Oh boy, is this great?! Ok, I'll start.... First, you have a nicely put together system and a nice room, and the amount of room treatment is impressive. To your questions, - Yes, power cables can make a difference in how your system sounds
- No, that truth is not enough for companies to include more expensive power cables - some don't believe anything more is needed and most don't want to increase their price point by adding something that is often added aftermarket, especially since "audiophiles" mostly have their own individual opinions about cables
- Yes, you should take a look at your power cables to make sure they have adequate gauge for what they are being asked to do, that they are shielded to resist EMI/RFI, and that the plugs stay secure in the sockets....IMO, that gets you most of the way there and might be a good place to stop thinking about it
You will probably get a lot of opinions here but in the end, only you can make the value decision between how much you want to pay and how big a difference/improvement you believe something achieves. If you search here and other audio forums you will find all the information about power cords you are looking for. I suggest making sure the cord to your big McIntosh amp is at least 12 awg but otherwise, if your system sounds good to you, I wouldn't worry too much. If you really want to spend the money, dedicated power lines would be a good start, IMO. |
The info at this link might be helpful. Other than replacing one to correct "inadequate" gauge, I thought power cords making an audible difference was silliness...that is, until I heard an unmistakable improvement switching from a Pangea AC-9 (7awg?) to a Shunyata Venom HC on a Class D amp. The "flat earthers" can rant all they want, I don’t care about convincing them. Decide for yourself. I like Shunyata. There are other options. Rent something (or some things) from The Cable Co. and try on power conditioner (a bigger impact than on the amp), or amp, pre, source, etc.. Experiment. Let your ears decide. Does a system have to be at a certain level of "refinement" for power cords to make a noticeable difference? Maybe. But I can only speak about my experience with my system which, on the continuum of audiophile gear, is mid-fi at best. https://www.gcaudio.com/tips-tricks/why-power-cables-make-a-difference/ |
@mitch2 ,
Thank you for the room comment. I hope I’ve made it sound about as good as it can. Maybe one day I’ll have a dedicated space. I’ll check the cables on the main components to see if an upgrade would make sense. I do have a sub panel in the basement that is used only for the system if that is what you meant by dedicated power lines.
@ghosthouse ,
I have been reading a lot of good things about the Shunyata products so I think I will try one out on the power conditioner and go from there. I will check out the link now. Thank you
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