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Power Cords Rule

Just finished another DIY power cable using Ohno Continuous Cast copper. This is the third cable added in the past two months, the first two for my ARC mono blocks, this latest for my Wadia 861SE CDP, now over ten years old. I am trying to wring every bit of performance from this player, modified by GNSC. This new cable has lifted that old player to a new plateau of sound stage and clarity; there's just more information in the music not previously heard. All of these cables have first replaced Transparent Reference AC cables, and, after those, three other DIY cables containing OCC copper but with a PVC dielectric not well-suited for AC cables, but vastly superior to the Transparents, circa 2002. My newest versions have polypropylene dielectric over a combined 8 AWG OCC copper, mated to Furutech rhodium plugs. All together, these AC cables have improved my system as much as upgrading the front end would have, IMO, and that would also require a pre-amp in going away from Wadia. And so, my fellow audiophiles, this is where it's at--get that clean power and those great power cables--make 'em yourself--all else depends more on that source of pure power than your other cables can achieve, good as they have to be, as well. Every piece of your system will improve with a purer current--any way you can get it.
128x128jafreeman
keithtexas
352 posts
 
I agree that power cords RULE.

I have fiddled around with my system for the past year and could not get it to sound 'just right."

I tried low budget power after market power cords (Pangea), that were OK, but still lacking. I didn't relish the idea of spending thousands more just to try to find a few that worked well for my system and tastes.

I FINALLY found a 10 gauge silver power cord that was perfect for my amp, and put together a DIY cable for my digital using Acrolink power cable and Oyaide connectors. Had everything cryoed and left the system powered on for a couple of weeks.

TA-DA !! Nirvana ! Or at least a perfect "lock" for my system.

I would normally recommend budget after maket cords, but in my case they just wetted the appetite and fell short of where I wanted the system to be. In that sense, they were kind of a waste of money.

Anyway - yes I agree.. POWER CORDS RULE, and are very important to making your system go from just so-so - to very good.
keithtexas
352 posts
 
Should probably mention my system to provide some reference:
Wyred 4 Sound Dac 2 DSD
Musical Fidelity Tri=Vista Integrated Amp
PMC PB1i loudspeakers
Tek-Line AG10 power cord (amp)
Acrolink DIY cord with Oyaide 004 connectors (digital()
Cabledyne and Clear Day speaker cables
posbwp55
13 posts
 
I have a question for Melbguy1. Can you describe the sonic character of the Jorma Prime PC's? Are they on the detailed side of neutral or the full bodied/lush side? Can you compare them to a few other High end PC's for context? What are you trying to change/improve by adding the M1/F1 connectors. Thanks for you response.

Bart
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,475 posts
 
In MY experience, the plugs are the most important part of the cable.  I used top of the line Furutech ends with great satisfaction.  Oyeida is also very good, but Furutech in MY system is best.
melbguy1
1,438 posts
 
posbwp554 posts11-03-2016 6:41pmI have a question for Melbguy1. Can you describe the sonic character of the Jorma Prime PC's? Are they on the detailed side of neutral or the full bodied/lush side? Can you compare them to a few other High end PC's for context? What are you trying to change/improve by adding the M1/F1 connectors. Thanks for you response.

Bart
Hi Bart, I wouldn't describe the Jorma Prime pc as lush at all, nor the other extreme of ultra resolving, etched, analytical. I would describe the Jorma Prime pc in similar terms to a Conrad Johnson Gat preamp. "It just sounds right". One word to describe Jorma is natural. The Prime pc has a touch of warmth compared to Origo which is neutral & sounds harmonically rich, resolving, sophisticated and musical. By musical I mean instruments have body and sound tonally correct.

I have compared Jorma Prime to the Andromeda pc which comes with Vitus gear & Acoustic Revive Power Reference. Prime is more resolving, transparent, yet more resolving, sophisticated & musical. It's in a different class altogether as it's price suggests. Mihalis here on A'gon compared Prime to Nordost Valhalla and Odin in his reference system & preferred Prime in every application except transformer-phono. Not bad considering Prime is half the cost of Odin. Otoh, Fred Crowder from Dagogo uses a mix and match approach in his system & preferred a Jorma Prime pc on his phono, hence it is system dependent.

Apropos which, Fred told me the Jorma Prime pc's "generally work well on front end components, somewhat less successfully on high powered amps but that is a generalization.  As I said, they work spectacularly on the EAR electronics, EMM Labs and Ypsilon. You will need to find what works best on your electronics".

Compared to other flagship pc's, the only perceived weakness I could find in the Prime pc were the factory Oyaide P-004/C-004 connectors vs other reference pc's which use Furutech FI-50(r) connectors. So I had 3 of my Primes re-terminated with the M1/F1's. I wanted to reduce the noise floor & improve dynamics, and the cryo'd M1/F1's certainly delivered. I got a nice improvement with those connectors, though note: they don't change the basic tonal balance of the P-004/C-004's (using the same metallurgy on the pins). Others would argue the factory connectors are good enough. And for most folks, in most systems they would be. But I wanted to push mine to the max ;).
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