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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's avatar
ostensible_constituency
76 posts
 
" As an old-time ham station guy and electrical engineer, I started building my own audio systems following WWII, I'll state, based on many years of personal experience, that power cords do matter; BUT only in those instances where the cord's gauge isn't sufficient to carry the load imposed by the device. You just don't run a large Bryston or Pass amplifier on a piece of lamp cord. I have changed power cords on domestic electrical appliances, HF radio equipment and audio amplifier gear when it was obvious the manufacturer skimped on the power cord's gague. What you really should worry about is whether the  wall socket is connected to a 15 or to a 20 amp circuit in your home's distribution box. (For example: My Bryston 4BSST2 has its own 20 amp circuit.).   Just a thought." 

Now that we're back on topic, I totally agree with your thought and experience. Now let's see if Geoff and his little crew of hangers-on care to dismiss or denigrate your opinion....
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,823 posts
 
Until then I can be found elsewhere on the Internet properly explaining this subject to people who are actually interested in learning something 
So you're on a mission. You're an audio Knights Templar, out to save the world from itself and destroy those who oppose you. Got it. 

One word of caution. This hobby, like anything else, doesn't take kindly to proselytizing or conversion therapies of any kind. It's much too broad in scope and experience, resulting in rich and varied experiences of a personal nature and not amenable to abusive and personal attacks. But then, you know that already from having to work from home, don't you?

You should have left my mom's purse out of this. 

All the best,
Nonoise


folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
FYI Shunyata’s Medical Technology sub
http://clearimagescientific.com

And while we’re at it a discussion of the testing regimen used by another designer of power cords and power conditioning
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/audioquest-storm-series-and-niagara-ac-power-...

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
How to get a donkey to cross the bridge

https://youtu.be/OLizIdcTJOk

ostensible_constituency's avatar
ostensible_constituency
76 posts
 
@folkfreak

Thanks for that link. As I suspected, Shunyata is doing work to clean up electrical signals on medical imaging equipment cables. That’s legit, and so are power conditioners such as those AQ is discussing in your other link.

There is still zero evidence presented for why a power cable ALONE can do anything whatsoever for audio and I will say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Shunyata’s medical supply business unit is NOT using $1,000+ AC power cables for their image/waveform enhancing equipment. So in itself that kind of shoots down the legitimacy of their own expensive AC cable business. Also, they aren't very specific about WHAT they're doing for these medical imaging issues - and I'm sure if they were under contract to one of the big MRI or other imaging firms, they'd be all about letting everybody know. Still....no way in Hades they're selling hospitals $1000 power cables and that's something I'd actually bet money on right now. 

Audioquest has a documented history of falsifying results or at least letting their resellers do so and then take the blame when caught. Their power cables alone (I’ve never made a statement about power conditioners) are bogus and will not enhance ANY audio system, but the conditioners have a legitimate purpose, even if theirs and Shunyata’s (as compared to say Furman) are way over priced.
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