2. amps-preamps
  3. 175905-155632

Why do I need power management if I have a great power cord?

Isn't it kind of unnecessary to additionally add a power conditioner if I have an expensive audio file grade Power cord connected to a component?

So you buy a Power conditioner from a hi-fi store and they say oh, you need a really good power cord to go with that and then another one to go from conditioner to the component. Do you need it all and why? Seems the last couple of feet before the component should be more than enough.

jumia
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cleeds
5,950 posts
 
raysmtb1

... When I listen to my Mcintosh 611 mono blocks the meters usually say that they’re drawing around 6 W each ... if you do the math for watts to amps that means that the amp is only drawing .5 amps each

Those meters show power output, and even then they don't show peak levels. The meters don't show power consumption, which you can be sure is much more than the output. That's because the amplifier isn't 100 percent efficient, and wastes some power that it dissipates as heat.

 I’m not trying to change anyone I’m only trying to be a voice for the new people that stumble onto some of this craziness.

Everyone has a voice here. That's the point. I'm usually dubious when a user pretends to speak for or "protect" others.

ejr1953
914 posts
 

My system has all digital sources and each time I've upgraded the power conditioner the improvement in detail, soundstage, resolution and especially the bass performance has been significant.  I suspect that the cleaner AC power allows the DAC to perform better.

I've also bought high end interconnects and power cords, and when I deployed higher-end interconnect, I enjoyed better sound quality, but the resulting improvement wasn't as great as the improvements from upgrading the power conditioner.

I can't speak to vinyl-based systems, but for digital sourced systems my vote would be "yes" for upgrading the power conditioner.

noske
783 posts
 

@hilde45 People who say it’s all snake oil raise two questions for me:

1. Do you think that these cords and conditioners have just been fooling everyone for decades? And they are too stupid to realize it and too deluded to know that they are not hearing a difference? If your answer is "yes" then you have a very low opinion of thousands of audiophiles.

My answer is yes to your first question, but your own conclusion is incorrect. It doesn’t require a detailed knowledge of logical and/or formal fallacies to understand why that may be so.

I think that using the word stupid isn’t very nice, by the way, but using careless reasoning is disingenuous . Anyway, cords and conditioners, being inanimate, can’t fool anyone. People can, and do.

hickamore
659 posts
 

+1 hilde45
The video comparison with "black background" rings true. Same principle applies in framing pictures. Or plant a rose garden in an empty lot -- you may think it looks fine until you surround it with a hedge of dark yews. Now you see what you've been missing, with sharper resolution of both form and color. Similarly, lower the noise floor in an audio system and your resolution improves.
 
Not saying any particular change will be noticeable in OP's system. Just that the principle is valid as applied to hearing as well as seeing (and to other sensory appreciation too, well beyond the scope of OP's question).

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cleeds
5,950 posts
 
raysmtb1
I’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars on all of this junk and it didn’t make a difference to me or any of my friends ...

That's interesting. Please tell us more about your system and the equipment you tried.

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