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power cable tryout High fidelity cables has me wondering..... need suggestions now

Last Saturday a good friend brought over a power cord to give a try in my system, one of Rick Schultz High Fidelity Cables, friend said he paid around $5000 not sure the model but they have large magnets on them, i think.  I did not know he was bringing this cable so it was a surprise. 

I have a Mac C2700 preamp, Mac mc301 mono amps, driving some large OB's from Tri-Art supported by Rel subs,  source was my Acoustic Solid turntable with a Sumiko Pear wood calibration 2 cart.  I have run PS audio AC5 series forever now (approx. $500 each), I figured they were good enough and I would not hear much if any difference. Not enough for me to rush out and look at better. 

Well let me tell you my friends I was shocked how different putting this cable on my preamp would make in the sound for the positive. It was on order of putting in a new Preamp or new tubes. not subtle in anyway, to be honest i was a bit angry at how much it changed my system. I was behind my listening chair, in my kitchen ( listening room and kitchen are one large room) filling a glass of water and I just sighed when he started plying music. I didn't even have to be in the sweet spot let alone close, hell my head was in my fridge). it was like the whole system lost its hash. It cleared up the top end so much i was able to raise the tuning point on my speakers to increase the top end a bit. everything cleared up became more detailed without any strain, sibilance etc.  one dam cable....

Darn it now i need to look at power cables and other cables as well... 

well I cannot afforded to put $5000 cables throughout my system so I'm looking for suggestions on something a little less, under $2k each sort of thing. But that can give me a good portion of what these gave. any suggestions. used-new I'm not particular.

One thing i wont be buying anymore PS Audio power cables, probably ok for $500 but once you hear it you cannot unhear it. as they say.

My whole conception of power cables has been turned upside down.....

 

128x128glennewdick
pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 

Different Power Cable Types/Designs are able to have an impact on the end sound when added.

Unscreened vs Screened - Dielectric Material Type used - Wire Stranded or Solid -

On the Cables being referenced the Cylinders with Wire Passing Through is a most likely a Ferrite Core. There are today very advanced paramagnetic materials which are much improved over Ferrite, on a Cable of the Value referred to it might be a advanced materials used as the Core.

The Core is in place to function as a low pass filter. Typical use is for power cables to reduce EMI (electromagnetic interference).

Cable Terminations also go a long way on the Function and will be for the better if Solid Copper. Solid Copper used on the Devices Power Inlet IEC will also help.

A Power Cable produced following guidance from the builds shown in the Link will get a lot for less monies that being suggested.

For half your suggested budget there is looking like all the systems devices could have there own bespoke Power Cable Design using Pure Copper Termination on Cables.

I am an advocate of PC Triple C Wire as a Signal Wire, Speaker Wire and Power Cable Wire.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/duelund-conversion-to-diy-helix-geometry-cabling

 

pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 

The Link is to a Cable I am familiar with and know it was selected for a selection of systems as a result of trialing and deselecting a range of Power Cables, of which some were considerably more expensive. 

A Ferrite Ring of which ever design can be added quite cheaply. 

Note: This Cable over recent Months has been as rare as Rocking Horse Poo to find for sale. Maybe that is to the Cables Credit ?

https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/special/order/confirm/audio9:10000582/2_1/

 

 

ghdprentice
6,967 posts
 

My mental bias if looking at power cords has always been that they must sound the same… I mean it’s just power. I have learned through experience, no matter how counterintuitive it is, they usually sound different. 

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lz1
8 posts
 

I'll hopefully avoid the instant bias it creates.

For those of us that believe in Rick's science - Virtual Dynamics was good, High Fidelity cable better and his new RSA Illumination/Apparitiion the best.  Delivers HFC pro quality at a much better price.

 

Agree that you can find HFC on the market in the range you are speaking to.  The Reveals (entry level) are quite a surprise and can give you a lot of his sound

jas
26 posts
 

I use a VD Master 3.0 and HFC Reveal in a mix of cables with Kimber Palladian, Sablon Reserve and Tara The One. It's a real puzzle when you start testing locations, yep, spreadsheet time. The VD Master finally ended up on the Ayre Amp, the Palladian on the Ayre Pre, and the Tara on the Ayre DAC/Streamer. The thing is, when you hit the right combinations, game's over. For me, the right configuration added a tiered depth with individual voices and imaging height i had not experienced. The Reveal services the JS-2, and in turn an EtherRegen. 

Regarding the used market for VD and HFC, cords do come up from time to time, posting a WTB has worked for me several times. 

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