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
geoffkait,
Are you having trouble processing the word "hypothetical" today? ;-)
marqmike

We all have bias’s. That’s why we like things a little different from each other. That is ok isn’t it.


Of course. Have you actually seen anyone saying otherwise? (Certainly not me).
The type of "bias" I have referenced are things like sighted bias, the type of things it’s reasonable to control for, when trying to investigate claims about audibility. This is different from the biases that influence what we like, in our everyday enjoyment of the hobby. I’m full of those biases, like you, and happily embrace it.


What is a sad is some here don’t want to discuss a subject, but rather dig their feet in and make fun of or argue their position.



In other words, even though a range of opinions exist among audiophiles, apparently you only want to hear from one type of opinion - the one that falls in line with a dogma that AC cables all sound different? Do you really think keeping in an ideological bubble is that great an idea? When people in forums like this start the type of complaint "it’s sad that..." it typically plays out as "it’s sad that I have to look at anyone’s opinion that significantly differs from my own. Especially if they provide reasons/arguments justifying their opinion."


How about this: How about we audiophiles actually grow thicker skins, and not consider alternative viewpoints - say, someone else who isn’t so sure as you are about the claims made for cables - as some existential threat to your enjoyment of hi end audio. Other people have different viewpoints. Relax. No biggie.



Is it biases or biasi? When I look at very expensive equipment or speakers I don’t expect to hear great sound. Quite the opposite. I’m very skeptical that they will sound as good as they look or cost. Is that the bias you’re referring to? By the way, I’m frequently rewarded by being right.
There is too much scientific and controlled double blind study talk here (and I am a scientist).  This should be simple.   Show me some validated examples where someone can reliably pick between 2 cables costing over $50 (blinded, when someone else changes them) and they didn't know which one was playing.

Thats all.  Double blind, single blind, AB, ABX, Good change, bad change, Anything!  It could even be on their personal system in their home.   And to make it easy lets say they can notice a difference  over 85% of the time for 10 tries.  Not 2 out of 3.   And not barely over 50% for 10.
There should be dozens if not thousands of these examples on the internet.  How about at least one?  It should be easy to find. All of the people who invested big bucks on their Uber-expensive bragging rights cables should be referencing it all of the time. 

For some reason I can not find ANY examples.
"...over 85% of the time for 10 tries."
I guess it will have to be 90%. 85% might be eight correct and one "hmmm, I am not sure, may be this or may be that".