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The Truth About Power Cords and there "Real" Price to Performance

This is a journey through real life experiences from you to everyone that cares to educate themselves. I must admit that I was not a believer in power cords and how they affect sound in your system. I from the camp that believed that the speaker provided 75% of the sound signature then your source then components but never the power cord. Until that magic day I along with another highly acclaimed AudioGoner who I will keep anatomist ran through a few cables in quite a few different systems and was "WOWED" at what I heard. That being said cable I know that I am not the only believer and that is why there are so many power cord/cable companies out there that range from $50 to 20-30 thousand dollars and above. So I like most of you have to scratch my head and ask where do I begin what brand and product and what should i really pay for it?

The purpose of this discussion to get some honest feed back on Price to Performance from you the end user to us here in the community.

Please fire away!


 


128x128blumartini
atdavid
736 posts
 
turnbrown,

If you are able to relate the sonic differences to cable construction, I would assume you can relate that to measurable engineering quantities?


turnbowm41 posts11-19-2019 5:53pmvinylguy2016,

Being an engineer (EE) with 30+ years of experience in the industry, I understand where you're coming from. During listening tests of audio cables (speaker & interconnects), however, I found audible differences which can be explained by examination of material (conductor & insulator) properties and design differences (coaxial, twisted pair, etc.).

turnbowm
353 posts
 
GK,

You are correct. I was in the electronics industry, not audio. However, music and the equipment that provides it has been my passion for even longer. My engineering background comes into play when making any and all decisions related to audio.  
turnbowm
353 posts
 
"If you are able to relate the sonic differences to cable construction, I would assume you can relate that to measurable engineering quantities?"
  
atdavid,

Absolutely. I have found, for example, that low inductance is a desirable characteristic in speaker cables. On the other hand, low capacitance seems to be the key for interconnects.

Is there any scientific reasoning behind your choice of audio cables?


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I would be very surprised if anyone who makes cables or power cords in the last 30 years ever said high capacitance or high inductance were virtues. I guess what I’m saying is what else is new? But surely we can agree there are other desirable cable and power cord characteristics. Please don’t tell me it all comes down to L, R, C. That horse has been beat to death.
atdavid
736 posts
 
I don't mean generically, I mean can you put some numbers to this characteristics? I.e. at what inductance does a speaker cable start to matter? At what capacitance does an interconnect start to matter?

turnbowm43 posts11-19-2019 6:51pm"If you are able to relate the sonic differences to cable construction, I would assume you can relate that to measurable engineering quantities?"
 
atdavid,

Absolutely. I have found, for example, that low inductance is a desirable characteristic in speaker cables. On the other hand, low capacitance seems to be the key for interconnects.

Is there any scientific reasoning behind your choice of audio cables?

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