Power Cords: A Skeptic Looking to Dabble...

Foster_9 - Do you really believe that you can remember what your system sounded like with the previous power cord installed after many hours of break-in on the new one? I hope you at least swap back for a after the break-in to the original cord otherwise I'd say you are fooling yourself. It is simply not possible to accurately remember the "micro details" after a long period of time, it is hard enough with an instant A/B comparison.

In auditioning cables, I've gotten into the habit of taking extensive notes on specific tracks. This mitigates the effects of memory and wishful thinking. Not foolproof to be sure, but better than pretending that one's memory alone is sufficient.

Banquo- I have often taken notes when trying out power cords on a new (used) piece. I have about 6 power cords not in use and upon getting new gear I may use 4 or 5 of them trying to find a good match. I rarely buy new power cords. Mceljo, it comes down to knowing the sound of your system, recordings, and room very well and then you are not just depending on your memory to know what a power cord change is doing to the sound.

Regarding the last few posts, an additional point that will be obvious to some but I nevertheless think warrants mention in this kind of discussion, is the possibility that things other than the performance of the power cord may change during the breakin period.

Examples being changes in AC line voltage or AC line noise characteristics, and ongoing breakin or aging of system components. Tubed components perhaps being particularly susceptible to the latter possibility, at some stages of their life-cycle. Also, the possibility that cartridge suspensions or speaker drivers may be in different states of flexibility due to differences in usage patterns that occur from time to time. (While I haven't particularly noticed that kind of effect with my speakers or with the cartridges I have used, it certainly occurs to a huge degree with my Stax electrostatic headphones). And, also, the possibility that the components in the system may be in unequal states of warmup during the various stages of the comparison, given especially that some folks believe that solid state components can take 24 hours or more to reach a stable warmup state.

As I see it, without a very disciplined methodology it's especially easy in audio to attribute a perceived change to the wrong variable.

Regards,
-- Al

Mc-now you're arguing with folks expressing their experiences? Many people here have provided what you asked for. Now it's time for you to go play with some power cords. Oh, and don't forget to tell us your experiences. I hope you find they make no difference for you. It would save us another useless thread.