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Power Cord Length

Here's one for the electric wizards to kick around. Whilst attending Axpona this weekend I was doing some power cord shopping. At one particular display I was being told by a very well known cable company representative, I'll not mention the name so it doesn't influence any responses, that the rule of thumb is that in order for the pwr cord to be effective it needs to be at least five feet long. This allows the current to be in the cord long enough for it to be effective. Ok, I'm really dumb when it comes to this sort of thing so maybe I said that in the most simpliest of words but that's pretty much how it was explained. Anyone care to elaborate on this good or bad?
jackcoke
jea48
4,825 posts
 

The AC power that comes into your home travels great distances and there are hundreds if not thousands of feet in branch circuits throughout your home.

What country is n/a?

My power comes from the step down pad mount isolation transformer located on the property next door.

The two 120V 20amp dedicated branch circuits that feed my audio equipment are no where near hundreds let alone thousands of feet long. You must really live in a big house.

A power cord is not the last 3 to 6 feet of wire that feeds the power transformer of a piece of audio equipment. It is an extension of the leads of the primary winding of the power transformer.

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genez
220 posts
 
The power cord effects how your equipment sounds.  Easy to test by using the OEM for six months... Then switch and allow the audiophile power cord burn in.  Someone I know designs audio equipment.  He makes his own power cords (which I do not own).  He explained something to me about how a good power cord acts like a reservoir for electrons... (or, something along those lines).  That's why the length is important.  I am not going to argue,  I hear a difference when I switch power cords.  They make a difference.  If someone has a system that is not able to let you know the difference?  I can not tell you why.   All I can report on is what I have been hearing for the last few years.   Even my PC sound improved with an audiophile power cord.  I like the Pangea top of the line. Not as expensive as many others.
johnclemons
6 posts
 
Mr Czaray to say stock power cords do as good of job,fine,sound the same,what ya smokin' son.Not only are you wrong,(new hearing aid batterys needed) but they can improve the sound of most every piece.cd likes small gauge,most others sound better with larger gauge.Silver coated helps most power cord wire sound better on every piece.Go buy a 2000.00 power cord,plug it in and rethink every theory you ever had.sorry to be so blunt.    psst pass it over
thastum's avatar
thastum
45 posts
 
Hi
I have tried many cords and have only emperic knowledge regarding their influence on the sound. My experience is that the better your gear is, the greater the effect on different powercords ( or anything else ) is.I can easily hear the difference between a 2 mtr or a 4 mtr cord. ( Used fromt the wall to the powerconditioner )Why it is so, well i cannot tell and i really dont care as i dont have to design it. Trying to explain it with a theory or so called common sence, will only distrac me. I try things out. It takes time but its the only way to get the knowledge, as there always are so many factors you cannot predict.Happy lisining
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