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Hearing is believing?........power cables.......

For anyone who is skeptical about the difference a high quality power cord can make in your high quality audio system........try it.......hearing is believing. About 10 years ago when I bought my first "entry level" hifi system (B&K amp/preamp, Canton speakers) my audio advisor dropped off a Tara Labs Prism power cord. He said just try it for a week and if you don't think it makes a difference just return it. I, like most unfamiliar with high quality cables, was skeptical.......how could a cable 1 meter long from the wall to my equipment make a difference? I put it on the power amp and yes I could definitely tell there was a more defined bass and overall clearer soundscape. I'm a musicians, so I figured maybe the "non audiophile" can't hear the difference. So my brother-in-law who is a bricklayer came over and we did a blind listening test. I randomly switched the Tara, sometimes trying to fool him......told him I switched but didn't........he could tell every time I used the Tara! So I was convinced that it was "wishful thinking on my part or particularly sensitive ears. If you don't think a great power cable can make a difference........take the challenge. Try one for a week and see (hear) for yourself!
128x128mikeelzeysguitarstudio
williewonka
3,083 posts
 
Todd - if you do try the CAT5/6 Helix version
- use two twisted pair (i.e. 4 conductors) for the Neutral - leave twisted
- one twisted pair for the "floating shield" and only connect it at the source end - leave twisted
- one single piece of CAT5/6 conductor for the signal conductor (i.e. one strand, not a twisted pair)

That should give you some great results for very little outlay

Once you are convinced and want to step up - follow the formula on my web site

I’ve tried several permutations but having a thicker gauge neutral seems to pay dividends - but I’m not sure why yet.

Regards...
electroslacker
375 posts
 
I could hear a difference after installing each of four tweaks: cleaning connections, new power cord, new receptacle, new fuses.  This leads me to think it's possible that I hear a difference because I'm listening for a difference.  It's not that i have an expectation of improvement, but that possibly my state of listening has changed.  I'm not being snarky, and I did say it is "possible," and I'm keeping all the tweaks.  Just saying that this might contribute to the experience that "everything makes a difference."  Somewhat like the washed car drives better.  Perhaps, "Personal attention to a system produces heightened appreciation of its performance." I could be wrong, which is okay because I like taking care of my system and hearing the results.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,992 posts
 
It's become a bit of a stretch when we, who do hear a difference, have to go to great lengths to mollify those who don't. 

I get it. Taking the high road and all but....
williewonka
3,083 posts
 
Nonoise, I think that if those that do hear a difference can explain exactly what differences were heard, then those people that have a hard time believing, will actually take the time to listen more intently from that point on.

Personally I find no value in phrases such as "the veil has been lifted". It tells me nothing

I think that for the most part, many of the cables on the market i.e.  within each specific "snack bracket",   provide a similar level of performance to the untrained ear and so no improvements due to cables were observed

Personally, I have a collection of tracks that I use to assess component performance and I have found that not all the tracks have always highlighted improvements. So listening to just those tracks would make it seem that there is no improvement. 

Over time the tracks in that list has changed dramatically, but even now I still find other tracks that highlight a specific aspect of a cables performance, so I add it to the playlist.

It's no different from any other obsession, golf, cars, photography, etc. etc.

At least we get to choose to comment or not.:-)

Cheers

toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone
840 posts
 
@williewonka holy crap. I have blisters on my hand from making this last cord. Wrapping 12.5' of 12 gauge wire around a fiberglass rod 3 times is hard work. And I'm a rock climber!

The helix cable was made with:
: Silver plated copper sonarquest IEC and mains connectors
:5'  10awg silver plated, teflon insulated copper live conductor
: 12.5'  2x12awg silver plated, teflon insulated copper neutral conductors
: 12.5'  12awg THHN stranded copper ground conductor

Both the connectors and live conductor were used in previous cables, so are somewhat broken in

What I've noticed so far:
: Bass is more powerful and smoother
: Increase in mid and high frequency presence and separation
: A faint hum I've had when using my turnable has been reduced

Differences are relative to my last cable: braided cat 5 plenum, equivalent to 9awg per conductor, with there same connectors (silver plated sonarquest)

I'm hoping that the highs calm down as the cable breaks in. If they don't, I'll have to get the same OCC conductors I have on the PCs on my amps. Or a solid silver conductor.. oooh.
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