Let's talk power cords

willemj
I am afraid science is not a democracy.

Wrong again, Professor. Science is the very definition of a democracy. That’s what the whole peer review process is all about. It’s essentially a voting process. This why it takes so long for new ideas like relativity or gravity waves or black holes to be accepted as real. If science wasn't a democracy any Yutz in town could say, here's some new science, let's go! It’s a process. Not unlike the process of electing a US President.

Several album tracks I play and enjoy a lot, were not altered by replacing power cords, they were improved upon in terms of resolution and or details.

What could not be heard prior to the swap could be heard after the swap.

How then is this possible if power cords do nothing but supply power and any power cord would suffice?

The areas of improvement were in the bottom most octave on a Stanley turrentine cut, and a clearer midrange depicting subtle cues in the Four Play track off the heartfelt album. What was once silent or audidbly invisible before hand, were plainly evident with a different power cable.

This was a repeateable affair. I put the current PCs back into the rig to ensure my discovery was not imagined. Sure enough those sonic cues disappeared. Replacing the amp (s PCs thereafter revealed these bits of the recording once again.)

These particular songs were among ‘go to’ cuts I used for determining the system consequent on going alterations.

Its about as scientific as any other testing scenario one can conduct in their listening room could determine.

An O scope would not have heard those missing sonics, or realized there abrupt presence I don’t think.

As said, by other feedback herein, dunno. Don’t care to know. All I know is what I’m hearing and I don’t drink, do drugs, I take nothing in the past couple decades and change, which could artificially change my mood or my mind, so I’m quite sure there was nothing supposed, imaginary, or delisional about my distinctions.

Neither did I very much like the notion of being faced with the proposition of having to find another $1000 for a pair of those PCs on the used mkt at the time.

But as with every thread of this sort. The only answer that will ever hold water is for the OP to get out there and try a few brands and a model or two within those brands … one at a time to see.

Experimenting with tweaking a stereo rig is at times, a labor of love. By golly Miss Molly, you’ll have to love it to deal with the frakin’ tedium that ensues when you start chasing sonic upgrades via cables. They do make a difference as does most any other portion of the outfit, provided it has exceptional resolution, but finding the mix which is in fact better and not just different is IMO frustrating.

One thing about doing the ‘’which wire’ dance’, is this, you’ll find out fairly quickly who are the pretenders and who are the contenders. Regardless their claims or pricing.

It will help you to have two things. Some IEC to NEMA adapters and more than one system on board. If for no other reason than preventing excessive wear on the main rig.

The adapters do the most work. The secondary system is merely further confirmation.

Best luck…

All this discussion on whether or not that power cords make a difference or not o audio reproduction can be proved true or false by scientific measurements alone is a true fallacy.  Power cords, power conditioners, interconnects and speaker wires are all the same.  In the end it comes to trust in one's own hearing abilities.  All I know is that when working with quality audio products that they all make differences.  It is so easy.  For instance I find that Audioquest power cords as ell as their Niagara 1000 power strips really make a significant difference when used.  On the other hand, with my OPPO 205 I find that a JPS digital power cords makes a huge difference compared to using a over three times more costly Audioquest power cord instead.  And that is using the JPS digital power cord plugged into an Audioquest Niagara 1000 and matching Audioquest power cord.  The beter the audio gear used the more differences can be noticed.  One can argue all they want as to wires themself making any significant differences, but to those who have been around the audio game know tht what I am saying is true.  In fact the whole subject reminds me of  discussions reguarding religion.  One either believes or they do not.  But in the case of audio, anyone with good hearing can easily note the differences in reality that all this wire stuff does make a difference.  Otherwise Michael Fremer himself is a liar and a fraud.  All part of the audio conspiracy to spend one's money on nonsense.  You can say that Michael is a liar and a fraud and that I am just another hopeless fool.  But I turn on my own audio system and I know that I am not.  I am not hearing magical voices talking to me.  I can replace my power cords, interconnects and speaker wires with generic substitutions, but I know for a fact that my audio system would, in comparison, sound like crap.  One simply has to have an open mind on the subject.  

  I pondered this question too . What I did was go to a web site and click buy . Then when the little box opened up , I clicked “ 4 “. Then I clicked check out with Pay Pal . When they came , I hooked them up .  That was last year , I still have them . When Mr. Tesla chimes in , would somebody please let me know , thanks . Now I’m gonna take my directional ass to a different thread . 

@thirsty93 

it does not make any difference. Everyone who claims the opposite cannot prove a thing. ask them for a proof!

ASK THEM!!!!!