I visited the website but no info on the cords, no pricing, etc.