Monstrous power cables

I think it’s hard to throw 10 strangers in a room and try cables on a system they are not familiar with. I understand the folks stating show me the science, I also understand some hold their ground so tight they are not even remotely open to the idea.

I made another thread about some decade old Kimber 1126 cables I paid a fortune for a decade ago. Over the years new mono amps and things and they just wouldn’t reach. I boxed them up and to be honest I never really thought about them much anymore. Well as I said I moved my amps again. Into a rack/cabinet and those cables now reach. I’ve really been working my system and figured wow, I can use these cables now. This should really take it a little further. As I stated in the other thread it was awful, congested, over warmish. In that thread I was told I should let them run in again as new. It’s been a decade. They got a little better but I just don’t care for the system synergy. I do think that is a real thing.

I’m trying an Audioquest Water but I can tell the warmish sound is gone. I’m going to let it go for a while longer but I honestly feel the Kimber, no matter what the hell they cost, and how stupid I might of been for spending that amount back then, that these cables are not a match in my system. And I don’t think they are going to stay. So no case of it cost more, it’s better. It’s a case that I really know most aspects of my system. Better than anybody. Better than 9 others stepping in my room for a blind test.

Somebody said in another forum if you took all these things that might just be adding just the slightest improvement, enough to matter but maybe not measurable, and you apply that thought to all the little things the doubters call snake oil, that these slight improvements will all add up to truly make a difference. I sort of agree, it’s the sum of all and maybe not one standalone item. System synergy’s.

I don’t have golden ears but I have a complete understanding of how my system sounds. I know it pretty well. I can’t prove it but I know those Kimber 1126 do not belong in my current system.

Cables may be like fine tuning. I’m not sure 10 blind in a test could really pick these things out without all ten being very familiar with the before test sound. We are not swapping speakers here. We are fine tuning the existing. Those in a cable blind test are looking for some sort of change in sound like a speaker change and that will never happen.

I think it’s kind of rude to say someone’s system may not be at a level to notice but there may be a little substance there. Not all but many higher up the chain pieces have more money in caps focus on the analog section, Greater insulation from the power supply etc. Again, it’s a thing to me. Some of these pieces of gear maybe more on par where tuning maybe noticed.

So I don’t know all but for me I’ve had moments I can really tell something changed by something I did. As with the Kimber 1126 that doesn’t mean more expensive better.

Do what’s right for you and maybe be open minded.

"The electricity is carried through my house probably using 14 gauge wire."

This is the key.  Same with streaming.  If your bandwidth from the curb to the house is bad, a 1000$ router is not going to make it any better.   If the source is bad, it will not get better with a different cable to the streamer.  You don't want the power cable to make the sound be any worse, but hard to understand how it going to fix the 50 feet of Romex in the wall, and Romex don't cost much per foot.  

I don’t see the relevance of 10 people not aware of the equipment or the process or the cables to me that doesn’t matter it’s strictly the hearing, do you hear a difference yes or no!  There’s much made of science, bean counters, nonbelievers , that sort of thing. So with heavy emphasis on hearing let’s do it, is there a difference or not ?
Have an average system, and alternately a very revealing system same process same questioning, is it different or not ? 
One doesn’t have to be open-minded… let a jury decide.

I read all the posts here and it talks about the same subject as a post I started last week.  I will add this to it as well.

I now have two high end sound systems now, over 100 K invested, of which 10 K in cables.  In Montreal I have mostly Transparent speaker and interconnects with a Simaudio amp and recently Q concept 500 speakers.   In the chalet, now our main home, I have new Raidho X3 with Devialet amp and Luna Red usb and speaker cables. 

My problem here is with power cords. Here are my findings:

The Audioquest Blizzard with the Raidhos make them sound less lively than a cheaper power cord.  The same setup with the Q concept worked fine ( I had them at the chalet for a month)

The Q concepts back in Montreal  replace Wilsons Sophia 3 . Now the sound is too bright. No distortion, but too bright nevertheless.  So I took out the DR Acoustics Red fire ( 5 K) and swapped home made Furutech heavy gauge. ( 200 $). And guess what: the balance of the speakers was back to normal. Could have more separation in instruments, but at least you can listen to the music and not the equipment.

I am not an engeneer, bus I said to myself: if the DR are more revealing, why noy try them with the Raidhos.  Well, I just did and ....   it works !!  The Raidhos are now as good as they were in the store.

In tis swap, the impact of the power cord was as big as one qurter turn in the old treble knobs. Much bigger impact than interconnects , digital and even speaker cables.

Finally, I want to point out that I went to a lot of live concerts in my life: Pink Floyd, ELP, Police, Sade etc, as weel as many symphonies in Montreal, Paris, Vienna, Milano, Carenigie hall etc.  

My criteria for any music, live or reproduced is: does it make my hair raise on my arms and the top: on my neck.

My exprience with 4 power cables fron 50 to 5000 $ made that happen in both systems.  

Conclusion: experiment with power cords. If your hair stays down, do not buy.

Have fun.

Power cords make a big difference in sound… that is the why. It is best to think about plugging into your outlet as plugging lake, as opposed to plugging into a 14 gauge “hose”. I think the founder of Shunyata uses this analogy. Power does not work like a hose.

But there is a lake at the power plant.
The amp has capacitors in it that also creates a lake inside of the amp.

Unless the internal capacitors are drooping, then how would the cord affect them?