Power cords or power conditioner

OP,

Congratulations on your purchase. Once you have listened to your system with your conditioner for a couple weeks… then take it out. This typically really demonstrates what it has been doing.

It is important to compare equipment critically… by switching…but

Be a bit cautious on swapping too much stuff too close in time. The real arbitrator of sound is your subconscious’ appraisal of the music through your system. But it needs just to listen with your analytical brain turned off. Hence after a couple weeks of no change it will make differences pretty obvious.

Also, given what you have said about your location. It is very likely your equipment will be very susceptible to improvements using vibration control. It need not be expensive. You can dip your toe in with Nobsound Springs under components… and move over time to stuff like Townsend Podiums.

@wheelndeal1099 thanks for relaying the suggestion from TheCableCo. That actually makes some sense. That is exactly why I went with Nordost speaker cables (speed and transparency). But I found that Nordost Valhalla 2 power cords and USB cord removed a degree of bass energy (they were otherwise very good) vs other cords so I went with AudioQuest for power cords and interconnects. I’d agree that my mix is also a split personality but in my case it seems to work as I get the best of both worlds.

Good luck, and @ghdprentice ’s advice is spot on.  Especially about trying to listen too critically when changing a bunch of variables.  I’ve definitely been guilty of doing that!  If you turn off your conscious analysis for a few weeks, the attributes the changes make will likely come to you instead of you having to seek them out, and your perceptions will likely be more accurate.

AZ Silver Ref II is a great cabie! I had these and the hologram speaker cables. As a matter of fact I had Matrix Ref II, Silver II, Absolute Copper (currently in my system). Had Lee’s Satori, Hologram and Satori shotgun speaker cables. You will like it. AZ needs a good break in of 200hrs minimum based on my experience.

Not to throw another dimension into the mix, but I recently sent my USB reclocker device (Innuos PhoenixUSB) from Innuos back to have the USB connector replaced due to a somewhat loose connection.  I bought the unit earlier this year as a store demo so I guess the loose connection is a result of that.  Hopefully they repair it under warranty.

I mention this because I’m absolutely floored by how much I miss not having the device in my system.  I don’t think I realized how much of a difference it made.  In particular higher frequency detail is clobbered, making snare drums and “air” seem rolled off and restrained.  I’m noticing less soundstage depth for sure.

It’s crazy to think that I have all this excellent gear but I can’t be happy with it without this one USB reclocker device, having become used to my system’s performance with the device in the chain.  Ultra premium streamers wouldn’t need benefit from such a device, but wow I sure miss not having it in my system!  I hope to get it back soon.

I recommend you either place the system in a better room or make the room you have acoustically neutral. You might have audio being canceled out due to reflections. I doubt the problem is with power.  I use a cheap power conditioner from Tripplight that serves me well.  You have excellent equipment. I'm Jealous. You can have the best in electronics sound crummy in a room that is not suited for it.