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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
ghdprentice
7,414 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
520 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
5,690 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

1971gto455ho's avatar
1971gto455ho
520 posts
 

@nyev 

I gather your using a 30 amp breaker with your 10 gauge line, and your amp is of a size that requires that hefty feed ? That is highly unlikely. Or perhaps your entire system runs off of a single 10 gauge line ? I’ve 4 outlets with cut gangs so each socket has a 12 gauge service. That’s 8 moderately bendable wires and a total of 160 amps of breaker protection. In poker that would be called a full house, shuffle the cards will ya...

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