If Power Cords Don't Matter...

Just because I don't understand it doesn't make it so.  A long time power cord sceptic was shattered with a demonstration.  I still can't figure out why 6ft of wire can make a difference but I heard it and it was dramatic.  I heard the difference on the lead in grove it was that significant.

I did upgrade my power cables to a bigger gauge but didn't go gonzo on them.  What I haven't tried is using a cheater plug to convert a three prong plug to a two prong.  The theory is that because of the common ground used by all the equipment a two prong plug eliminates all the extra wire causing distortion.

Whacky yes but makes as much sense to me as anything else. I'll report back after my trip to home depot

@elliottbnewcombjr


You Speak as if the mfgs had all the knowledge there is in 1960 or 70 and that no new knowledge exists today. Plus you overlook the need to build to a price point. Sure, the old stuff works and can sound pretty good. Likewise the old cars get you from point a to point b. And if you are satisfied with the old stuff then so be it.  Butt to tell someone that is the best that can be done is totally erroneous You do not have the corner on the market of truth. Especially when you base it on your belief alone. THAT is religion
Many of us have experienced the difference that tweaks can make. Sorry if you haven't. But your inexperience does not negate it's reality 

@chayro the short answer is that power conditioners include components and circuitry specifically to significantly filter stuff other than the 50Hz - 60Hz, 115V - 240V AC power signal. And this filtration can be measured and quantified. These components are not found on a power cable, generally speaking.

Puritan make extremely flexible power cords, more flexible than many cords supplied "stock" with the unit.  They'll fit anywhere you can fit a cheapie PC.
http://www.puritanaudiolabs.com/products/mains-cables/
Check out youtube for videos showing just how flexible they are.

I understand that the people who believe power cords make no difference argue that once the power gets into the component, the AC is converted to DC and the power supply of the component takes over completely. I think I have that right for the most part. So it that’s true, and it probably is from a traditional EE standpoint, why is it that I have not heard anyone say that power conditioners make no difference?

You are right to point out the illogic. 

The power supply does indeed convert AC to DC. The way this works, a power supply transformer first converts the line voltage, whatever it is, to the voltage the component requires. This first step is why some components can be changed to run on 120 or 240 or whatever. All they do is use different taps off the same transformer. The quality of this transformer has a big effect on performance, which is why so many manufacturers of top end gear brag about their transformers.

Then next AC is converted to DC using rectifier diodes. These devices allow power flow only one way. So after rectification we have DC. But here again the quality of the rectifiers has a big impact on sound quality. Fast smooth switching diodes yields a nice deep liquid sound. Cheap ones flat and grainy. The difference is easy to hear.

After rectification power supply caps are used to store the power for use by the circuit. Here again both the quantity and the quality of the caps has a huge influence on the sound.

The power supply theory the PC deniers rely upon is that since the power supply is so perfect nothing upstream can matter. But we have just shown nothing about the power supply is perfect! Not the transformers at the beginning. Not the diodes in the middle. Not the caps at the end. None of it. Not one single bit of it. 

If they were consistent they would insist nothing matters. But they know enough to understand this is a non-starter. So they fall back on, well some things matter but not this. For which there is no basis. 

There you have it.