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

So, ... 

 I went to my local store to test a subwoofer and a dac. I know very well the salesman and we have a good relationship (he sometimes let me test at my home some equipment if they were returned / opened by a different buyer). 

After testing / speaking about DAC's I asked him about power cables and if he thinks they can make any difference especially for a subwoofer. 

They have lots of cables so It just happened I could test a Zavfino cable with a Monitor Audio subwoofer and an SVS. To my big surprise for both subwoofers it was a difference between the standard cable and Zavfino Fina. It was not a big difference but you could hear it definitely. I didn't expect that for sure and I was surprised by the outcome. 

Then he insisted me to test a more expensive cable: gigawatt powersync plus. He told me that out of all the cables they tried this was the best bang for the buck. Wow, this cable really made a difference: the bass was more tight, lower frequencies, deeper, even the stage seemed wider. Everything sounded so clear, like being a different subwoofer. I really can not understand how a cable can make such a difference but it did. He told me that there are even better cables but those are a few times more expensive and it would not be a bigger upgrade over this one. It appears they use it for demo with all their equipment so I ordered one because I didn't want to buy a used cable. 

When it arrives I will most likely test it with the dac I currently have and with the amplifier. I may end buying another one or two ...

So in conclusion: I guess I was wrong.

 

 

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