Transparent Audio power cords


I have a question for experienced users about certain Transparent cords. The application is on a McCormack Audio DNA-500 amp (w/ the SMC audio Silver Plus upgrade) driving Focal Sopra 2 speakers. The cord in use now is a Transparent Powerlink MM2 (mm2x serial number). This cord was the next step above the Reference in the mm2 generation. The name of the Powerlink MM2 cord was changed to XL for the Gen 5 and Gen 6 products.

I have tried both the Reference Gen 5 and Reference Gen 6 cords on this amp which according to theory, they should sound better than the Powerlink MM2. Both are, in general, respectively, a step up in sound quality as would be expected. However, we now get to my issue, neither of the two Reference cords has enough "meat on the bones" compared to the Powerlink MM2. They are just lighter weight sounding. The likely thought is to try a Gen 5 or Gen 6 XL cord but, the price point for a new Gen 6 XL cord is getting uncomfortable.

So, will an XL cord give me that weight and solidity I'm after or might I want to be looking at another brand to get the sound where I want it to be while trying to rein in the cost.

Ag insider logo xs@2xmwh777

OP: Great system! I suspect that it already sounds pretty amazing.

My initial suggestion would be to experiment by removing one (or more) of the Add--Powr resonators. Wait several hours and re-evaluate.

In my experience, the Add-Powr ElectraClear resonator did not play nicely at all with the TA PIMM’s. The HF became unpleasantly fatiguing. Same problem with an Akiko Corelli conditioner. I tried for months to figure out where these tweaks would work best - plugged into different circuits. They never did. For some reason, the TA Power Isolators are particular with whom they play. It came down to which type of conditioner to use - but not both simultaneously.

On the other hand, the PIMM’s loved joining forces with balanced power - such as Balanced Power Technologies. For source components, the two togehter produce excellent SQ in my system. I moved the Add-Powr ElectraClear over to my HT system - which definitely improved the TV picture quality.

My discovery was that different brands and types of power conditioners may or may not play well together. A returnable trial period is a wonderful thing. YMMV

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P.S. Just copy & paste your latest post, take a few pictures and your Virtual System is pretty much done. It’ll be available for future discussions after this thread fades away.

I used a DNA 500 amplifier for more than 8 years - it's a wonderful amp with effortless power.  The best results I had with power cords was with a Shunyata Research Sigma.

@ghdprentice "Power cords make a very big difference, and especially on amps. Generally more than interconnects and on the order of speaker cables (on amps). Transparent Generation five and six further lower the noise floor, improve balance across the audio spectrum, and increase detail. 

being decades long analog design engineer I would love to ask you to actually measure noise floor for different power cables, specifically original high end ones, assuming fully functional, vs whatever you pick “better” ones. //regards

yea sounds like a lot of you have drunk the kool aid on cables i laugh heartily when i watch all the great you tube videos like audioholics who actually measure cables and can show it is all mostly malarky and psycho-somatic delusions !
but i laught even more when i read some of this drivel here! 
In this case you honestly believe you can detect differences that cannot be measured ! pretty funny ! you have a unique super sensitive perceptual ability so superior why you must be a superman! you are better than all other humans er , NO you are not sorry ! 
Audioholics said :
We've spent 20+ years debunking the snake oil claims in audiophile/esoteric cables. In this video I make a proposal to the audio industry to STOP abusing fully understood engineering claims to justify the sales of their products and I will stop calling them snake oil. I further offer audiophile cable companies to submit their products to Audioholics for 3rd party verification testing which they can then publish on their website to help consumers make more educated purchasing decisions. “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” - "Hitchens razor
https://youtu.be/7YIGLnbc12I?si=hctc5Db1Wk7HfIZz
it is proven beyond doubt the $18K AQ cables are pure rip off snake oil and i am not too afraid to say it ! they actually got WORSE when they added the BS batteries to them WORSE performance ! someone actually made some cables out of old coat hanger wires that tested better ! LOL smiley
science is great ! you all need to do more blind A-B -C testing w/ someone else swapping the cables !  watch and learn fr a real HONEST audio engineer w/ an impeccable reputation for over 25 years and stop deluding yourself ! ( LOLdevil but you won't ! ) 
PS you have all that crappy cheap wiring fr the power meter thru your circuit breaker panel thru the walls and you ACTUALLY believe a few feet of expensive wire fr the wall plug to your gear is THE solution! LOL ,smiley NO 


https://youtu.be/VlYjQBTx-rs?si=SODiuhDUrCaz7BQk
https://youtu.be/r7DdcZCbABo?si=616hkqy7nr9S8VmK
https://youtu.be/KzwAdwvy9l4?si=8GWq7mszomux4knW
https://youtu.be/katmUM-Xelw?si=QAg2wi2k0VdjtfAf
https://youtu.be/kR12Ttuxobs?si=DwRo5A4VuMz9ap5B
https://youtu.be/UoVixorZTDM?si=o80FVM34E_eKouvb
https://youtu.be/wrmNvQIl-D8?si=Vuhy2ObIohdWwoTS
https://youtu.be/Rgun97VK7y8?si=Rp70a9Yv5FZcRSXb
https://youtu.be/k91exGjOtN8?si=prVPcWGJCOptbboQ
 

@quickjack1234 this scientist and 55 year + audiophile did the experiment with the Audioquest DBS system on speaker cables and interconnects and found a significant difference in the “blackness “ of the background. Ie, the noise floor was reduced, allowing more detail and things to be heard that were not audible otherwise. The exceedingly sensitive instrumentation that I used were my ears.

 

Do not tell me otherwise what my own instrumentation didn’t tell me.