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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!


 


blumartini
jerrybj
887 posts
 
Delkal

And also got them at good prices.
The Audience Au24SX were around US$390/pair, and the ATC SCMs were US$2000. 

Certainly at the lower end of high cost (which I'd never pay).
boxer12
8,656 posts
 
rcfun33 says:
" Use a $5K cable for the final 3 ft and plug it into a $3 outlet and $0.12/ft, 14 gauge wire that runs 75 ft back to the breaker box."

That would be a real waste of a nice power cord unless you added at least two zero's behind the outlet price. 
jerrybj
887 posts
 
The Audience Au24SX were around US$390/pair.
Just looked up how much I paid for them.
Sorry, more like US$700 a pair.
A bargain, but not a steal.
unfairlane's avatar
unfairlane
140 posts
 
Well you could diy better ones for 20-20 bucks but who cares
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,983 posts
 
For me it makes no sense to buy "costly" or even relatively costly power cord before addressing all the other factors:


cleaning the electrical grid of house and room,

Adressing the problem of mechanical resonance and vibrations, an underestimated one,


Treatment of the room and of speakers...


and even the search for the right source gear, or amplifier and speakers is mandatory in the first place because the power cord will not act the same in a different audio grid...


There is controversy with this subject, and all those in favor of only cheap cords, and those who vouch with costly one, are nor wrong neither right, this is their experience in a totally specific environment...


The power cord is the last think to buy like costly cables for your speakers or dac and amplifier...


Choose first the right gear for you, after that makes the three problems I speak of rightly answered...


After that spend money on cables and cords ( not too much tough) the reason is the impact of cable and cords is less , way less, than the right answers to all the other problems and choices...My best to all...
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