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Power Cord with great tone

Category: Cables

I am on a look out for a power cord which I would like to hook up on my Transport. Basically my aim is to buy the best possible power cord I can afford and place it right at the beginning of the chain so as to maximize its effect.

My chain is pretty neutral and typically the fine tuning I do at the source level finally turns out to be the flavor of the system. To this effect I want to give the best possible power cord to my source (starting with the transport).

In my priority list, the very first attribute is TONE. I am looking for a power cord with the most realistic tone. I am not really looking for a coloration here but something which does super tone in terms of realism. Vocals should sound almost in flesh and blood.

The second on my list would a quiet background without eating into the micro details. I have noticed that there is a thin line between quietness and loss of micro details. Putting it on transport I cannot afford to lose details.

The third attribute (if I can choose) would be airy and coherent soundstage.

My transport is a modded TEAC VRDS10. AFAIK it has the ability to deliver all these attributes in spades but needs suitable cabling.

My budget is $1000 max. I would look at used market in general.

My shortlists are:
- Transparent Powerlink MM
- Purist Audio Aqueous, Dominus or the 20th anniversary which ever is available in my budget

Both these cords I have shortlisted purely based on user comments. I do not have the luxury of listening to them since I stay at India where there is no "Cable Company".
I am expecting you guys to help me out here by describing your experiences with these cords so that I can take a call.

In case you would like to add to this shortlist, please feel free to do so. BTW, in the past I have heard a Yamamura Millennium 5000 power cord and with my transport it was stunning. It did everything I have on my list of priorities in the that order but unfortunately the company is no more and the cords are very rare on the used market.

Please do comment.
pani
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cipherjuris
145 posts
 
Pani, the best power cords I have heard in my system with extended listening are the Shunyata King Cobra CX (the current version) and the Purist Audio Design Anniversary.

The PAD Anniversary is much better than the other cables I tried (Transparent, Virtual Dynamics, Stealth Dream), especially on the things that you indicated are most important to you, and the Shunyata King Cobra CX is significantly better than the PAD Anniversary.

Hope this helps. Best,
Ed
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,182 posts
 
Power Cords are not in the analog music signal path and hence cannot have a tone, per se.

They can perhaps serve as a better conduit of power and current to the devices that are and hence have an effect perhaps on their sound or tone, but do not contribute any distinctly identifiable tone of their own.

Splitting hairs perhaps but useful I think to help manage expectations regarding what effect a power cord might actually have and why.
pani OP
1,219 posts
 
Mapman, in my observation, power cords especially on source has the highest impact on every aspect of sound compared to any other cables in the chain. I am not talking about entry level sources like the NAD, CA, Marantz stuff here. They do not carry signal but they affect the way the signal is generated, which is a more fundamental aspect than carrying a signal. I have had in the past many power cords, all of them being tried on my Reimyo DAC and the results were worlds apart from one cord to another...it was not splitting hairs, it was like even my mom in the other room could hear it. The tones went from being extremely bright to extremely dull with one change of power cord that too on just the DAC. There are many articles on the net on why a power cord makes so much of a difference, however I just go by my ears and always suggest the same to fellow audiophiles.
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cipherjuris
145 posts
 
Pani,

Your experience is consistent with mine. I agree with you without qualification.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,182 posts
 
Pani, I agree the power cord can have an impact but realize that the tone is inherent in the device (better) powered and will vary from device to device accordingly.

The cord itself has no inherent tone. The tone is a function of teh device powered and will vary with that, not the power cord used.
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