Power Cords Snake Oil ??


Having been a long time audiophile living with countless high end compnents I have to wonder about the theory and practicality of high end power cords.

I have yet to hear the difference a power cord makes. Ive owned, synergistic, Shunyata, BMI and cardas. I in no way can detect any sonic signature or change. Give me a pair of interconnects and I imeadiately notice a difference somewhere in the sonic spectrum. Not the PC though. I have accomplished 4 blind tests with my friends. 3 out of the 4 they did not know their cord was replaced. All 4 were using a stock factory supplied cord. Each of the 4 tests were done on different components. Amp, CDP, Preamp & dac.

My electrical backround tells me that provided you supply the component with its required voltage bet 110vac or 220/240vac its happy. Now, change the incoming frequency from 60hz to say 53hz and watch how quickly your soundstage collapses.! This is often the case during the summer months when home air conditioners are in use and the utility company power output is taxed to the max. A really good power conditioner should however take care of the frequency fluctuations. But 110vac is still 110vac regardless of the conductor it passes through as long as its remains 110vac when it reaches the intended circuit. Does your 8k amp or preamp know the difference of the path the voltage took to reach it ? Many an audiophile will use a dedicated 20amp circut for their equipment.That is a good idea as voltage & frequency fluctuations will occur in the home circuit to to other loads on the main breaker panel but again, A power cord simply is the means of transporting the voltage from the wall to the component. IF there is a clean 110vac @ 60hz at the wall socket, no matter what the medium is to go from the socket to the component, it will still be 110vac @60hz.

Could somebody expand on this a bit more. I just dont understand it. ??
128x128jetmek
ostensible_constituency
... Power cords DO NOT sound different in a controlled blind A/B comparison test. PERIOD.
ALL CAPS is shouting and not necessary.
Please tell us about the controlled tests you've performed that leads to this conclusion. Who conducted the test, and who participated? How did you switch between the power cords? What cords did you evaluate?

Or, do you state this based purely on intuition?


Do I detect shouting and repeating in speech? You know what that’s a sure sign of?

🍑 🍔 🍔.

Making me hungry.
Selective ALL CAPS in a sentence is "emphasis" in the absense of text editing functionality. I suppose I could have said *do not* instead, but there are other platforms that interpret asterisks differently.

Back on the subject, I’m glad you asked:

https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_11_4/feature-article-blind-test-power-cords-12-2004.html

Oh, and did I forget to mention that I also base it on my years of listening to audio equipment, the fact that I have an EE degree and that I've designed both switching and non-switching power supplies - including the type that would be used in audio components? 


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