Yes length matters you noobs. There is a reason why Shunyata won’t sell a powwr
cable under 1.75 M..!!!!
Power cords: does length matter?
This is a serious question, however if you don’t believe that anything about power cords matter, and you feel the need to make a joke out of the question, feel free.
Anyway: I have noted that all the stock power cords that have been provided by the manufacturers for my equipment are about six feet long. After looking at various aftermarket power cords on the internet, I note that they can be ordered in various lengths from one meter on up.
I would think that the shortest possible power cord in any given application would be desirable (meaning one meter if it would work), but I find that a lot of notions I had about things like this are often wrong (such as what I very recently posted on misc about manually tripping breakers to protect components). So am I also mistaken about selecting lengths of power cords?
TIA for any and all legitimate consideration and answers to this question, and to all others, enjoy the laughs.
@pennfootball71 Shouldn’t generalize based on limited exposure. The standard length of SR cables is indeed 1.75 meters, but custom versions of certain models like the Venom HC v2 can be made in any desired length with various connectors. The "standard" length may indeed be set based on market demand rather than technical considerations discussed. I have not seen any technical white paper published by Shunyata Research to support such claims a 1.75m or length around it being an optimal design. Additionally, I have seen some audiophiles claim that power cables need capacitance, which is not accurate. In reality, high capacitance in high voltage applications can lead to power loss and inefficient operation of devices. |
@brian8383 , I believe that 10AWG has already been settled upon. |
It sounds like the power supply in the components grab power about 2m away from the component. I don’t mean it is using the power 6.6’ away just that it is the length that matters to the sound. Nordost does recommend 2m. Is that to sell more cable or is that the minimum length they sell to keep things tight. I have not tested this but it’s so interesting. What I have tested is different power cords on the same pieces of equipment. That is awesome that power cords do not make a difference on some of your systems and you are happy with the sound. Seriously, you are lucky. That being said I did do a sound test using different power cords like Nordost Blue Heaven, Puritan Classic Plus and Ultra XX, Straightwire Pro Thunder and Black Thunder, and three different ESP power cords, even some Audio Quest NRG. They all sound different on every component I tried. I even bought an EIC to C7 (figure8) adapter to test on the Blue Sound NODE. Every power cord had a different sound in one way or another. Detail, Decay, Midrange, Bass, harshness. One thing I was surprised about how one power cable might not sound good with a different brand on a different component. In the end it all can make a difference. I have a killer Kubala Sosna Elation on my ARC Ref 5 SE preamp. I do not want to spend another $3k on every power cord so I am looking for a power cord for the amp and DAC to keep the killer sound. |
@immatthewj The really short answer to why most stock power cords are similar is that the cord is seldom the reason for purchase. Many customers don’t know enough to care, and the rest will buy what they want and don’t want to pay much for what gets tossed. @lanx0003 I believe you have arrived at the same conclusion as millions of marketing managers over the years – the optimum design (length, in this case) is the one that sells the best. Is this purchasing preference based on what customers feel sounds the best (how many buy a handful of lengths of the same item so they can compare?) vs how many buy what they think will be “about the right type and length” to get from wall socket to device? We leave out for now the issue of price point, since every customer has a different idea of what is a “good value” for them at any particular moment. @tattooedtrackman @jlbkmb1958 re: “Seems like just adjusting the tube bias based on whatever voltage you end up with is the easy answer. The line power goes through an input transformer and a rectifier before it’s actually used. I assume solid state amps do something analogous?”
To these and others above, one consideration affecting power cables, at least in the USA, is that building codes commonly state that residential wall outlets cannot be more than 8’ apart, so a 2-meter cord can almost always reach to one, and most first-time cord buyers will be mad if the recommended cord does not conveniently reach the outlet. If I were buying a power cord and I had to choose a length without being able to audition it/them first I'd probably be far more concerned about the path it has to take to get to a dedicated outlet than the overall length. 2 meters MAY be an optimum length, but often for reasons other than actual length. That said, when I am at the point where cable effects are my top concern, I would want to have evaluated ALL the potential interactions between the active devices in the system, including microphonics affecting the stylus and tube grids, radiated electromagnetic interference from devices locally and in adjoining rooms, be they laterally adjacent as well as above or below, and even the proximity of wireless IOT devices which can, through the interaction between their signal and that of other devices on the network, cause higher and lower harmonics that can couple to sub-optimally shielded points within ANY nearby cabling, and cause issues. Effects can range from dropped packets in the data stream to your audio streamer (which SHOULD be auto-corrected) to just inducing something that sounds “a bit off”, and that is what we are at the level of here. [As others noted, also try to keep IOT on 2.4 and audio on the 5gHz channels and suggest the same to your neighbors unless they are far enough away that their weaker 5gHz signals can’t reach to your place.] Bottom LINE: Power Cords, like everything else, exist in a complex environment. The effect on each individuals' perception of the resultant sound will be impacted by both the design of the particular cord and the way it interacts with surrounding elements – electronic, magnetic, environmental and spatial. Finding the optimal result is as much art as science. Everyone’s mileage will vary, often from room to room in the same home and even the humidity that day. Enjoy the ride! |