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.
