2. cables
  3. 141391-7415

Which power cords should I look at?

I'm using a Shunyata Alpha Anaconda  Helix to a Hydra 6 with a dream State Veridical to my PS Audio Perfectwave  transport and Audio Art Statement 1 cables to the rest of my components with a separate Dream State to a Hydra 2 with an Audio Art Statement 1 to my Pass X250.5 from the Hydra 2. The sound is nice but I read posts of where people use 3K to 6K power cables and of course that would be an improvement but what might people recommend in my system. The Audio Art Statement 1 cables are DH Labs Red Wave cables with nice Furutech connectors. In other words I'm using 1K cables or less and I'm wondering what might be a realistic upgrade to my current cabling. My signal cables are Cardas Golden Reference and I love them. My system sounds nice but curiosity has me wondering what might be a nice upgraded cables in my system?
128x128mitchb
ljgerens
157 posts
 
I have a question regarding lowering the noise floor. How low should it be? In my case, I do not have any power conditioners, or high end power cords. I am using laboratory grade 14 gauge power cords for my systems which cost about $15 to $20 each. All my electrical outlets are commercial grade which were installed when my house was built. If i turn on all my electronics and set the volume to my normal listening level, I cannot hear anything with my ear up to the speakers. It is dead quiet. If I turn the volume up about 12 to 15 db above my normal listening level, I can hear a faint audible hiss from the speakers with my ear up to them.

It seems to me that the noise floor is pretty low. Is this a reasonable assumption or should it be lower? 
mrdecibel
3,063 posts
 
kalali, t'was my pleasure !  Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,063 posts
 
Signal to noise ratio ( SNR ), is a measurement that compares the level of the signal ( in our case of our audio systems, the music ) to the level of background noise, usually expressed in decibels. The lower the noise floor, the better ( ime ). As one gets " higher end " in this hobby, assumptions are made that noise is still present, even if hiss or hum are not audible. Information retrieval is always greater when the noise floor is lower. This measurement applies to many other areas, other than audio. I hope this helps. Enjoy ! MrD.
analogluvr
859 posts
 
Ljgerens it sounds as though you have a very low noise floor. 
I’m not aware of any way that a power cord can lower noise floor, perhaps someone can offer a technical explanation of how this would work?  Or reference some measurements as that is very easy to measure. 
mrdecibel
3,063 posts
 
Power cables " can " lower the noise floor. How ? Do not know. Might or might not be audible to everyone, as indicated by analogluvr, or,  through every system, but yes, pcs can reduce noise. Enjoy ! MrD.
More to discover