Has anyone tried the Shunyata Diamondback PC?

Ack,

I cannot dispute your experience, and I am sure you heard what you heard.

My experience was different. I did a fairly extensive test of different Shunyata power cables with my CDP played through a Moon and Dynaudio system that was highly resolving and utilized premium Shunyata and other brand cables throughout. I carefully compared the surplus heavy duty 16 guage moulded printer power cable I had been using to the Shuyata Venom, Diamondback and Taipan Alpha Helix VX power cables. I listened to the same 15 pieces of music at the same volume and in the same listening position in the room for several hours (very generous dealer, Tim at Experience Audio in Seattle). The printer cable had worked better than the stock cable that came with the Cambridge CDP, and was my current "reference".

My findings were that there was little difference between the printer cable and the Venom, a big positive difference between the Diamondback and the other two, and a smaller positive difference in the step up from the Diamondback to the Taipan. This was not the result I wanted, because I was hoping I would not be able to decern much of a difference between the various cables and would be happy purchasing the Venom. I ended up purchasing the Diamondback and were cost not object, I would have purchased the Taipan. For the lower current CDP, the shielded printer cable was nearly as refined as the Venom. For a higher current amplifier application, the thicker guage Venom may very well be clearly superior. For whatever reason, the Diamondback worked well in this test and continues to work very well with my source in my system at home.

My experience carfully listening to and comparing these Shunyata cords has made me interested enough in the subject to build some cords of my own, changing the sound of my system in everycase and usually, but not always, for the better. YMMV.

Your last abbreviation, "YMMV", is exactly what I expect manufacturers to respond with. Some hear differences and others don't, and I am glad you do. In my case, I even used a Sidewinder CX directly to one of the Spectral amps, and the stock cord to the other - no difference whatsoever, even when playing mono material. From this I conclude the stock power cord is just as good as the Shunyata for *this* particular application.

I am very eager to see what Shunyata has to publish in terms of tests which will hopefully show that reducing induction-based resistance (as per Helix patent) in the last 6ft of a power cord has any benefit. Perhaps this geometry can reduce line noise, and since my MIT power conditioners already achieve that, the benefit isn't there for me???

Finally, I took it as a challenge to myself to verify that "Almost all Spectral dealers world wide also sell our power products together with Spectral" as Grant claimed. Results: two out of the total four in the US don't carry Shunyata (Music Lovers and Innovative Audio). Of the total 10 international Spectral distributors, 7 (seven!) did not carry Shunyata either. You can compare for yourselves at http://www.spectralaudio.com/dealers.htm and http://www.shunyata.com/Content/about-worlddist.html

Mr Grant - your credibility is very shaken with me.

Ok Ack, no one is making up stories so relax. My 'almost all" comment was
made without looking at their site and I did not know Elliot at Innovative was
still a dealer. We are represented by Overture in Delaware and Goodwins in
Boston who are likely two of Spectrals top selling US dealers. We are also
represented by Audio Components Germany and More Music Netherlands who
are two high-volume, committed Spectral distributors. Their network may be
small but their distributors are top quality, as are their electronics.

My simple point was that we work with many Spectral dealers, who routinely
sell our products together so I have a fair amount of feedback about the
combinations from many sources. I am sorry your experience did not go well.
Send me an e-mail and the name of your dealer. I will try to effect a return of
the product if you found it to be ineffective in your app. We did recently
discontinue the SideWinder CX but I will do what I can to help.

You have made some heavy handed accusations and comments based on very
little information. I have posted here since '01. I have never been accused of
lying or malfeasance and I have gone well out of my way many times to help
others both personally and professionally so save all your comments about
shaky credibility, they are entirely unwarranted. What's next, name calling?

Your last six feet comment is backwards. From the perspective of electronic
power supplies its the first six feet that is the most critical and most
electrically visible to electronics. Electrically speaking, electronics are near-
sighted.

Yes, we are formatting and finishing the supporting text for measurements
that do show obvious differences in impulse current efficiency and lowered
resistance. Since you have gone so far out of your way to be pointy and
accusatory, I will e-mail you the link when it comes available.

Enough with the insults. If you have more to say, I am easy to reach directly.

Regards,

Grant

Looking forward to it. I hope you won't neglect to describe WHY these improvements are relevant and significant (read: material) when applied to a power cord, not just that your cables measure better than others.

Said differently, why is better impulse current efficiency and lowered resistance significant in various applications (amps, preamps, phonos, et al), when the wires leading up to our outlets are presumably much worse when it comes to those electrical characteristics (and perhaps lots of others) than Shunyata wiring.

Finally, I accept upfront that some power cords can at least lower and/or reject noise (and I have measured my shielded Siltechs to do so, as also evident by the reduced hum in my phono section) - something I have not seen you (or your web site) discuss with respect to your products, so hopefully your document will discuss what Shunyatas have to offer in this respect as well.

Is there a difference between the Diamondback v.s. the Diamondback "Platinum" ?