2. cables
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Doing the Power Cord Thing

Hey everyone,

So as you all know, I'm a DIY kind of guy when it comes to cables and speakers. I'll be building a new power cable using affordable parts from Parts Connexion and DH Labs:


https://www.partsconnexion.com/DHLABS-75520.html

and


https://www.partsconnexion.com/CONNEX-83387.html

They'll look nice, at least! :)


Testing will occur on the very last, new, Luxman 507ux in the United States.Will I hear anything at all? Or will this be just a wasted hour and wasted $100 assembling a cable?
erik_squires
riley804
1,224 posts
 
when looking to buy a power cord for say a amp, how do you know which one to get ?   

 does a company make a power cord to sound a certain way ?

glupson
7,842 posts
 
Making your own cable, power or whatever, for $100 is one of the cheaper funs you can have. It does not really matter if mids are more organic and blacks are blacker. You can always convince yourself they are, but actually constructing something is worth the price of admission.
erik_squires OP
16,242 posts
 
when looking to buy a power cord for say a amp, how do you know which one to get ?  

 does a company make a power cord to sound a certain way ?

Buy nothing you can't hear value in yourself.


The claim is that power cords can make all sorts of audible effects come out, almost none of which I have experienced. My current thinking on power cables and conditioners is here:

https://inatinear.blogspot.com/2019/04/power-management-for-frugal-audiophiles.html

I think, if you can hear audio cables, their effect is best when power is worst, so my advice is in general to get a good conditioner, and modest power cables.
erik_squires OP
16,242 posts
 
Just got a shipment from Parts Express to help me clean up my cable. Shrink wrap, Techflex and some tools.


It won't change the sound, but it will improve the color scheme and make me feel a little better about the look.

:)
builder3
763 posts
 
You could also have saved money by not buying your 507 amp and listened to music on your phone instead. Apples and oranges, comparing the two is pointless.
I certainly don't fault you for building your own power cord, but comparing it to anything that's $2000 is absurd. You could've bought the cord you built from DH Labs for $126.
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