Up there , way way up there amongst A/C cords . One of the very best !!!
Has anyone heard the Stage III Kraken power cord
I am using Stage III Minotaurs now and was thinking of upgrading to the Kraken. I use the Minotaurs on a BMC AMP C1 and also a BMC BDCD 1.1 cd player and am very curious about the Kraken. My speakers are the SalkSound HT2-TL'S with Acoustic Zen absolute speaker cables.
64 responses Add your response
I’ve heard them - and they blew my mind! To be honest, I had never done much auditioning of power cords through out my years in the audio hobby. When I built my room I bought the top of the line Furutech wire and top of the line Furutech connectors and put my own power cords together. I thought that’s got to be about the best it can be – boy was I wrong! Brian Ackerman of Aaudio came over to my house with a bunch of his goodies on the way to The Cal Audio Show this year and turned my world upside down with his Stage Three power cords, HB Designs Power Strip and Thales interconnects. I was actually able to hear the power cables in two different systems (mine and another buddies) and they blew me, and everyone else’s mind. Just one power cord to the preamp was honestly like a component upgrade - seriously. I could not believe that a power cord could make that much difference! Just as amazing was the HB Designs Power Strip. It’s just a darn power strip! But holy cow that thing made a huge difference too! Then we put the Thales interconnects in my system - unbelevailble. I was totally amazed at the sound of my system! Depth and timbrel accuracy are the predominate two words that come to mind to describe what happen to my system. Depth! – layering of the music and instruments with timbrel accuracy! This is what I’ve been chasing for years with my system. I’m telling every nay sayer about power cords – save it! you’re just showing your inexperience. Unfortunately, that particular Stage Three power cord that we put in my system (only one cord – mind you!) was way out of my price range. The good news is that Stage Three Concepts has a new line coming out that uses the same technology as the cord that I heard (The Kraken) and at lower price point. I just wanted to share my experience with everyone. That power cord (and the other stuff) made me understand just how important power is to a system. Brian Ackerman of Aaudio is the importer of all this gear and this stuff works! I am, of course, not affiliated with Brian in anyway except that I have chatted with him several times over the years about different audio related topics and he has been extremely generous with his time and knowledge. I hate to admit it but I’ve never even bought anything from him! That will soon change however. I’m just trying to save up money and I am waiting for the new line of Stage Three power cords to come out. Anyway, Brian is an outstanding, friendly and knowledgeable audio guru and the Stage Three power cords are amazing! |
Keithmundy, I own the HB Design Acrylic PowerSlave and tried their Dragon pcs on it. It was just outstanding. I never have had the opportunity to hear a Kraken on it, but that would be an interesting comparison. The Dragon is $3000 cheaper, not considering the discounts of Aaudio Imports on Stage III, which reduce the difference to $1000. |
@ TBG, Hi, Thanks, The question on the above post is for anybody that can give the comparisons, I think the two power cords in my post are quite the Heavy Hitters of today,I own the Taralabs cobalt power cord that I believe is in the heap of best available, I do not think the Tara would be as good as the two power cords I mentioned, However, At $5,450.00 for 6-foot is doing real good to be in the same conversation as the other power cords that are $11,000.00 for 6 foot, They should be better, you think, LOL! |
Hey Tbg, sorry - just getting back to the post. I was wondering about the Dragon power cords - they too look like a well made cord. I figured that it might be good to stick with HB's own cords to their own box. What is it about that darn "box" anyway... It's just grounding and I guess it balances the voltage/ohmage to each outlet. I just can not understand how that strip can make such a difference in sound quality! |
Keithmundy, I don't understand it either, but it does. I have two Syn. Res. QLS Tesla coil zapped power strips, which were better than anything else, but not the PowerSlave. The Dragon pc does substantially enhance the sound also. I would love to compare the Dragon, the Kraken, and the new Triton. Jack Roberts say the Marble PowerSlave is much better; but wow it is much more expensive. I should add that I cannot find anything that improves on the HB Acrylic PowerSlave sitting on the floor. The isolation feet are remarkable. |
