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Power Cords Snake Oil ??

Having been a long time audiophile living with countless high end compnents I have to wonder about the theory and practicality of high end power cords.

I have yet to hear the difference a power cord makes. Ive owned, synergistic, Shunyata, BMI and cardas. I in no way can detect any sonic signature or change. Give me a pair of interconnects and I imeadiately notice a difference somewhere in the sonic spectrum. Not the PC though. I have accomplished 4 blind tests with my friends. 3 out of the 4 they did not know their cord was replaced. All 4 were using a stock factory supplied cord. Each of the 4 tests were done on different components. Amp, CDP, Preamp & dac.

My electrical backround tells me that provided you supply the component with its required voltage bet 110vac or 220/240vac its happy. Now, change the incoming frequency from 60hz to say 53hz and watch how quickly your soundstage collapses.! This is often the case during the summer months when home air conditioners are in use and the utility company power output is taxed to the max. A really good power conditioner should however take care of the frequency fluctuations. But 110vac is still 110vac regardless of the conductor it passes through as long as its remains 110vac when it reaches the intended circuit. Does your 8k amp or preamp know the difference of the path the voltage took to reach it ? Many an audiophile will use a dedicated 20amp circut for their equipment.That is a good idea as voltage & frequency fluctuations will occur in the home circuit to to other loads on the main breaker panel but again, A power cord simply is the means of transporting the voltage from the wall to the component. IF there is a clean 110vac @ 60hz at the wall socket, no matter what the medium is to go from the socket to the component, it will still be 110vac @60hz.

Could somebody expand on this a bit more. I just dont understand it. ??
128x128jetmek
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
LT - You said: "please don't tell me your hearing is more acute than electronic test equipment!"

Umm...I've gotta tell you: Your hearing is more acute than electronic test equipment. (So is mine and everyone else's whose hearing is reasonably intact.) In certain, important ways, that is. Think about it a bit - you already know what I'm talking about.

Your post seems to imply that you have never heard any differences between any wires at any position in a system. Well, consider yourself lucky or cursed, but you are psychologically predisposed not to, and your experience can't disprove what might be true for others. (Oh, and there are measureable differences among cables. And unlike some other kinds of powerline tweaks, some pretty plausible theoretical points can be made for why aftermarket powercords could make a positive difference.)

But I won't argue with you on the price vs. value issue, except to say that it is not unique to the cable segment of the high end.
loonytunz's avatar
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loonytunz
164 posts
 
For the record, I certainly stated that cables possessing variations in electrical measurement could sound different from one another. I'm also no more predisposed to psychological bias than someone who just spent a bundle on a cable and expects or anticipates an improvement in their system. Who would spend the money hoping NOT to hear an improvement? Additionally, I attempted to speak for no one else here. What others hear or don't hear is their own business; just sharing an opinion.

P.S. This thread has been civil so far, but this topic often degrades quickly into 'you're an idiot', 'you're deaf', or 'your system sucks', etc, so let's just agree to disagree and stuff all those nasty little worms back into the can.
killerpiglet
374 posts
 

scantily clad, redhaired nymphet

What? Not Viggen? He will be crushed (ah, or are you actually reffering to Viggen?).

Anyway, everyone knows canned worms aren't the best. If you like canned worms you must have atrophied taste buds.
If you must store worms, please use a proper glass container. Canned worms have a metallic flavor, much like solid state gear. semi-colon close parentheses

KP
sherod
1,690 posts
 
If I know Viggen, he probably found something new and exciting to put in his system that has him, "dancin' on the table with a cloth on his head..."
panny
99 posts
 
Why do you guys pick on Ed? He has a lot more wisdom for audio than others I have read.

If for any reason he is into things which might be construed as being a little unorhodox than please excuse my ignorance,but as far as I know he is not using sand shells as tweeking tools.

I cannot picture him dancing on tables tighly clad in some weird outfit! I think your imaginations or sexual fantasy's are getting the best of you.

Regards!
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