Pass Labs Power Cord

check out the power cords on www.tweakaudio.com

I don't know if Pass prefers or benefits from additional AC isolation/conditioning; if no I have found the MIT Oracle AClll, a non-networked cord, works quite well with my Spectral 200 watt amp, easy dynamics.

A good audio bud here in town has the 350 running into 10T's w/First Sound pre. Tried my DIY, then Cardas and is now using Gutwire throughout the system. It sounds very good, running through Brickwall surge protectors.

I am using a Virtual Dynamics Rev2 on my Pass Labs X350.5. It realy makes it come alive.

Have anyone tried Shunyata pc with pass labs amps? I have also heard that the power supplies are so well designed and built that expensive power cords simply don't make much of a difference. anyone wants to comment?

I have had really good luck with the ESP Essence pc on my Pass X250.5. The only cord I have have found that significantly bettered it was a Michael Wolff Carbon PC but that one costs over $1K.

Armandito, I have tried Shunyata Taipan Helix Alpha and Audience on my X250.5

I don't know how your X350 responds to power cords, but my X250.5 shows a very slight difference between a $6 Volex cord and a Shunyata or Audience. The sonic difference is such that it is definitely not worth the price difference.
I ended up with Audience powerChord on this amplifier now(I already had it at the time), and Shunyata Taipan Helix Alpha on my ARC LS25 tube preamp and this is where it makes most sense in my system. But I could easily live with a stock cord on the amp as well. You get a slight improvement with Audience or Shunyata mostly in high frequencies where with aftermarket cords it sound a bit more even throughout that spectrum, but again, it takes some time to listen and notice.

Joey54, I also heard positive things about ESP Essence Reference on Pass Labs amplifiers. I was planning on trying this cord but never got to it. How would you describe the difference between the stock cord and ESP? Thanks

I used to own the Pass XA160 and had several conversations with Pass directly about power cords and they feel that their stock cords sound best. I did experiment with a few but found VERY little if any difference. I did the same experiment with my current amps and had the same results.

I posted this in another thread so if you've read it, please excuse the repitition.

I've owned and listened critically to almost every current Pass product for many hours. To my ears they are the least unaffected by aftermarket power cords than any other line to which I am familar. Based on my experience, I don't spend neither do I recommend, mega buck power cords for Pass gear. That money, IMO, is better spent someplace else in your room and/or system.

As always YMMV.

Dealer disclaimer

I found my Aleph 3 to benefit from an aftermarket PC which is a Wireworld Electra lll and also the TEL wire PC but the biggest benefit was powering the Aleph 3 with a high current balanced power conditioner.

Powering the Aleph 3 with the Platinum Power PP-1 not only completely eliminated the Aleph's transformer hum but also decreased the back ground noise considerably which resulted in a nice improvement in soundstage prowess and bass grip. The highs were cleaned up as well and the amp just seemed to "breath" A LOT easier when powered by high current balanced power.

I would not write off aftermarket PC's without trying them in ones own system first and this is a simple/easy process with companies like The Cable Co. out there willing to offer home trials of the majority of cables/PC's out there.

Cheers,

Nmmusicman

Tvad, I'd be surprised if Volex sounds like Dominus. It definitely should not, considering the price difference. But then again, if there is a difference, is it worth the price of admission? That's for you to decide. However, please do let us know what differences you have observed, once you're done comparing the cords.

Please, keep us posted.

Thanks

Tvad, thanks.
In my system the results were similar. On CDP and preamp, aftermarket power cords are more beneficial in my system. But I still do want to try that ESP Essence Reference.

I also spend a lot of money on power cords, because it feels weird not having them on my expensive equipment. But I'm not sure I can really tell a difference. It is interesting to me that three different designers whose equipment I hold in very high regard think the whole concept is suspect, at least with their equipment. In fact on one of these pieces I had to have "custom" work done to remove the captive cord. This skepticism does not seem to apply to ICs and Speaker Cables with their various and obvious filtering effects.

Any recomendation without braking the bank? I see a lot of comment so far, but no direct recomendation?

Tvad

Who were you refering to when you used the word "quibbling"? as far as I know, I never set a price point for pc. I just wanted to get an idea from others audiogon members.That's all. by the way, thank you for your comments.

Here's a link of interest:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_11_4/feature-article-blind-test-power-cords-12-2004.html

The reason Pass Amps don't respond to high-cost power cords like other amps is, and I'm not sure I understand this 100%, but I've read that as true class A (I have Aleph 5 - and this may not apply to their modern Class AB amps) they draw the same current all the time. It either gets used for heat or music, but doesn't change. Amps that operate as Class B will pull more wattage when the music peaks, so all of a suddent asking the wall for 10X the power you were using a microsecond ago, if your power cord is higher end there may be less resistance or capacitance or whatever, and it gets there more quickly and/or in a purer way. But the Pass Class A amps (and I suppose any true Class A amp?) always draw the same amount of current independent of the loudness or local intensity of the music.

So, this would mean, if correct, that the XA200 or XA160 would not require crazy power cord, and your X350 would only to the extent that it was in class B mode. I've read here and there at what wattage it goes from A to B, don't have the info at my figertips, its realitively high for 350, so the only effect you should hear is when you are listenting to very very loud music, the amp is in B mode, and then on top of that, the volume changes very quickly. If you had 150, for example, you would be in B mode more often.

Otherwise, it won't make a differnce.

Not to say I'm against spending $150 or $70 on low/medium-end Kimber power cord or similar equivalent, but I don't think going higher in price buys much for reasons mentioned above.

I had the Pass Aleph 2's (then XA160's and awaiting the new XA100.5's). I replaced the stock power cords with two runs of 15' of JPS Labs in-wall cables wired directly from separate 20amp circuit breakers, through the floor, to high quality Furutech plugs directly into each momoblock. The drop in noise floor and resulting low-level detail retrieval was dramatic. Dynamics and transperancy also improved. I don't really know if the improvement is from the quality of the JPS cable or the fact that the current runs a direct path to the amps, ie. one continuous cable with no breaks for outlets and connectors. Cost was about $500.

In my own experience with Gryphon Antileon amp (100 watt pure Class A), to Lightminers point, I have found the Dominus Ferox to make a big difference. I have spoken with other A'Goners off-line who also concurred that upgrading the stock PC on Gryphon amps (Class A ones...Colosseum) yielded significant improvements. I am auditioning a Purist Audio Aqueous now (which is def better than stock) and am likely to go for Dom Ferox. I have a s/hand one for my DAC and the improvement is worth it for me. Hope that helps.

Tvad,
I am looking for a power cord for mine pass labs X350.5, you had tried the dominus and cardas golden reference I know pass amp does not make a lot of different in after market cord, but would like to try some power cord for mine pass, what was the different between the dominus and cardas golden reference is it worth it to you, I had tried DDCA extreme reference cord on the pass and was not good sound like the amp on steroid not musical for mine taste.

I do not own a Pass Lab amp but i was fortunate enough to have a local dealer loan me a XA 30.5 and the same cord Tvad is using Oyaide Tunami GPX. Doing a comparason between my Virtual Dynamics and the GPX, huge difference. It opened up the sound stage and did away with what i can only describe as muffled music coming from the MLs. This was also the case using the GPX with my old Classe CA100 amp, IMHO.

The GPX