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Power Cables on Subwoofers do Matter

I read an opinion somewhere on this site that swapping the power cable on a subwoofer has a minimal effect and may not be worth it. I have a very different opinion. Power cables can completely transform a subwoofer’s performance.

I have an SVS SB-2000 powered sub and my preferred power cable, a Zavfino Fina, has made it sound like a different animal altogether. It has much more punch, freq response linearity, and liveliness. The manufacturer included power cable makes it sound slow, bloated, and almost out of tune just because it’s sloppy, in comparison. The only drawback to the Fina is that slam below 30-40 hz is a little recessed but it’s not major and is still clearly my choice. I also compared five other aftermarket power cables from other components in my system and they ALL had a different effect on the sub. For testing, I used various crossover points and most of the testing was with the loudspeakers off in order to isolate the sub for critical listening.

Cheers!

128x128gladmo
gladmo's avatar
gladmo OP
311 posts
 

@beatlebum That's awesome to hear that you benefited from my posts here!  I tested cables from Audio Art, Synergistic Research, Audio Envy, Furutech, Acoustic Zen, and a few cheapo cables with different gauges, and none of them gave me the speed, dynamic range, and sub-bass extension that I get with the Zavfino cable on my sub.  It wasn't even close, honestly.  

I'm not saying those are bad cables, but they just don't have an affinity for my sub. I still use three of those brands' power cables on other components in my system with wonderfully pleasing presentation after careful tuning.  The newfound sub performance (with vibration isolation) is the cherry on top!

nasaman's avatar
nasaman
459 posts
 

I never thought thicker bigger after market power cords will improve sound quality of my REL until I did it and holly molly, it felt like my subs just got upgraded 2 level up. 

gladmo's avatar
gladmo OP
311 posts
 

Yo!  Let the testimonials flow!  Who cares what a REL rep tells you.  Your own subjective aural experience is all that matters.

And to be really real, pure subjectivity itself is the primordial, underlying and requisite reality of all ostensibly objective conclusions.

tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 

Built my own 10awg cable for my sub as well. Noticeable positive improvement. 

dandion
19 posts
 

@williewonka

Hello Steve,  thanks for the quick overview about cables but from Furutech spec, the FP-Apha 3 doesn't have copper shield like the others power cables. 

Does it mean we can not connect the shield to the ground wire on the male connector for DIY power cable?

Daniel

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