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Ideal power cord lengths?

A quick Google search suggests there is consensus that the ideal power cord length is 2m.  1m cords sound “harsher” and 3m cords sound “smoother”, with 2m being the sweet spot.  The PS Audio dude suggests that the reason is that the reason is that all cords have an impact on the power, and the greater the length, the greater the impact, good or bad.

I know many will say there is no difference between a 1m cord and a 3m cord.  But my question is, who here has tried like model power cords of different lengths, and what were the differences?  
 

Second question:  How does length factor into the equation when you have a cord feeding a conditioner, then other cords feeding components?  If 2m cords are in fact the ideal, would 1m cords be ideal when using conditioners?

I tend to believe those that say that power cord lengths matter.  While I’ve not been able to do this test myself, I’ve had these two experiences:

  • Testing Audioquest Diamond and Nordost Valhalla 2 USB cables, the cables shorter than 1.5m sounded TERRIBLE by comparison.  Especially the .75m Audioquest Diamond vs the 1.5m version.  But the 1m Valhalla 2 also sounded awful in comparison to the 2m version.  In general this opened my eyes to how much cable length matters, and counterintuitively in the case of digital cables. 
  • I have a 2019 2m AudioQuest Hurricane Source cable from back when AQ braided their cables, and I also have the newer non-braided Hurricane Source, but 3m in length.  The new Hurricane sounds vastly superior to my old 2m Hurricane.  In comparison the older cord compresses the soundstage depth.  I don’t know if the differences are due to the differences in length, or if it’s due to a design change by Audioquest.

Very interested in learning of others experiences with power cord lengths.

 

 

nyev
nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

@bigtwin , The end of the chain is the most important. It’s a filter for all the noise on the public grid. Both for THD noise coming into your system and eventually manifesting in your speakers. And as a blocker for noise generated by your gear that goes back out to your AC lines which your other gear can pick up. The theory is that the longer the end cable feeding your gear, the greater the filtering effect. Which at a point becomes detrimental…

THD is measurable with meters, and it doesn’t magically disappear - it shows up in your speakers if you don’t deal with it with conditioners and/or power cords….

I know it’s an unpopular concept for those who have not conducted blind tests…. On a relatively resolving system, with good quality speaker wire, that is. Otherwise you may very well hear no difference in which case your priorities should be elsewhere…

As an aside, I do think the prices for premium cabling is stupid…. But I guess it’s simply an effect of supply and demand.

Not trying to convince anyone, at all.  This debate has been raging for 25 year or longer!  I doubt it will ever be put to rest with consensus reached.

ghdprentice
8,119 posts
 

OP, Glad to hear you get sucked into listening to your system. Hence a great time so carefully choose the details. I struggled getting my power cord correct for my amp for a year, long after getting all my components correct. 
 

If I were you I would start by getting the brand correct. I swapped every level of Cardas, one level of Transparent, WireWorld Silver, DH Labs and was not happy with any. Then my dealer brought over a Audio Quest Hurricane. The difference was simply amazing… it was completely right… the perfect balance of detail and highly refined bass.

I realize in writing this I have a 1m and 2m Audio Quest Hurricane and a Audio Research Reference 160s amp. So, I have what it takes to do the experiment. I’ll see if I can get motivated to switch amps and do some testing. My REF160s has not been used for 8 months so it is going to need some additional break in. But maybe I’ll give it a go.

 

 

1971gto455ho's avatar
1971gto455ho
549 posts
 

What a load of… we are supposed to think there is crosstalk created by units transferring noise from now internal DC Back to AC line in…now works its way back into other AC lines in ? Not to be nasty but that is the biggest pile of electrical rubbish I’ve read yet. This form is fun I just can’t believe the Collection of unsubstantiated BS that gets slung around.

 

 

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

@1971gto455ho , no, that stuff is not what makes the real difference.  I’ll let you in on my secret:  all the magic all is in my beefy 10AWG AC lines…. WAY better than wimpy 12 or 14 AWG!

dekay's avatar
dekay
5,854 posts
 

Did "we" come up with a preferred PC length?

My unused PC's are all tangled up with my Liberty of London Paisely Tie Collection, so I thought that I might simply buy some new (untangled) ones. 

 

DeKay

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