The Truth About Power Cords and there "Real" Price to Performance

@atdavid...
Yessir. It’s ~ 3.18 volts @ 50 feet for 120VAC with a 20A load.

If you want to do your own calculations you can go here:

https://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html?material=copper&wiresize=5.211&voltage=120&phase=ac&noofconductor=1&distance=50&distanceunit=feet&amperes=20&x=49&y=21

We’re talking cords AND house wiring - as they are all part of the same feed line into one’s gear - unless you use batteries or other gear as I previously mentioned (like a power conditioner, caps, batteries, transformers, chokes, etc.)

Most people cannot control the house wiring. Most folks are running their systems on a 15A circuit with ~50 feet of 14AWG Romex copper. That same circuit for most also powers a bunch of lights, ceiling fans and AC outlets that your significant other might plug a vacuum cleaner into.

I have dedicated 12AWG Romex runs to all of my audio gear with 20A breakers (modern code requires AFCI and GFCI, so I run CAFCI (AFCI/GFCI all-in-one).

So do any of you think that a 99.999% pure silver braided, shielded, twisted, cold-press or silver soldered-in-an-argon-chamber, oxygen free / techflex-skinned, 3M heatshrink covered cable on elevators made from African Panke-baobab-wood harvested by bearded millennial vegan artisans from 2400 year-old trees is going to make an audible difference going that last 6-10 feet from your A/C wall outlet into your gear’s IEC port?

Farther up on this thread or maybe another I have expressed my views on "cords". I think you will find my views often similar to yours but more nuanced.


I have two runs of heavy gauge to a split outlet, same phase for both with grounds tied. Predates ACFI/GFCI. Was discussing on another thread. I can't even get the type of breaker I used any more. 


Silver wire, etc , is marketing, hence why no validated testing. Heavy ground, heavy gauge for amps, good shielding all beneficial ... Most of the time. For some equipment, arguably, resistance helps .... less AC noise and EMI.


Equipment to equipment grounds are arguably most critical and there are much cheaper ways of fixing that. If someone puts heavy capacitance from DC circuit ground to chassis ground, then things get dicey.

" So do any of you think that a 99.999% pure silver braided, shielded, twisted, cold-press or silver soldered-in-an-argon-chamber, oxygen free / techflex-skinned, 3M heatshrink covered cable on elevators made from African Panke-baobab-wood harvested by bearded millennial vegan artisans from 2400 year-old trees is going to make an audible difference going that last 6-10 feet from your A/C wall outlet into your gear’s IEC port?"

Yes

I have been using Triode Wire Labs cables for several years simply because they are the best sounding cables my system has ever known. They are exceptionally well made and Pete has always been a pleasure to deal with. Great sound and tremendous value, it is no surprise these cables are now being part of the finest systems assembled. A must try.
PS: if someone still thinks there is no such thing as great sounding cables and poor sounding cables I suggest they reconsider their devotion to this hobby... save your money and enjoy your car radio. Just my 2 cents.

This is all simply an indication of the big split that exists between HiFi folks and Advanced Audiophiles. Nothing to get hung up about, though. 🤗

The closer you look the weirder it gets. - Old audiophile axiom