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... abit confused: how does a power cord affect the presentation of sound...

Hello to all...

I was shifting around components in my system, trying to squeeze out better controlled bass, more definition within the soundstage, and better define the "voice/midrange" presentation...

I presently have a tube preamp (hardwired with a wall wart) into an HT Receiver; source is a Marantz SA-8001 CD Player

Swapped out a Yamaha HTR -5550 (hardwired) for a Parasound HCA-750A (which needs a power cord).

CD Player is powered with a PS Audio Statement SC power cord, so I went in my closet and pulled out another PS AUDIO Statement SC power cord, hooked it up and expect to give it at least 5 days continuous re-break-in before serious listening.

Took a minute to lookup reviews about this power cord - and I read some rather confusing reviews: some luved 'um, some liked 'um, but some thought them " ...slow... " (?), and giving a veiled presentation...

I'm gonna listen and decide myself - but I'm abit confused: how does a power cord affect the presentation of sound - I know that interconnects and speaker cables would/could/Do affect sound presentation - but how could a power cord?

Explanation/thoughts please...
insearchofprat
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,821 posts
 
To answer the OP's question, I found that PCs can and will affect the dynamics and the size of the soundstage. Doing that, all manner of lessor effects happen.

Don't fall for the red herring of "all that romex and junk" the power goes through before you get it. All that came before it is moot since what you need to do is get the best you can from where it all terminates: the outlet.

When you cook a steak, do you worry about the rest of the cow that came before it?

All the best,
Nonoise
djones51
4,947 posts
 
This is just beyond me. Nothing matters but the power cord from the receptacle to the component? The panel box,  wire in the wall, transformer in the component that isolates the primary from the secondary, filtering in the component none of this makes a tinker's damn only this freaking 4 foot power cord?? Jesus Christ people  learn how electricity works. 

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/ecircon.html#c1
tuberist
951 posts
 
I can easily hear the differences when changing IC's or speaker cables in my system but struggle to hear any change at all when inserting a new power cord....and I don't know why nor do I really care.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 

I repeat: if a PC is supplying enough juice to a component (sufficient awg and OK metallurgy), then if you hear a difference it must be because of one or both of two reasons: the PC is doing something to the current flowing through it, and/or the PC is protecting the current from some sort of contamination from outside.  What other options are there?

For instance, Wireworld says their PCs block (outside) interference and absorb (inside) tribolectric noise.

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,821 posts
 
This is just beyond me. Nothing matters but the power cord from the receptacle to the component? The panel box, wire in the wall, transformer in the component that isolates the primary from the secondary, filtering in the component none of this makes a tinker's damn only this freaking 4 foot power cord?? Jesus Christ people learn how electricity works
.
That was assuming that everything is to up to snuff and to built to code.
Of course, you can put in a better panel box, better grade romex, etc. but how many have the funds to go that far? The OP just asked about PCs in a normal setting, not how it figures into the universe.

All the best,
Nonoise

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