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Suggested Power Cable for Streamer

Fellow Audio Fanatics - 

I’m at the stage of fine tuning my system. It’s been roughly three years of investment, trial and error, and pure enjoyment. However, as many of you know, this hobby tends to make us obsessive over the prospect of making “incremental improvements.” 
 

Why? 
 

I think it’s simply because we’ve made adjustments over time that paid off. 
 

MY QUESTION 

I am currently using a NRG “The Five,” which is a heavy gauge power cable from a gentleman up in Canada. Great cable for the price! That said, my sense is it’s a cable designed more for power amp rather than source components like DACs or streamers. 
 

I’m wondering if I could improve the performance of my streamer with another cable more specifically designed for source components? If so, what cable might you recommend?  Your responses are greatly appreciated. 

I’m posting my system below for context. 

  • Innuos Zenith streamer with NRG “the five” cable 
  • Merason DAC1 with a LessLoss power cable 
  • Linear Tube Audio preamp with a cardas clear reflection cable 
  • Conrad Johnson Classic 120 with a Cardas Clear Beyond XL cable
  • Speakers - switch between Dynaudio Heritage Specials and QLN Prestige 3  

Everything is connected to a Puritan 156 with their classic cable. I will soon upgrade to their Ultimate cable which will plug directly into the wall.

 

 

 

128x128bluethinker
benzman's avatar
benzman
384 posts
 

Glad to hear you are ditching the classic cable that  comes with the Puritan. It is average at the very best . You are going to get a serious upgrade with any kind of good quality 20amp PC. The Ultimate PC is just as good as the classic is bad. 

mclinnguy's avatar
mclinnguy
263 posts
 

When you upgrade to the Ultimate, see if you can either try it first or go used. I ended up not liking it in my system when I tried it on PSM156 - it was a bit too much. Treble glare, sibilance. I sold it.

That’s was a tough one for me to decide, with it being C19, and in my system that is the only place to put it. Being in Canada makes demo’ing much harder also. I debated trying something else on the PSM156 but the issue of the 20amp connector makes it harder to find suitable demo options or to resell it if it doesn’t work, and the Ultimate was well regarded, so I got the Ultimate. Sounds fine, but again it is not like I can roll some of the other cords I have in there to experiment. I may try a different 20amp cord for it down the road but other things to do first.

I wonder though @audphile1 , that was before your upgrade to the Aurender, right? Perhaps now with a smoother presentation and a little less digititus going on it might match better?

painter24's avatar
painter24
212 posts
 

I have the NRG Custom "The Five"; maybe feed your PSM156 with it from the wall, and maybe consider Triode Wire Labs "American Digital II" PC for your Zenith. I have this set-up, very good

carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
1,374 posts
 

That big power cable is delivering too many electrons and they are stacking up in your streamer like donuts during a police strike.  ...

JK.  No reason on earth to buy a smaller cable.

Jerry

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
3,860 posts
 

Perfect timing In our multi state audio club- get together we tested a bunch of power cords . Many think ever with well respected brands they are good for everything ,Not true ,many are High current Big cables.

without spending $1,000s the AQ Tornado - Source comes to mind 

we ever compared the HC Tornado . The source was more detailed and naturally resolved. Perrotta Consultants is having specials on WWorld ,and AQ .retail around $1200 .Highly recommended . Was it the best no it was not but I didnot have $3-4k 

for a source cable to spend and very close. I spoke with a AQ engineer and his lengthy explanation ,- condensed , a cable if done correctly filters and lowers the noise floor,I could not agree more. Highly Recommended.

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