Cable upgrades

Well, this almost feels like it should be the start of a new thread, but -- just plugged the Cardas Beyond Power cable into my PS Audio Duet (which is feeding the Lumin U2 & Benchmark DAC3 HGC via stock PCs) -- and it feels like my system just took a massive leap forward!

First blush is a cleaner, more detailed presentation, but not harsh or etched.  Saxophones in the Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster sound very smooth, and that sometimes screechy 'kazoo' quality is gone.  I can hear the piano much more articulated.  The soundstage is wider.  The upright bass is not MIA, even with the Cardas Golden Reference XLRs, which up until now, felt a bit bass-shy.

I have yet to listen to anything else, and this is totally 'first blush' perceptions -- but I'd say this upgrade is a game-changer.  Feels like my components just took a leap upwards in quality.  I was hoping for a 'wow' moment, and I think I've got one!

The feeling of wanting to revisit all your library is very strong right now.  The sound feels more confident, less strained, and that makes me feel more relaxed while I listen, and is deepening my enjoyment of the music.  That is quite astonishing to me.  And I was worried that I had jumped off the deep end in spending as much as I did on the Beyond Power cable.  It's turning out to be one of the best upgrades I've made.  Woooo Hooooo!

JAMES.

Amazing, isn't it? There will probably be many who claim you are hearing things, just ignore them, because the rest of us know the truth. And it'll sound even better in a few weeks. 

Now, did you just say you have OEM power cords on your other components? 😳

@mclinnguy Yeah!  That's the crazy thing.  Even with the OEM PCs on the streamer and DAC, the improvement is massive, right outta the box.

I do have an AQ NRG-4 PC supplying the AHB2 amplifier, from a dedicated 10AWG 20-amp line.

Now I have to figure out what to replace the OEM PCs with.  Not sure I can afford more Beyond Power cables, but perhaps a more modest improvement will still work well?

Super fun!

JAMES.

I hear ya, it takes time, for me many years to finally get every piece upgraded, and when it is done start all over upgrading again. Part of the fun though.

There are many in here who have responded already who have plenty more experience cable swapping and upgrading than me, so they will chime in regarding whether it is better to stick to one brand, or mix them up for different flavours. But you have 2 of the most important components covered.

It is nice to just skip the lower end power cables and jump right up to the thousand dollar ones (+), as that makes a more memorable impact (as you just witnessed) but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to find some used Audio Sensibility statement’s for example on CanuckAudio at a good price in the mean time as you will most likely be able to sell them for what you paid for them, as they hold their value well and are popular in Canada, and it helps train your ears and keep you satisfied for short time periods. Decisions decisions. In the mean time enjoy re-discovering all those tunes you thought you knew well. 😎

Thanks @mclinnguy   Your comments are bang on the money!