2. cables
  3. 195574-58070

Case in point: a $90,000 power cord by ASUNZ

Open Letter to the Audiophile Community: When High-End Becomes High Farce

There is a line between excellence and exploitation. In high-end audio, we celebrate passion, precision, and engineering that bring us closer to the music. We accept that real performance costs real money. But every so often, a product comes along that crosses the line into absurdity — and, frankly, insults the intelligence of the global audiophile community.

Case in point: a $90,000 power cord. (https://eqaudio.ca/power-cables/ansuz-mainz-d-tc3-gold-signature-power-cable/) A blatant insult to the intelligence of the global audiophile community!!!!!

Yes, you read that correctly. A piece of wire dressed up as “innovation,” sold for the price of a luxury car. It is not just excessive, it is contemptuous of the very customers who sustain this hobby.

The danger here isn’t only to one brand’s credibility. When companies market cables at such outrageous prices, they make the entire industry look foolish to the outside world. They reinforce every stereotype: that audiophiles are gullible, that high-end gear is snake oil, that this pursuit is less about music and more about status symbols.

We, as music lovers, are not idiots. We know the difference between engineering and opportunism. We know when craftsmanship justifies a premium — and when pricing is simply a provocation.

If high-end audio is to survive, manufacturers must show respect for both the craft and the community. Otherwise, the “legacy” they leave will not be of sonic breakthroughs, but of arrogance, excess, and ridicule.

This letter is not just directed at one company. It’s a call for honesty, sanity, and responsibility across the industry. If the goal is truly to celebrate music, then let’s price gear like it’s made for music lovers — not billionaires with no sense of value.

Steve Pappas
A concerned audiophile

violi_doxari3a
dayglow
2,124 posts
 

Assuming this power cord is a fraud or scam is irresponsible and ignorant. Considering none of the naysayers have heard this PC implemented in a top level Aavik/Borresen system. Why so difficult to give Ansuz the benefit of doubt? The critizing of ultra HEA has less relevance regarding the product but one's own personal issues.

mapman's avatar
mapman
23,041 posts
 

Frankly I’d be way more concerned about the increasingly unaffordable cost of housing, power and groceries so many consider a "high farce" than cost of hifi power cords for just the few oligarch types that keep only getting richer.  Just me.

audition__audio
1,693 posts
 

Without listening to this cable you cannot claim scam. Presumption is a construct of the individual and has no place in this conversation. 

 

 

mapman's avatar
mapman
23,041 posts
 

Presumption is a construct of the individual and has no place in this conversation. 

More "wokeness" to be silenced I suppose.  Silencing critics is a growing trend in these parts these days it seems and its coming right from the top.  So much for that silly right to free speech nonsense that used to be a thing in these parts.    

jafox
1,483 posts
 

@bigtwin 

The major work that we have been developing is a bias supply that uses a miniscule amount of the audio power from the amplifier to develop the bias voltage. This eliminates the AC power cord, but does not have any effect on the sound quality. 

I believe the operative words here are "miniscule amount".  So excuse me if I have trouble understanding how a better power cable is going to make a HUGE difference. 

The "miniscule amount" has nothing to do with power cord differences or the sound differences between the old and new generation models.  Read Roger’s response again.  The "miniscule amount" refers to the new design just skimming off a tiny bit of the audio signal to derive the bias voltage that was previously derived from the 120v.  Power cords are no longer required.  How cool is that! 

There are so many power cords that get rave reviews in these forums.  I have tried many of these and many are downright horrible.   And yes, as a courtesy to the manufacturer or due to claims here about cable burn-in, I will run them for a week or two, somewhere else in the house, then try them again in my system.  The burned-in cable still rarely survives. And I don’t need that cable to settle in before it performs any better.  This is also silly.  The instant I put my cable back in, without any settle time, the magic immediately returns.

If someone says that power cords don’t make a difference, either the power cord they are using is overrated or junk, or the system is low resolution to show the difference.  So don’t come to a general conclusion just because the PU cables don’t make a difference.  In the SL speakers, power cords CAN make a huge difference.

And swapping one for another because one "has more warmth" or "greater extended trebles" never makes any sense.  Picking cables because of tonal incoherencies is a no-win situation once you make a change elsewhere in your system.

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