Power Cable ~ $300 - Which to get? Nordost, Audioquest, Furutech, Shunyata, Zavfino?

The ZU Audio version 1 cables are still being made and sold on ZU’s eBay page at reasonable prices. I purchased two and they are fantastic

Thanks orenstein for the extra info about Luna cables.  I have used some of the 1940s Western Electric wire in waxed silk/ cotton and it is very good. 

Okay, with multiple individuals, on a HiFi equipment forum of all places where people discuss gear that costs more than cars, basically going “whoa dude, slow down, that’s too much money”, that is giving me a reason to be concerned :)

As such I tried pairing the Transparent Reference power cord with the Valhalla 2 speaker wire.  The  Transparent cord is WAY less expensive than the Valhalla 2.  And guess what, it worked!

While I definitely heard a bit less space and breath around vocals, the bass and focus that was missing with the Valhalla 2 cord came back!  And I still had the accessible warm sound from the Valhalla 2.  I actually think I like the sound slightly better this way.

I did not notice a difference switching between the “cheap” Nordost Reference and expensive Valhalla 2 jumpers, after switching back and forth a few dozen times and imagining I was hearing differences.  Maybe I did hear some differences but I couldn’t quite  pinpoint them.  It is possible the much cheaper Reference jumpers were thinner in the mids, which made them seem like there was actually better separation of tones.  Again not sure if I was imagining this.... So another place I can save.

Finally, I did one last test of my Audioquest Hurricane cord vs the Transparent Reference cord to further pinpoint what I don’t like about the Hurricane.  In short I found the Hurricane to be a bit bloated by comparison.  Bass not as tight, upper frequencies were missing, and there was a slight accentuation in the mids that can be annoying.

Sorry just realized I posted this in the wrong thread! 

There is no such thing as a good DIY power cord. Kit or otherwise. Cryo or otherwise. There just isn’t. Period

If you really believe the above statement then PLEASE - ignore the rest of this post because you’ll think it is nonsense and I for one do not have the inclination to deal with those kinds of comment.

HOWEVER: if you are remotely curious about high performance DIY cables then please take a look at this link...
http://image99.net/blog/files/category-002ahelix-power-cable.html

I am unable to offer definitive scientific evidence that this power cable will blow you away, simply because I do not have the resources of the "BIG BOYS".

I have received very positive feedback from many others that have converted every cable in their systems to the Helix cable geometry. 

People that have tried come from far and wide - Canada US, Austria, Bulgaria, China, UK in a variety of systems ranging from sub $1000 to over $70,000, Tube of Solid State.

I could share their emails, but I respect their privacy, so you will just have to take a leap of faith in that I am not just selling more "Snake Oil".

Actually, I am not selling anything, just sharing the construction process.

There are a few references from people that have tried the Helix cables on my web site

My latest power cable changes incorporate a 12 gauge Duelund wire with polymer insulation, designed specifically for power cables. This proved to reveal a significant improvement, so I can highly recommend that Duelund wire for any power cable project.

I have spent the past 5-6 years trying different cable geometries that DIYers can construct themselves. I have had feedback on which wires provided the best results and have incorporated some of the more affordable options into my web site, so treat is as an ongoing evolving resource.

So - if YOU have an enquiring mind, take a look at the link above and maybe give them a try.

If you have any questions - just ask and I will try to provide an answer.

Regards - Steve