Power Cord for Power Conditioner

Jeff have you ever heard the sound that measurements make ?

Do measuring instruments have a sound,like amplifiers do?

Look at how many different sounding amplifiers there are today, that on paper all measure the same.

Some things have yet to be measured and sound is one of them.

No one has heard the perfect replica of the original event and there is no absolute benchmark of what it is.

Unlike the lab gear you hold in such high regard, hifi gear isn't just a function of meeting the specs.

You'll hear what bad specs sound like and what good specs sound like, and sometimes a poorly speced amp(like some SET amps) sounds more realistic inspite of this. anomoly.

But this is just falling on deaf ears(literally) if you feel that all amps sound the same.

And the same can be said for power cords.

I know of one manufacturer of a line conditioner who now sources his wire direct from Germany because it not only measured better than what he had been using, but also sounds better.

This wire is the type of wire that is used in several research labs in Germany.
The manufacturer of the line conditioners was a cable skeptic,until he came across this wire.He revamped his product and now uses this industrial wire exclusively.

Audio is just a hobby sideline from his real profession as an industrial engineer setting up lab measuring devices throughout the world.Devices whose reliabilty depend on the quality of the electricity being fed into it.

The man is Ed Wolkow, his sideline is Foundation Research.

"Look at how many different sounding amplifiers there are today, that on paper all measure the same."

That is actually just something someone made up, I guarantee it did not come from an electronics/measurement type person.
The goal of a good manufacturer is to control quality to the point where there aren't measurable differences between components that are supposed to be identical (e.g. mono blocks), but there are measurable differences even when everything that can be done to prevent them is done. The other thing is that your components are constantly changing, a twelve month old amp will not measure exactly the same as it did the day you bought it. All devices (resistors, inductors, capacitors, transformers, etc.) are constantly either breaking in or breaking down and no two devices are ever exactly the same. The bright side is that as long as things don't get too far out of tolerance specifications, nobody can hear the difference.
I quit stereophile quite a while back, but they used to make amp measurements if you wish to confirm that no too amps of different design measure the same.

"Some things have yet to be measured and sound is one of them."

If it can't be recorded/measured then there is no way for it to be played back on your stereo.

"You'll hear what bad specs sound like and what good specs sound like,"

Interpreting good versus bad is where things get really interesting and also get to be very much about personal preference.

"But this is just falling on deaf ears(literally) if you feel that all amps sound the same."

Even if I believed that I'd still be forced to admit that they measure differently and I couldn't debate you. It is the opposite of the power cord thing.

I'm not going to comment on your reference to the specific company and individual. I think it is aok for you to bring it up in a positive sense though (and as far as I know this may be a great company).

The company isn't well known outside of Canada,which is mainly due to the limited runs of the conditioners the result of extensive time spent in the real world outside of our little niche group of audiophiles.

You perhaps should pick up the latest edition of 'Phile- and read M.Fremers description of the new Shunyata power conditioners and learn about DTCD, which is the first device to be able to produce the kind of validation you are seeking.

He states the naysayers will still have their doubts even when confronted with the first measurable differences between power cords(and fuses), but they wanted proof, so here it is.

Perhaps you will find the new edition of Phile well worth the cost of the mag, or you could read it for free at the nearest Chapters.
I am not out to sell magazines for anyone.

I could say that my intent is just to enlighten others who have yet to discover the merits of a decent power cord and for the fence sitters to try one for themselves and make up their own minds.

I gain nothing by sharing my positive expereince,and am at a loss why others so persistantly deny that there can be any difference, good or bad.What's in it for them to do so?

You've stated, all components change over the years.At least you acknowledge that fact, most power cord deniers won't even go that far and say the whole "burn in" thing is a hoax.

So perhaps it's time for you to actually go out and borrow a decent power cord and have a listen.You don't have to buy one, there are lots of companies with trial periods and let's not forget to support our local brick and mortar audio stores.

My local store allowed me to audition power cords and over the course of a few days, (not one switch, a quick listen and out it goes)you get the feel for what the cable is doing.

At the very least, you could butcher one of those molded PC's and put a couple of decent ends on it and then compare that to a stock power cord.

If you can notice a difference between a hot rodded and stock PC, then you should have a bit of an idea about what you can expect from the better power cords.

