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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. ??
jetmek
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
But all is not lost when you buy that upgraded power cord. It will still improve whatever component it's attached to. 11-25-13: Lacee

Your assertion is inaccurate. Every aftermarket (upgraded) power cord does not improve the performance of whatever component its attached to. There are those times when the wrong aftermarket power cord can muck things up worse than the original stock cord. I've witnessed this.
lacee
811 posts
 
Could you please explain in more detail?
Please be a bit more specific.

What power cord?
What gear was it plugged into?
Have you done any room treatment?
Do you use dedicated lines,upgraded connectors?
Do you use any power line conditioning?

I can answer these questions.

Shunyata Annaconda Helix, Python CX
Acoustat tube servo amps, Cary 300SEI,Red Dragon mono blocks,DecWare Zen,Sme 10 power supply, Esoteric Xo3,Manley Steelhead.
ASC and DIY room treatment and some DIY difussion.
4 dedicated lines,20 amp breakers, Furutech R connectors, Furutech GTX D G inlet.
HiFi Supreme fuses in all components and WA chips on fuses.
Hydra 8 power conditioner for front- end gear, except cd player that on it's own separate dedicated line.

In my system,under the conditions outlined above,I can state emphatically that the shunyata power cords performed better than the stock power cords did.

I've done the comparison.
In no case with any of the components that I have tried them in, did the upgraded power cords fail to make an improvement in sound.
In fact even the stock power cord, when snipped of it's molded rubber connectors and cheap copper Furutech connectors added, is an improvement.

So that's how it workd for me, sorry to hear things didin't work for you.
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
Hard for me to be more specific. There's been too many components and different setups in my house to remember. It has not been often that an aftermarket power cord on a component compromised the sound of the system compared to the stock cord, but there has been 1 or two occasions where I've tried multiple aftermarket cords on a component and went back to the stock cord after a period of time and heard an improvement. This taught me that you can never say never and there are no absolutes with audio gear.
lacee
811 posts
 
Thanks for answering my question?
One or two times that a power cord didn't improve the sound over the course of so many years and systems is proof enough for me.

So what multiple aftermarket cords did you try?
And on what did they not work?
Pretty simple I think.

I find it curious that since there were only one or two occassions,you should be able to remember what they were.

I am not attacking you, but I am curious.
As I've said, I've never met a component that didn't sound better with a better power cord.
And I can remember all the ones I've used them with.

I do agree with you that there are no absolutes in this hobby, as there are none in life.

Still being the curious type, I am left to wonder if I have owned either of those two pieces of audio gear,and that perhaps I came to a different conclusion.

Surely you should be able to remember the gear in question,
and perhaps others will share their experiences with it and stock power cord vs upgraded ones.

I can remember every mistep I've taken.
I think you would be doing us a big service by informing us of the mismatch so that others don't go down that same path.
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
One of the pieces I think was a PS Audio Premier Power Plant.

Lacee, as we age, the memory is the first thing to go.

I tried the Tekline Reference Master, Silver Audio Wattmaster, VH Audio Flavor 4, PS Audio Statement, Lessloss, DCCA Musical Essence, Purist Audio Dominus Ferrox Synergistic Tesla.

As far as other power cords I've used as I've changed components and speakers, the list is longer.
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