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Power cable dilemma

I have to ask the community for an explanation to account for an issue I encountered this past week. 
 

I received a Mark Levinson ML-23.5 amp this past week. I plugged it in with a high end power cord I purchased years ago (because it looked better than the cheap cord that came with the unit. Lol). I switched from an ML-9 so I had certain expectation of the sound. After listening for about 30 minutes, I noticed that the amp did not sound very dynamic. I got up to go feel how hot it was and the heat sinks were barely warm. I turned up the volume and listened for another 15-20 minutes. I got up to check the temperature and the heat sinks were still barely warm. Also, I was playing the amp at volume level 28 on my Cambridge 851N. That is pretty high. The sound was still lifeless. I shut everything down and just sat there, dejected. Was the amp defective? Was it just a bad match? Were my expectations too high? I don’t know what made me try it, but I swapped out the power cord with a plain black cord and powered up the system. Unreal. I was now listening at volume level 22 to the same song, with staggering dynamic impact, at what seemed to be a similar volume. Furthermore, after about 20 minutes, I went up to feel the amp and the heat sinks were very toasty! So the question is: what could have possibly been wrong with the original cord that would result in lower volumes and no heat buildup? It is like it was throttling the current. To me, a cord either connects or it doesn’t. It works or it doesn’t. There should not be an in between. Does anyone have an explanation for this?

jrimer
dpop
293 posts
 

@jrimer

I’m also a rational thinking person that needs to see some concrete evidence to substantiate such absurd claims.

I’m not sure anyone is going to hand deliver that information to your doorstep. You may have to search for it yourself on various websites, as it is out there. I’m also not sure exactly what information you’re specifically looking for. Almost every AC audio power cable website will probably contain some. Here’s one I just picked at random:

audioquest Thunder

Disclaimer: Please be aware that I’m not the type that buys AC cables that cost thousands of dollars. In all of the cables I use, or have used, in home audio, or broadcast audio, I’ve never heard an AC cable that dramatically changed the sound of the equipment it was plugged into. Audio cables, yes. AC cables, no. One thing I do use is balanced AC power. Even then I don’t believe it has made a dramatic difference in audio quality in my audio system(s), but I still incorporate it.

jrimer OP
35 posts
 

Someone previously claimed that power cord technology has taken a quantum leap forward in the past 5 years. All I asked for was some evidence that shows current power cords are far superior to cords from 5 years ago (or 50 years ago, for that matter). I would preferably like some empirical evidence from someone other than a manufacturer or reviewer that can substantiate this claim. I’m not sure what you think I’m asking for. I’m not looking for it because I’m willing to bet it doesn’t exist. If someone is going to use hyperbolic terms to describe differences such as “quantum leap”, they should have no problem substantiating those claims. Right?

bolong
654 posts
 

I'm a fan of Anticable's power cords. Look at some of the reviews. Every component in my system including the subs is now powered with Anticable cables.

dpop
293 posts
 

@jrimer @pennfootball71

Most older power cables are not great anymore and cable technology has made quantum leaps over the past 5 years!!!

I’m skeptical, but let’s see if pennfootball71 wants to maybe defend his statement.

@jrimer 

I’m not looking for it because I’m willing to bet it doesn’t exist.

I now see where you're coming from.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

How can I put this delicately (and I mean no offense)? Are you new to the audio scene? There's an immense amount of information out there on this particular subject. All you have to do is search for it.

A lot of that information is largely marketing.

 

There are power cords out there that go for thousands and thousands of $$, and audiophiles swear by their performance.  

They do indeed swear by it.

 

Right. But where is the evidence that technology, and thus, performance, has advanced in the last 5 years?

Largely there is not any. There are a few papers on power cords.
… And some power conditioners show suppression of AC harmonics.

But there is also the other snake head on the hydra, where we do not know which amps have power supplies that are more immune to noise than others.

It could be true that some power cords help some amps. But with N amps and M power cords, it is an NxM solution space… and add in power conditioners and it becomes an even more massive set of combinations.

 

I’m not talking about price. I’ve been at this for 40 years, so I’m no novice. I’m also a rational thinking person

You may not be the audience that the power cord people are catering to.

 

… that needs to see some concrete evidence to substantiate such absurd claims. No need to be delicate. Just show me the empirical evidence. Simple.

Sadly you will probably be disappointed, as the examples seem well hidden to my searches.

But a lot of people that I loosely know, and also respect, seem to also swear by cables, power conditioners and a lot of high-end ICs and speaker cables.

More to discover