Power Cables and Wall Sockets

Thanks Mike. It was a pleasure meeting you. If you are game the pandemic has wound down enough for another visit. I’d be happy to have you over again. The Audio Quest amp power cord has really notably improved the imaging, depth, and taken away the rose cast. I am really happy that it is perfectly on target… finally. Also, I still have the Audio Research Ref mono blocks as well as my stereo ARC Ref 160s. John is leaving me the monoblocks for a while longer.

I am going to be very interested in hearing the results of your electrical investment… now that you went one more step with specialty in wall copper, as you know I went with standard contractor 10 gauge wire in the wall.

@imaninatural - regarding yout original post

it seems to me that power cables can only be as good as the in-home wiring coming to the wall socket. Is it possible that those who use expensive cables have improved the wiring to the socket?

Having a dedicated line is beneficial, but it is not the whole story, i.e. in order to achieve benefits from using a quiality power cables.

Here’s how it was explained to me

• at each connection point in a "power supply line" you have a voltage
  • so at the breaker panel you have 120v
  • the attached outlet socket also has 120v
  • the component end of the power cables has a 120v
  • but here’s where it gets interesting...
    • provided the voltage i.e. AT THE POINTS OF CONNECTION, is stable, the energy transfered is subject only to the "properties" of the attached wiring
    • so the "quality" of the energy conveyed to the component by the attached power cable is subject to the quality of the wire and connectors used in that power cable
• this occurs at EVERY point of connection within a power supply line
• granted, there may be some transfer of noise, but that tends to be a result of interference or distortions imposed on the 120v sine wave. In which case it’s the voltage that is actually no longer "stable"

So while installing a dedicated line will have benefits - a good power cable on a component will ALWAYS prove to be benefical regadrless of the quality of the in-wall wiring

What to look for in order to enhance a power supply line (i.e. other than a dedicated line)

• good outlet sockets
  • I use MRI grade hospital outlets
    • they clamp like a vice, which is very important
    • they are better at preventing arcing
    • there are no ferrous metals used
• quality power distribution bars (if needed)
  • like those from Furutech
• quality power cables that use
  • UP-OCC wire - this improves dynamic performance
  • Silver plated copper connectors - improves details
  • insulation with low Dielectric Constant - improves clarity

I, and others have observed improved in sound quality on systems costing from $200 to over $70k just by upgrading the quality of the power cables and all of them attached to generic house wiring.

Take a look at Zavfino power cables

• they use UP-OCC copper
• Advanced cable geometries
• Quality conenctors
• they have a range of products to suit most budgets
• https://zavfinousa.com/collections/power-cables

So how much benefit will a power cable provide?

• Power Amps tend to have a very robust internal power supply
  • so they have a tendency of not showing as much of an improvement as Source components do
  • they generally require higher quality power cables
• Source components (i.e. those built to a budget ) will generally exhibit noticeble improvements
  • because the designer tends to "skimp" on their internal power supplies - e.g. those using...
    • wall wart power supplies
    • the use of USB power
    • poor transformer design
    • small two pin plugs

Regards - Steve

I can't access my internal wiring so I started improvements from the wall socket with Audioquest NRG 15 wall warts and all upper end Audioquest power cables, plus power conditioners. 

I can’t access my internal wiring so I started improvements from the wall socket with Audioquest NRG 15 wall warts and all upper end Audioquest power cables, plus power conditioners.

^this^ and all the majority of the rest of the posts are spearing off with testimonials on power cords and power cables.
So the cart is getting ahead of the horse a bit here.

The OP (later in his thread_ revealed that it’s more about the wiring the wall, as that is next up on his list with the house work.

holmz

1,029 posts

04-01-2022 at 06:36am

If you amp is causing lights to dim you have an extreme power problem. If the lights are dimming significantly, the circuit is overloaded, the breaker should be tripping. The circuit is overloaded. There is an increased fire risk. Jerry

We do not know that for sure…
I used to turn on a table saw and the light in the garage would go out when it started up.
(Yeah the birds jumped off of the wire with hot feet.)

But if there is 30A on a 40A feed from the pole, and only 12A on a 15A breaker, it does not mean a fire is imminent. That is what people use breakers and fuses for.

It just means that the voltage sags.

@holmz

First I have no idea what the branch circuit wiring is in the OP’s house. Type of wiring used or wiring method(s) used in the installation of the branch circuit wiring... With that said...

Other options to consider. VD, (Voltage Drop).

VD on the branch circuit wiring. VD is directly proportional to the load on the branch circuit wiring and the length X 2 of the branch circuit wiring. Voltage drop can be reduced in this instance by increasing the size of the conductor wire size of the branch circuit wiring.

Lets assume the branch circuit that the OP has his audio system plugged into is a 15 amp convenience outlet branch circuit. Copper conductors... There is not any limit to the number of how many duplex receptacle wall outlets that can be connected to the branch circuit wiring. Fixed lighting fixtures can also be connected to the circuit. The only limiting factor is the loads that are connected to the convenience outlet branch circuit. Over 15 amps continuous load(s) hopefully the 15 amp circuit breaker will trip open. (All wiring connections on the branch circuit are good)

Another cause of VD on branch circuit wiring is poor wiring connections on the circuit wiring. In the case of the OP’s house he stated the wall outlet receptacles were 40+ years old. Original outlets installed when the house was built? Lets assume that is the case. That puts the house was built in 1982 or earlier...

During that time frame the popular duplex outlets house wireman were using was the so called stab in the back duplex receptacle outlet. The duplex receptacle was used to make-up the branch circuit connections by stabbing the wires in the quick connect connectors. Several outlets could be daisy chained together on a branch by feeding in and feeding out using the stab in the back quick connections.

They worked ok when new but after the passage of time combined with the connected load(s) placed on the connection they would corrode and heat up under load. Heat causes the wire connection pressure clip to lose its memory tension. With heat and corrosion add to that carbon created by series arcing. This will cause a VD across the poor connection. The amount of VD will change with the connected load...

Worse case the arcing creates more heat and carbon and more arcing and can cause the bad connection to burn free breaking open the circuit. In a worse case the arcing causes enough arcing sparks that results in an electrical fire...

Note above I said copper conductors... In the 1970s and I believe in 1980, maybe 1981-1982, depends on the State, Romex with aluminum wire conductors was used in wiring new houses. (#12 AL for 15 amp circuits. #10 AL for 20 amp circuits) Could it be worse? Ya, the electricians were using the stab in the back duplex receptacles to daisy chain the outlets from one to the next.

Dangers of Back Stabbing Electrical Outlets