Tbg. Interesting.... I'm a fan of John Tucker/Exemplar Audio. I will have to explore his power cords! Jafant and audiolabyrinth I don't have much more to add from what I said before - the cords are magic - depth and timbre accuracy! I was amazed. I could/would never afford to buy that expensive of a PC (the Kraken) but who knows....I’ve said that before…. and if Stage 3's new line (less money) doesn't have the magic I may have to just start working toward the Kraken. I certainly hope not because I will need many of them. I'm hoping to get a good amount of the magic that I heard in my system from the Kraken - in the lower cost "new line". Power cords are a big deal! I had no idea! I am slowly working on “getting my power right” as Brian Ackerman says. He also says -“Get the power right and the rest will follow” – sounds like a title of a good movie! And it’s the damn truth. Get the power right first - I had no idea! |
I have gone all Kraken , except for a Zyklops on my transport . For one , these cords take forever to burn in . Once cooked they are a sonic marvel . Images are infused with flesh , meat on bones . Their girth and general appearance gives one the impression of it being BASS heavy , it is potent ,very , but there is no slurring of pitch or slowing of tempo . On appropriate recordings with a band playing , I can now discern an enhanced depth of tone and an energy emanating from instruments that can be heard and more importantly felt across the room . Be it a violin being bowed , a guitar strummed or a double bass plucked . The resonating string now causes a wave launch , I mention the energy from strings , because usually it is more subtle compared to a percussive instrument . I have switched to the Kraken from Siltech Ruby Double Crowns , which themselves are no slouches . The Kraken however is from a entirely different level of excellence . Hope this of interest . |
Boeing, I've heard the Marble and own the Acrylic but never heard them side by side, but a friend has and says, like Jack Roberts in Dagogo that the Marble is better. It had better be better as it costs considerably more. I will probably never have a chance to compare them. I must say that the Marble without the Dragon is not likely to beat an Acrylic with the Dragon. |
@ Boeing, Hi, Thankyou for the excellent detailed review of the stage 3 concepts kraken power cord, Thou I am a Taralabs fan, I have alot of interest in this kraken power cord, Taralabs is introducing a new flagship cable at ces, likly out of my price range, for the very filthy rich!, The new flagship cable is called the Evolution cable. |
Lak- I can offer you some intel based on the things I have read about Stage III IC's. Oddly enough, if you have had any opportunity to audition their power cords (PC) then you know the aspects that are being raved in this thread. Oddly enough, again, Stage III IC's are nowhere near as good as the companies' PC. Search the webzines like 6 moons & dagogo where you will find the reviewer(s) received both PC + IC(s) for demo/eval- none kept the IC(s)...strange? |
Here is a little of what I know about the new Pc's ..he new TRITON cable is a somewhat smaller, lighter version of the KRAKEN but it employs all of the same technology. http://aaudioimports.com/ShowProduct.asp?hProduct=245 The TRYDENT is essentially the same as the TRITON, however it does not use the Palladium/Silver alloy conductors and employs a different shielding technology. @audiolabyrinth , thanks , glad my post was of interest . @Jafant , no offense but that is some half baked information . Could you provide the links , from where you deduce your statement . I would like to add that I am currently using an entire Stage iii reference loom including their Digital Chimaera . I do not find the Gryphon XLR in any way to be limiting performance . Previous attempts of running a single coherent loom , at least for me have failed miserably . I have been adopting a mix n match approach , that is until I have been led back to the fold, by what the Stage iii loom brings , namely a room filling full bodied organic sound , without detail being obscured . No mean balancing act this !!! |
Not to derail this thread but I'm looking at Stage III power cords for my for Atma-Sphere M60 monoblocks. The problem is that the Kraken is waaaaay to expensive for me, (I was hoping to get something in the $700'ish range). I see the Stage III vortex for sale at the moment, (a little more than $700), and was wondering if anyone on this thread could speak to how that particular Stage III cable would sound relative to it's much more expensive siblings? Thanks very much. |
Audiolabyrinth, frankly there are so many cables on the market that I rely on scuttlebutt to learn of what is new and interesting. Furthermore, with tastes being so different, I doubt if anyone really takes others' opinions to heart. I don't, with the exception of a handful of people who I trust given prior experience. There is the Cable Company with their library. I also remember when Siltech first can here and their power cord was blown out of the water by a Radio Shack powercord which they reverse engineered and redid theirs to sell at ten times the price. |
I like the look of the CH cords, and the fact that they OEM'd for Running Springs in the early phases. http://chacoustic.com/home.html Regards, |
