Looking For 18awg Audiophile Power Cable Options

I would assume so. I still cannot wrap my head around WHY he does that though. Some type of mental disorder is my guess 🤔

@vonhelmholtz Interesting, okay, so my theory about the system being left on longer than a music listening system doesn’t hold up, haha. I wouldn’t say it’s a reduction in fidelity, it’s that the sounds starts sounding slightly...denser, less open, kind of compressed, more fatiguing from the density, which changes the way I want to mix and process audio.

I don’t think it’s a matter of noise getting back into the system, the components are all on their own duplexes. I actually spoke with Richard at Shunyata years ago. I have their PS8 power conditioning bar (I think it’s called a PS8?) but I don’t use it for the music production system. It was affecting the sound. Works great for my TV and soundbar for watching movies, but not for music production. The Transparent Power Isolator I have is amazing, and I’ve used lots of power conditioners over the years. I’ll never use anything else. Very expensive, but luckily I was able to get one that was refurbished by the company.

I’m down the middle regarding power cables. I know some people think it’s BS but I couldn’t care less, I’ve studied it extensively and the difference in certain applications is not subtle. But as I’ve described here in this thread, it’s not always a good difference. If it’s not the gauge of the cable causing the problem, I have no idea what else it would be, there are no other pertinent variables really.

@audphile1 I did that with most of the companies involved, they said they do not recommend using aftermarket cables. The company that does the speakers, KRK, said I could take them to be inspected, but there are no authorized repair places for KRK anywhere near me. And there are no issues with performance when I use an 18awg cable. I don’t think I need better components. The vocal chain is top of the line professional recording gear, and all works fine on 18awg cables. I just thought maybe I could find options that gave me the smoother top end I was hearing with the other cables. I have a tendency when something is good I always ask, how can I make it even better...

@dekay Those are the exact cables I’ve been using that have been working. The 18awg variety, I did try 16 and 14, but they make the audio sound over-amplified for some reason. And again, somehow I don’t think there is something wrong with all of the power supplies of Manley, Great River, KRK, these are all top tier companies. Anyway, those cables are the cables I mentioned that are notable improvements over the stock cables, I just thought maybe there was something out there with better EMI/RFI rejection. The Transparent Power Isolator does a wonderful job of filtration, I’m just trying to keep the currents as clean as possible from the isolator to the components, for those extra smooth sibilants. If there aren’t other options and custom cables are too expensive, the system is solid as is, maybe just not as "audiophile" as it could be.

@thyname Yeah, I don’t know, seems like a waste of time to troll posts like that. I wasn’t asking, "Hey guys, do you think cables make a difference???" lol.

Anyway, I don’t really understand the purpose of delivering 10x or more current a component needs with a massive gauge cable (even though my Digital American cables sound fantastic and I’m pretty sure are massive gauge, they just work and make such a huge difference in my work flow, I don’t really care if they’re overkill), but the concept of filtering noise out of the power and keeping it clean from ambient RF/EM all the way to the component is not snake-oily to me.

Anyway, thank you all for your feedback.

@acar83 : I appreciate you following up on your own thread. Clearly NOT one of those “drive by posters”.

I have to be honest, and tell you the truth how I see this: I am scratching my head on this. I never experienced myself a lower gauge (read: thicker) can impact the music playback negatively. While not necessary better than a lower gauge cable, cannot hurt at worst. Even for light weight applications like digital. Assuming same quality cable geometry and built. And even brand and tier. Something for me to investigate further. Thanks

@thyname haha, no drive by poster here, no Sir.

Yeah I don't really know, I just did a lot of testing before I came to these conclusions. I don't really understand the science behind some of this. It's ironic because my digital components are the ones doing great on the big audiophile cables. And when I test this stuff, I don't just swap cables and listen and jump to a conclusion; I let the cable break in or re-break in extensively and/or settle and then assess.

Like I said I don't really understand the ideology behind big cable gauge to begin with. I was just looking at a chart because I couldn't remember the numbers, and an 18awg cable accommodates 14 amps! I have a computer, 2 powered 6" inch monitors, a DAC, an ADC, a stereo preamp, a tube compressor, and tube microphone power supply all on one 15 amp circuit and it's not even at 50% last I checked. So 18awg should be plentyyyy for each of these components...

acar83 OP

3 posts

02-12-2023 at 09:18am 

Erm...I thought this was an audiophile forum for people who understand the answer to that question, lol... Did I put this post in the wrong place or something?

Nope. Jason Bourne is the proverbial “our Village Fool”