It seems to me that a power cord can only benefit an amplifier in 2 ways. It can be thick enough gauge to properly transfer your AC power to the amp. And it can be shielded so other sensitive cables near or touching it aren’t being interfered with. And that’s fine. I fully admit this to be true. The problem I have is, all this can be easily done for $100 or less. Let’s be fancy and say why not go all out and spend $500, maybe $1000 for a truly great one. So what exactly is the $20-$50,000 power cord doing that can’t be done for $500, or even $150? Electricity and wires isn’t super complicated. We’ve just about nailed it at this point. And, this is NOT a cord transmitting perhaps more delicate analog signals that are in the signal path where you could at least think, just maybe the sound can be affected. It’s a simple power cable that’s outside the signal path. It’s doable for $100, they can totally nail it in every possible way for 500, including the same top grade connectors the insanely priced ones use. So explain the $25,000 power cord please.
Can hi-end cables benefit less expensive electronics?
Some time ago, there was a guy on a Polish hi-end forum claiming that in his case it was better to buy some hi-end power chord than investing in a more expensive CD player. Has anybody had an experience where they invested in an expensive cable and felt the investment justified without upgrading the unit utilising the cable? Overall, would there possibly be any point in buying some expensive cable to feed electronics nearly the cost of the cable itself? I'm currently using a KT88 amplifier with a Metronome CD8 (which is also used as DAC) plus Metronome DSS as the streamer (transport only). Speakers: Franco Serblin Accords. In my case, an upgrade in electronics would involve spending at least USD 15,000 to make it sensible. But I can also spend much less and buy a Transparent XL Digital cable to replace my DIY cable that I currently use, at a much smaller expense. Is a high-end digital cable in some cases able to make it a worthwhile investment in a setup which is not top hi-end? I can afford the Transparent XL digital cable, but not necessarily any upgrade to the electronics I own. Has anybody experienced an improvement with an expensive cable even if the rest of the system would rather call for a less expensive one? When I wrote to Transparent about it, they said I should get advice from my dealer. Cable naysayers please do not comment. Also I'm not looking for cheaper alternatives to the Transparent XL. Just fancying buying a cable that many people say is an excellent cable. Of course, I do not expect the same improvement with this cable as with a full DCS Vivaldi setup, but am I likely to get an improvement, considering that the system is balanced and nothing really bothers me in it? Or should I absolutely get a cheaper cable because the more expensive one is bound to make things worse?
- ...
- 119 posts total
Certainly a very good power cord may improve an inexpensive amp. But, it is unlikely to have the impact because the noise floor of the components is likely to be much higher than a high end component… basically covering up the improvement… same logic with dynamics… etc.
The answer is easy to determine. Actually compare a dozen different power cords on an high end system. Include a two meter Audioquest Hurricane and Dragon as well as a Cardas Clear Beyond and High end Nordost and your question changes to… how do they do that? |
@megabyte, @gbmcleod, @ghdprentice I have been building cables for over 20 years, on systems ranging from a $350 mini system, a Bluesound Speaker, my own system priced around $20k, and other systems priced over $100k. Each system performed noticeably better with a better power cable, with improvements in
Here's a thread that explains the many facets of good cable design Regards - Steve |
Thanks, Willie Wonka. I was about to reply to ghdprentice about that, and say, essentially, what you just said. The noise floor’s lowest level is likely to drop with a better designed power cord. That’s part of the reason I like Shunyata. I have several generations of power cords here, and it can easily be heard that the newer lines have a considerably lower noise floor, so I can hear quieter, more delicate details (and in classical music, that is what makes the music: the delicate moments). As for Megabyte’s argument, I’m not going down that rabbit hole. All I will say is, I have a $300 power cord, and it does not reproduce eight notes remotely as well as the Sigma power cord does. Designers design to a price point, lets not forget that. And if a $100 power cord can reproduce triple tonguing (as heard in Scheherazade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, RCA Living Stereo), then the designer has no need to have a $1,000, $3,000 or whatever cost power cord. It’s hard enough for many electronics to reproduce things like triple tonguing, never mind the power cords. But some people don’t care about triple tonguing, legato or staccato, or diminished eighths. That’s fine for them. I do want to hear these things on the disc because they are is part of the musical composition. If it’s there, I want to hear all the pauses, rests that make the composition come alive. 50%?? 60%?? Not good enough. When I’m at the symphony, I hear 100%. I want my stereo to reproduce that as closely as possible. I do get why people stop at a certain level. That is not what I am arguing against. I am arguing against people who have never heard what can be reproduced and yet still scream "Snake Oil". How do they know?? They’ve never, EVER heard the product. Anyone’s better products, for that matter!
It’s like telling me that a Corvette drives as well as a Lamborghini, even though you’ve never even sat in either vehicle, much less driven one. People would be laughed out of the racing car community if they ever made a statement that "The Corvette is just as good as the Lamborghini.Pardon me, you’re asking if I’ve ever driven one - or both - of them??? Why, no, I haven’t. But I’m certain of what I’m talking about..." Laughed. Out. This reminds me of something I learned when I was young. Other kids would come to the house, and my mother would offer them food - usually including a vegetable (my mom was a nutritionist). One of the kids would invariably say, "I hate_______(broccoli/lettuce/ spinach)." My mom would then ask - in a very neutral tone - "Have you had it before?" And I knew what was coming. I would turn to my sister and say, "DUCK. HERE IT COMES." And they'd say, "No, I've never had it." And them mom would say, "Then you don't know what you're talking about!!! Shut your mouth until you've tried it!!!" (I suspect my mom must have known Ivor Tiefenbrun, the Linn founder, who said exactly the same thing.) 'Nuff said! |
Pro or against expensive cables. I don't understand the arguing over it. If something sounds better to you on your system, use it. If it doesn't, don't use it. What's better for me may not be better for you. If something does work out well, I like hearing about it. If someone else wants to trash your good experience, I don't want to hear about it. |
- 119 posts total