Or like I said you could pick up the latest Stereophile and pick up where you left off.

Some things have changed in the interim.

Lacee. I read the DTCD stuff/Fremer's article on the cable company's website.

Would like to have one of those free to play with, or access to enough detail to be able to see what the thing actually does. Would love to find out that I was entirely wrong and that a device has now been created which will allow all well built electronics to be made better, this would be a really big deal.

A review in something like popular science or one of the many EE and electronics trade mags would carry some real weight. Else, audio mags are not known for reliable info.

Can't a listen to a decent power cord be all the proof you need?

The EE or electronic trade mags, of which I have as much knowledge of as you have of the latest TAS or Stereophile audio mags,in my estimation, (though with no hard evidence to support this claim), would most likely side with your current stand on upgraded power cords, so in my world each magazine ,audio or EE, would cancel the other out.

You're still left choosing sides, but also still in the dark, because you haven't taken the next step(as far as I know) to actually try a decent power cord on decent gear.
Until you do, all anyone has are two different viewpoints from two different magazines.

The proof is always in the pudding, and if one adheres to scientific priciples, one should do the experiment for themselves .

I am at a loss about the Shunyata measuring device.
But then I don't need measuremnts to back up or disprove what my ears are telling me.

What I have heard with my ears is that entry level Snakes are better than stock PC's and the further up the line the better the Shunyata PC are at getting out of the way and letting more of the music thru.If I'd heard no difference I wouldn't have spent the money, and I didn't convince myself after the deal was done.I went back and bought more when I heard the improvement one made in my system,

Someone has mentioned that it's absurd to use $2000.00 power cords on gear that costs less than the cables.

In theory that makes absolute sense and there's lot's of examples one could make, such as putting the most expensive wheels and performance tires on a Smart Two.

But what if those tires just happen to make the car perform better?

This is the point I try to make.
Over and over.

Most of the time we never have heard how good our gear is because we compromise it with chep wires,and do nothing about all the stuff that "shouldn't have any effect on the sound".

Ever tried an IsoClean or Hi Fi Supreme fuse in any of your gear?

I use them, and when I posted someplace else that they improved my sound, all I got back was the same kind of negative response you get when you post such findings.
At one point I offered to pay for a fuse just so a denier could have a listen and make up his own mind.
That was under $100.00, which I feel isn't a great amount of money to spend on something that will improve your sound.

But, some folks refuse to even try if there is no cost to them or any strings attached.

I only can speculate the reasons why someone would refuse an offer like that, but refuse they did, and refuse any demonstrations of demagging lps and cd's that I offered.

Again they knew these things can't work, even without ever trying them.

Where's the science in that?
Talk about tweaks being all about beliefs?
Denying the benefits of upgraded PC, fuses etc, without trying them is based on nothing but a set of beliefs that says they can't work.
And why?
Because I haven't seen any scientific proof in any of (my)EE journals.

Shunyata to their credit has tried to offer proof that the differences some of us hear can be shown in measurements.
But obviously that is not enough.

For me , irregardless of hype or scientific proof,if I am curious about something I want to know for myself if it works with what I own, and if it does I'll buy it.

Now just because I use a $2000.00 PC and a $100.00 fuse on a $1200.00 2 watt SET amp,why I do so is not just because I can afford to and it's not just about bragging rights(riddicule and hilarious outburts are more like what I expect)I do so because they make that amp sound better than the stock fuse and power cord did.

And the nice thing about upgraded power cords,you can use them on the next amp upgrade and know that the new amp will also be performing as best it can.
So you buy good once and forget it.

If there is any caveat it's that if the other PC are not improved those will seriously limit the performance of the newest upgraded one.The old weakest link advice.

I am not suggesting that everyone goes out and does what I did and run all Annacondas, but when you hear the improvemnt one makes, you want that for all your gear, and the effects are cumulative.

In fact when one starts to upgrade the power delivery starting at the panel with dedicated lines, 20 amp fuses and ten guage solid core wiring, adding the upgraded PC is the final touch.

And every component upgrade (if you still think you need to)will be easier to tell if it is an upgrade or not.

I don't know if any of the EE or electrical journals that you read mention the importanace of such things,but the mags I read do.