Power Cables

ron1319
Power cords are directional because one end is terminated to plug into the wall or power conditioner and the other end plugs into the audio equipment. I can’t remember ever seeing one that wasn’t.

Yuk, yuk. No, I mean really.

geoffkait
Re. Pop Quiz " How come HDMI cables are directional?"
They are not unless they have active circuitry built in to compensate for unusually long runs. ;-)

williewonka
My example of 5.51 amps for a 100 watt amplifier refers to full power operation. If you are operating with the volume control high enough that the amp is being driven into clipping on transient peaks you need a more powerful amplifier, and not a thicker power cord because you are asking the amplifier to whack that drum harder than it is able ;-)

Sisyphus51 6-13-2018

Why do folks insist that "Power Cables" need to have a bandwidth equal to that of a very high-spec amplifier’s audio bandwidth? Are you people INSANE? We are talking about 60Hz AC here!

If your power cords are carrying Khz range signals or noise there is something horribly wrong with your amplifier that needs to be corrected immediately, if not sooner because you are essentially operating a Radio Transmitter in violation of Federal Law!

Not sure you are realizing that if current is only drawn during a small fraction of each 60 Hz cycle, as Ralph/Atmasphere clearly explained in the post I quoted, spectral components are present at vastly higher frequencies than 60 Hz.

Which, btw, is the main reason I said in my post earlier in the thread that:

Almarg 6-12-2018

Power amps can generate significant amounts of high frequency noise that can be fed back into the power cord and affect other parts of the system, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the shielding, bandwidth, capacitance and other characteristics of the power cord.

Sisyphus51 6-13-2018
I just measured the drop across the 5.5 foot original power cord on my 1964 Scott 222D Integrated Amp.....

Among a number of other vintage pieces I have an H. H. Scott 299C integrated, ca. 1961, that I sometimes use in a second system. 7591 power tubes and a 5AR4 rectifier. Very nice piece. I sometimes use it in conjunction with a 1952 Radiocraftsmen 10 mono AM/FM tuner, the combo producing very lush, rich, and beguiling sonics on FM.

Regards,
-- Al

I have to dispute the assertions of the article referenced by you in your post. Current is not drawn in pulses. That is what the rectifier and filter capacitors are for - to store enough charge for smooth operation. And if the charge in the power supply is sagging below full supply voltage it is because of excess power consumption or a failure in the power supply! A IR voltage drop of two volts across a very long power cable will not cause an equal 2 volt drop in filament voltage in a vacuum tube amp. It certainly will not cause a two figure loss in power output! That is ludicrous!
If one desires increased dynamic range in their music reproduction, one needs 1. More Power. 2. More efficient loudspeakers. 3. Less sound absorption in the listening room.
Expensive power cords will not do the job!

Good Night!